30/30 loads

[gerrycan]

I have been loading 10gr Unique in my 336 under Lee 150 ,s a good low speed load for restricted ranges [to 1500 fps]. The latest batch loaded by RCBS powder thrower and spot checked will not allow a fired case to be extracted ,on removal the casesare found to be overly stretched [expanded] just above the web.The primer is normal but I,m thinking overload and will reduce to 8.5 grs.Opinions please. Gerry.

[GREENCOUNTYPETE]

I don't use unique but i make low speed round for my 30-30 my most accurate one is 15 gr H4895 about 1300 , it burns a little dirty but very accurate i use the lee 170

you might try that and see how it does for you.

[Zim]

Sounds like you are over sizing and pushing the shoulder back. Fire a full power load to size the brass and neck size only after that. Do a search on cat's sneeze loads and they will cover this in detail.

Yes, case head separation can be a concern in light loads that do not headspace off the shoulder.

Good Luck Zim

[Pepe Ray]

30-30 AKA as 30 WCF are notorious for stretching brass. NOT good.
Check your case length.
Pepe Ray

[GabbyM]

Lyman 4th book list 8.7gr Unique under the Lee 150 grain gas check bullet as max with 35,000 C.U.P. for 1372 fps.

It is a little odd as they list over 10 grains with heavier bullets with no more pressure.

I've used Unique with plain based boolit loads but prefer 2400 for light 30-30 loads with gas checked bullets.

[gerrycan]

Thanks to all who replied, I swapped out the remaining 50 for a match next week to 8.5 grs . I,m away from home this week but my local shooting buddies helped out with scales ,press,dies. I paid them off in spare projectiles I had .Cheers ,Gerry.

[gerrycan]

Guys, I pulled my ammo down and reloaded 8.5 grs Uniq and the cases still stick. Where to now ? Thanks Gerry.

[felix]

Something does not pass the sniff test. Jerry, load a case as normal without primer and powder. Get ALL grease/oil off the case and boolit. Use black magic marker all over the neck of the case such that zero brass color shows through the black. Place cartridge into the chamber very carefully not marking up the case neck in the least. Close bolt (action) all the way. Unlock bolt very carefully and withdraw the cartridge, holding the case (if necessary) so it does not flip into rejection. Take case off of bolt and investigate the neck. If there are any scrapes on the neck, the reamer used to make the chamber was well used, and the boolit must be made smaller in diameter by 0.001. Repeat this process until there are zero marks on the neck. If the final diameter of the boolit is less than the groove diameter, then we have an accuracy problem and the barrel needs to be replaced, or at lease re-chambered. ... felix

[358wcf]

Gerry,
I've been using that 10 gr Unique load under 170-180gr gascheck boolits in 30wcf for years- never had a problem, but I trim cases every other firing. As a matter of fact, I use the same 10gr load in my 38-55Win with 260gr plainbase boolits.
A mild, easy shooting load.

358wcf

[gerrycan]

Thanks for the clues and yes I have been using 10 grs of Uniq. previously with no ill affects until these cases started to overexpand .Cheers Gerry.

[ricksplace]

At the risk of sounding disrespectful, are you absolutely sure you loaded the cases with Unique? I have been a reloader for over 40 years, and it has happened to me. Luckily, I never shot any of the incorrectly loaded rounds and discovered my mistake soon after loading about 20 rounds. I load 10.5 gr of Unique in my 30-30 under 311466 152 gr cast gas check with no signs of pressure.

[gerrycan]

Thanks for your interest, I have been reloading a while and am pretty sure of my load, but will not say I,m always right. I will load a few more and take particular note of everything in the reload. I have some factory loads to compare. Thanks Gerry.

[45-70 Chevroner]

I would pay heed to "felixs" post, as a magic marker is magic for checking for some throat problems.

[gerrycan]

Chev,
Thanks for your thoughts I fully intend to use Felix,s suggested method of checking chamber for tight neck. I have recently started casting Lee 150,s and sizing in 310 die ,maybe too big. Perhaps case neck cannot expand so much etc. Anyway the larger size pill is my only change so as Felix says 0.oo1 might make all the difference . I appreciate your all your comments and look forward to solving this problem.Cheers Gerry.

[popper]

I use half-J and 170 CB with 10gn Unique and have no problems with extraction, raised primers, stretched cases. I also FL size every time, clean off the sizing wax and trim if needed. Clean the chamber as well as the bore. Mixed brass, 5-6 reloads, split necks appears to be my only problem.

[gerrycan]

Popper,
Thanks for input, you might try annealing to prevent splits,over. Regards Gerry.

[popper]

gerrycan
I've thought about annealing, for now I'll just throw away the split ones. I can load 170's WAY long without any problems in the 336. Try flaring the neck of a FL sized empty case just a little at a time, check for fit and extraction. That should give you neck diam. I have to FL size to push the shoulder back a hair or the case won't chamber.

[gerrycan]

Good thinking Popper, I tried a resized case with similar result. Case has blown out just past the web. Load was 9grs Trailboss , nexttime[ Sat] I,ll try factory.Cheers Gerry.

[gerrycan]

Hi guys , a quick update. I fired a factory round [ Federal] it failed to extract. I worked up to loads of 5.5 /6.0 grs. of Trailboss without a problem- anything over failed to extract. No issues with size or set back. Where to now ? Gerry.

[popper]

How do you remove a case that won't extract? I have never seen one, but heard about 'ringed chambers'. It appears anything near factory pressure sticks, so I'd suspect you have one. It showed up suddenly and won't go away. A chamber cast probably won't show it, a just fired case may, should be some 'friction' marks where the ring is. That may be what you saw when the problem first showed up. Sounds like 'smithy-time'.

[frnkeore]

I agree with popper. Your Trail Boss isn't expanding the case into the "ring" in the chamber. I rung a 30/40 chamber years ago, using wads (never again!!). I wasn't sure what was going on until I saw the rub marks on the case after I had to knock the case out several time with my cleaning rod. Mark your case with the magic marker at that "strechted" place. If it's shiny each time the case is fired, you have a rung chamber. The case is tapered and can't show a tight SPOT at any point coming out. Excluding the neck.

Frank

[smithywess]

Gerry,

Are you using a filler of some type over your powder?

[gerrycan]

Hi there,
No filler used and the rifle fired well with either cast or j-words until recently when it over-expanded the case at one point and would not extract,over. Gerry.

[frnkeore]

When I rung my barrel, I was using a ball powder with a thin foam wad. I had been using 14 gr of 4759 w/o any wad. I never exceeded the accuracy of the 4759 loads with the ball powder and wads and got the rung chamber as my reward.

Frank

[gerrycan]

Hi there,
Latest ,Smith advice I have been told that I have a"stretched chamber" where the thin barrel area of the chamber has ballooned out and may be difficult to replace. Gerry.

[popper]

New barrel or a ream job? Like they say about doctors, did you get a second opinion on the repair? Sorry it happened to you.

[Char-Gar]

If you have chosen to "blow off" the post by Felix, reconsider and pay close attention.

[gerrycan]

Chargar,
Thanks for your interest, I tried Felix,s method for checking tight necks but all is O.K. I,ve since been told that early Marlins are prone to stretch from thin chambers and thin actions.looks like a rebarrel if possible. Regards Gerry.