I have a Marlin from the 80s that also shoots .75 inches at 100 with Leverevolution ammo. The boys at camp laughed and mocked me when I told them. After loosing several bets they are now believers and I’m a little richer. Whoever said lever guns are not accurate lived before this ammo existed. Thank you for doing the work and sharing your observations. Keep up the good work.
We started loading lever evolution bullets a few years ago for the 30-30's in the family. There is 5 of the clan that all has 336 Marlins so coming up with a load was pretty easy. The groups was pretty good around 1 1/2 inch at 100. The performance is a lot better on deer. Seems like they open up quicker.
Sounds like y’all found a winner. I really like the bullet powder combo. I’ve taken serveral deer at distance with a scoped rifle. When I shoot irons I like the old Hornady 170 interlock and 3031.
Nice video. Good information and clean presentation. I just started using LVR powder and the FTX bullets for my range 1894. The LVR seems to be much cleaner burning than Win760. And 34 grains was giving me nice groups even with Berry’s plated 150 gn round nose. The FTX are even better.
I was slow to try the LVR powder as well. I always used 3031 and h335 in 30-30. I still like those powders but LVR is now my go to with the Ftx bullets.
Good video. I also handload 30-30 with 160gr FTX bullets and LVR powder. Like you, I never use more than 35.5 gr of LVR. This yields about 2350 fps. Fantastic load for deer. As you said, this load will extend the range of your 30-30.
I’ve shot some half inch groups with this scopes Marlin and handloads. I’m happy if I can reach the velocity I want and keep the group around an inch.👍🏻
G'day mate, Had similar results here in Australia I found 32 grains best in my rifle. Believe me they hit hard, including on the feral camels we have in desert country we have here, bit bigger than a deer but they do the job brother!!
@@georgiaboy4410 haha, love that "y'all" I suppose it's like us saying g'day! Yep them ftx go bloody good, Found 32 in my 336 didn't seem to make much difference,and a Little more comfortable to shoot, and accurate as hell! My mate with his 270 was very surprised when I was smacking targets pretty much on line with his with the ole dirty thirty!
Good stuff right there. Good comparison and well put together. Also, very nice groups with the LVR. Some feedback: I use the 170 gr Hornady Interlock with 34 gr of LVR through my 1948 336A, with a 24" barrel. I use iron sights and get about 2 1/2-3" groups with it at 100yds. It's a pretty lively round and running about 2213fps out of my 76 year old gun. EE ha!
@@douglassnyder1292 thanks. I’ve used the 170 interlock in my 94 Winchester with iron sights. Great bullet. I’ve always liked the 336A with the 24 inch barrel👍🏻
Their 37 grain load may have worked just fine in THEIR barrel, with that particular lot of the LVR powder that THEY were using that day (with THEIR particular lot of those bullets...). So where and when they shot that heavier load, they got those results. So their load may have been fine. But MY experience is like yours! Generally it is with other calibers, too. I think you got good accuracy (I'm jealous!), and with getting over 2300 fps with a 20" barrel (s).... I think you got a winner! Good test. Good job!
Good stuff GB, I've been trying to load some .30-30 but I'm having troubles, just had to put it aside for now and work on it later. .303 & .243 just moved up the list. Mike.
You know me I love 30-30, need to work up some loads haven't done any since last time I was out there hanging with you and the boys Just been so dang busy
🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🤘🏼👍🏼🤘🏼👍🏼 I like that 30/30 - 160 FTX BULLET!! It will Expand down near 1300 fps impact!!! Its BT is its only issue as it doesn't act friendly with compressed loads. Other wise it would be a DANDY 300 BO bullet!!! In the 30/30 & if ya shoot deer up close it can blow up on bones. Never lost a deer to it but lost meat!! @ longer ranges is where it shines in the 30/30 offering near perfect preformance out near 200 yards!!
I reloaded to the Hornady book. 34.8 grain with great success. The book says 2200 fps, but I don’t have a crony to test that. But I’m get same hole shot with my jm Marlin. Good video.
Dude, my Mossberg 470 PCA was ruined with that Hornady ammunition. It’s not made for these guns. The bolt doesn’t take it and it wears out the feeding as well.
Hello Georgia boy. I wouldn't shoot that 37 either going off your description. I've been trying to get a load for 44 mag that shoots good for my pistol and rifle and found some big difference in load data for it also . Seems to be the difference by manual brand name and age difference.
I found some really hot loads in some of the older manuals. It might be hard to find a cast bullet load that shoots good in both if they require different size bullets. 44 rifle tends to need a fatter bullet. With jacketed bullets it probably won’t be that hard.
I just don't trust the bullet to expand. I know of too many cases where the shot was accurate but the bullet either passed through with no expansion at all or very, very little leading to a long track of a wounded deer. More than one or two of those deer were lost despite the best efforts of the hunter/hunters. Also, you made an excellent choice using Starline and not factory brass for your reloads. I have several boxes of the factory Hornady stuff, but I am saving it for really, really hard times and sticking with Remington and Federal SJFP ammo for my hunting purposes even if I do "sacrifice" range.
I have not had your experience w/ FTX's (factory loads). I have taken at least 6 deer w/i 100 yds w/ passthroughs but much shorter blood trails than when using 170 gr flat or round points. Last fall, my granddaughter shot her first deer using them (a 7 pt. buck) at 125 yds. It ran 15 yds and dropped.
I've shot whitetails at distances from 30 to 175 yards, mule deer out to 250, more feral pigs than I can count, from 30 to 150 yards, and an elk at 175 yards, and the performance of the FTX bullet left absolutely nothing to complain about.
@@jerroldshelton9367 You are not the first to point out that FTX rounds work/worked for you. Just such responses now have me wondering about inconsistent production quality as I, and a number of my friends who have tried the FTX (type) ammo, have had very poor to just plain bad experience with it in our lever guns. We tend to eat what we kill so stopping a game animal humanely while saving as much meat as possible is important to us as I'm sure it is to you and many others. I wish I had a technical reason for the stuff not performing as "advertised" but the inconsistencies' that my hunting friends and I have had with it have caused us to all fall back on older, blunt or round nosed ammo for our deer and hog hunting. However, I do have several boxes of Hornady "plastic tipped" stuff squirreled away, in .444 Marlin just in case I find myself hunting in an area (longer ranges) where older style bullets would be at a disadvantage. Thanks for the kind and informative response by the way!
I got 2300 fps with my handloads of 35.5 grains in Hornady brass from my '71 Marlin 336 with a Redfield 2-7 Tracker scope. 5 shot groups of 1 1/2". I thought that was outstanding performance.
I shoot 35 .5 gr in my 20 inch remlin and I'm at 2429 fps with 1 inch group and I've killed the 2 biggest bucks of my life with that load , high shoulder shots , deer are drt with complete penatration ! Great bullet great load! All you need for whitetails!
Yeah. I thought I would just tear down a factory load and see what was in it. Takes all the guesswork out. I’m good with 2300 fps and an inch group. Plenty good for hunting and safe. I wouldn’t shoot that 37 gr load the way it crunched the powder.
I have a 1958 336 C microgroove barrel the Hornady Lever revolution will keyhole in my rifle! All round nose bullets work just fine except winchester silver tips will also keyhole, anyone else having this problem? Went back to 150 gr sierra round nose and they shut just fine.
You should not assume that the factory Hornady ammo is loaded with the same powders that you can buy over the counter. You have no idea what the true burn rate is of the powder used in the factory ammo
Just wanted to point out that you cannot pull a bullet and weigh an unknown factory powder and then compare that to anything you have in a can at home.
@@InWithBothFeet that’s true. Even though the Hornady leverevolution ammo specifies it’s loaded with leverevolution powder it could possibly be another blend.
I just don't trust the bullet to expand. I know of too many cases where the shot was accurate but the bullet either passed through with no expansion at all or very, very little leading to a long track of a wounded deer. More than one or two of those deer were lost despite the best efforts of the hunter/hunters. Also, you made an excellent choice using Starline and not factory brass for your reloads. I have several boxes of the factory Hornady stuff, but I am saving it for really, really hard times and sticking with Remington and Federal SJFP ammo for my hunting purposes even if I do "sacrifice" range.
Can’t beat the old flat points for most situations. I’ve shot 2 deer with the factory leverevolution with the scoped Marlin at around 250 yds. Even at that distance it performed well for me. But I understand not everyone has had the same experience. Best to hunt with what you’ve got confidence in👍🏻
I would classify this 160g 30/30 bullet at quite soft. As I said I have tested and seen expansion under 1400 fps. Thats SOFT!! MOST rifle bullets need 1800 fps to START EXPANSION! Now know there is a 308 version of this bullet too. They are NOT INTERCHANGEABLE!!!
@@cw2a you are correct CW. I almost bought the Ftx bullets for the 308 by mistake. Totally different bullet. The canneluer is much further down the bullet. Totally different bullet for the 308 marlin express I believe.
@@georgiaboy4410 Yes and I dont know but assume different velocity range. I did NOT test that I tested the 30/30. Wet paper/water/sand at simulated distance (velocity adjusted) Very impressive! My issue is that boat tail and 1680 powder. (Only one I felt safe reaching 2000 fps) But it pushed bullet out the case as well as bulging it so it would not chamber!!! Too bad might be the perfect hunting bullet in the 300 aac inside sensible range limits.
Great thanks from France for this vidéo. Very helpfull !
French also love lever action riffles...
Glad you found it useful👍🏻
Thank you for this video! I really appreciated you pulling one of the factory loads and weighing the powder; that was something I was curious about!
No problem. Glad it was useful 👍🏻
I have a Marlin from the 80s that also shoots .75 inches at 100 with Leverevolution ammo. The boys at camp laughed and mocked me when I told them. After loosing several bets they are now believers and I’m a little richer. Whoever said lever guns are not accurate lived before this ammo existed.
Thank you for doing the work and sharing your observations. Keep up the good work.
Leverguns will shoot better than people think with the right load. Sometimes you just have to show them lol
Excellent video, concise information without fluff. Thank you.
You’re welcome. Thanks for watching
That is one of the nicest shooting ranges I have ever seen.
Sorry for the late reply. It’s is a very nice range. It’s on our local WMA. All I need is a hunt/fish liscence to shoot there.
We started loading lever evolution bullets a few years ago for the 30-30's in the family. There is 5 of the clan that all has 336 Marlins so coming up with a load was pretty easy. The groups was pretty good around 1 1/2 inch at 100. The performance is a lot better on deer. Seems like they open up quicker.
Sounds like y’all found a winner. I really like the bullet powder combo. I’ve taken serveral deer at distance with a scoped rifle. When I shoot irons I like the old Hornady 170 interlock and 3031.
Nice video. Good information and clean presentation.
I just started using LVR powder and the FTX bullets for my range 1894. The LVR seems to be much cleaner burning than Win760. And 34 grains was giving me nice groups even with Berry’s plated 150 gn round nose. The FTX are even better.
I was slow to try the LVR powder as well. I always used 3031 and h335 in 30-30. I still like those powders but LVR is now my go to with the Ftx bullets.
Good video. I also handload 30-30 with 160gr FTX bullets and LVR powder. Like you, I never use more than 35.5 gr of LVR. This yields about 2350 fps. Fantastic load for deer. As you said, this load will extend the range of your 30-30.
It’s a great combo for the old 30-30👍🏻
The local deer held a meeting and drafted a resolution proclaiming that they do not approve of what you are doing. 🦌
They can talk more about it once they’re in my freezer 😆👍🏻 🦌
👍 Great video!
@@Raider1836 glad you enjoyed it👍🏻
Nice accurate loads. A scope sure does show what kind of accuracy you can get with a good lever action.
I’ve shot some half inch groups with this scopes Marlin and handloads. I’m happy if I can reach the velocity I want and keep the group around an inch.👍🏻
G'day mate,
Had similar results here in Australia
I found 32 grains best in my rifle.
Believe me they hit hard, including on the feral camels we have in desert country we have here, bit bigger than a deer but they do the job brother!!
It’s definitely a great bullet/powder setup. I’ll have to check out those camels y’all have down there👍🏻
@@georgiaboy4410 haha, love that "y'all"
I suppose it's like us saying g'day!
Yep them ftx go bloody good,
Found 32 in my 336 didn't seem to make much difference,and a Little more comfortable to shoot, and accurate as hell!
My mate with his 270 was very surprised when I was smacking targets pretty much on line with his with the ole dirty thirty!
Nice looking groups I’m glad you got it to match the box 👍👍
Yep. It was a fun project. I really like those Ftx bullets in the 30-30
Awesome tests and great information for us guys planning on loading some brother. Looks like you settled in on the right load. 🙂🇺🇸🔥👍
Yep. Got the old dirty thirty ready for hunting season. Y’all still in Florida ?
@@georgiaboy4410 nope we got back Sunday night. Didn’t catch but two Spanish mackerels. Time to get traps ready lol 😂👌
Good stuff right there. Good comparison and well put together. Also, very nice groups with the LVR. Some feedback: I use the 170 gr Hornady Interlock with 34 gr of LVR through my 1948 336A, with a 24" barrel. I use iron sights and get about 2 1/2-3" groups with it at 100yds. It's a pretty lively round and running about 2213fps out of my 76 year old gun. EE ha!
@@douglassnyder1292 thanks. I’ve used the 170 interlock in my 94 Winchester with iron sights. Great bullet. I’ve always liked the 336A with the 24 inch barrel👍🏻
Accuracy always trumps a few more fps when you’re talking about velocities over 2000. Thanks for doing this
That’s right👍🏻🎯
Good info, Pastor. Thank you, Sir!
Their 37 grain load may have worked just fine in THEIR barrel, with that particular lot of the LVR powder that THEY were using that day (with THEIR particular lot of those bullets...).
So where and when they shot that heavier load, they got those results. So their load may have been fine.
But MY experience is like yours! Generally it is with other calibers, too.
I think you got good accuracy (I'm jealous!), and with getting over 2300 fps with a 20" barrel (s)....
I think you got a winner!
Good test. Good job!
Thanks. I think with a 24 inch barrel I would get the 2400 fps advertised velocity.
@@georgiaboy4410 Agreed!
Good stuff GB, I've been trying to load some .30-30 but I'm having troubles, just had to put it aside for now and work on it later. .303 & .243 just moved up the list. Mike.
Well, let me know if I can be of help with the 30-30 loads. Take care Hobo👍🏻
You know me I love 30-30, need to work up some loads haven't done any since last time I was out there hanging with you and the boys Just been so dang busy
That was a great time. You need to get the dirty thirty out again👍🏻
🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🤘🏼👍🏼🤘🏼👍🏼
I like that 30/30 - 160 FTX BULLET!!
It will
Expand down near 1300 fps impact!!! Its BT is its only issue as it doesn't act friendly with compressed loads.
Other wise it would be a DANDY 300 BO bullet!!!
In the 30/30 & if ya shoot deer up close it can blow up on bones. Never lost a deer to it but lost meat!!
@ longer ranges is where it shines in the 30/30 offering near perfect preformance out near 200 yards!!
👍🏻🇺🇸
I’ve used it on 2 deer at around 250 yds with the scoped Marlin and it performed great each time👍🏻
I reloaded to the Hornady book. 34.8 grain with great success. The book says 2200 fps, but I don’t have a crony to test that. But I’m get same hole shot with my jm Marlin. Good video.
I really like this powder/bullet combination in our 30-30’s. Seems it works for lots of folks. 👍🏻
My best friend has one of these he uses it all the time for deer hunting
It’s a great deer rifle and cartridge👍🏻
It looks like you have a good load for deer season .
Yup. Now if I can just find some deer when season opens 😆
@@georgiaboy4410 I have seven of them showing up from time to time over here . Bow season has them stirred up a bit .
Dude, my Mossberg 470 PCA was ruined with that Hornady ammunition. It’s not made for these guns. The bolt doesn’t take it and it wears out the feeding as well.
Good info,,not a big fan of 30-30 tho do have a couple,,,would be a great deer/hog gun here in south georgia,,,,be well….
Yup, quick handling carbines. The 30-30 is at home in the thick woods👍🏻
I love me a 30-30 I have a Savage 340C bolt action rifle in it and I want to get a Marlin 336
The old 30-30 is a great cartridge. I’d like to get a savage 340 bolt gun myself
Hello Georgia boy. I wouldn't shoot that 37 either going off your description. I've been trying to get a load for 44 mag that shoots good for my pistol and rifle and found some big difference in load data for it also . Seems to be the difference by manual brand name and age difference.
I found some really hot loads in some of the older manuals. It might be hard to find a cast bullet load that shoots good in both if they require different size bullets. 44 rifle tends to need a fatter bullet. With jacketed bullets it probably won’t be that hard.
@@georgiaboy4410 I bought some cheaper jacketed bullets ( by bulk ) before the crazy times. They are jacketed soft point 240 gr.
@@larryalexander4833 those should work good👍🏻
@@georgiaboy4410 hopefully .
I just don't trust the bullet to expand. I know of too many cases where the shot was accurate but the bullet either passed through with no expansion at all or very, very little leading to a long track of a wounded deer. More than one or two of those deer were lost despite the best efforts of the hunter/hunters. Also, you made an excellent choice using Starline and not factory brass for your reloads. I have several boxes of the factory Hornady stuff, but I am saving it for really, really hard times and sticking with Remington and Federal SJFP ammo for my hunting purposes even if I do "sacrifice" range.
I have not had your experience w/ FTX's (factory loads). I have taken at least 6 deer w/i 100 yds w/ passthroughs but much shorter blood trails than when using 170 gr flat or round points. Last fall, my granddaughter shot her first deer using them (a 7 pt. buck) at 125 yds. It ran 15 yds and dropped.
I've shot whitetails at distances from 30 to 175 yards, mule deer out to 250, more feral pigs than I can count, from 30 to 150 yards, and an elk at 175 yards, and the performance of the FTX bullet left absolutely nothing to complain about.
@@jerroldshelton9367 You are not the first to point out that FTX rounds work/worked for you. Just such responses now have me wondering about inconsistent production quality as I, and a number of my friends who have tried the FTX (type) ammo, have had very poor to just plain bad experience with it in our lever guns. We tend to eat what we kill so stopping a game animal humanely while saving as much meat as possible is important to us as I'm sure it is to you and many others. I wish I had a technical reason for the stuff not performing as "advertised" but the inconsistencies' that my hunting friends and I have had with it have caused us to all fall back on older, blunt or round nosed ammo for our deer and hog hunting. However, I do have several boxes of Hornady "plastic tipped" stuff squirreled away, in .444 Marlin just in case I find myself hunting in an area (longer ranges) where older style bullets would be at a disadvantage. Thanks for the kind and informative response by the way!
I got 2300 fps with my handloads of 35.5 grains in Hornady brass from my '71 Marlin 336 with a Redfield 2-7 Tracker scope. 5 shot groups of 1 1/2". I thought that was outstanding performance.
Yup. Can’t beat that with a stick. My old Marlin is a 71 as well.
I shoot 35 .5 gr in my 20 inch remlin and I'm at 2429 fps with 1 inch group and I've killed the 2 biggest bucks of my life with that load , high shoulder shots , deer are drt with complete penatration ! Great bullet great load! All you need for whitetails!
Absolutely. It’s a great bullet powder combo👍🏻
@@georgiaboy4410 yessir good hunting to you!
Very interesting
Yeah. I thought I would just tear down a factory load and see what was in it. Takes all the guesswork out. I’m good with 2300 fps and an inch group. Plenty good for hunting and safe. I wouldn’t shoot that 37 gr load the way it crunched the powder.
Nice groups
Thanks Don👍🏻
I have a 1958 336 C microgroove barrel the Hornady Lever revolution will keyhole in my rifle! All round nose bullets work just fine except winchester silver tips will also keyhole, anyone else having this problem? Went back to 150 gr sierra round nose and they shut just fine.
That’s interesting. I haven’t encountered a Marlin like that. Like you, I’d just stick with the ammo that shoots good.
I have a 1976 Marlin 336. Mine doesn't "key-hole" any bullet I ever shot out of it, including Hornady FTX and GMX flex-tip bullets.
Thanks for the reply@@georgiaboy4410
Thanks for the reply, have a old winchester that likes them! With open sighs on it I don't need the extra range.@@jerroldshelton9367
Good group, thanks for the video
What distance?
Thanks. Group was shot at 100 yds
@@georgiaboy4410 thanks a lot, beautiful rifles
You should not assume that the factory Hornady ammo is loaded with the same powders that you can buy over the counter. You have no idea what the true burn rate is of the powder used in the factory ammo
@@mikes1097 Hodgdon and Hornady both say the leverevolution ammo is loaded with leverevolution powder.
@@georgiaboy4410 thanks for that info.. I did not realize that was the case.. Merry Christmas
@@mikes1097 Merry Christmas
Just wanted to point out that you cannot pull a bullet and weigh an unknown factory powder and then compare that to anything you have in a can at home.
@@InWithBothFeet that’s true. Even though the Hornady leverevolution ammo specifies it’s loaded with leverevolution powder it could possibly be another blend.
@@InWithBothFeet just checked Hornadys website. It says they load their ammo with the same leverevolution powder that we can buy.
@@georgiaboy4410 Well... Now don't that make me look like an azz. LOL
@ na, you’re right. In most cases you can’t duplicate factory ammo.
The proof is in the puddin and testing yourself. 👍🕺🏻🇺🇸🐿💥🐿💥🐿💥
Exactly. Best to test things for yourself👍🏻💥🦌🇺🇸
Yes. 🐿💥🐿💥
that bullets good for 200 yrs flat in my gun
👍👍
Yeah buddy👍🏻🦌💥
2300 fps is pretty good for 160gr bullet. Those crunchy loads make me nervous too...
Yeah. My load would get the 2400 fps in a 24 inch barrel. No crunchy loads for me either lol
CRANKY---is GB44 nuts ? A 8 MINUTE VIDEO IS UN-HEARD OF.
@@fuzztfork8 he’s not crazy yet…no mullets yet 🤷🏻♂️
@@CrankyCleatus GB44 IS GETTING AS BAD AS FUZZY, AN 8 MINUTE VIDEO MEANS HE LIKES TO HEAR HIMSELF TALK !
@@fuzztfork8 lol. I hear myself talk enough lol. Or maybe I just talk to myself to much😆
Nice
That’s man👍🏻
Now add another pound to the rifle and see what your speeds are.
EVOLUTION. Not revolution😊
😆
Traducir sl castellano.
I just don't trust the bullet to expand. I know of too many cases where the shot was accurate but the bullet either passed through with no expansion at all or very, very little leading to a long track of a wounded deer. More than one or two of those deer were lost despite the best efforts of the hunter/hunters. Also, you made an excellent choice using Starline and not factory brass for your reloads. I have several boxes of the factory Hornady stuff, but I am saving it for really, really hard times and sticking with Remington and Federal SJFP ammo for my hunting purposes even if I do "sacrifice" range.
Can’t beat the old flat points for most situations. I’ve shot 2 deer with the factory leverevolution with the scoped Marlin at around 250 yds. Even at that distance it performed well for me. But I understand not everyone has had the same experience. Best to hunt with what you’ve got confidence in👍🏻
I would classify this 160g 30/30 bullet at quite soft. As I said I have tested and seen expansion under 1400 fps. Thats SOFT!! MOST rifle bullets need 1800 fps to START EXPANSION!
Now know there is a 308 version of this bullet too. They are NOT INTERCHANGEABLE!!!
@@cw2a you are correct CW. I almost bought the Ftx bullets for the 308 by mistake. Totally different bullet. The canneluer is much further down the bullet. Totally different bullet for the 308 marlin express I believe.
@@georgiaboy4410 Yes and I dont know but assume different velocity range. I did NOT test that I tested the 30/30. Wet paper/water/sand at simulated distance (velocity adjusted) Very impressive!
My issue is that boat tail and 1680 powder. (Only one I felt safe reaching 2000 fps) But it pushed bullet out the case as well as bulging it so it would not chamber!!! Too bad might be the perfect hunting bullet in the 300 aac inside sensible range limits.