Lee .338 in tubular magazines.

[FredT]

I got the Lee .338 mold. I want to use it in my Marlin .338 MX. Is that nose round enough to load up a tubular magazine with out causing a chain fire? Any thoughts or ideas from the bullet users?

[w30wcf]

FredT,
If you lay two cartridges nose to tail on a flat surface you will see the way the cartridges line up in the magazine. If the rn is hitting the primer and not any portion of the head, I would not suggest doing it.

w30wcf

[StarMetal]

Many of us have been using the Lee round nose 8mm bullet in our 32 Win Specials with no problems, BUT I will say the 32 Special more then likely has less recoil then the 30-30's and 32's. With that said both the 30-30 and 32 have factory ammo in the past that has been round noses. From what some members have said when the ammo is in the magazine tube and under spring tension they more often don't line up. If you want to use them and are concerned just flatten the noses, easily done.

[7of7]

I have found a lead round nosed bullet, that the nose of the bullet deforms and flattens out when there is an impact. Try taking a primed case, (preferably one that is damaged and can no longer be used) and place it in a vise. Then take one of those bullets and some tape to hold it straight on the primer. Smack it with a hammer, and see what happens... The only thing I have managed to do with lead tipped spire point bullets, is flatten the lead tips. I have even taken the hornady polymer tipped ones and have gotten the same results. No igniting of the primer, only the destruction of a bullet. If I can hit it with enough force to deform the bullet, and the primer hasn't ignited, I would venture to say you would get the same results in the tubular magazine...
Now, I wouldn't go using a copper pointed bullet... I would venture to say that it would detonate the primer...
I have loaded and used 150 grain round nosed bullets in 30-30's since I was old enough to hunt,... (1977) without any incidents with the rounds in the magazine...
I even tried the same experiment with a round nosed #2 lead bullet, all I got was a very nice imprint of the primer and the groove around the primer in the nose of the bullet..
I am sure there are many who say I am crazy for using anything but a flat nosed bullet in a tubular magazine. If you can't forceably detonate a primer by hitting the bullet that is resting on the primer with a hammer, and I mean like you want to drive the bullet into the case like a nail.... I seriously doubt that the recoil of the rifle will do it.. That is with CCI primers though. A softer pimer may respond different....
Try it with the primers you use...

[FredT]

You guys have given me some things to chew on. Thanks.