Hillbilly 30-30 expansion test at 300 yds.

I've been getting fantastic accuracy out of noslers 30-30 ballistic tip bullet.
Groups at 100 yds have been easily under 1" and I've been able to reliably ring the 300yd gong with my ballistic plex scope. I certainly don't plan to hunt at that range but I get teased by "what if" a shot did come up.
Would the bullet expand?
So I set up a test that probably isn't real scientific but here goes.
Filled a cat litter jug with water and strapped a piece of paneling to the back. Hoping to see the profile of the bullet in the pass through.
Quick target told me the velocity of my load at 300 yds would be about 1490fps.
I loaded 21 grains of 3031 thinking it would do about 1600 and I'd place the jug at the 50 yd distance.
The load actually chronoed at 1400 so I'd have to stand point blank.
So I stood about 8' away and let one fly.
There was pretty good hydrostatic action as I got pretty soaked.
The 2nd picture shows a slightly bigger than 1"x1" hole left in the wood.
The 3rd picture shows the inward hole and the outward hole on the jug with a thumbtac for reference.
The hole coming in somehow shrunk down to about 1/4".
The outgoing hole is easily twice that size.
So from what I saw and felt I think the bullet did expand.
Is it ideal.....heck no but it is going the same speed plus some as a 357 magnum at point blank range.
I have to believe this would take a deer down if hit in the vitals.
What do you think....fact, fiction, or I proved nothing???

I should think that is sufficient energy to take down a deer, provided the bullet was placed in the vitals.

I wouldn't want to stand in front of you at 300 yards with that load! :mrgreen: It will kill but as Dr. Mike related has to be in the vitals.

Don

I second that Mike. if it didn't take a deer down I would guess it was the Indian and not the arrow.


Bill

Looks lethal to me.
Good job.

JD338

I know that water is tougher than a deer's inards. Thats why I didn't think it was necessarily a good thing to run the bullet through even more water with additional jugs. I guess based on what I see the bullet did to the wood it would certainly cause damage to heart and lung tissue. Then again deer don't have jugs of water covering their vitals. Maybe all I did was prove I can kill a piece of wood....???

kraky1":19ykpuen said:

Maybe all I did was prove I can kill a piece of wood....???

Click to expand...

Couldn't have kilt a finer piece of wood IMO. Looks heart/lungish to me.


Bill

If you got expansion then your good to go. Just practice a lot for that "What If" shot.

Looks like venison in the freezer with a chest shot. :wink:

Similar ballistics and results to Soviet 7N1 7.62X54r sniper ammo fired from an SVD at 800m minus the ability to penetrate 3mm of steel also and I'm sure as hell not standing in front of any of those.

A friend had a savage bolt action 30-30 and we used to load 150 pointed bts in it. Never shot a deer that far out but clipped a couple of yotes at 300-400 yards and they do expand.

Kraky- Heres some food for thought. if you still get 1490 at 300 yds....That is roughly equal to a 400gr 12 GA slug at the muzzle. Dont know what your energy figures would look like at 300 but I suspect you in the 1000 ft/lb range, I guarentee you are more accurate than that 12 slug at any range. I wouldnt go out and look for a 300 yd shot and I wouldnt expect a "bang flop" but I wouldnt turn down a 200 yard chance with that rifle/bullet. CL

Cool test buddy. Looks like it opens, and just a little expansion would make enough damage to down a measly ole deer, with a good shot of course.

Hornady told me their 170 flat point was designed to expand at 300 yards from a 30-30. I'll
bet a Nosler would be similar.

OU812":2pjlvh03 said:

kraky1":2pjlvh03 said:

Maybe all I did was prove I can kill a piece of wood....???

Click to expand...

Couldn't have kilt a finer piece of wood IMO. Looks heart/lungish to me.


Bill

Click to expand...

Funny

That setup should be good out to about 200yds, give or take. At 200, by my best calculations, you should see about 900lbs of energy from that bullet. As long as you get nominal expansion, you'll be fine for clean shots that are not too hard quartering or texas heart shots. I run a 150gr Speer in my 30-30, and it's good out to 200yds (right at 1000lbs of energy and actually a 212yd point blank range). I'm with CL, though - I wouldn't take a shot any further than 200yds on deer with a 30-30. (Not that I think anyone is advocating that.)

KRaky PS- Like I said when you posted your groups with that rifle. I would love to sit down next to some guy at the range and print out sub inch groups with my "lowly 30-30" especially at 200 yds. I can just see me bending the barrel on my mauser over a truck bumper on the way off the range. You got one heck of a comb there. Cant wait to see your first deer pics....CL

Cloverleaf....Iappreciate the cudos but that group was 100yds. Ive got more booolits coming. Wonder if the coating will change things slightly. Its starting to get warm up here and Im dealing with a family health problem but hope to try some 300 yd work. Love that burris ballistic plex 2-7 scope. With a little planning ea hashmark is worth 50 yds.