31 Long M die for 30-30 ?

[vonfilm]

Can I use my 31 Long Lyman M die to flare 30-30 cartridges for cast boolits?

[ulav8r]

Try it and see.

[Hick]

Might work fine. I do something similar with 30-06, flaring the cases with my 30-30 M die. I don't even re-adjust the die-- just raise the 30-06 cases until I feel the little 'step' when the case mouth hits the expander. In the same way I do 7.62 x 39 using a 32 WS M die.

[metricmonkeywrench]

The short answer is yes, I have a box sitting on the shelf at the moment for the next range trip with the chrono.

The 31L is intended for the 303 Brit with their 311-314ish bullets, however as recommended I am using it to expand the 30-30 necks after sizing the cases to fit a .311 sized cast bullet for use in a Marlin Microgroove barrel which by all accounts wants a "fat" .311 cast bullet and the 31L potentially will keep me from swaging the bullet in the case. As this is for use in a lever gun I am less concerned with precision neck tension as the case will receive a decent neck crimp anyway.

For my 30-06 I use the standard 30 cal .309ish expander and bullets are sized to .309

[Larry Gibson]

I use the 31L M-die with 30-30 cases. Works fine but the expander is screwed down almost all the way.

BTW; I use that 31L M-die for all my 30/31 cal cartridges from 308W length up through 300WM. Once adjusted for a particular cartridge I measure the OAL of the die body and expander stem. That way it is easy and quick to reset for that cartridge length.

[MostlyLeverGuns]

I have two 31L Lyman 'M', both measure .3095 on the straight section with the step measuring .3135. I have gone as short as .300 Savage with the long body. I use it for .310, .31 bullets in .300 Savage, .308 Win, 303 Savage and 30-30.

[metricmonkeywrench]

I use the 31L M-die with 30-30 cases. Works fine but the expander is screwed down almost all the way.

BTW; I use that 31L M-die for all my 30/31 cal cartridges from 308W length up through 300WM. Once adjusted for a particular cartridge I measure the OAL of the die body and expander stem. That way it is easy and quick to reset for that cartridge length.

I sort of do the same thing, though I'm only loading for 30-30 and 30-06. Both dies 30L and 31L M dies are set up with an old school clamping type ring set to the shorter 30-30 length. Then I have a second "transient" ring that is installed for the the longer 30-06 case with the recorded measured distance between the two rings for repeatability.

[Garand]

I just finished building 100 rds of .30/30 with 100 grain powder coated cast lead bullets and I used my Lyman (Item # 7349003) 30 short neck-expand (M) die. It works successfully also.