The 30-30 is remarkably forgiving and almost any powder between Reloader7 and IMR 4350 can be used. I tend to use 170- grain bullets because they are not popular here in central Texas and I have been able to pick up a bunch at low cost from going-out-of-business retailers ( along with a couple thousand highly effective but decidedly un-sexy .270 150 gr round-noses), and they may, in fact, be slightly more accurate that 150 gr FP's in most of my 30-30's. That said, I prefer 150 gr FP's for our smallish deer and 170 gr Nosler Partitions for hogs.

The Sierra 125 gr HP really does a number on deer from a 30-30ai!

My thought exactly, I can't imagine any loading manual specifying 296 for a full power load in a .30-30.

when I had a 30-30 I loaded it with 150 gr bullets and used 3031 powder also. grouped well.