30-30 Flat Nose bullets in 300 Blackout

[Coyotekiller1]

After not having luck after multiple attempts to get a 125gr Sierra Pro Hunter Spitzer to expand, I finally got around to testing the 30-30 125gr HP FN bullet in my 300 blackout.

Running about 2,000 fps out of my 8.5" CMMG, the bullet went through a 1/2 gallon jug of water, then 2 full gallon jugs of water, and into a 3rd gallon jug, where it stopped. I put that at 18-20" of penetration of water, this is on par with where I like to seem them make it. The Barnes Blacktip stopped in the same 3rd jug for comparison. This is MUCH better than my experiences with the Spitzer SP version which went thru over 40" of water and I missed stopping it in 2 attempts, once even going thru my 2x6" backer board.

Note though, the jacket did seperate from the core, but everything came to rest in the final jug. The bad thing about this bullet is its horrible BC. It slows down really quickly. So, you guys with the 16" barrel pushing his bullet about 2200 fps should be good to go to 50 yards, where it will have already slowed down to 1,895 fps. Out of my 8.5", the BC kills my range.

Do you think you would get similar expansion out of say a Hornady Interlock Round Nose? I'd be interested in results of that testing...

[Tex Glassman]

It looks like the Speer 130 FN @ 1.90" COAL will cycle just fine. I can't wait to get to the range to try the loads.
I just ordered some Barnes 130gn HPBTs. I hope I can find a good load FAST..........at those prices, you don't want to spend all day at the range with these bullets.

[JoeHarley13]

Do you think you would get similar expansion out of say a Hornady Interlock Round Nose? I'd be interested in results of that testing...

I don't think so. The Sierra 125gr HP FN bullet is like shooting a pistol HP bullet. It is definitely designed to expand easily.

I didn't have any luck getting the Sierra 150gr FN (30-30 style) bullet to expand. The Hornady 150gr Round Nose doesn't look like it would expand at low velocity either.

So far though, the Barnes 110gr Blacktip (pic below) is the most impressive bullet. Great BC, high velocity, great expansion. Hands down the bullet I would choose to go hunting with. The rest of these are just fun to shoot on the cheap.

[Coyotekiller1]

Do you think you would get similar expansion out of say a Hornady Interlock Round Nose? I'd be interested in results of that testing...

I don't think so. The Sierra 125gr HP FN bullet is like shooting a pistol HP bullet. It is definitely designed to expand easily.

I didn't have any luck getting the Sierra 150gr FN (30-30 style) bullet to expand. The Hornady 150gr Round Nose doesn't look like it would expand at low velocity either.

So far though, the Barnes 110gr Blacktip (pic below) is the most impressive bullet. Great BC, high velocity, great expansion. Hands down the bullet I would choose to go hunting with. The rest of these are just fun to shoot on the cheap.

Yeah good luck finding the Barnes... I've had no luck so far... H110 is also eluding me...

[JoeHarley13]

I normally reload, but like you, can't find the Barnes Blacktip bullet anywhere, so I forked over the cash and bought some of the Factory ammo from Midway about a month ago when they got them instock. Basically, you get 20 loaded, for about $5 less than the cost of a box of 50 bullet heads. Not a great deal, but only needed to fire two to adjust for impact. Now good to go for hunting this fall.

[oneyeopn]

I also really appreciate this, when I had a 30-30 I picked up a bunch of bullets for reloading, unlike some people I do not feel the need to keep 1,000 loaded bullets for a firearm. I recently finished my first 300BLK and have been making brass for it. I also have been loading up bullets but I have tons of 30-30 bullets. I have been loading in small quantities my flat nosed and my FTX bullets just to see how they run....you all are making me pretty hopeful...thank you

Ohhhh please do report on the FTX bullet speed, accuracy, and expansion performance! I've been waiting for someone to give some fine details about the FTX bullet performance. I've seen a thread out there that says they feed in an AR and shoot fine, but not much beyond that.

Also can you confirm if you have the 160gr 30-30 FTX or if you have the other FTX bullet intended to be shot from a .308 rifle?
Finally, if you do have the 30-30 FTX bullets would you be interested in trading 100 or so of them?

This is exciting!

I can definitely confirm that they are the 30-30 bullets and not the 308mx bullets. I just recently had a hip replacement so setting up my chrono and such is kinda limited but I will get there and I will report on them.

I also have been doing some research on a slower gunpowder although I haven't loaded anything yet. I have the DSA upper 16" 1:8 Carbine length gas system. Out of my 5.56x45 AR I know that to get a complete burn on my reloads I need a minimum of 18" of barrel length. I have my reloads using CFE223 burning as clean as possible with little to no unburnt powder. I was thinking that Lil' Gun and H110 are too fast for a 16" barrel and was thinking of using more of a rifle powder. I dont want the pressures to get to high and am not trying to make the bullets go as fast as the 5.56 but I was thinking that I could get a little more velocity and distance with a slower burning powder while keeping complete functionality. I am not working on subsonic at all with either of my rifles and my other AR has a 16" barrel just like this one

I looked at the 7.62x39 loading data and the powders that they show for the 150gr bullet and wondering why not? Any input is appreciated!!

I am sorry but all I have is a 100 round box of them.

[Coyotekiller1]

I also really appreciate this, when I had a 30-30 I picked up a bunch of bullets for reloading, unlike some people I do not feel the need to keep 1,000 loaded bullets for a firearm. I recently finished my first 300BLK and have been making brass for it. I also have been loading up bullets but I have tons of 30-30 bullets. I have been loading in small quantities my flat nosed and my FTX bullets just to see how they run....you all are making me pretty hopeful...thank you

Ohhhh please do report on the FTX bullet speed, accuracy, and expansion performance! I've been waiting for someone to give some fine details about the FTX bullet performance. I've seen a thread out there that says they feed in an AR and shoot fine, but not much beyond that.

Also can you confirm if you have the 160gr 30-30 FTX or if you have the other FTX bullet intended to be shot from a .308 rifle?
Finally, if you do have the 30-30 FTX bullets would you be interested in trading 100 or so of them?

This is exciting!

I can definitely confirm that they are the 30-30 bullets and not the 308mx bullets. I just recently had a hip replacement so setting up my chrono and such is kinda limited but I will get there and I will report on them.

I also have been doing some research on a slower gunpowder although I haven't loaded anything yet. I have the DSA upper 16" 1:8 Carbine length gas system. Out of my 5.56x45 AR I know that to get a complete burn on my reloads I need a minimum of 18" of barrel length. I have my reloads using CFE223 burning as clean as possible with little to no unburnt powder. I was thinking that Lil' Gun and H110 are too fast for a 16" barrel and was thinking of using more of a rifle powder. I dont want the pressures to get to high and am not trying to make the bullets go as fast as the 5.56 but I was thinking that I could get a little more velocity and distance with a slower burning powder while keeping complete functionality. I am not working on subsonic at all with either of my rifles and my other AR has a 16" barrel just like this one

I looked at the 7.62x39 loading data and the powders that they show for the 150gr bullet and wondering why not? Any input is appreciated!!

I am sorry but all I have is a 100 round box of them.

What is so bad about all your powder being burned up before it leaves the barrel? I thought that was what you wanted? Not understanding why you would want to use a slower powder here... Explain please? I'm only a poor ignorant novice lol

[oneyeopn]

My experience in loading for the 45lc in leveraction rifles has shown that using pistol powder after a certain distance in the barrel my velocity actually drops because of the longer barrel length. I was able to change powders and increase my MV, not a lot but a little, but I was able to shoot further with less bullet drop. I misstated in my last post, yes you want the powder to all burn but if it burns too quickly then the friction of the barrel will slow down the bullet. I am not shooting an SBR nor am I shooting subsonics so I was hoping for a little longer acceleration curve on the bullet.

I have a bad habit of trying to reinvent the wheel, but if I am thinking crazy or over thinking this I am sure willing to listen to you all who have played with this Caliber a lot longer than I have. I just thought that a longer acceleration curve would help with my accuracy downrange.

I am all ears...

[Coyotekiller1]

My experience in loading for the 45lc in leveraction rifles has shown that using pistol powder after a certain distance in the barrel my velocity actually drops because of the longer barrel length. I was able to change powders and increase my MV, not a lot but a little, but I was able to shoot further with less bullet drop. I misstated in my last post, yes you want the powder to all burn but if it burns too quickly then the friction of the barrel will slow down the bullet. I am not shooting an SBR nor am I shooting subsonics so I was hoping for a little longer acceleration curve on the bullet.

I have a bad habit of trying to reinvent the wheel, but if I am thinking crazy or over thinking this I am sure willing to listen to you all who have played with this Caliber a lot longer than I have. I just thought that a longer acceleration curve would help with my accuracy downrange.

I am all ears...

It's only a couple inches difference, but hey you might be right. Like I said, I'm new to this lol. I would think the H110 would do well in a 16" barrel though.

[oneyeopn]

H110 is one of the powders I am presently using, it and Lil' Gun but I was wondering. Being as I am mostly shooting 147gr Pulled M80 bullets and there is not a lot of load information it made me wonder.