model 14a - 30 remington brass and loads

[koyote]

I picked up a remington model 14A (dividing up the 5 guns I got into value, I think I paid about $125 for this) - it's like 30% on bluing and functions fine, but it not a collector piece.

today I finally found one box, unopened, of core-lokt 170 grain remington kleanbore ammo for it. ($50!) - Now I'm debating if I should sell the gun and the ammo or go ahead and dive in.

thing is, I didn't find ANY 30-30 today, and it's not something I've ever loaded for and haven't shot in 25 years - but today the goal was to get a lever action in an acceptable caliber (ended up finding a dusty back rack 327 federal, which I can load for, so that is happy). --- one guy was trying to move a 1974 marlin JM 336 for $700 in "as new" condition (and it does look unfired) but.... that's a lot of money for something that doesn't do long range elk/lope/nevada stuff.

So I have this remington 14. it's a bit ugly and I need to finish gluing the forearm crack up. it need an aperture or a scope mount. I'd really like 3x glass, but apertures help a lot with my eyes (it's mostly stigmatism anyhow)

I can find a tang sight for $170. I can apparently get dies for about $80.

ugh- I'm looking at going in $250 to make this thing shootable and useful

I might be able to find some brass someday.

or I could sell the whole thing and spend more time loading .312 and .357 caliber stuff. of course, that leaves me without a fun rifle!

I've gathered that neck sizing isn't ideal with the camming force of the pump action. And that 30-30 load data is fine (which means I can probably use CBs with light red dot for baby loads, too) - and that I probably should slug the bore

so far, only the two issues. I can't cast for it yet (I'm baby stepping into soft lead round ball casting now, but hasn't done any sort of boolit yet) - and I can't find brass or ammo.

brass and boolits?

[nvbirdman]

A friend of mine had a model 14 (or 141) years ago. He's been dead for 30+ years, I wonder what ever happened to that gun.
Anyway, if you want some .30 caliber boolits just ask me. I have plenty.

[444ttd]

i've got a rem 14 in 30 rem too. the loading dies i got on amazon and the brass was grafs. i have seen a original aperture sight, but for $250-300, i don't need it that much. the 30 rem and the 30-30 are the same load wise. i bought it early this summer and i don't think it was cleaned since 1925. i gave it to my gunsmith to really clean her out(i've had a stroke/ the right arm/leg are only about 20% good) and i don't want to have parts and pieces left over!!!!! i've always wanted to have a rem m14, mostly because of the spiral fluting on the magazine tube.

[rking22]

I have a 141 and shoot it, hunt with it as well. The design is kinda hard on brass, the rim gets beat up. I have had no trouble using neck sized only but I load 31141 cast to about 1750 with RL 7 rofle powder. I just use the factory sights, at 61 it’s fuzzy but function able. Brass is abailable, with patience and 30 ep data is correct. Whatever you do, do not exceed the OAL of the factory loads you have, the jam is epic!
They don’t make rifles like that anymore, learn about it and get setup to load for it, you will be glad. Oh, give the open sights a chance, they knew how to design functional opens at that time, no real need to scope it.. I have developed a habit of buying every one of the dog gone things I come across, they are that good!

[koyote]

well, I'm having a hard time talking myself into blasting this original ammo, and the modern custom loads are about the same price. guess I'll have to take pictures.

rking- this one has the 1935 patent king's buckhorn on it for a rear sight. I like buckhorns and shoot them reasonably well, but I do better with an aperture. I do even better with a 1.5x or a 2x just because of the astigmatism, but I'll skip drilling and tapping on this unless I find a redfield single piece base for $20 at a gun show.

birdman- I'll definitely message you later. I'm still REALLY new to the casting stuff (and currently looking for an electric pot) and need to get some boolits for .32 and this .30 cal pretty soon. I think I have about 2000 .38 SWCs left, so that'll last another couple months before I have to worry about it.

Now that I've posted this, I've finally found three sources for brass online!

[Harter66]

I have a M14 in 32 Rem .
I recommend 30-30 data with IMR 4350 .
Graffs and the Aussies are the only source I've found for correct headstamp 30 Rem . $50 you got off easy .
The rifles/chambering were discontinued in in 1935 and Winchester ran the last commercial run of loaded ammo in the spring of 1964 .
The Lee 30-30 whack a mole will do the 30 Rem but case taper and shoulder are completely different and in my 32 the cases needed to be shortened about .05 under 32 WS .
I made some brass via turning off the rim and cutting an extractor groove from 32 WS figuring at least the 32 was right . It's not really a big deal to do , even in a drill press .
The 6.8 SPC shell holder is correct but in a pinch the 40/10 mm will do . If available and I had it to do over I'd start with a 30-30 neck size set rather than the 80% FL sizing and wait for the correct set to come along you never know when you'll find a set of CH in the S&S for $35 .
In the 32 with a 324-175 R2 Lee plain based and 1 gr under the 4350 32 WS start load I was at jacketed max load velocity .

I really don't know how Frontier Liquor is these days but they used to be helpful if they could see a store value in a particular product or source . Things being what they are at the moment maybe not so much . I had zero luck in Reno but there's a little hole in the wall shop on the north end of Carson that seems to cater to estate consignment . The guy behind the counter seems to be blind but he a good guy and has knowledgeable old timers drinking his coffee often . I can't remember the name now but it's down near the canned food outlet almost to the inside corner store of that mall as I recall . He might be gone by now that was about 4 years ago .

As a last resort star line might make a basic run based on a 6.8 rim and 38-55 body . There were rumors once but it takes like a 10,000 piece order ......... Not enough interest then I guess .

Bertram is the Aussie vendor . It was upwards of a buck a round and ITAR wasn't a thing when I was looking .

Big Mike's might be able to help . He's a great guy to do business with he might be able to influence price with his FFL , cash vs card or check helps too .

[koyote]

Mike is a great guy.

guns n beer ---- things are a bit grumpy in the store right now. I don't blame him- the gun culture tends to be more independent and argues about mask wearing (I'm frankly avoiding places that make a big deal out of it) but the "everybody's business" types keep reporting him.... and he has to deal with 10 hours a day of people complaining about ammo.

(I probably don't help, I have no argument with what's out of stock but $30 for 20 rounds of .32 H&R and $40 for a box of .32acp is a bit much.)

He's still being fair and reserving boxes of the 9mm and 22 and such for gun purchases- which is something I've always admired.

I'll look in carson, but I don't think I'm aware of a gun shop near the mall besides sportsmans warehouse. I know carson armory, and there's wild bill's but I haven been in there in a while

[Harter66]

It was in the Carson shopping plaza , Google Street view shows it for rent ......
It was in with the Job Connect office etc on No Carson street .
I've been gone 2-1/2 yr but try to keep up . Just in case I hit the lottery or something .

[koyote]

well, Macs had some brass, so I've got 50 coming. I need to hit up birdman for some boolits as soon as I'm done with 14 year old daughter birthday stuff this week.

Spent an hour cleaning the rifle up in more detail. bore is decent but sure did take a bit of cleaning.

I've got the later period (like 1990s) barrel clamp sling swivel off, and of course I have a nice rust/wear spot.

Tempted to refinish the metal just because, but I know it makes people angry. gonna have to crown anyway, I suspect.

[Harter66]

It's your shooter man . I have tools to use not to sit locked up and look pretty . Sounds like you bought a workhorse , get it shoed and take it for ride . Dress it up for the parade , but pretty doesn't make it pull better .

[No_1]

I have a model 14 in 30 Remington too. It's was gift from my dad that was only missing one forend screw. I put out a APB for brass/ammo in S&S and within a day or so had contact from a member that lived less than 100 mile from me. I now have about 150 rounds of factory loaded ammo including Silvertips, Cor-Lok's, and FMJ's as well as ~65 pieces empty brass which are awaiting some 311041HP's to be loaded. Maybe 3 years ago I found dies by chance at a reasonable price so that rifle is fully functional now. I wish I would have gotten some brass from Grumpa when he was making it from 30/30.

[rking22]

Go for it, rust bluing is simple cheap and appropriate. My 141 in 30Rem was bought for the express purpose of refinishing into a shooter. I got the crack in the wrist fixed and bedded the head of the stock to the receiver to keep it from coming back. Decided to shoot it a while after I put it back together. Well that was about 10 years ago, dang rountuits. Anyway they were rust blues by Remington in those days, so just clean it up and rust blue it again. Stocks were lacquer, at least on the 141s. I will truoil mine, always works well and looks nice. Mine has 4 massive screw holes on the side of the frame, will plug them before bluing. They will show but not as bad as empty holes!
The ones that are all original and in great shape are for the collectors, I like the ones that were “well loved” to abused. Nice to return them to respectable hunting companions.
My first deer with this gun was with a 31141 from an old single cavity, drill HP with a tiny centerdrill driven to about 1700 with RL7. Tight behind the shoulder and just under the spine, never took a step.


Oh. A warning. These are “gateway guns”, you will soon find one in 35rem and start buying every one you come across...

[blackthorn]

I got mine from a neighbor when his son developed a drinking problem and used the rifle to threaten his sister. The next day Tom hollered at me over the fence, asking if I was interested in the rifle and a single barrel 12 gauge. I asked how much and he said he would trade, straight across, for my 20 foot aluminum ladder. That decision took about 2 seconds to make. I replaced the ladder for 25 bucks on sale a couple of weeks later.

[koyote]

Yeah- I consider refinishing to be a protective thing, too. I hate the idea of spending another $100 on a forend, so I'll fix the crack in the existing one. I'm fairly decent with that.

I've done more hotblue than rust blue but it should be a nice project for a couple days in the winter.

rking: I'm already thinking "I wish I had a 25 and a 35"

[Gewehr-Guy]

Gateway guns is correct,just one caliber isn't enough. Whatever you do, don't ever touch a M-8 Rem, or you will have to have one of them too!

As for calibers, the .30's are great shooters with cast, the .35 is a great killer with jacketed bullets. I'm embarrassed to say I've not yet shot cast in a .35, and the .25 Rem is just a beautifully proportioned cartridge, like a scaled up .222 R. My scoped .25 Rem can shoot into an inch group with jacketed bullets,and have taken a few deer with it, but a .30 or .35 is better.

[rking22]

The 35 is a great cast shooter, at least my M14 and 2 M141s are. Deer and hogs need only one 200RCBS to become dinner! A 25 could easily follow me home...