I have a T/C Contender with a 14" barrel that I used to shoot IHMSA matches with.
I always used factory 30/30 Remington 150gr.factory loads. I found them to be accurate enough to knock down those Rams at 200 meters.

I always wanted to try loading a high ballistic bullet in the 30/30 case.
Has anybody done this, what advice do you have?

Hornady sells a variety of 30-30 factory ammo, 140 grain and 160 grain LEVERevolution loadings with spitzer projectiles and the streamlined polymer tips for avoiding magazine tube cartridge
detonations in lever action rifles. 30-30 Winchester uses 0.308" projectiles just like 30-06 Springfield and .308 Winchester.
Buy a few boxes of the Hornady LEVERevolution stuff and see how much better they shoot (less drop) compared to what you have been shooting.

If the increased performance is noticeable at the distances you shoot, then reload for your 30-30 with the high ballistic coefficient spitzer/boattail projectiles.

I have a T/C Encore pistol chambered in 30-06 Springfield.
Several decades ago before Big Green (Remington) went belly up, they had a factory "custom" loading. 150 grain Sierra boattail/ballistic tip. (green polymer tipped)
That Encore pistol is a deer killing machine out to 300 yards with that ammo. I still have plenty of the "custom" ammo, I bought several cases.
Picture of my T/C Encore pistol and the above described ammo here: https://sigforum.com/eve/forum...561/m/8830060015/p/2 (my post dated January 25, 2026)

Try it out and see how it works. The 7 x 30 Waters is probably a better choice for ballistics vs the 30-30, but sometimes you just need to figure out a better option for what you already have.
And running 7 x 30 Waters would require an additional barrel.
That sounds like a fun project for June when it is warm again in Chicago.

Yes, in a Savage 24 and a Handi Rifle.

Reality is those rifles are never going to be shot far enough for it to matter, but it was easier to use bullets I had on hand than buying traditional 30-30 bullets. (which I ended up doing anyway for a lever action)

Have no experience with this.

I would use a 150 gn or 168 gn match type bullet. Midsouth shooting has sample packs if you do not already have some and want to save the expense of a whole box for a test.
Lots of published starting data for a 150 gn or 170 gn flat point bullet. I would pick one of the faster powders for your shorter barrel and work up a load.

The problem with using spitzers in a 30-30 is that those bullets are constructed assuming much higher velocities than the 30-30 provides, so they will fail to give adequate terminal performance. As already mentioned, Hornady’s Leverrevolution bullets are designed with lower velocities in mind.

Over the years I’ve thought about doing this. I think maybe a long range bullet would be best because they are more lightly constructed figuring the velocity will be lower at greater distances. Maybe something like a Nosler ballistic tip?

My question is based on a target load only. terminal impact is only for knocking down steel or punching a hole in a paper target at distance of 200 meters.

I'd think your most budget friendly options are Hornady SSTs, or ballistic tip Noslers. Maybe others are better these days, but those are the two that come to mind.