68 couper
06-25-2017, 02:21 PM
6 months ago I started looking for a hyper velocity 30 cal for the Contender pistol. I took into consideration Don Bower's 30 Alaskan, the 309 JDJ and Mikes 308 Bellm. Each had something to offer with the 30 Alaskan and 308 Bellm standing out above the rest. The 308 Bellm would allow for proper seating of a cast boolet. Mike Bellm was kind and willing to work with me so I choose to develop something a little different incorporating the assets I came to admire in other cartridges.
First, the cartridge had to use readily and currently available cases. No point in chasing the unobtainable. 444 Marlin from Starline had just been released. Bingo.
Second, the cartridge had to have enough neck to accept a 30 cal cast at 150 grains. I remembered some history that was taught to me as a lad working at a gun store by Ray Altman. He was a fellow employee and a distinguished gentlemen . Ray owned a business reloading for NW Indiana police departments for years and casting boolets as well, Ray was a wealth of knowledge. He hunted all forms of game on all continents. I remember, the 30-06 was developed for the 150 grain bullet and checked the specs vs what cast would need. Yep, it would do nicely. I remember when Ray and I hunted Elk in Colorado, he wielded a 30-06 AI. Could have been done by PO Ackley, I wasn't wise enough to inquire. So, the AI neck proved to be .425 and was on the money. Now I get the 40* sholder as a bonus with cutting down a 30-06 AI die set.
Third, I was coached by Mr Bellm to work with the brass some and get a feel how it acts. This might (and did) alter my case body dimensions. So, on paper, I wanted 2.225 case OAL. While working the Starline brass, I found it did not elongate as the Remington had for others. It's pretty soft and more so after annealed. After discovering my new small base 308 dies had a tweaked expander arbor, things went fine. A call to RCBS had 2 new arbors on the way for free. The shortest of my reshaped to 308 brass measured 2.203 and the longest was 2.218. I settled on a max case OAL of 2.2 -.010 . Everything was per- d after trimming.
Plugging the neck into the case length gave a 1.765 neck-sholder junction. This is a wee bit longer case body than the 30 Alaskan and 308 Bellum. It is shorter than the 309 JDJ made by SSK, but that is a poor design IMHO for cast and for Contenders.
198451
So I boxed up the factory TC 6 groove SS 30-30 barrel, AI size die and sized to 308-444 cases and off to Mr. Bellm it went. His magic is greatly appreciated in advance. While there for the rechamber, the crown will be precisely be recut and a 6 hole picatinny rail installed.
Looking forward to the next steps of forming cases to the Improved chamber and checking long distance accuracy. The starting powder will be Varget. I will set up for case resizing at cam over on the press. More to come if there's an interest.
Destination Elk- GB
Couper
30 Single Shot Pistol
This is NOT a PROPRIETARY cartridge.
It's BETTER.
First, the cartridge had to use readily and currently available cases. No point in chasing the unobtainable. 444 Marlin from Starline had just been released. Bingo.
Second, the cartridge had to have enough neck to accept a 30 cal cast at 150 grains. I remembered some history that was taught to me as a lad working at a gun store by Ray Altman. He was a fellow employee and a distinguished gentlemen . Ray owned a business reloading for NW Indiana police departments for years and casting boolets as well, Ray was a wealth of knowledge. He hunted all forms of game on all continents. I remember, the 30-06 was developed for the 150 grain bullet and checked the specs vs what cast would need. Yep, it would do nicely. I remember when Ray and I hunted Elk in Colorado, he wielded a 30-06 AI. Could have been done by PO Ackley, I wasn't wise enough to inquire. So, the AI neck proved to be .425 and was on the money. Now I get the 40* sholder as a bonus with cutting down a 30-06 AI die set.
Third, I was coached by Mr Bellm to work with the brass some and get a feel how it acts. This might (and did) alter my case body dimensions. So, on paper, I wanted 2.225 case OAL. While working the Starline brass, I found it did not elongate as the Remington had for others. It's pretty soft and more so after annealed. After discovering my new small base 308 dies had a tweaked expander arbor, things went fine. A call to RCBS had 2 new arbors on the way for free. The shortest of my reshaped to 308 brass measured 2.203 and the longest was 2.218. I settled on a max case OAL of 2.2 -.010 . Everything was per- d after trimming.
Plugging the neck into the case length gave a 1.765 neck-sholder junction. This is a wee bit longer case body than the 30 Alaskan and 308 Bellum. It is shorter than the 309 JDJ made by SSK, but that is a poor design IMHO for cast and for Contenders.
198451
So I boxed up the factory TC 6 groove SS 30-30 barrel, AI size die and sized to 308-444 cases and off to Mr. Bellm it went. His magic is greatly appreciated in advance. While there for the rechamber, the crown will be precisely be recut and a 6 hole picatinny rail installed.
Looking forward to the next steps of forming cases to the Improved chamber and checking long distance accuracy. The starting powder will be Varget. I will set up for case resizing at cam over on the press. More to come if there's an interest.
Destination Elk- GB
Couper
30 Single Shot Pistol
This is NOT a PROPRIETARY cartridge.
It's BETTER.