How small a metplat still safe?

[Kitika]

Hi all,
I'm considering a mold for a 30-30 levergun for target work because of its high bc but the metplat is 0.1 of an inch or about half the size of large primer. What would you consider safe in tube mags? I've been shooting a lyman round nose for the life of the rifle without issue and a lee round nose in a .357 without issue for years but I'm interested in what others opinions are. I have searched but couldn't find any specific info on what size metplat is considered safe/unsafe.
Cheers

[Outpost75]

The meplat on factory Winchester Silvertip .30-30 loads is 0.155", so that is a good number.

[quilbilly]

When reloading CB's for my 30/30, I use an RCBS Cowboy seating die. That seating die puts a small flat nose on the boolit of about 1/8" when using a soft enough alloy. That flat nose has allowed me to use round nose boolits and even the Lyman 130 gr plain base semi-spire boolit. That 130 gr boolit is a joy to shoot at an MV of about 1350 in my 30/30.

[OverMax]

See no harm in shooting spitzer type bullets in a 30-30 lever. So long as their hand fed into the chamber one by one. As a matter of fact I did do just that during one Deer season._"A foolish young mans behaviour." so said my Father up until I dumped a BIG body Spike in his driveway for my retired parents supper table enjoyment
As I recall it surely made my deer hunting season interesting. >Kind'a like handicapping yourself too> one shot one kill.

As far as answering the available boolit question. Most jacketed pronounced Round Nose soft point bullets can be stacked end to end without worry.
Cast on the other hand? Depends on material recipe'd and BHN factor at seating. I certainly wouldn't promote any cast boolits profile other than a Fat Nose considering such boolits are often made from CO/WW having a BHN 12 to 18. I'm sure a pointed cast with that 12-18 BHN factor has the hardness to set off a calamitous discharge event. Where as a Jacketed lead tiipped Round Nose has a BHN factor close to 7 or 9 in measure.

[BK7saum]

Just limit yourself to two rounds in the gun. Load one in the chamber and one in the magazine.

[ulav8r]

For target shooting, load one at a time directly into the chamber to avoid marring the bullet.

[buckshotshoey]

Just limit yourself to two rounds in the gun. Load one in the chamber and one in the magazine.

Very astute observation. If the pointed bullet will cycle properly that is.

[Kitika]

Thanks for the replys. Single loading is always an option I guess but you never know when the ammo might be loaded by accident into the tube. I think what I'll do to test it is sharpen one of my hard lead projis I have now to a .10 metplat and see if they set off a large rifle primer in an empty case when struck with a hammer. I think it would have to be a pretty hard to detonate it.

[GARD72977]

I think you would have a hard time making a primer go off with flat point the same size as a primer. Nothing different than seating a primer with your press. I would use them

[alamogunr]

I seem to remember an experiment on this subject some years back. I think it was reported in either Precision Shooter ore The Accurate Rifle, both now defunct. I have a couple of piles of each but no enthusiasm for searching thru them. I would not try to remember my best guess as to the results but will say it surprised me.

[kmrra]

See no harm in shooting spitzer type bullets in a 30-30 lever. So long as their hand fed into the chamber one by one. As a matter of fact I did do just that during one Deer season._"A foolish young mans behaviour." so said my Father up until I dumped a BIG body Spike in his driveway for my retired parents supper table enjoyment
As I recall it surely made my deer hunting season interesting. >Kind'a like handicapping yourself too> one shot one kill.

As far as answering the available boolit question. Most jacketed pronounced Round Nose soft point bullets can be stacked end to end without worry.
Cast on the other hand? Depends on material recipe'd and BHN factor at seating. I certainly wouldn't promote any cast boolits profile other than a Fat Nose considering such boolits are often made from CO/WW having a BHN 12 to 18. I'm sure a pointed cast with that 12-18 BHN factor has the hardness to set off a calamitous discharge event. Where as a Jacketed lead tiipped Round Nose has a BHN factor close to 7 or 9 in measure.I see no problem with single shots , My go to gun for hunting is a Ruger #1 I used it for 35 years or so never regretted it , makes you a better shot if you know you only have one shot.

[muskeg13]

Are the meplats on these big enough? (.44 Mag LP primers are the same diameter as .30-30 LR primers.) Err on the side of safety. Magazine tube explosions are not a myth!
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