FACTORY 30 30 CONTENDER 14 INCH DEER AMMO

Has any tried the Barnes Vor-TX 30-30 150 grain Triple Shock X Bullet load in their 30 30 contender pistol to deer hunt with.

I have a contender with a 14 inch ported barrel that I plan to use deer hunting out to 150 yards. Would you use this load? If not what factory load would you use?

I have not use factory loads, but I loaded the flatnosed 150gn TSX bullet in hand loads and maxed out at ~2150 fps with the powders I used (forget the specifics, can find them if you want, I started to see signs of the rimfire firing pin hole on the primers at that point). I entered the load ballistic into calculator and got a max range of ~175 yards (minimum recommended impact velocity of 1500 fps). At the bottom of the post is the data I got from Handloads.com.

A couple thoughts
1) if the bullet doesn't expand, you still have a flat nosed bullet creating a wound channel, not that much different then a hard cast. The % metplat is lower, but it is definitely not a pointed bullet.
Min recommended velocity from Barnes is a velocity that will ensure bullet expansion to 2x the initial bullet diameter (0.3 expands to 0.6 or greater in this case).
1.5) I think I tried ~4-5 powders with the max velocity being relatively similar so I don't think factory loads will be any faster, probably slightly slower. I would expect some expansion at or past 175 yards and wouldn't be afraid of taking a 150 yard shot with them. (remember, a bullet doesn't have to have a traditional lead core mushroom shape to function well when it passes through the animal. I think it is more important to look at leading edge diameter.)

2)I think ANY 150 gn load is going to have similar velocity limits, I have no knowledge about how traditional 30-30 bullets function at lower velocities as I no longer hunt deer with lead bullets. Maybe others can help.

2.5)I also looked at the Hornady 140gn monoflex factory loads (lead free, recommended min velocity of 1700fps). They are rated at 2500fps vs 2335 for the Barnes TSX-FN load at the muzzle. I will caveat the recommendation with vague recollections of having tried them and being unsatisfied with 4" groups at 100 yards and the expectation that the extra 200fps in velocity would be mostly lost to the extra 200fps min velocity (I assume the 140 might have a higher BC and better velocity retention, but never pursued the investigation).

4) I ended up handloading the Barns TTSX bullet designed for the 300 Blackout. It is a 110 (also available 120)gn spitzer bullet with a minimum recommended full expansion velocity of ~1400fps (~450 yards). Max load in my 14" contender launches it at 2500fps and it drops deer faster then a 12g slug in my experience.


150 gn TSXFN ballistics from handloads
Range Velocity Impact Drop ToF Energy
0 2150 -1.5 0 0 1540
25 2042 -0.29 0.32 0.04 1389
50 1945 0.41 1.15 0.08 1260
75 1850 0.53 2.56 0.12 1140
100 1759 0 4.61 0.16 1031
125 1672 -1.23 7.37 0.2 931
150 1587 -3.23 10.9 0.25 839
175 1507 -6.1 15.3 0.3 756
200 1432 -9.93 20.66 0.35 683
225 1361 -14.82 27.08 0.4 617
250 1295 -20.88 34.67 0.46 559

I just did some expansion tests on the very bullet you are asking about. I shot them thru my 30-30AI at 2250 fps. The test media was five water jugs. The bullet made it thru three and stopped in the fourth. The bullet showed good expansion in the first jug and really did a number on the others. It is the bullet I will be using this year for deer and antelope. Just to be clear, this is the 150 gr. bullet made just for the 30-30 velocities.

Abner, what was the distance from the muzzle to the jugs in your tests?

The 2250 fps. was about ten feet in front of the muzzle, and the jugs were at 50 yds.

Redhawlk1954 - I thought I'd show the results of my expansion test for the 150gr. Barns 30-30 bullet at lower velocity. If you are still undecided about using this bullet this should seal the deal, it did for me.
From the left: Unfired, next expansion at 50 yds. with a muzzle velocity of 2250fps, next velocity of 1800fps., next velocity of 1650fps., last is a Nosler 125gr. Ballistic tip. Even at 1650fps. the bullet did a number on the water jugs. Hope this helps you.

I have a question for you 30/30 guy's. I'm wanting to order a 30/30 barrel and up to 13in barrel is $275 and a 14in would be $325. So the question is, is the extra inch of barrel worth $50 bucks or would you just go with the 13in barrel? I can't see a inch of barrel making much of a difference but I could be wrong.

If you are going to pay the extra $50..........I'd go with the full 15" MGM offers for that price. Otherwise, stick with 13".

If $50 gets ya 2".........take the 2". Why take less for that price?

Lots of factors to consider here. Hand loading or factory? Typical shooting distance? Hunting style. Comfort with recoil and barrel flip. Bull barrel?..
I think 10 or 12 is short unless you are stalking. I don't see much effective difference between 13 and 14, but haven't run the numbers in quick load.

I'm a treestand sitter mainly, the only stalking is walking in and out of the woods because most of my stands are pretty far back. I will be reloading 110,120gr Barnes or 125gr nosler ballistic tip more than likely. It will be a full bull barrel from MGM on my contender.

Quick load says that for my hunting load in various barrel length.
12" = 2332 fps
13" = 2385
14" = 2443-(I get very close to 2500, depending on ambient temp)
15" = 2476

My only experience with longer then 14" barrels is with an encore, so not a good comparison, but it feels like a beast. Shorter barrels are make a nice compact package, but give a good bit more barrel flip. I also have a 10" 30-30 and don't enjoy shooting that with my hunting loads vs, happy to shoot all day with the same load in the 14" barrel.

Given my current hunting location and shooting distances, I want to work fine tune a reduced load (~2300 fps) if I get the time. They are more pleasant to shoot in the 10", but i will stick with my 14" regardless

It basically comes down to compromise, handling vs performance. You will likely sacrifice somewhere between 50 - 70 fps over that 1" of barrel. Having previously owned a 16" and a 10" barrel in 7-30 Waters, as well as shooting a friends 14"er I had already decided that when the time came to order my custom it would be 13" long as I felt that was the perfect compromise. MGM reinforced my decision with their pricing break at the 13" mark. The 30-30 is pretty similar to the 7-30 so I'd lean the same way, although you might be better served with the 30-30 AI.

I have been looking at the 30/30AI. I'm just not totally convinced that the 100fps speed advantage is worth the extra cost and time fire forming cases is worth it. A deer will never know the difference. The 2450-2500fps with the 110gr Barnes and 2150fps with the 150gr Barnes bullets with the regular 30/30 are looking pretty good to me.

I understand what you are saying on the fps gain. No big deal either way. The regular 30-30 is a good cartridge.
But.......there is no extra cost or time in the fireforming the Ai unless you just want to make it that way. You can shoot regular cases in it from now on.....even hunt with it as regular 30-30. The brass that comes out after firing is just an improved shape.
On the 13" barrel, you might gain back fps that was lost from the 1"-2" shorter barrel you choose. Of course all things are variable though.