I got a new contender barrel! It's a 30-40AI. Does anyone have any experience with this one? I'ts suppost to be equal to the 309JDJ.
Bill

http://www.again.net/~steve/jpg/cd3040improved.jpg

[ 09-17-2003, 23:26: Message edited by: pahandgunhunter ]

No info but sounds neat. Tell me more.
Jeff

I have both the 30-30AI and a 309JDJ.My 30-30 AI barrel is just slightly faster than my 309 JDJ barrel, but they are about the same in levels of performance with the lighter bullets. The 309 will out do the 30-30AI with the heavier(165 and up) bullets.
The BIGGEST diference between the two is RECOIL and amount of powder burned.
The 309 uses 51.5 gr. of powder to push a 150 gr NBT to a little over 2400fps and it kicks pretty good...The 30-30AI uses 36.5 gr of powder to push the same bullet about the same speed and kicks a lot less. The same with lighter slugs. I can easily reach 2600 fps with a 125 NBT in either barrel but the 30-30AI does it with less powder and recoil.
The advantage of the 309 is with the heavy weight bullets and the fact that the brass is stronger and lasts longer..it is also more expensive.
I shoot the 30-30AI a lot more than the 309 and it is my deer rig this season.
Several friends and I have worked quite a bit with the 30-30AI this past yaer and find it to be a very good contender round and quite possibly the beat all around cartridge in that format.
shortgun

yep, shortgun, i averaged 2588fps with hornady 130gr ssp's in the 14" 30-30AI. lee is also making 30-30AI dies pretty reasonable in price(around $25). cheap,plentiful brass, and you can shoot factory 30-30 win. ammo to form cases, or even hunt with, if you wanted. the win. 150gr hp factory 30-30 rounds went 2200fps, or a little better out of the improved barrel .

Thanks to the extraordinary generosity of dholepuncher, I am now also joining the 30-30AI club. I appreciate all the info you guys have shared both online and offline with me. I have 2 308 Bellm barrels and can't wait to compare them as you have with the 309 JDJ. Gotta love a new barrel enroute, waiting for the little brown goody truck...

Looking forward to hearing more from you.

regards,
Graycg

I too am shooting a .30-30AI, and had it not been for Shortgun being so generous with the knowledge of his barrel(s) I may have never given the cartridge a chance. However I am glad I did as I think it is a fine choice and an underrated cartridge.

Yes when I refered to Shortguns .30-30AI Barrel I used the plural as he has actually experimented with a couple of .30-30AI Barrels. I too have actually experimented with a couple .30-30AI Barrels since my cousin's husband bought one shortly after I aquired mine.

We (Shortgun, KYODE, and Myself) have shot these barrels in the different rifling configurations T/C has used (6 Land & Groove 1 in 14" Twist vs 8 Land & Grooves 1 in 10" Twist) with virtually the same loads and the accuracy and velocity have all been very similar.

Like Shortgun has stated, no the .30-30AI is not the best choice with heavier bullets, but then that is what they make larger bores and larger cartridges for.

Larry

PS, Opps, I just noticed the original post is refering to the .30-40AI. I do not have any info on that cartridge.

These velocities sound conservative. I have a Savage Striker in a 308 and with the Nosler 150 gr Ballistic Tip I'm getting an average 5 shot chronographed velocities of 2621 fps. With the Nosler 150 Fail Safe I'm getting an average of 2680 fps!

pahandgunhunter

That's a cool looking cartridge! Please keep us informed on you progress with it. I'm curious what it will really do.
Rich Jake

SS308,
I don't think that the overall listing of velocities for the 30-30 AI are conservative. When they are so close to the 309JDJ in the lighter bullets to just behind with the heavier sounds pretty good to me. the Contender action can't come close to the strength of the Striker action and the 308 Win. performance. It seems like you are getting some great velocities out of the 150's in your Striker. Of course part of the joy of the Contender is having an overall lighter package and the interchangeability of barrels.

Bill,
Is the 30-40 AI the 30-40 Krag cartridge improved?

Ernie

xp hunter,
Improved oh my yes! a lot of brass really moves!
It has the same case capacity (within 10ths of 1 gr)as the 309jdj. I'll put a couple links hear on drawings.
http://www.again.net/~steve/jpg/cd3040improved.jpg

http://www.again.net/~steve/jpg/cd3040krag.jpg

[ 09-24-2003, 05:21: Message edited by: pahandgunhunter ]