by Fester » 31 Aug 2026, 12:54 pm
My Dirty-30 is just a staino Rossi Reogrande, and I love it, mainly just for fun plinking.
A Skinner peep was fitted, then the longer front post to suit, and the set of different-sized aperture rings to shoot 50 yd groups and stuff.
The semi-buckhorns were good for melons at 25m offhand and lost favour fast.
I always loaded 150gr soft points at average factory ammo type velocity for brush gun hunting.
From memory, about 33gr of 08, as there's no need to develop or find accuracy nodes in a brush gun.
I only blooded it the other year because to carry it in the forest, which would be a pleasure, would also be a guarantee to see some deer at about 200yds, and only the Facebook hunters do that with their 30-30s lol, likely hunting on the screen, rather than in the field.
I was surprised at how effective it was as a brush gun, but it was only a large Eastern Grey Grasshopper, and I likely spined it.
It was only 30m-ish, and through trees and branches where the peep with the tiny target ring wasn't ideal, I should have just screwed it out and used the ghost ring, but that critter just fell on the spot, and I reckon a pig or deer would have done the same.
I loaded light pop loads with 165gr HRBC casties for years, just for cheap plinking and offhand practice.
It was the common 16-17gr of 2207, but the case was only about half full, and could fit a double charge, so checking the tray of filled cases was essential.
A filler would prob be recommended, but I never had an issue.
When Trailboss was eventually found on the shop shelf, back before the shortage, I tried it, but it went subsonic, or near.
It sounded and felt like a .22lr so I may as well have just shot the 22.
I never went back to reduced loads, as better offhand practice was to load up the casties, and Les from HRBC said the blokes were loading up their powder-coated projies way higher than first thought possible.
I actually worked up and shot a couple, charged right up at my full 150gr SP load levels.
It was up near max, and I could feel the recoil.
I found the point where they did lose accuracy and backed off under that.
I had no leading issues in the barrel, but that is likely when they start spraying, as the base of the projy is said to start melting.
I now have 2 cast loads, with the most convenient being a moderate charge of 08 on the std 165gr pill that would still put holes through critters, and surprisingly splashed some decent shots into the 300m mound that surprised both me and the RO, who I asked permission. That load is only a grain or 2 under my full jacketed 150 SP loads, so all I would need.
Being a gluten for punishment, I also do 2 quick cuts on my mini-lathe to fit gas checks and do full loads with cast pills.
Why, reloaders are always experimenting, eh
In conclusion, all my loads shot well enough, and much the same appart from shooting 8" lower and such.
The rifle has conventional grooves rather than micro, like the Marlins, so the Rossi, once sorted of it's shocking factory QC issues was the right choice for me.
The micro-grooved barrels only shoot well with a certain-sized pill, apparently.
), the PRC marketing that was going to kill the WinMags and RUMS but isn't, the old 30-30 is still being used.
