.30-30 Brass???

[JDL]

I have 2 .30-30's and both of the chambers are too long in the neck area only. The chamber on my Marlin is long enough to accept a 2.095" case and on the Winchester 2.1" is max. This means I never have to trim to the book length but, I'm thinking that a longer case would be benificial, using cast boolits. Couldn't I use .38-55 brass by running it through my .30-30 die and trim? Just wanted some opinions before I placed an order, thanks.-JDL

[beagle]

Yes, accuracy will probably improve with a full length case. There's a reprint of one of Frank Marshall's old articles in the Fouling Shot before last on full length cases in levers.

I had a friend that used this concept in the .32-40.

One of the problems that he encountered and I imagine that you will too is finding .38-55 brass that comes up to specifications as far as length is concerned.

Now, If we could get Star Line to make a run of brass that's a bit overlength, we'd be in good shape./beagle

[45 2.1]

I've talked to Starline for the last three years about 38-55 brass that is 2.125" long. They keep saying its coming, but they keep putting others out first. Maybe someday.

[felix]

I guess it all depends on the gun itself, something like how abrupt the chamber is at the end-of-the-case location. If it is gradual, then differing case lengths make no accuracy difference, provided there is sufficient pull and throating resistance for the powder being used, especially with the faster H335 lots. ...felix

[Four Fingers of Death]

The way I see it, if you got a smith to clean up the chambers at the same time (with the same reamer) you should have close to identical chambers? Am I on the right track here?

The other way would be to get one chamber reamed to an improved version, there would be no problem with mixing brass then.