Hornady Leverevolution 30-30 Ammo?

[WMAn]

Up until four years ago, I shot Remington Core-Lokt 170 gr Soft Points. I have used Hornady Leverevolution since then and killed three deer with it. I have never lost a deer and all three dropped within sight.

But, I have twice now had the same experience. The bullet explodes when striking bone. Last Saturday, I shot a fawn at 30 yards. The bullet entered the left shoulder, struck the right arm bone (humerus), and exploded. There was a clear entry hole and exit hole, but the exit hole appeared to be created by the bullet causing a compound fracture of the arm bone. There was a second exit hole out of the right ham.

I'm concerned about this. The bullet exploding in both instances resulted in the unnecessary destruction of meat. I'm also concerned that this could result in a lost deer if the bullet where to explode without creating an exit wound.

What do you think? Have others had a similar experience with this load?

 

[FULLDRAWXX75]

I have no personal experience with that ammo, I have heard pro/con's on it, but have yet to make the jump to try it for that reason.

I am inclined to lean towards it is the nature of the beast, you will and can get those results from a particular bullet design. My advice would be very careful shot placement from the knowledge you have gathered so far.

FDXX75

 

[Rubberduck270]

When using the Leverevolution ammo, I'd suggest using the MonoFlex version rather than the FTX version if you will have 30 yrd shots. FTXs are fairly similar to Ballistic tips or SSTs and expand fairly rapidly. The MonoFlex's will expand but since they are monolithic they hang together and penetrate DEEP.

Keep in mind though, if you're hunting for meat a shoulder shot is not the shot you want to take. I've never taken a shoulder shot and not ruined at lease 1 of the shoulders (several times I've ruined both).

 

[knightrider]

i love it in my 30-30 in high shoulder out the other drt!

 

[WMAn]

Rubberduck,

Thank you for pointing out the different bullets available in the Leverevolution ammo. I'm not so worried about losing a shoulder. What bothers me is a bullet fragmenting and doing damage to meat away from where I placed my shot. This has happened with this ammo twice. The first time the bullet fragment exited beside the spine and took a big chunk of backstrap with it. This time it exited through the ham and destroyed a nice roast.

I do agree with you that as I'm shifting my hunting to focus exclusively on meat I need to work more on my shot placement. Shooting deer is almost a reflex for me. I don't so much think about where I'm shooting; I just do it. Do you prefer a shot behind the shoulder?

 

[FULLDRAWXX75]

Up until four years ago, I shot Remington Core-Lokt 170 gr Soft Points. I have used Hornady Leverevolution since then and killed three deer with it. I have never lost a deer and all three dropped within sight.

But, I have twice now had the same experience. The bullet explodes when striking bone. Last Saturday, I shot a fawn at 30 yards. The bullet entered the left shoulder, struck the right arm bone (humerus), and exploded. There was a clear entry hole and exit hole, but the exit hole appeared to be created by the bullet causing a compound fracture of the arm bone. There was a second exit hole out of the right ham.

I'm concerned about this. The bullet exploding in both instances resulted in the unnecessary destruction of meat. I'm also concerned that this could result in a lost deer if the bullet where to explode without creating an exit wound.

What do you think? Have others had a similar experience with this load?

Can't help but wonder why the switch in ammo to begin with, poor performance with the Core Lokts? Sold on all the hype about the Leverevolution ammo? Unless you are attempting to gain distance down range from the Leverevolution ammo, the Core Lokts have always treated me well in my 30-30 and several other guns I own.

FDXX75

 

[catman529]

I shoot Winchester Super X soft points 150gr and would like to try the Leverevolution but am leery of the hollowpoint factor and the way they can fragment. I usually shoot my deer in the shoulder/leg bone for a heart shot and often hit the first leg with the entry so that could be bad news if the bullet exploded. I have gut shot a few deer (bow and gun) so I always hold very tight to the shoulder on a deer, and wouldn't want bullet pieces blowing through other cuts of meat.

 

[WMAn]

FDXX75,

I bought into the hype. Do you prefer 150 or 170 gr in the Core-lokt? I never had any issue with Core-lokts. I have killed deer out to 150 yards with a 170 gr Core-lokt. The two times I came close to losing deer (long, difficult tracking) were my fault as I made a poor shot in both cases.

 

[woodchuckc]

I have always shot the 150 gr Core-Lokt in my Marlin 336 30-30 (Micro-groove barrel) with good results, but have never shot a deer over 120 yards with them. A year or two after they came out, I bought a box of the FTX Leverevolution ammo to try. I shot some on paper but they actually gave worse groups at 75 yards than my old standby Core-Lokts so I never did hunt with them. It makes sense that at short ranges where bullet velocity is the highest, a hollow point would have a lot higher probability of fragmenting than the flat point Core-Lokt bullets would. In the few Core-Lokt bullets I have recovered from deer, all of them have mushroomed and none had any significant fragmentation (heart/lung shots, only hitting ribs).

 

[FULLDRAWXX75]

FDXX75,

I bought into the hype. Do you prefer 150 or 170 gr in the Core-lokt? I never had any issue with Core-lokts. I have killed deer out to 150 yards with a 170 gr Core-lokt. The two times I came close to losing deer (long, difficult tracking) were my fault as I made a poor shot in both cases.

I have from day one shot of owning my Marlin 30-30, shot Core-lokts 150gr. factory ammo. Two yrs. ago I decided to hand load them myself and bought the 150 gr. Core lokts bullets and had all kinds of grouping issues (3" was smallest @ 100 yds) I worked all summer playing with powder charges and the best was 2" with a flyer here and there. I finally tried something different after a few emails and some research. I hand loaded up a few 180gr round nose and shot them. 1/2" group out of the gate @ 100yds.
I am more than pleased with the accuracy and I know what the bullet will do as I use the same one in my .300 Savage 99.
My feel and just my opinion, I stick with what works best in my guns and their limitations. If I hunt or need to shoot beyond the range the 30-30 is capable of, I take a different gun. I don't think the added distance you can gain is worth the poor performance.

FDXX75

 

[WMAn]

FDXX75 and Others,

What do you think the effective range of the 30-30 on deer is? I'm hoping in the next year or two to purchase my grandfather's Ruger 7mm Mag bolt action. Then I will have a less than 100 yard rifle (30-30) and greater than 100 yard rifle (7mm).

 

[knightrider]

as long as you know your gun I have no problem shooting 200-225 with my 30-30

 

[FULLDRAWXX75]

FDXX75 and Others,

What do you think the effective range of the 30-30 on deer is? I'm hoping in the next year or two to purchase my grandfather's Ruger 7mm Mag bolt action. Then I will have a less than 100 yard rifle (30-30) and greater than 100 yard rifle (7mm).

I would have no problem taking a shot out to 175 yds comfortably with my 30-30, effective out to 200. After that I feel it starts to drop off. You will definitely have a greater than 100 yd gun with a 7mm mag. LOL.

FDXX75