Subsonic/quiet .30-30

[Geetch]

I picked up a .30-30 at a local pawn shop cheap. I want this to be my tractor, truck, ATV gun.

I know nothing about subsonic or the like. My question is do they make a "quiet" round for this rifle?

[Phone Man]

You can load up some trail boss powder loads that are quieter than full power. If looking for small game type you can load 30 carbine bullets at low velocity or get something like a hammond game getter

[Geetch]

I don't load my own though.

[Phone Man]

No time like the present to start. Less than $100 and youll be ready to go

[Palmetto Bug]

JMHO, but a 30/30 is a relatively weak cartridge to begin with. If you load subsonic, prepare to get good at estimating distances because the trajectory curve will make holdover a lot harder to guess. You can look at 300 blk trajectory charts to give you an idea of how your bullets would drop. If you intend to shoot medium sized game, like deer or pigs, normal bullets won't do a good job at the slow speeds. Check out some of the choices Lehigh has for low speed performance.

I also have doubts about whether slowing the bullets will reduce the noise enough to be worthwhile. A 300 blk subsonic without a suppressor is loud enough to make your ears ring. I'd compare the sound to perhaps a 22 magnum rifle. Even with a can it's still near my personal threshold for wearing muffs or plugs.

[Phone Man]

If its a single shot, you have a little bit more room to play with seating depths and pointy bullets that you cant in a lever gun. With a good ballistic tip in a single shot, you can get a little more out of the 30-30 but its hard to beat a plain old 170gr flat point corelokt. Without a suppressor its still going to be loud. Only advantage to a squib load is to shoot a rabbit or something without blowing it apart, or to get a recoil shy person accustomed to a hard kicking rifle. I load some for my 375 H&H. Ive let people shoot them to get used to the rifle and then let them load a full power 300gr load. Most times they are so jacked up thinking its gonna kick so bad, that they don't feel it. My squib loads for 45/70 and 375 sound about like palmetto bug said. About like a 22 mag and recoil about like a 357 mag from a rifle

[Geetch]

Thanks for the input. I'll just roll with the 170gr.