rcbs 30-30 die set

[barnabus]

i just purchased a new standard rcbs 30-30 die set.how will these work with cast bullets especially concerning not being able bell the case mouth. for all my other cast rifles i use the 3 die cowboy set.no one the 30-30 cowboys in stock.

[la5676]

I have one of those LEE universal flare tool for just such an occasion and it has come in handy from time to time.

[ascast]

you will probably get some base shaving. You can get a Lyman M die the solve that.

[Winger Ed.]

Lyman 'M' die is the real way to do it.

Depending on what you size it to, a GC boolit will often work OK without the flare--
if you get a little aggressive with the case mouth deburring tool.
Instead of the case mouth having a flat top/edge, it'll have the slightest little bit of a inside edge bevel.

[Bazoo]

You need an expander die for it plain and simple. You can get by with a tapered punch and a hammer, or the lee die. But really you need an M die. You might try calling RCBS and see if they have the a die for a cowboy set, they may. Or they may have an expander you can have to fit the body from another set since you already use the cowboy sets in other calibers. You likely could rig something using a 32/20,32 acp, 32 S&W expander to get you going. Without tapering the mouth, you risk shaving the bottom of each driving band.

[la5676]

Lyman 'M' die is the real way to do it.

Depending on what you size it to, a GC boolit will often work OK without the flare--
if you get a little aggressive with the case mouth deburring tool.
Instead of the case mouth having a flat top/edge, it'll have the slightest little bit of a inside edge bevel.

OK, Winger Ed, silly kweshun.

I have never used a Lyman M die, but what does it do that the Lee univeral flaring tools doesn't? Would the M die put more of a wider OD instead of a flare that the LEE tool does? Just curious. Mine has performed quite well, haven't had any issues with it, that another tool would have made better I don' think.

[Bazoo]

The m die is similar to an expander in a pistol die set. It expands the neck of a rifle bullet plus has a step to expand the mouth a bit more. This offers enough to let a bullet set down in the case mouth. A flaring die like the lee doesn't do anything but bell the mouth. The M die can also bell if set deeper, but I find the first step sufficient with 30-30 when sizing to .310.

The benefit is two fold, first the shape of that little step that the M die produces makes seating bullets easier as they don't balance on top of the case mouth. I use it for plain base jacketed bullets too. The second benefit is, because the die neck expands too, I omit the expander ball from my sizing die. This reduces case stretch some, but makes loading easier. You wouldn't notice if you load on a rock chucker, but if you use a lee hand press and a Lyman Spartan and similar lesser powered presses, you appreciate this.

[Texas by God]

Just me, but I simply chamfer the inside of the case neck with a RCBS/ L.E. Wilson case deburring tool. I have loaded cast bullets in 22-250, 25-06,.300 BO, 7.62x39, 30-30, .300 Savage, .30 Remington, 30-40 Krag, .308, 30-06, 8x57mm, .358 & .375h&h successfully without a belling or M die. I do seat the bullets slower than jacketed, though. YMMV.

Sent from my SM-A716U using Tapatalk

[barrabruce]

I have a set and I find the fls is pretty minimal spec chamber and neck size.
The sizing button could be a few thou bigger for cast hence the M DIE.

One of these days I’ll hone out a sizer for correct diameter I need.
Then they will only make skinny brass.
Ha

[Murphy]

I'll mirror what others have already said. Find a Lee Universal Case Expander Die. It will flare everything from .22 to .45 caliber. An added boost, is you can order inserts that work with the Lee Universal Expander Die from NOE molds at $6.50 a piece.

What got me on to the Lee Case Expander Die was loading 380 Auto cases. I didn't know the 380 Auto had such thin case walls and was having the dickens of a time getting them to flare, the walls would bulge and create havoc. The LEE expander cured that issue. The Lyman M die as others have stated, is a good way to go as well.


Murphy

[stubshaft]

Yes, you can seat a cast bullet in a case that has had the chamfered only. However, if the neck is too tight there is a real probability that the bullet WILL be sized down even more. That is where the "M" die or NOE sizer shines as it also expands the neck to provide the proper tension to retain the bullet and not size it down.

Easy test, mic your bullet before seating, seat it and use a bullet puller to remove the bullet, measure it again.