RE: What rifle cartridge should i use?
 

The pointy bullets Hornady is loading for tubular magazine rifles these days will no doubt make hitting at longer ranges easier by flatening out the trajectory, compared to flatnose bullets.

But if you look at the ballistic coefficients for pointed vs round-nose or flatnose bullets, it shows that the advantage of the pointed ones is not that great. Indeed, the advantages of the pointed projectiles really doesn't show up well until really long ranges are involved.... For example, the Hornady 150-grain roundnose .30/30 load starting out at 2390 FPS drops 29" @ 100 yards IF it is zeroed dead-on at 100 yards. But the pointed 160-grain, starting out at 2400 FPS, drops 21" going the same distance. So there's only 8" difference AT 300 YARDS, with a 10-grain weight advantage and a higher MV for the pointed bullet. If you can launch a 160-grain bullet at 2400 FPS (probably not, it a 20" barrel!!), you can surely get close to 2500 from a bullet weighing 10 grains less if the same powder is loaded to the same pressure. (I note in the Hornady tables, they's zeroed the pointed 160-grain load at +3 @ 100 yards, making the -12.1" @ 300 figure LOOK impressive.... But if you zero the old 150-grain RN +3" @ 100, it will show up better @ 300, as well!

Makes one wonder..........

RE: What rifle cartridge should i use?
 

I'm not saying there isn't a bit of an improvement and advantage in switching to a diffrent bullet type for a 30/30 rifle. However you cannot make a "pizza out of white bread". If one really feels a need to hunt deer with a rifle capable of taking the very odd 300 yard shot, it is probably time for a new rifle in a new cartridge.

A lot of years ago Savage could see that the American deer hunter was in love with the lever action but wanted to strech its useful range. So they brought out the Savage model 99 in a number of cartridges similar but a bit more potent than the 30/30. I have one in .300 savage that I have taken deer, moose and wolves with. Chambering the same rifle in .308 and .243 was another step in the right direction. Why the Savage 99 is no longer made is a puzzle to me. Winchester made the model 88 and 100 to fit in the same niche and they did not last too long. (i have a couple 100s as well)

The shot barreled lever action 30/30 has its place in the deer woods. It is a wonderful and well proven favorite of many deer hunters. It is less limited than a bow or a muzzleloader but limmited compared to many other rifles and chamberings.

So the choice of bullets in a lever "thirty-thirty" will only improve its range potential a little bit.
If you love to hunt with it, be aware you will have to sacrifice the odd shot at longer ranges.

Robin in Rocky

RE: What rifle cartridge should i use?
 

I agree you could try both and pic the one that is more accurate. I've been using corlokt for 30 years I buy the bullet in bulk now and load my own.

RE: What rifle cartridge should i use?
 

I am a HUGE proponent of the .30-30, and I snicker at folks who think they need anything else to kill a deer at reasonable ranges. That being said, I believe that the .30-30 is a 200 yard gun maximum with any bullet. It is not whatI would call a field caliber. If I was watching a beanfield/cornfield where shots would exceed 200 yards there are better options like for instance the .260 Remington, .25-06 etc.

My absolute favorite ammo for my .30-30 was the old PMC Starfire ammo. It has been discontinued unfortunately, but man that stuff did a number on whitetails!

RE: What rifle cartridge should i use?
 

Barnes has a bullet for the 30-30 that I think is similar to the old PMC Starfire. Wasn't that a 150 grain solid copper hollowpoint with a big gaping hole in it?