30-30, first cast loads is this the right seating depth

[badwolf]

Lee trimmer for 30-30 under $15, By hand or with a power drill

[TNsailorman]

I have been using Lee case trimmers for years now with a power drill clamped to a table. One thing though, go slow and do not put a lot of pressure on the cutter. The tip on the end of the cutter is not hardened and otherwise will wear fast and you will end up with cases cut too short. Ask me how I know? james

[popper]

I just have the FA simple electronic scale, served well for 10 yrs. I use the Lee FCD to remove the bell from the mouth of the case, no real crimp. I pulled the decap pin out of the Lee die set and expand the mouth with a separate Lyman spud (NOE also makes one). If you have good neck tension you don't really need a real crimp. I treat my 308 AR10 the same, no setback unless the nose jams and then the bullet doesn't chamber anyway. Haven't trimmed a 30/30 case ever. Use a small needle nose pliers to just bell the case mouth (barely) so seating doesn't scrape the lead/PC off. Don't even chamfer the case mouth. My 'RD' version is almost slick sided with no crimp groove. I did have the orig. RD made by Lee (3 GC and 3 PB), worked well but decided I wanted a slick side as crimp groove gets in the way. I use close to max loads for the 185gr GC version and it does well as does the FTX bullet. That little 'button' actually is a FP block, not a trigger reset. My 'tests' of jamming the lands gave minimal improvement in accuracy and nothing else but extra wear on the gun.

[cr445671]

Yah I acctually adjusted my seating depth for the next batch I loaded up, you can now barely barely see where the rifling has only just touched the bullet, not near as far out as the last batch.

[Thumbcocker]

Let us know how they shoot.

[popper]

The 336 actually will shoot good. From the original RD Lee (IIRC It's #2 alloy about 10 yrs ago when I could shoot good and before I started playing with alloys) using mazzola for lube. Sitting with elbow on cooler @ ~ 60 yds. GK's friend tried a 'real' rifle on the target too. They were barely jamming the lands. Just loaded the tube and shot, reload so not rapid fire but pretty fast. Barrel heated a tad. H4895 30 gr IIRC.

[45-70 Chevroner]

I use digital caliper from Harbor Freight to check rifle case lengths. They are accurate enough for reloading purposes. Harbor Freight calipers are in the $15.00 range, and they use a button battery included. I have also been using Lee case trimmers ever sense they came out. I get the Lee trimmers from Midway USA, there phone # Is 1-800-243-3220. They are much cheaper than getting them from Lee Precision.
(Correction on phone #)

[higgins]

I just target shoot with cast. I always single load so working through the magazine is not an issue. I have pulled a couple of bullets upon extraction when I used to load them into the lands. Now I load them just short of the lands so that chambering feels normal. With easy chambering I don't wonder if the bullets are too large in diameter, seated too far out, or crimped insufficiently. I can't tell a difference in practical accuracy shooting metal targets at 200 yds with bullets seated touching the lands vs just off the lands.