What dies for 30-30?

[KevH]

What dies do you prefer to load 30-30?

I was looking at the RCBS Cowboy dies and they are expensive, but also say only to use them for cast boolits...and I want to be able to load both cast and copper (I live in dumb California where you can't hunt with lead).

[Shawlerbrook]

The Lee die set with the FCD works well. I have a standard RCBS set along with the Lee fcd.

[popper]

Lee or Hornady set with NOE expander for cast.

[MostlyLeverGuns]

Lee Sizer and Seater, the LEE Factory Crimp Die does a very nice job on rifle cartridges, though the seating die can also crimp, NOE expander for cast. I take the expander out of the sizer die and replace with a simple decapping stem available from Lee vendors, then neck expand in a separate die, NOE expander in the Lee body or Lyman 'M' die. For much loading the Lee Collet Sizer also works well, again not necessary but nice to have. Cartridge straightness is a key to accuracy. The collet sizer, separate sizing and neck expanding, separate seating and crimping all seem to help load straighter cartridges.

[BigAlofPa.]

I have 2 pc set of Hornady dies. They work well for me.

[Mk42gunner]

I've got an old two die set from RCBS that I use. When I load cast I expand the necks with a Lyman M-die from my .32 ACP/S&W/S&WL/H&R die set.

Works for me and I didn't have to buy an extra die.

Robert

[Bazoo]

I use a Lyman set and an old CH set together with a Lyman M die. The sets I have were because I happened into them. Lyman doesn't offer a flat nose seat plug. I remedied this by taking a round nose plug and facing it off flat. It works well for the 31141. Though I did seat the 31141 and Lee 309-150-F with the round nose plug for a while.

I bought the CH set cheap on ebay because it has a carbide expander button. The CH seat die, likely because it's a very old set, will not crimp anything that has a full size front driving band. It works fine for jacketed as they are all tapered enough to clear the crimp ring when seating. So I keep it, for loading jacketed, and because the seat die will work with pointed bullets. The sizer die sizes just a touch smaller than the Lyman set, but I use both.

If I were to buy a set specifically I'd probably get the RCBS standard set and a Lyman M die.

I find the Lyman M die to be great for jacketed bullets as well as cast. I load on either a Lee hand press or a Lyman Spartan, It's hard to keep a square based jacketed bullet balanced on a case unless it's been M flared.

[KevH]

@Bazoo

What are you sizing your boolits at?

Are you using the 30R or 31R expander plug in the M die?

[Bayou52]

For the past 45 years, it's been the same RCBS dies. I recently added a LFC die for crimping...

Bayou52

[gwpercle]

Most standard dies will be set up to reload J-word boolits , Cowboy dies will be set up for lead boolits because that is all that sport allows to be fired in Coboy Competition .
J-Words are .308" diameter and harder . Lead boolits are .309 to .312 and softer .To do both you will need neck expanders for the different sized boolits/bullets and for lead you will want a neck flaring tool like the Lyman M-Die , it flares and expands the neck for the larger, softer cast boolits .

I've never had a problem crimping both with the factory supplied seating and crimping die , a roll crimp into the J-words cannelure or the boolits crimp groove did the trick...I never saw the need for the Lee Factory Crimp Die.

The biggest help was a Lyman M-Die ... or something similar like the expander plugs made by NOE along with a Lee Universal Flaring Tool...that set up is my favorite for all cast boolit loading .
If you can , go ahead and spring for the RCBS Cowboy dies , I think they already include a die to flare the case mouth for lead boolits like a Lyman M-Die you would need to buy with a standard two die set . RCBS are also just nicer finished .
Gary

[TNsailorman]

I have 2 sets for my .30-30 Marlin. I have a 2 die Bonanza set and C&H 3 die set (fl and 2 seaters). I also have a Lyman M die for cast. Works for me. james

[Bazoo]

I'm using the standard M die, 30 short rifle. It measures .307 if I recall correctly and I'm sizing my bullets at .309.

[HCH]

Lee for me

[1hole]

I started casting in '65. I'm one who believes cast bullets need be the same or no larger than .001" over jacketed bullets. Thus, I use any dies I might have or can get but I do my expanding with Lyman "M" (or NOE equivalent) expanders to insure my bullets can enter the case straight without damaging cast bullet heels.

I've also found "M" expanders do an excellent job of starting jacketed bullets on the right track so I have an "M" for every caliber I load for; my cartridge concentricity gage confirms that it helps.

[sigep1764]

Im using an RCBS set with a Lee Universal Expander with and NOE plug and Lee Crimp Die. Seems to be working fine but haven't shot them yet due to Corona.

[1hole]

Lee Crimp Die.

Those collet crimpers are indeed great. They often need a little deburring inside the die body (some "drum sanding" with a drill) and some polishing on the collet closure taper but at their worst they aren't difficult to finish and the purchase price is right!


Lee calls their flaring tool a "Universal Expander" but it's not a neck expander at all, it's only a mouth flaring tool. I prefer to use the flaring step on the "M" die's real neck expander plug if I flare at all; with the nice two-step expander of the "M" I rarely need to flare.

[44magLeo]

I think Lee is a good value when buying new. They come in two three and four dies sets. The two die set is just the size/expand and seat/crimp dies. The three die set adds the shell holder and FCD. The four die sets add the Collet Neck size die.
Others cost more but don't work any better.
On the used market most any two die set will work for jacketed. Some brands you can order an expander in a larger size. Like one from the 303 British to load larger diameter bullets. These may still shave lead from cast bullets with out further mouth flaring. Lee sells a universal flaring die that ha two tapered plugs that just flare the mouth.
NOE make a stepped expander plug that fits I Lee dies that has the Lyman M type profile. These expand the neck to just under bullet size and the mouth just over bullet size. It can also flare the mouth if needed.
These work very well.
I might suggest shopping around for a used set. They can be bought much cheaper than new. This saves you some cash. Then if you find you need the extras you can get them.
Leo

[lightman]

I've used an RCBS standard 2 die set with a Lyman "M" die for years with good results. Those "M" dies are nice but they are getting expensive.

[mdi]

Ford or Chevy? Black or w/cream and sugar? Dies are like any tools most have their fans but all will produce excellent handloads if the nut behind the handle does his part. I started with Lee tools in '69 and have found very few, minor problems with their dies (except the Handgun FCD). I have a set of Lee 30-30 dies and have not needed any "extra" tools to load cast bullets. Most of my cast bullets run 11-13 BHN with some rifle bullets going 14 or so, and I have never needed a special expander. I have seated my cast bullets then removed and measured them. No diameter swaging...

[Shiloh]

I have RCBS and LEE.
NOE expander, LEE crimp to close the bell.

Shiloh

[bedbugbilly]

All I loaded was cast for my Win. 94 and Marlin 336SC - I sold 'em but will be getting another 30-30 at some point. I sized to 309. All I ever used was range brass. I deprived with a universal deprimer die, FL sized in a Lee or an old RCBS FL Die with stem removed - expanded and flared with a Lyman M die and used a Lee seating die. I have a set of steel Lyman 310 tongs for 30-30 with 310 dies and used those to put crimp on them. If I was just neck sizing - I used the 310 dies with a 310 neck sizing die - sometimes I would neck size, expand, seat and crimp with the 310 dies. I kind of have a collection and a hodgepodge of 30-30 dies and IMHO, if you use FMJ or a lead boolit to 309, I would think just about any brand would work fine.

As far as the RCBS Cowboy Dies - I picked up a set - bought them used but they looked new and I got them dirt cheap. I used them once - I think if you are shooting cast and sizing to .310 - .311 for your rifle then they would probably be a good choice. I found that I didn't need them so just went back to using my hodgepodge of dies that I was used to. My two particular rifles shot best with .309 as the throats were tighter - loading dummy rounds in variety of diameter boolits soon taught me that.

Out here in AZ where my wife and I spend the winter, I am looking at getting a single shot 30-30 of some description to plink and play with for some longer range shooting. I have accumulated some range grass and will probably just pick up a set of Lee dies to have on hand - use the FL sizing die to size the first time and then just use my set of 310 dies to neck size and load. I have always found the 30-30 to be a very easy cartridge to load and I love it with anything from a 115 grain boolit on up.