Brought home a TC 30 Herritt super 14 barrel for my old contender from the annual gun show today. Scope, mounts and dies to follow. Already have a selection of 30 cal. molds at least. So guess I am committed. Anyone out there have some favorite loads?
30 Herrett loads
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- Last Post 10 September 2024
Hi there,
These are my old silhouette loads. 14” bbl, rather long throat. All sized .309".
311291 from WW, Homemade black goo, F215, 24gr H335. 2.350” COL. Lyman 44th. RCBS 30-150-FN, LBT Blue, WW, F2155, 28gr H4895, 2.300” COL. IMR- yep I know I put down H4895. Blue,F210, 18.0gr H4227, 2.150” COL. Hodgdon.
Consistently 2” or better at 100yds from the bench over sandbags with 6x Bushnell. Actually mileage my vary.
Hope this helps. Michael
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"Hope this helps." It does. Thanks Michael. Especially the 4227 loads because that's the powder that I use the most. I will consider this affair a rousing success if I can get two inches at 100! Now to round up some dies. Have found that they don't exactly grow on trees anymore.
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Contender's throats are said to be lead unfriendly. How does yours look?
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Well, I don't know what you mean by unfriendly. I tapped an RCBS 30-165-Sil in the throat yesterday and it appears to be rather short. Hard to tell though until I can get a case and make a throat slug.
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I'm actually looking for a second opinion, so let us know...
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"I'm actually looking for a second opinion, so let us know" Sure, I just got a set of dies and 100 formed cases from the guy who had the barrel so looks like things are on the move so far.
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I have never had and issue with the throat, other than it's length. My barrel was one of the older ones with a 14” twist, which limited the bullet options. When I stopped shooting silhouette I still had most of my original 240 RP/WW/SX cases with 23 firings under their belt. Proper die adjustment went long way. The cases that I did loose were primarily due to split necks. 24grs of 335 with the 311291 out WW dropped from the mould at 185grs. It was not pussy cat, well maybe compared to it's predecessor at 10” 30-30. Lost very few to head separation, and those were early on, but those lessons lead to the longevity of their siblings. A lot of shooters did shy away from the 30 Herrett, never did understand why. All of the so called issues and problems that were aired, I did not see as such. Maybe cuz it wasn't a XP in a 7mm GWBW*. Their loss.
All the best, Michael *Gee Whiz Bang Whatever,
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Thanks Michael Although I have had this old Contender .218 B for many years, I have only really test fired it. That's the extent of my experience with these pistols. So this latest bruha is going to be a learning exercise. This 30 Herritt has a 14” twist near as I can tell and your reply is pretty much what I am anticipating. Case sizing and bullet fit. The bore looks very good with sharp lands, especially at the leade. So hopefully I'll get lucky. I intend to get a throat slug today to find it's length and determine what diameter the bullet will have to be.
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Well i finally found some info on these guns throats:
and one more: http://www.bellmtcs.com/store/index.php?cid=120
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Love the 30 Herrett.
Just got done cobbling this together
I shoot, therefore I am
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Cool, Doesn't look cobbled together here. I like that 30 Herrett. Be interested to know how yours shoots.
R.
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Went round and round trying to get 300 BLK performance but found heavy for Herrett bullets (168 gr.) would not stabilize at subsonic speeds because the twist was 1:14". Finally resorted to lighter bullets (125 gr.) somewhere around 1500 fps. and got fabulous accuracy using Trail Boss. Then reviewing range table ballistics I saw the downside to slow bullets ... trajectory!!!
The only reason for a subsonic projectile is to efficiently utilize a can. Mine is a vented extension (threaded and pinned) and is employed for buttstock use and shooting stability. The heavy bullet doesn't give me real long range but for hunting in the mountains it's a sweet woods-walker.
The forearm is of spalted sycamore and the buttstock is burly maple. I find shaping the furniture for these baby rifles very cathartic.
I shoot, therefore I am
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Here are a couple of ten shot groups at 100 yds with my TC Contender pistol, super 14'' 30 Herrett
custom LBT 160 grn. & 15 grains of Alliant 2400.
This bullet was actually made for one of my military Mausers but seemed to work well in the Contender pistol when that super 14 decides to make me look good.
R..
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Fabulous shooting
Thanks
Jimmy
I shoot, therefore I am
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They are a challenge. Kind of a love hate relationship. Switches back and forth fairly frequently.
R.
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I would love to load my 30 Herrett with a propellant (H380, or IMR8208) that would give me enough velocity to stabilize the heavier bullets (150-168 gr.) from a slow twist (1:14) 10" barrel.
The best I can find is Bob Milek's data of over 34 years ago offering 170 gr. soft point w/ 26 gr. IMR4895 @ 1625 fps from a 10" bbl.... and that was at 41,200 psi. I don't wanna exceed that!
I suppose I'll have to drop back on the bullet's weight to achieve 2200 fps and thus shorten bullet's length.
My interest lies in the similarity of the 30 Herrett and the 7.62x39's design in case volume/caliber.
If I could get a recommendation that applies to the 7.62x39, I'd carefully apply it to the Herrett's loads
I realize that H380 is a bit slower powder bur IMR 8208 is right next to 4895 on the burn rate chart.
I shoot, therefore I am
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Well, Hornady obsolete data lists IMR 4198 as a candidate for a faster bullet in the range of weight I'm trying to use.
What a great page.
https://www.hornady.com/support/load-data/obsolete-reloading-data
I shoot, therefore I am
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Range results will be posted after I can get out to the farm for some field trials.
Ladder loads with IMR 4227 & IMR 4198, both with Nosler 168 gr HPBT
I shoot, therefore I am
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Hello to R Dupraz,
I don't know why so many people rag on the TC Contenders. I deer hunted with a 10" .30 Herrett for 3 or 4 years and shot turtles at very long ranges. I can't help you with cast loads but I used the 130 gr. Sierra Single Shot pistol bullet for deer and used the little 110 gr sierra for varmints. I seated the 130's just off the rifling a few thousands and the 110's had to jump quite a ways. Both shot very well. The 130's shot one inch groups at 100 yards using a 4X scope. At one time I owned a contender barrel in every caliber that the early contenders were chambered in, but I ran into someone that wanted them a lot more than I did. The only barrel that I ever owned that wouldn't shoot was a .22 Hornet and It also was the only one I ever tried cast lead in I still have all of the TC grips and forearms that TC ever made up through the mid 90's.. Here's a tip: when you form your cases, don't get them too tight, if you have a lot of pressure on the shoulder of the case and the rim also, your accuracy will suffer. I know it is a rimmed case but it should head space on the shoulder. When I first started I was fitting my cases a way too tight and my accuracy left a lot to be desired. One day I ran into a guy named Behlm along time before he became famous. He gave me this bit of information and my accuracy turned to great.
Mashburn
Mashburn
David a. Cogburn
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I shot Reloder #7, from 20.0 to 21.5, and the SAECO #315 at 100 yards and the RCBS 30-165-SIL at 200 yards. Federal 210M primer. bullet sized .310, I had experimented with the heavier RCBS 30-180-SP and Lyman 311335 that shot equally well, but the heavier recoil for the eighty or more shots total in a match wore me down.
The barrel was Bullberry and the chambering was tight, 1 in 10" twist. The barrel was 12 inches with a slight taper, just keeping within the weight limit. The scope was a Burris IER 10X. I also headspaced on the shoulder, using R-P brass that was neck-turned to .015.
The SAECO #315 was more accurate at 100 yards and on a still day at 200 yards. But it blew several inches more that the RCBS 30-165-SIL in crosswinds. This was also in the time period when Long Range Handgun had a 5.5 pound weight limit. When the weight limit went to seven pounds, I built a Savage Striker in 6 mm BR.
Set a 200 yard National Record at the Nationals in Springfield many years ago with this rig which Jesse Miller then promptly reset the next relay. At least I hold the record for the least time holding a record.
In my Illinois days at the Windhill Range, a friend rebarreled and rechambered a 94 Winchester to .30 Herrett. The action was squared and the locking lugs were lapped in, trigger smoothed up to two pounds, He got .30-30 velocity and good accuracy.
Farm boy from Illinois, living in the magical Pacific Northwest
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I appreciate both of your points of references on this caliber.
Awaiting a break to explore loadings
Thanks, guys!
I shoot, therefore I am
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gemihur,
I would be Very Careful of any of Bob Mileks t/c loads. Shooting his loads in 357 Herrett, they literally blew the cores out of 158 gr
softpoints and left jacket in the barrel.
beltfed/arnie
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Thanks, beltfed, I haven't encountered such an anomaly yet but will be watchful for anything out of the ordinary.
Can't imagine that with these:
I shoot, therefore I am
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The resurrection of the 30 Herrett came last week when I finally received my first barrel ever with that chamber and a 1:10 twist!
I can finally stabilize that long, heavy Nosler 168 grain hollow point boat tail bullet.
Ranges for the targets will be a modest 30 yards due to the low magnification afforded by the optics employed.
Accuracy reports to follow soon
I shoot, therefore I am
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Sold the black on black combo and opted for a 12" stainless from E. A. Brown with the needed 1:10" twist
Still plinking with the little carbine, tho.
Forming brass has always been a pastime, but has taken on a new level of mandated devotion by an early barrel in 25-35 WCF
Whew!
I shoot, therefore I am
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I shoot a 30 Herrett "Long Neck" in a Hiwall. Same shoulder location(kinda) ,just a 1.8" OAL.The barrel is a 1-10 and it has a generous throat.My primary interest is breech seating .But I've also shot some fixed ammo.I've used 12g 4227 and 8g of CFE Pistol with a 185g plainbase Hoch mold.Velocity is 1175- 1250 with both loads . I also shot the old classic NEI 47B 190g gascheck and SAECO #315 gc . So far accuracy is just touching MOA with fixed and plainbase but it's showing promise.I only have had this rifle a couple weeks and it's been enjoyable
"if it was easy we'd let women do it" don't tell my wife I said that!
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Mr. Linoww
HiWall, Eh ?
as crocOdile dunDee might say ::
" now There is a gun "
*********************
ya made my whole day already ... thanks
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Uberti HW with Green Mountain barrel.The extractor needs work as when it was fitted it barely catches the rim.A new one is $75 so I'll just live with it.
"if it was easy we'd let women do it" don't tell my wife I said that!
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