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Thread: 30-30AI fire forming load

  1. #1
    Boolit Buddy
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    30-30AI fire forming load

    I have more Unique then any other powder I own. I would like to find a load to reform my 30-30 brass. Anyone use it for fire forming?

  2. #2
    Boolit Grand Master

    Wayne Smith's Avatar
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    You can form most AI brass with full power loads - so that or anything less that gives full expansion. I wouldn't worry, just load your normal 30-30 load and fire.
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  3. #3
    Boolit Master

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    Quote Originally Posted by Wayne Smith View Post
    You can form most AI brass with full power loads - so that or anything less that gives full expansion. I wouldn't worry, just load your normal 30-30 load and fire.
    I also would not waste resources on fireforming brass just for the sake of blowing out the shoulder. In the past, when loading 7-30 waters, i just loaded the charge, seated the bullet and fireformed with my hunting load. The only way this wouldnt work is if you are using a very slow powder that has 100%load density for the fireformed cased.

    Even then, I would develop a suitable load with a faster powder.

    BTW, many times the first/fireforming loads are just as accurate than later loads in fireformed brass.

  4. #4
    Boolit Master
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    I’d like to answer your question, since you asked about fire forming. I do not have a .30-30 A I but I have fire formed other cases using Unique and have used 5-7 grains to do this. I have used cornmeal or dry rice as a filler and contained it with a wad of tissue paper pressed down on the filler which is loaded to mid neck. With the smaller .30-30 case volume, 4 grains might be adequate to fully form the A I case. Let us know how it works out.
    Last edited by wmitty; 06-21-2022 at 10:52 PM.
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  5. #5
    Boolit Master 15meter's Avatar
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    I have never fire formed 30-30 AI but I have taken 30-30 out to 38-55.

    I believe I used 10 grains of Unique, 1/4 sheet of toilet paper over the powder, filled the case up with the screenings from under a buddies grain dryer(did I mention I'm cheap?) then another 1/4 square of toilet paper on top.

    Normal people use corn meal or cream of wheat, but I like both corn bread and cream of wheat.

    Shot the gun horizontally for the first couple of shots and couple of the cases weren't completely formed, remembered reading somewhere(not here, this was a dozen years before I found this forum) that if you fired the rifle vertically you would get a much better fire-formed case. It worked and worked well.

    Back then primers and powder were a whole lot cheaper and more available so component usage was not as much of a concern.

    And I had fun annoying the wife with my decorating the back yard with bunches of little white tufts of toilet paper. Just confirmed her suspicions that I had slipped off the deep end.

  6. #6
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    In our modern, enlightened age, I'd conserve my powder & primers and just load normal target rounds.
    Then save the fire formed cases for the next time around.
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  7. #7
    Boolit Master Randy Bohannon's Avatar
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    My Muser 98 Shilen barreled 338-06 AI prefers unfireformed brass ,one pass through a Redding FL die,load and shoot.

  8. #8
    Boolit Master
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    Quote Originally Posted by 15meter View Post
    I have never fire formed 30-30 AI but I have taken 30-30 out to 38-55.

    I believe I used 10 grains of Unique, 1/4 sheet of toilet paper over the powder, filled the case up with the screenings from under a buddies grain dryer(did I mention I'm cheap?) then another 1/4 square of toilet paper on top.

    Normal people use corn meal or cream of wheat, but I like both corn bread and cream of wheat.

    Shot the gun horizontally for the first couple of shots and couple of the cases weren't completely formed, remembered reading somewhere(not here, this was a dozen years before I found this forum) that if you fired the rifle vertically you would get a much better fire-formed case. It worked and worked well.

    Back then primers and powder were a whole lot cheaper and more available so component usage was not as much of a concern.

    And I had fun annoying the wife with my decorating the back yard with bunches of little white tufts of toilet paper. Just confirmed her suspicions that I had slipped off the deep end.
    I made a heap of 375 big bore brass (short 38/55) from 30/30 without burning a grain of powder - just made a long tapered expanding die from a 3/8" bolt that fit the top thread in one of my RCBS dies -----one pass and they done.

  9. #9
    Boolit Master 15meter's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by indian joe View Post
    I made a heap of 375 big bore brass (short 38/55) from 30/30 without burning a grain of powder - just made a long tapered expanding die from a 3/8" bolt that fit the top thread in one of my RCBS dies -----one pass and they done.
    But then I wouldn't have the opportunity to convince the wife I'm crazy and the neighbors I'm probably somebody to keep a weather eye on.

    And this was done 15 years ago when people weren't afraid to burn a little powder and some primers.

    Still not afraid to, got lotsa stuff to make noise with. Probably more than I can use before I can't shoot anymore.
    Last edited by 15meter; 06-28-2022 at 11:24 PM.

  10. #10
    Boolit Man
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    I use salvaged primers and 30 grains of BLC2 under a 161 grain cast gas checked bullet to fireform my 30-30AI. These are good plinking loads, accurate, and produce excellent fire formed AI brass.

  11. #11
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    12 grains Unique with cornmeal filler held in place with a tamped down piece of tissue paper!
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Abbreviations used in Reloading

BP Bronze Point IMR Improved Military Rifle PTD Pointed
BR Bench Rest M Magnum RN Round Nose
BT Boat Tail PL Power-Lokt SP Soft Point
C Compressed Charge PR Primer SPCL Soft Point "Core-Lokt"
HP Hollow Point PSPCL Pointed Soft Point "Core Lokt" C.O.L. Cartridge Overall Length
PSP Pointed Soft Point Spz Spitzer Point SBT Spitzer Boat Tail
LRN Lead Round Nose LWC Lead Wad Cutter LSWC Lead Semi Wad Cutter
GC Gas Check