my dad....

[tdoyka]

my dad is thinking about getting his(used to be grandpaps) m1 30 carbine out and start shooting it. it was pap's and he brought it back from ww2. he thought about the j words until he seen the price of remingtons. then he came to me and since i handload, i should know:sad:. he gave me the price of remingtons and i said why don't you go to cast boolits.
i came across acme bullets ( http://www.acmebullet.com/bullets-reloading-brass/30-CAL-Hard-Cast-Lead-Bullets/30-Cal-115RN-Lead-Cast-Bullets-Hard-Cast ) and for the price(don't do cast yet) , you can't go wrong.
i have a couple of questions...

1. will the semi-auto work with these 115gr rn(does not have a gas check)?
2. does win296 work? or should i go something like unique?

i know that the 30 carbine is going to be cleaned and the bore slugged. the 30 carbine is just going to be target shooting about 50 yards.

thanks

[Scharfschuetze]

To obtain reliable function, you'll probably want a gas check boolit and get your velocity up to at least 1,800 fps. 296 is probably not the powder to use unless you are going to drive the boolits at 1,800 or faster and of course then you'll want a gas check as in sentence one.

I use the RCBS version of the carbine boolit sized to .309 with a gas check over 296 with good results, often better than GI M1 ball ammo with a velocity of near 2,000 fps.

Have fun with what is probably a pretty rare original WWII version of the Carbine! Virtually all the DCM (CMP now) Carbines that were available in the 60s as well as the imports have all had post WWII sights, safeties and bayonet lugs on 'em.

[303Guy]

Great that your Dad wants to shoot his Dad's war memento.

Something I've often wondered about - just out of interest. Would using a heavier boolit and slower powder function the action without invoking the need for a gas check design boolit?

[Scharfschuetze]

The plain base 311410 (think SKS-AK design) 130 grain projo reportedly operates the M1 Carbine when pushed tp 1,600 fps or so over 4227.

I've got that mould, so perhaps I'll have to give it a try. So many projects and so little time...

[MtGun44]

I think H110/W296 was created specifically for military loads in .30 Carbine.

Should work well, and GCs are likely needed. Size to .002 over groove diam and
you should be good to go.

[WineMan]

The twist is pretty slow for the longer bullets. Sometimes they work OK but most times they are not stabilized as well as the shorter ones. If you go plain base, go with Alliant 2400 or Accurate #9 at 11 ish grains.

Dave

[tdoyka]

thanks everyone!!! i'll tell my dad that gas checks will def. be needed. i found that moyer's has a gc one
http://www.moyerscastbullets.com/rifle.html
right now, only win296 and trail boss i have the powder for. unique or 2400 might be the way to go.

now its got me wondering if loading a plainbased boolit to no more than 1500fps, will the m1 cycle the action?

[Scharfschuetze]

now its got me wondering if loading a plainbased boolit to no more than 1500fps, will the m1 cycle the action?

Time will tell if you give it a try. My experience with M1 Carbines tells me that they are pretty amenable to load variations, but perhaps that might be a little on the light side.

[RG1911]

On one of the carbine collector forums, several people have reported excellent results with the 110-115 grain RN cast bullet without gas check. I'm going to try those, but haven't gotten around to loading.

With the standard 1/20 twist, I would be a tad surprised if the longer 130-grain bullets stabilized. I was never able to get good accuracy using even the longer, premium 110-grain .30 bullets, such as the Hornady V-Max. I suspect they're on the ragged edge of stability, especially considering new information from Bryan Litz's books.

I just had a faster twist barrel fitted to the stub of an old carbine barrel to see if I'm correct about the slow twist. I still need to chamber it.

Richard

[scarry scarney]

Anyone try a powder coat instead of gas check bullet on the 30 carbine?

[fatelk]

I've had pretty good results in my old Underwood carbine with the little LEE .311-100gr plain base bullet. I load it to about 1500fps with a charge of AA#7 that just cycles the action and reliably drops the brass just a few feet away.

It functions perfectly, but being loaded so light they do shoot a bit high. I've been thinking about making a taller front sight or something. I've had no leading in the bore at all with the plain base, but did have some trouble with lead in the gas piston when my son blazed through something like 75 rounds in a hurry on a hot summer day last year.