@Henry Rifles: Why do you have to be like that? (Maybe you guys can help me)

[ClintonJ]

My son just received a beautiful, brand new Henry 30-30 Win from his grandpa as a legacy gift. Being the prudent father I am, I thought it would be great if I could keep it well fed by pouring my own using the affordable Lee 150gr mold. I poured a hundred of them or so and powdered them up real nice, loaded them up per my Lyman Cast Bullet manual and tested them out in a Win 94 before grandpa ever showed up... they functioned beautifully with reduced recoil, it was a winner for sure!

Fast forward again to a few weeks go and we go to test out the new rifle. I ran some factory loads through it and, I just have to say, that is a really nice gun! Unfortunately, that's where my praise for Henry comes to an abrupt halt...

After the factory loads, I went to run my 150gr beauty's. Not sure what the difference was, but the first one went off without a hitch. I cycled the action and then ran into my problem... the second cartridge wouldn't load. I worked things backwards and out popped the brass with powder going all over the inside (the bullet was stuck in there really good). After finding the appropriate means to dislodge the bullet, I checked another round, more gently. No go... nor another, or another. Obviously there's something seriously wrong somewhere...

PAUSE AND RECONSIDER MY ACTIONS - DON'T DO ANYTHING STUPID! (Right?)

Monday I called Henry to see if they could help me identify the problem. The first guy I talked with must be the gate keeper... I explained what I was doing, what my problem was and his response was "We don't recommend reloads in our rifles."

Okay, that's fine... most companies will tell you that voids the warranty... I'm not too worried about that. So I try to clarify that I'm just trying to understand why the bullet might not be cycling. He asked if factory loads worked alright and when I told him yes, he simply repeated the line about not recommending reloads...



No matter what I said, that was the response... "We don't recommend reloads in our rifles."

REALLY?!?!?! Maybe I'm way out of line here, but I expected to hear that... and then I expected him to say "but let me tell you a few things you can go investigate or look at or check that might help solve your problem. Nope, no help there! In hindsight, I have a few thoughts...

1. Where can I buy subsonic ammunition these days for a 30-30? I'm waiting... still waiting... okay, for seriously, something that's actually affordable?
2. Two years ago there wasn't any factory ammunition to be had... what am I supposed to do the next time that happens... huh Mr We don't recommend reloads?
3. How about reduced recoil loads for plinking in the back yard? (These actually aren't too bad, I guess... but not my kid want to plink in the backyard cheap!) However nothing priced comparable to what I could make on my own...
4. My other kids might be getting a Marlin from grandpa from now on... unless they are just as bad... (recommendations?)

So... now that I'm done ranting, I just went out and bought the 120gr mold from Lee and made about 100 to try out. Unfortunately my Lyman Cast Bullet book doesn't list these... nor does any of the other 5 books I've got. The biggest item I'm trying to figure out is the C.O.L. for this one. When I try an unprimed piece of brass and get it to chamber, it pushes it back to 2.350" C.O.L. I'm naturally frustrated that none of my books will address this and Lee wants me to spend yet more money on their brand to get their manual... and I've not been impressed by the availability of information from Loadbooks USA manuals I have on specific cartidges, although this one is available for 30-30...

What I'd really love to have is a load that uses 700X (Yes, I read that thread) and didn't learn much... or get my hands on some Trail Boss, which seems to be unobtanium these days. The goal is to keep it slow, as I've not yet splurged on a box of gas checks...

Okay you guys, where do I go from here?

Note - maybe I just answered my question for myself... or at least gotten a lot... Page 180 of the Lyman Cast Bullet Handbook, 3rd Edition:
https://archive.org/details/LymanCas...p?view=theater
It lists load data for 115gr [7.0-8.9gr of 700X] (which is very tempting to use, just keep things in the sub 8gr load range?)... and for some reason they didn't think you should use it with the 122gr bullet but then is used again for the 150gr [6.5gr - 8.0gr]. Maybe I could go a little higher than 8 and watch carefully for high pressure signs? Meh, that's silly... I can be content with sub 8gr loads.

Is that data for my exact bullet? No... it is stink'n close and do I have to take responsibility for my own actions? Yes. Is it dangerous? Driving a car is dangerous... where do we draw the line?

It's been a while since I've been on and I haven't posted much before this. Hopefully I didn't stir up and old injuries or sore spots... thanks in advance for all the helpful responses!

[35 Rem]

I would think that the problem is the powder coating is thick enough that the nose of the bullet is larger than your rifles bore and therefore won't allow you to chamber a round. Just one reason why I've yet to try powder coating. I'm assuming you can see rifling marks on the bullets you've tried to chamber???

[Winger Ed.]

Might be a tight chamber compared to the Winchester.

[Txcowboy52]

Wow not much in the way of customer service from Henry. I will keep that in mind the next time I’m looking for a lever gun!

[Mule]

Are you sizing your home cast bullets?

[braddock]

My subsonic 30/30 load, at YOUR risk is lee 120 grn hardcast, 8 grains 2400, sub 1000fps at muzzle, crimp on top groove don't know what the overall length is as I haven't measured it, cycle fine in my 58 win 94.
With regard to your cycling issue, change the chamber for a new winchester one, they come trimmed with a win 94, others might say a marlin chamber is preferable but I regard the browning/miroku winchester 94 the best of the bunch.

Here's an image of my homeload alongside a Speer factory load with 150 grn jacketed soft point.
Boolit mold is for .312" (32 pistol?) sized to .309" and alox lubed.

[michael.birdsley]

I think unfortunately in todays world as soon as you say the word reload. especially in a brand new gun they are going to wash their hands of it right away. I don’t think it’s just henry.

reminds me working in quality at a major automotive supplier. if a part failed in the field or was rejected by our costumer. GM, ford, chrysler etc etc. would go over the part with a fine tooth comb. if anything was out of spec on that part even by .0005 it was automatically our fault. even if it had nothing to do with the part failure and on the opposite side of where the failure occurred. that .0005 chamfer length just made it our problem and fault.


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[deltaenterprizes]

I would try a sized not powder coated boolit in a dummy round.
The powder coating may increase the nose diameter enough that it will be a tight fit.

[pworley1]

I would just seat them a little deeper or switch to a different bullet.

[dverna]

In all fairness to Henry, if the gun runs flawlessly with factory ammunition, this is not their problem. It may a tight chamber or short throat, and you will need to play with sizing and seating depth to get cast bullets to function.

A chamber cast might provide useful information.

[William Yanda]

Your reloaded boolet appears to have less taper than the factory ammo. What did the unfired chambered boolet reveal about where it stuck?

[ddeck22]

I don't see how this is Henry's problem to solve. It's an issue with the bullet lodging in the rifling due to some out of spec component with the cartridge. Others here have posted helpful suggestions on the things to look for in your cartridge. I hope you get it figured out.

[MrWolf]

Are you sizing your home cast bullets?

This would be my guess. You made no mention of bore size.

[kungfustyle]

Try to chamber the brass only. If the rifle will chamber it, then it's the boolit. I had to use the Lyman 311041 for my Winchester due to it's short to no throat. Mic the nose portion of the lee, it might be too large. The RD boolits molds, that NOE has, works in my rifle. Another rout is to buy a few hundred speer leads and load them over H4895 @ a reduced load. H4895 can be loaded at 60% of max for any round for a reduced load. This might be an easy fix. https://www.midwayusa.com/product/1010529757?pid=133794 https://www.midwayusa.com/product/1010553562?pid=898281 https://www.midwayusa.com/product/1010536877?pid=311507

[Froogal]

You guys missed the point. The hand loads performed beautifully in the Winchester 94, but failed miserably in the HENRY.

[popper]

NO gun manufacturer allows reloads for liabilty reasons! Yup nose got stuck, seat deeper or use a different cast bullet. I have a Henry Long Ranger, shoots great but I have to trim 308 cases shorter. So - cycle an empty case to see how it fits. Then load a dummy (no powder/primer) with practically NO neck tension and long seated bullet. Single load, eject and see what COAL it will take. Seat another dummy, at that COAL - minus 10 thou, crimped and check cycling. Then you get to find out the needed bullet size. Or you can 'slug' the bore. Nothing wrong with Henry CS. 2400, unique, HP38, Red dot are good plinker powders.
http://www.gmdr.com/lever/lowveldata.htm

[crash87]

Did you check what the cartridge overall length would be with the bullet of choice. It entails taking just the bullet dropping it into the chamber taking measurements etc. Its not hard to do just look on these pages/website and find the info. Just because a crimp groove is in a fixed place in your molds does mean its in the right place for that rifle. Also, is it sticking in the rifling or, chamber. To me that's would tell me everything I need to know. A lot of Leverguns do not have a leade into the rifling. Maybe you'll just need to size the nose down .001 or 2. Had to do that with a bullet from for my .348, 35whelen, and also a 416 Taylor, because of chambering issues. They work now and shoot excellent.
The other thing is, as been mentioned you do need to have your bullet sized properly to your Henry rifle. I trust because you cast bullets, you know that procedure also. And all rifles, not just different makes, but within the same manufacturer, can differ' sometimes more than less.
Lastly if you want to place blame, Its unfair to blame Henry, by your own shooting of the rifle it works fine with factory ammo, that's really all it has to do. There's nothing wrong with the rifle, In my opinion, your not fitting your bullet properly to the particular rifle, (part of the fun of casting and shooting lead IMHO). Give LEE a call, tell them their bullet doesn't work in your new rifle, You'll find that Henry's answers were quite normal from what, their, going to say, Yes been their on other matters with them.
Good luck, you'll get it figured out and, down the road it'll be an experience, knowledge gained, you will use as a way to fix other issues with other rifles new or not. Your Rifle is awesome and your sons are very fortunate to have a Grandfather who wants to do that for them.
Crash87

[MostlyLeverGuns]

Problem is not unusual, many factory rifles - have short throats - Marlin .35's, some Marlin 30-30's, 444's, Browning .348's are a few that come to mind. It is a reloading problem. Factories will not help you with your reloading problems, too much liability. Choosing a different bullet with a smaller nose, or NOT adding the thickness of powder coat to the bullet, or seating the bullet slightly deeper MAY solve this NOT UNUSUAL problem. I have several Henry rifles and have talked to customer service with complete satisfaction.

[rbuck351]

+1 for MostlyLeverGuns. Try one of your boolits loaded without the PC or powder. See if it chambers ok. If not, check to see where it is being marked. That will tell where the problem is. If it does chamber ok, the PC thickness is the problem.

In reloading you have to either fit your rounds to the chamber or rechamber to fit your rounds. Making your rounds fit the chamber is easier and cheaper.

[Tall]

You need to plunk test the rounds in the chamber. If they are overly long they won't work. You proved that. Just because the loaded rounds work in a different rifle is meaningless. They should work in all rifles.