First Look: New Federal Premium .30-30 Win. Trophy Copper Load

by
posted on April 24, 2015
** When you buy products through the links on our site, we may earn a commission that supports NRA's mission to protect, preserve and defend the Second Amendment. **
fl_federa_3030.jpg

The 120-year-old .30-30 Winchester is very likely one of the most widely used, while simultaneously overlooked big game cartridges ever. Considered as a starter cartridge by many, lots of hunters have taken their first deer with the .30-30 and then, needlessly, moved on to higher velocity offerings. Federal realizes that with a good bullet the .30-30 can do most anything any hunter needs and for 2015 they have introduced a new load for this old, deer camp favorite.

New to the Federal’s Vital Shock line of ammunition is a 150-grain, .30-30 Winchester load that utilizes the Trophy Copper bullet. Here’s what you need to know about this new hunting load that will help the .30-30 Winchester continue to live a happy life in deer camps all across America.

1. It's lever-action safe.
The 150-grain bullet is an all-copper hollow point projectile with a rounded polymer tip to make it safe for feeding from tubular lever-action magazines. The bullet is lead free and California compliant.

2. With a muzzle velocity of 2300 fps, this new bullet has a ballistic coefficient (BC) of 0.222.
Sighted in to be dead on at 150 yards, it will strike about four inches below your point of aim at 200 yards.

3. It displays exceptional expansion.
Average weight retention when fired into ballistic test mediums is 99 percent and the bullet deforms with an upset frontal diameter of about 0.55 inches. That’s expansion of 1.78 times the original diameter, which is exceptional by any standard and aids greatly with tissue destruction.

4. This level of terminal performance is ideal for the .30-30 Win. cartridge.
It also proved to be very consistent. During terminal performance testing the 150 grain Trophy Copper .30-30 load showed a weight retention and expansion variation of less than 1 percent!

undefined

Latest

Olmsted Shooting 110 Trail Blazer
Olmsted Shooting 110 Trail Blazer

New for 2026: Savage 110 Trail Blazer

Leading off Savage's line of next-generation Model 110s comes the 110 Trail Blazer, perfect showcase for the company's new AccuFit 2 stock. Learn more about it in this exclusive video with American Hunter Editor in Chief Scott Olmsted.

Hot from SHOT: Best Optics of 2026

In the market for a new optic? You're in luck. In this installment of our 2026 SHOT coverage, we tasked experienced hunter and longtime contributor Brad Fenson with rounding up the best new optics of 2026. Read on to see what made his exacting cut.

New for 2026: EAA Balikli Blue Label O/U

This year, EAA has debuted the latest in its line of imports, with the Balikli Blue Label Over/Under shotgun.

Hot from SHOT: The Best New Hunting Rifles for 2026

The annual SHOT Show in Las Vegas is a launch pad for many new firearm platforms. Here is a list of the best new hunting guns arriving in 2026.

New for 2026: Hornady American Whitetail Tipped

Hornady’s American Whitetail ammo line has been a huge success, offering a no nonsense combination of Hornady’s InterLock and their excellent brass cases. Deer hunters now have even more to be happy about, with the release of the Hornady American Whitetail Tipped.

First Look: Galco Brush Hog Belt Holster

Galco has launched the Brush Hog Belt Holster, to protect hunters' pistols from nature and the elements while keeping them ready for quick action in the field.

Interests



Get the best of American Hunter delivered to your inbox.