Traditional sporting bullets
Flat-nose, round-nose, and soft-point designs remain important in these cartridge families. For tubular magazines, use ammunition specifically approved by the manufacturer.
THE CARTRIDGE LIBRARY · TRADITIONAL SPORTING RIFLE
.30-30 Winchester
A rimmed .30-caliber rifle cartridge closely associated with lever-action rifles. Traditional flat- or round-nose bullets coexist with factory flexible-tip designs.
2A Ledger reference desk · Sources checked October 18, 2026
Read the dimensions
- Overall · min–max
- 2.450–2.550 in
62.230–64.770 mm - Case length · max
- 2.0395 in
51.803 mm - Bullet maximum
- 0.309 in
7.849 mm - Rim diameter · max
- 0.506 in
12.852 mm
Know the exact name
At a glance
- Cartridge family
- Traditional sporting rifle
- Bullet specification
- 0.3090 in / 7.849 mmBullet maximum
- Factory examples
- 11 loadsSelected, sourced examples below
- Weight in cited examples
- 140–175 grGrains measure mass, not powder charge
.30-30 Winchester is identified by its complete cartridge designation. The resource-table alternative is 30-30 Win. A caliber number, bullet diameter, or family resemblance on its own does not identify ammunition compatibility.
Tubular-magazine suitability is a bullet-design question. A generic pointed bullet is not equivalent to a manufacturer-approved flexible-tip factory load.
Dimensions: open the exact dimensional drawing ↗. The displayed number is bullet maximum, rather than an assertion that every manufactured projectile or barrel has this exact diameter.
Origins & evolution
Background & development
Winchester introduced the .30-30 in May 1895 for the Model 1894 rifle. The cartridge was also known as the .30 Winchester Center Fire, or .30 WCF. Its appearance placed a small-bore smokeless sporting cartridge in a lever-action rifle at a time when many familiar American sporting rounds still came from the black-powder era.
The rifle-and-cartridge pairing proved more enduring than its early novelty. Light lever-action carbines suited the wooded country in which many North American deer hunters operated, and the Model 94 became closely identified with the cartridge. Its historical reputation was built around that practical combination, rather than a contest for the highest velocity. Later sporting cartridges greatly exceeded its speed, yet the .30-30 retained a recognizable role because the rifles remained handy and widely available. Its story is consequently inseparable from the sporting lever-action rifle.
Historical sources: Sierra: .30-30 Winchester cartridge history ↗
Construction changes the story
Loads, variations & specialty offerings
Purpose-built modern loads
Flexible tips, bonded bullets, monolithic expanding bullets, and solids have different functions. A similar exterior shape or shared diameter does not establish equivalent behavior.
Firearm-specific ammunition
Some older cartridge families span firearms with very different operating limits. Keep any product restrictions with the ammunition record and use only loads authorized for that firearm.
In the cited .30-30 Winchester examples, bullet weights are 140, 150, 160, 170, 175 grains. These are the weights actually present in this source selection, not a claim that every possible loading is listed.
Bullet construction background: Hornady: anatomy of a bullet ↗. Exact product descriptions and velocities are cited in the factory table.
From the factory catalog
140 grains
2,465 fps
MonoFlex®
150 grains
2,390 fps
SPFN
160 grains
2,400 fps
FTX®
Compare all 11 cited factory load records
| Maker / product | Bullet mass | Published construction | Muzzle velocity | Test barrel | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hornady82731 | 140 gr 9.07 g | MonoFlex® | 2,465 fps 751 m/s | Not stated here; see source | Hornady · PDF p. 186 ↗ |
| Federal3030A | 150 gr 9.72 g | SPFN | 2,390 fps 728 m/s | 24 in | Federal · PDF pp. 56–57 ↗ |
| FederalF3030FS1 | 150 gr 9.72 g | FUSION | 2,390 fps 728 m/s | 24 in | Federal · PDF pp. 58–59 ↗ |
| FederalLG30301 | 150 gr 9.72 g | BONDED HOLLOW POINT | 2,390 fps 728 m/s | 24 in | Federal · PDF pp. 54–55 ↗ |
| FederalP3030G | 150 gr 9.72 g | BARNES TRIPLE-SHOCK | 2,220 fps 677 m/s | 24 in | Federal · PDF pp. 52–53 ↗ |
| FederalP3030TC1 | 150 gr 9.72 g | TROPHY COPPER | 2,300 fps 701 m/s | 24 in | Federal · PDF pp. 52–53 ↗ |
| Hornady80801 | 150 gr 9.72 g | RN | 2,390 fps 728 m/s | Not stated here; see source | Hornady · PDF p. 186 ↗ |
| Hornady82730 | 160 gr 10.37 g | FTX® | 2,400 fps 732 m/s | Not stated here; see source | Hornady · PDF p. 186 ↗ |
| Federal3030B | 170 gr 11.02 g | SPRN | 2,200 fps 671 m/s | 24 in | Federal · PDF pp. 56–57 ↗ |
| FederalF3030FS2 | 170 gr 11.02 g | FUSION | 2,200 fps 671 m/s | 24 in | Federal · PDF pp. 58–59 ↗ |
| Hornady80809 | 175 gr 11.34 g | SUB-X™ | 1,050 fps 320 m/s | Not stated here; see source | Hornady · PDF p. 186 ↗ |
Explore the published data
Ballistics you can inspect
Select a legend entry to add or remove its line. Hover or tap a plotted point, or use the position slider. With the graph focused, arrow keys move the inspector. Solid dots identify source points; dashed connectors show estimates between them. Load construction, pressure category, and test setup can differ even at the same grain weight.
Read the original values as accessible tables
.30-30 Winchester: factory velocity downrange
| Exact load | Source | Published points |
|---|---|---|
| 140 gr Hornady MonoFlex® | Hornady | 0: 2465; 100: 2183; 200: 1920; 300: 1679 |
| 150 gr Federal SPFN | Federal | 0: 2390; 100: 2019; 200: 1686; 300: 1399; 400: 1179; 500: 1037 |
| 160 gr Hornady FTX® | Hornady | 0: 2400; 100: 2151; 200: 1917; 300: 1700 |
| 170 gr Federal SPRN | Federal | 0: 2200; 100: 1894; 200: 1619; 300: 1380; 400: 1191; 500: 1060 |
| 175 gr Hornady SUB-X™ | Hornady | 0: 1050; 100: 977; 200: 921; 300: 874 |
| 150 gr Federal FUSION | Federal | 0: 2390; 100: 2086; 200: 1805; 300: 1553; 400: 1337; 500: 1167 |
| 150 gr Federal BONDED HOLLOW POINT | Federal | 0: 2390; 100: 2086; 200: 1805; 300: 1553; 400: 1337; 500: 1167 |
| 150 gr Federal BARNES TRIPLE-SHOCK | Federal | 0: 2220; 100: 1803; 200: 1447; 300: 1178; 400: 1017; 500: 919 |
| 150 gr Federal TROPHY COPPER | Federal | 0: 2300; 100: 1943; 200: 1625; 300: 1354; 400: 1150; 500: 1021 |
| 150 gr Hornady RN | Hornady | 0: 2390; 100: 1959; 200: 1581; 300: 1276 |
| 170 gr Federal FUSION | Federal | 0: 2200; 100: 1950; 200: 1719; 300: 1510; 400: 1329; 500: 1182 |
How to interpret the comparison
Changing bullet weight also often changes bullet design and propellant choice. Two curves are comparisons of the listed products, not a controlled experiment proving that bullet weight alone caused the difference. Catalog downrange points are projections under the maker’s conditions; barrel-study points are recorded observations in the study firearm.
Direct answers
Common questions
What is .30-30 Winchester?
A rimmed .30-caliber rifle cartridge closely associated with lever-action rifles. Traditional flat- or round-nose bullets coexist with factory flexible-tip designs.
What diameter does .30-30 Winchester use?
The cited dimensional standard lists 0.3090 inches (7.849 mm), bullet maximum. This drawing convention is different from a casual caliber nickname.
Are similarly named cartridges interchangeable?
Tubular-magazine suitability is a bullet-design question. A generic pointed bullet is not equivalent to a manufacturer-approved flexible-tip factory load.
Are the graph values measured or estimated?
The downrange view uses the exact manufacturer catalog records shown in the source table. Dashed connectors and intermediate inspector values use linear interpolation between the displayed source points. Calculated energy uses the listed bullet mass and velocity.
Does higher energy mean the best load?
Energy is calculated from mass and velocity. It does not establish accuracy, expansion, penetration, pattern density, recoil, or suitability for a particular firearm. Use the exact product documentation and firearm manual.
Trace the facts
Sources & methodology
Compiled by 2A Ledger from the linked standards, manufacturer publications, and identified test records. Checked October 18, 2026. Historical tests and older catalogs retain their original dates; a listing here does not establish current availability.
- SAAMI: dimensional drawing · PDF p. 113 ↗
- Sierra: .30-30 Winchester cartridge background ↗
- Hornady · PDF p. 186 ↗
- Federal · PDF pp. 56–57 ↗
- Federal · PDF pp. 58–59 ↗
- Federal · PDF pp. 54–55 ↗
- Federal · PDF pp. 52–53 ↗
Diameter figures preserve the cited drawing convention. Inch–millimeter conversion uses exactly 25.4 mm per inch. Factory specifications describe the maker’s test setup; your firearm, ammunition lot, temperature, and measuring method can produce different results. This is an educational factory-ammunition reference, not a reloading manual.