Hornady LEVERevolution 30-30 Review: Honest Testing by a Hunter

By Wes Littlefield

Last Updated: Jan 23, 2026

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Wes Littlefield

Guns have fascinated Wes since pulling the trigger on his BB gun as a kid. He built a private gun range over a decade ago to keep his skills sharp. He loves breaking down complex ideas into understandable pieces for readers, with expertise in hunting and all aspects of shooting.

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Wes Littlefield, "Hornady LEVERevolution 30-30 Review: Tested and Approved"
(https://ammo.com/ammo-review/hornady-leverevolution-30-30-review)

I'll always remember harvesting my first deer with my dad's lever-action Marlin 336. At the time, it was a bigger buck than my dad had ever shot (though he’s taken larger ones since then, some with the same rifle).

When I was tasked with writing this Hornady LEVERevolution 30-30 review, I was pumped!

Pulling that gun out of my parents' safe brought back many childhood memories.

I purchased a few boxes of LEVERevolution 30-30 ammo and headed to our gun range. The rest of this article is my findings from that trip.

Hornady LEVERevolution 30-30 Ammo Overview

Hornady 30-30 Ammo - 20 Rounds of 160 Grain FTX Ammunition

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I loaded a second LEVERevolution round into my rifle’s tubular magazine somewhat cautiously, as I was afraid its bullet's polymer tip might ignite the primer it abutted in the mag. Thankfully, that didn’t wind up happening! Boy, was I relieved!

Hornady LEVERevolution ammo is unique among all other lever-action rounds because it features the patented elastomer Flex Tip, which does more than streamline the bullet’s frontal profile. The FTX and MonoFlex bullets’ polymer tips are also too supple to ignite whichever primers they butt up against, thereby posing no greater risk of accidental magazine discharge than a traditional flat point.

A pointed tip is far more aerodynamic than a flat one, of course. That’s why a LEVERevolution round boasts a flatter trajectory, as well as one that carries more energy downrange – the reason why it effectively extends the 30-30’s whitetail hunting effective range out to around 300 yards.

FTX Bullets

FTX bullets were created to achieve higher performance from lever guns. Besides eliminating accidental magazine discharges, Flex Tip technology initiates immediate expansion across a range of velocities.

The FTX features a one-piece lead core that is mechanically locked to its jacket by an InterLock ring, promoting the high weight retention requisite for deep penetration.

The FTX additionally features a secant ogive profile that reduces drag and flattens the trajectory.

MonoFlex Bullets

The MonoFlex bullet is monolithic: made of rugged copper alloy that retains as little as 95% of its weight following high-velocity impact. Hornady’s copper alloy is more rigid than solid copper, and decreases fouling or and pressure as a result.

Our Hornady LEVERevolution 30-30 Review

Hornady is one of my favorite ammo manufacturers. I've used their ammo across multiple platforms and in several different guns without a problem. So, to say I had high hopes for Hornady LEVERevolution 30-30 ammunition would be an understatement.

First of all, it fed into the magazine with ease. As I mentioned, I was a little nervous about loading multiple spitzer profile bullets, but that fear was quashed as soon as I loaded the second round. The brass cases smoothly transitioned from the magazine to the chamber and ejected without any malfunctions.

The recoil wasn't any stronger than other 30-30 ammunition I've fired in my dad's lever gun. In fact, it surprised me how little recoil I felt.

After I got over that happy revelation, I was impressed by how consistently and accurately the ammo performed. I fired multiple rounds without first zeroing in the scope, and was still reasonably on target.

Even though the gun rested on a sandbag, I stood awkwardly, leaning on my tailgate. Yet I was still able to get consistent groupings – and I'm by no means an expert shot!

Overall, these rounds lived up to my expectations. I'll no longer use anything else for hunting hogs or deer with a 30-30 rifle.

What Is It Best For?

Hornady 30-30 Ammo - 20 Rounds of 140 Grain Polymer Tipped Ammunition

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Whitetail hunting within 300 yards is where Hornady LEVERevolution 30-30 ammunition shines.

The 30-30 has dominated deer woods across the USA for decades, and now this ammo extends its range just a little farther.

Disadvantages

The 30-30 round is known for poor performance at longer ranges (i.e., 350+ yards). While LEVERevolution ammo does extend a 30-30 lever gun’s effective range, it by no means turns it into a long-range bolt-action hunting rifle.

Pros and Cons of Hornady LEVERevolution Ammunition

Here are the benefits and drawbacks I found while testing the ammo.

Pros

• Consistently accurate; you can rest assured the bullet will strike where you're aiming.
• Reasonably priced compared to Winchester Super-X and Remington Core-Lokt.
• Reloadable brass cases.
• Zero malfunctions during testing.
• Extends the 30-30’s effective range.

Cons

• More expensive than traditional flat-nose ammunition

Variations of Hornady 30-30 LEVERevolution Ammo

Hornady LEVERevolution 30-30 ammo comes in two variations: the heavier 160 grain FTX load, and the lighter 140grain MonoFlex load.

140 Grain MonoFlex 30-30 Win

Even though it's a little lighter, the 140 grain bullet can still theoretically take down elk at close range (100-200 yards). However, this bullet will shine best while hog and whitetail hunting. It has a slightly higher muzzle velocity than the 160 grain bullet, but slightly lower muzzle energy to match.

160 Grain FTX 30-30 Win

The heavier 160 grain FTX bullet is the better choice, in my opinion. It may have slightly stronger recoil, but that’s well worth the price of higher striking energy: 1,027 ft lbs at 300 yards, as opposed to 876 ft lbs for the 140 grain load. (But if you must hunt using lead-free bullets, then the copper-alloy MonoFlex is your only choice.)

Our Testing Procedure

When testing rifle ammo, I approach it from a hunting perspective, since that is what I do most often with a rifle. However, I always keep other shooters in mind, because I'm also a sucker for a fun day at the gun range, with a bit of competition mixed in. That's why I consider the accuracy, consistency, reliability, and price of the ammo I'm testing.

• Accuracy: Accuracy is measured by how close the bullet is to where I was aiming after each shot. While I'm not the world's greatest sharpshooter, I'm a decent shot with a rifle.
• Consistency: I measure ammo’s consistency by how well I can group my shots. So, I might not be accurate (the scope might be off a bit), but if I'm consistently hitting the same area in a tight group, I know to adjust my sights rather than blame the ammo.
• Reliability: I've used ammo that doesn't go bang when the firing pin hits the primer, or jams, causing all kinds of other frustrating malfunctions. I want the ammunition I buy not to do these things, of course.
• Price: I was on a tight budget in college, so I sacrificed some of the aforementioned characteristics. As my budget has grown, I've realized the benefits of high-quality ammo – especially for hunting. However, I understand ammo prices can be ridiculous, which is why I still consider this a contributing factor when testing ammo.

Ballistics of Hornady LEVERevolution 30-30 Bullets

For a comprehensive overview of 30-30 ballistics from all major manufacturers, check out our detailed ballistics resource. Below you'll find ballistics tables for both the 140gr and 160gr bullets featured in 30-30 LEVERevolution ammo.

Parting Shots: Hornady LEVERevolution 30-30 Review

Now that you've finished our Hornady LEVERevolution 30-30 review, you understand why I love these rounds so much.

It's the best 30-30 ammo I've ever used, and I've tried several different brands and styles over the years.

Want to explore more options beyond Hornady? Here’s our guide to the best 30-30 ammo to compare loads and find the perfect match for your lever gun.

If you're convinced that Hornady LEVERevolution 30-30 ammo is for you, then I encourage you to order some from Ammo.com, where we have fast shipping (it took only two days for my boxes of ammo to get to my house) and some of the best prices available!

Frequently Asked Questions

Here are two of the most commonly asked questions we get at Ammo.com regarding Hornady LEVERevolution 30-30 ammo.

Is Hornady LEVERevolution 30-30 ammo worth buying?

Yes, Hornady LEVERevolution 30-30 ammo is worth buying. It's more accurate than average, and cycles well. However, it's more expensive than most other 30-30 rounds.

What is the range of Hornady LEVERevolution 30-30 Ammo?

The maximum effective range of Hornady LEVERevolution 30-30 ammo for whitetail hunting is around 300 yards (assuming you’ve got the marksmanship to shoot that far).

Written by

Wes Littlefield