First time 30-30 CB loads

[taco650]

Loaded up a few 30-30 CB loads the other day but haven't fired them. I used a ~170 FNGC boolit that was given to me over 9.2 gr Unique with corn meal filler. One question I have is will the corn meal filler cause problems? I used just enough to be just below the shoulder of the case and not be compressed by the boolit. I didn't weigh it, only used a small home-made scoop I have. I realize the "eye ball" method of measuring can be bad juju so should I pull the boolits and start over? Inquiring minds want to know. Thanks!

[frnkeore]

I think you'll be ok. 10.4 Unique with a 183 gr bullet, gives 37K cup. Your corn meal will act like bullet weight. That said, I've only used corn meal to fire form cases w/o a bullet. If it's a lever action and the bolt locks up on the first shot, don't fire any more but, I doubt very much that, that will happen. It won't hurt the rifle but, it's a PITA, I done that with a Marlin.

Frank

[williamwaco]

Loaded up a few 30-30 CB loads the other day but haven't fired them. I used a ~170 FNGC boolit that was given to me over 9.2 gr Unique with corn meal filler. One question I have is will the corn meal filler cause problems? I used just enough to be just below the shoulder of the case and not be compressed by the boolit. I didn't weigh it, only used a small home-made scoop I have. I realize the "eye ball" method of measuring can be bad juju so should I pull the boolits and start over? Inquiring minds want to know. Thanks!

That is an excellent load.
It is in fact my favorite load for the .30-30.

The cornmeal filler is like Dumbo's magic feather.

It accomplishes nothing. But It might make you feel better.

It hurts nothing. ( unless you shoot into the wind )

If you have 10 or 20 of them ( since you don't know how mu ch is in there ) I (personally ) would pull them.

If you have a bunch of them, shoot one and inspect the case carefully. It will probably be OK.


.

[taco650]

Thanks for the information. I only put the corn meal in to help hold the powder charge against the primer. I don't have any Dacron and didn't want to buy a giant bag full for a handful of test loads. The rifle is a 1920's vintage Winchester. Killed my first deer with it in... 1978?

[Jack Stanley]

As long corn meal can't move around enough to mix with the powder it shoudn't get to interesting on the range . I've only used granular fillers with much slower powders and they ain't to kind to chronograph screens either .

Jack

[Browningshooter]

When in doubt, pull them out! I personally would pull those rounds. Adding fillers can be a VERY dangerous activity if you don't know exactly what you are doing. I know a lot of folks on this forum use them with great success and so im sure it can be done, however I wouldn't be willing to take the risk until I was FULLY confident in what I was doing. Especially with such a dear old rifle!

Also IIRC Unique is not terribly position sensitive and you can always tilt the muzzle up before each shot to settle the powder to the rear...

[w30wcf]

When in doubt, pull them out! I personally would pull those rounds. Adding fillers can be a VERY dangerous activity if you don't know exactly what you are doing. I know a lot of folks on this forum use them with great success and so im sure it can be done, however I wouldn't be willing to take the risk until I was FULLY confident in what I was doing. Especially with such a dear old rifle!

Also IIRC Unique is not terribly position sensitive and you can always tilt the muzzle up before each shot to settle the powder to the rear...

+1
Adding filler reduces the case capacity and will raise pressures!! Since 10 grs without filler is already close to max. .30-30 pressures, adding filler to your 9.2 charge will very likely exceed .30-30 SAMMI MAP.

Be safe.

Also, when using fillers in proper loads, they should be slightly compressed so that the powder stays in place. Otherwise, the powder can migrate into the filler during transportation.

w30wcf

[rockrat]

And I believe that you need to compress the filler (I use grits, more consistent in size, I believe) when used, otherwise the bullet might act as a bore obstruction.

[taco650]

And I believe that you need to compress the filler (I use grits, more consistent in size, I believe) when used, otherwise the bullet might act as a bore obstruction.

Humm. Maybe I'll just pull them although it will probably mess up the boolits.

[Ben]

I'd rather mess up a few bullets than mess up a nice 1920's vintage Winchester rifle !

Ben

[williamwaco]

i'd rather mess up a few bullets than mess up a nice 1920's vintage winchester rifle !

Ben


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[taco650]

I get the message Ben/WW.

[jaysouth]

Taco, you need to meet Paco. Here is a link to several thousand reduced rifle loads using pistol powders. None with fillers.

My results vary from his conclusions regarding velocity. I get very good accuracy from some loads that he tested and found inaccurate. Your results may vary, but this is good reading and a good point from which to start.

http://www.gmdr.com/lever/lowveldata.htm

[oscarflytyer]

OK - I am shameless. Want to tag into this, as I intend to work up some cast loads for the 30-30 this winter. And if I don't post to it, will never find it again!

[jaysouth]

OK - I am shameless. Want to tag into this, as I intend to work up some cast loads for the 30-30 this winter. And if I don't post to it, will never find it again!

Come back when you work up your best load. Include some pictures. Some of us need lots of pictures.

[geargnasher]

Cereal fillers and other compacting fillers can be dangerous with fast powders, particularly when used in bottlenecked rifle cases and with such a high filler-to-powder ratio. The .30-30's sloped shoulder has less pressure-raising effect than some cartridges, but also keep in mind that the cereal fillers will absorb moisture from the powder over time and that can lead to excessive pressure from both altering the burn rate and forming a very restrictive, solid plug inside the case body.

I've had cereal fillers "set up" before and cause pressure problems, but was lucky. The powder blew a hole though the filler plug, but due to the positively reduced case capacity even the mild load turned nasty very quickly when the filler didn't all move out with the boolit like it was supposed to. I've also had compacting fillers remove the case neck and send it out with the boolit, so one really must know what they're doing before pulling the trigger.

All that said, compacting fillers and buffers are very handy, useful tools to the cast boolit handloader, but not really "necessary" for the majority of loads, there is almost always a non-fillered alternative load that will serve the average shooter far better.

Unique doesn't need any kind of filler or buffer in the .30-30, and is a great choice for that caliber. Now 28-29-grains of 748 and fill halfway up the case neck with spherical PSB before seating the boolit is a good one with cast boolits, as is a near-starting charge of RX7 and just the right amount of granulated PSB. THOSE are good examples of needing a true filler/buffer to promote consistent ignition with top-end loads of powders that are normally a bit too slow with cast boolits.

Gear

[Starvnhuntr]

With unique you do not need a filler and definitely do not want to screw around with one. 3 to 13 grains will do everything you want. be carefull and see how fun these loads can be.

[NLS1]

I brought home a loved 1949 marlin 336 a couple years ago, and read and read for how to load for it.

Found the 10 grain unique load and used NOE 170 gr gc boolits. I tried to shake the powder forward and backward toward the primer, no difference, it shot great every time. I don't think I will mess with that load, it was just right, and super easy to shoot.

That old 30-30 warms the soul. I was born a 125 years too late.

Dan

[taco650]

UPDATE:

I pulled a couple of the boolits and found that I DID NOT put corn meal in with the 9.2gr of Unique I mentioned in my original post so I think my loads will be safe in my old 30-30.

What I also found today was that I put the corn meal in with 12gr/Unique into a few 30-06 cases under ~200gr cast GC boolits. Since I only loaded five of these, I pulled all of them and reloaded those same slugs over 42gr of IMR4320. We'll see how that works.

[Browningshooter]

Glad to hear. Your unique load may surprise you with how fun and accurate they are. Good call on pullin the /06 rounds!

[Outpost75]

Unique ignites easily. It easily tolerates airspace in the case and gives good ballistic uniformity in the .30-30 without needing any case filler. I would avoid using fillers with easily ignited powders which don't require it.

I also believe that if a filler is required to give acceptable ballistic uniformity, than that particular powder is NOT suited for those conditions of loading, and perhaps you should be using something else!

Powders I have used with good results with cast bullets in the .30-30 are #2400, RL-7 and IMR4064, 4895, Varget or RL15.

With 160-175-grain GC bullet try 15-17 grs. of #2400, 21-25 grs. of RL-7, or 25-30 grs. of 4064, 4895, Varget or RL15.

NO FILLER is needed with these loads. Use standard large rifle primers, NOT pistol primers and NOT "Magnum" primers.