Larry Gibson has done the heavy lifting on LeveRevolution powder for .30-30. My observations therefore come on the heels of Larry’s work.
I have used up my seventh and last bottle of LeveRevolution in the .30-30, and am now on my last few cartridges. This becomes an opportunity to offer my thoughts on LVR.
Prior to LVR I had been using 748, and will be going back to it. This is mostly an availability issue.
With Sierra 170 and 150 gn bullets, velocity with LVR was as claimed by Hodgdon, 2300 and 2500 fps at max. My 748 loads were 100 fps slower than this, though with (much) better groups.
I conclude that LVR is at its best driving jacketed bullets to higher than normal .30-30 velocity.
My cast bullets are sized down #U321297HP, 16 BHN, 175 gns.
Accuracy testing has been with a Savage 1899 rifle with Leupold scope on 7X.
Best 100 meter LVR accuracy was with 32 gns for 2183 fps and 2.57” five shot group average (17 groups). This is almost identical to what I was getting from 33 gns 748, 2.63” and 2180 fps (7 groups).
The heaviest LVR load used was 34 gns for 2290 fps and 2.97” (4 groups).
My conclusion on cast bullets is that LVR and 748 were equally accurate at the same velocity, but LVR gave the option of going up another 100 fps if required.
LVR evidently does not like being downloaded – the lightest I went was 31 gns, but a colleague who shared a “buy” with me noted much more variable velocities with lighter loads.
An annoying feature of LVR is its apparent temperature sensitivity. On several occasions I shot groups and recorded average velocities up to 50 fps less than previously experienced. I put this down to temperature variation, either ambient or cartridge heat (or lack of it) derived from the rifle as I waited or did not wait for the wind to drop.
LVR is certainly running at less pressure than 748 at the same velocity. I don’t have pressure measuring equipment, but I have been running an observation on case stretch over the life of a batch of brass. Average stretch with jacketed or with 748 cast loads has been .003” - .004”, but with LVR cast only .002”.
Conclusions on LVR: A good powder for top velocity jacketed bullets, and for full power CB hunting loads, but I can do without that occasional 50 fps aberration in group velocity.
You are only as good as your library.
