# 7-30 Waters



## davidf (Nov 25, 2008)

i'm shooting a 120 grain btsp federal premium i'm just curious what other people are shooting. i don't reload so i stuck with factory ammo.


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## frankwright (Nov 25, 2008)

That load should work well.
 I have always loaded for mine and used the Sierra 130 gr SSP bullet which was designed to expand at the lower velocities of a Contender barrel.
 Unfortunately, that bullet has been discontinued. It has always worked really well on deer for me, I have about 100 loaded so I should be good for a while.
I was told to switch to the Nosler 120 Ballistic Tip when I need more bullets.


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## HandgunHTR (Nov 25, 2008)

I don't shoot a Waters but in my 7TCU which operates in the same velocity ranges as the Waters, I use 120 grain Nosler BTs and 120 grain Sierra Pro-hunters.  Both work very well at those velocities.


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## 8pointduck (Nov 26, 2008)

120gr ballistic tip, 35gr Winchester 748 powder, Federal Mag. primer.


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## Oldstick (Dec 8, 2008)

davidf said:


> i'm shooting a 120 grain btsp federal premium i'm just curious what other people are shooting. i don't reload so i stuck with factory ammo.




I think that is about it for the big name factory loads.  Unless some of the smaller ammo loaders (GA Arms, etc) make some other choices for it???


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## kyhunter (Dec 8, 2008)

I've got one of these in a contender.  I pulled it out of the safe the other day and was thinking of hunting with it again.  Its been about ten years since I've shot it where can I find ammo at?


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## HandgunHTR (Dec 8, 2008)

kyhunter,

Most of the major internet stores (Midway, Midsouth, Cabelas, etc) should have ammo.  As for local sources, I am not sure, but it will probably have to be a bigger store.

You could always start reloading.


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## Oldstick (Dec 8, 2008)

I agree, having a 7-30 Waters is the perfect excuse for a basic reloading setup.  You might even start with the inexpensive Lee hand press,dies and a set of the Lee powder scoops.

I have reloaded a many 7-30s with the Lee hand press, but that is about the largest rifle case I want to tackle with it.  I've also done 308s and such but there is just not enough leverage to comfortably do brass that size and larger.

The 120 grain Nosler bullets (used in the Fed Premiums) are excellent but my favorite is the 139 gr Hornady flat point bullets for deer in my model 94.


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## Oldstick (Dec 8, 2008)

kyhunter said:


> I've got one of these in a contender.  I pulled it out of the safe the other day and was thinking of hunting with it again.  Its been about ten years since I've shot it where can I find ammo at?



Or you can trade it to me for something....


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## Eddy M. (Dec 8, 2008)

fine caliber even in the "factory load" and last I saw there was only one factory load


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## MR.BIGBUCK (Aug 4, 2009)

Georgia-Arms.com sales 7-30 waters or did i shot the 140 gr and it was a bad dude. they sale all new ammo.


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## jkoch (Aug 4, 2009)

I load 140 gr Nosler Accubonds in mine. The gun loves them, but not the DEER.


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## bowhntr (Aug 5, 2009)

I load the Nosler 120gr BT with some Varget and a Win primer. Does a serious number on deer


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## Oldstick (Aug 6, 2009)

I can vouch for the 140s also.  The last handloads I made up were with the Hornady 139 gr flat points.  Deer dropped right there on the spot with a heart shot.   Haven't taken any with the 120s yet, but they shoot very accurate in my 24 " rifle.


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## Hoyt (Aug 8, 2009)

I liked the 139gr. SST's in mine. I loaded them to max and always got full penetration. The SST's are also designed to expand at lower velocities.


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## gemihur (Apr 27, 2020)

Federal ammunition offers two commercially available loads, both of them use 120 gr. bullets. Hornady has introduced a LEVERevolution load also in 120 gr.
I like the caliber but won't buy that stuff. I load 130 gr. just because ... shoots nice.


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## frankwright (Apr 28, 2020)

Re reading the new post made me remember something from a year or two ago.
I have always shot reloads except for the very first two boxes of ammo I bought when I got my Contender. 
Sighting in before a season I found out that the ammo that was loaded on reworked 30-30 cases that I had bought had loose bullets. Probably 75% of them. Some were 5-10 years old. All ammo loaded on 7-30 cases were fine.
To avoid any problems till I figured it out I bought 4 boxes of Federal Premium Vital Shok 120gr BTSP. It was accurate, almost as good as my reloads and I had good results on two deer that year. I think I got it at Sportsman's Guide!


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## Davexx1 (May 9, 2020)

I shoot the Federal factory loads in my 14" Contender.  They shoot and perform very well on deer from my gun.  Do a Google internet search for "7-30 ammo" and you will find plenty of the factory ammo available.

Dave


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## rosewood (Jul 30, 2020)

frankwright said:


> Re reading the new post made me remember something from a year or two ago.
> I have always shot reloads except for the very first two boxes of ammo I bought when I got my Contender.
> Sighting in before a season I found out that the ammo that was loaded on reworked 30-30 cases that I had bought had loose bullets. Probably 75% of them. Some were 5-10 years old. All ammo loaded on 7-30 cases were fine.
> To avoid any problems till I figured it out I bought 4 boxes of Federal Premium Vital Shok 120gr BTSP. It was accurate, almost as good as my reloads and I had good results on two deer that year. I think I got it at Sportsman's Guide!



Zombie thread.  But I will play.

I have only ever used reformed 30-30 brass.  After I run them through the die, I anneal them with a propane torch, socket in a drill and bowl of water.  Then fireform and am good to go.  Have never had one come loose.  But I also use the Lee factory crimp die for the 7mm-08 on it.  Works perfect.

That is interesting, didn't know Hornady was loading it.
https://www.hornady.com/ammunition/rifle/7-30-waters-120-gr-ftx-leverevolution#!/


Rosewood


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## rosewood (Jul 30, 2020)

On the note of available bullets.  Rumor is someone called Hornady and asked them about the 120 SSP that they discontinued for the 7-30 Contender and they said the 7mm Vmax 120 grain is the same construction as the 120 SSP and expands at the same velocities for those that reload.

Rosewood


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## frankwright (Jul 31, 2020)

rosewood said:


> On the note of available bullets.  Rumor is someone called Hornady and asked them about the 120 SSP that they discontinued for the 7-30 Contender and they said the 7mm Vmax 120 grain is the same construction as the 120 SSP and expands at the same velocities for those that reload.
> 
> Rosewood


Very interesting. I will look into it!


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## frankwright (Jul 31, 2020)

I did find this in a google search"
When Hornady announced they were discontinuing the 120 Single shot pistol bullet, I was really panic stricken. I called up and talked to their ballistic technician named Bob who also shoots T/C Contender pistols. He indicated the two bullets are the same. He even went so far as to send me two 120 V-Max's that had been cut in half vertically. Inside was the Hornady interlock ring of the 7mm SSPB. If the 120 V-Max is shot at high velocity from a 280 Remington it acts like a V-max bullet. If it is shot at moderate velocities like the 7-30 Waters the bullets expands like a single shot pistol bullet. The intelock ring hold the jacket and core together at lower velocities.

I never thought about this before but you could make a reduce recoil load using H4895 and Hodgdons youth data for a 280 Remington or even 7mm Magnum and run the bullet at a velocity of 2500 fps and it would make a great youth deer load.

Anyway it is a great bullet either way."

It kind of makes sense that at the lower velocities of a short barrel Contender it would perform well and not fragment!


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## gemihur (Aug 4, 2020)

Yeah, but all the factory selections, both Federal and Hornady are 120 gr.
I've never bought any anyway. 
Roll yer own as you prefer. 
I shoot 130's just to be different!
They all work just fine.


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