The word of the weekend is Assume… this weekend’s example- Don’t assume that the reportedly most popular bullet, 311291 156g GC, will work in any 30-30. I guess that’s probably correct for any Win 94’s but doesn’t seem to apply to my 2001 Marlin 336W.
Loaded up my first test batch of 10 rounds, set to listed OAL. Got out to the range, trudged the 100yds down and back on line to set up the targets, put the rifle on the rest and bag, went to chamber the first round and the bolt would not go the last ¼ in and lock. Jacked the round out, tried the second with the same result. Packed it all in and made the 200yd trek to retrieve the targets and went over to the pistol range for some stress relief.
Note to self- load dummy round and check for chambering for now on before stuffing any cases the first time….
In looking at the rounds later on I definitely was up into the lands and grooves with this blunt bullet. Seeing how far back out of the crimp groove I would have to go will likely put the gas check below the neck so that’s a nonstarter. That now relegates the -291 mould for use in my 30-06, with its long lead I can load about anything and it seems to like long blunt flat based jacketed bullets..
I guess I need to start looking for a different mold for the Marlin.