Loading 30-30 Win for a Lever-Friend for the first time. Tips?

[sharps4590]

You're in for a learning curve

Yep.

[Eddie Southgate]

I'd buy the .311 sizer while I was at it . It is what I use and it works in all of my 30-30 rifles. Depending on the alloy your mold may throw .309 and it may not . Most of my factory molds do not . The .311 fits and I get no leading . My rifles are 94 Winchesters made in 1912, 1964, and 1972. Smaller lead bullets do not shoot as well for me and do tend to leave a bit of lead in two of the three rifles. IMR 3031 is my first choice with IMR 4198 my second. I don't shoot a very hard alloy generally , wheel weights is about as hard as I go and for hunting I use something more in the range of 50% clip on and 50% stick on or pure depending on what I have on hand. Bayou Brass and Bullets has good copper gas checks that are usually a good bit cheaper than the other brands and they are combat veteran owned . Like someone already said , stay away from FMJ for anything with a tube magazine , that would dangerous and there is no benefit to shooting them anyway. You asked for advice, there is mine based on over 50 years of experience loading and shooting, not just something I read on the internet.

[Fishman]

I will add the idea of not sizing the brass too much. By that I mean, just enough. If the brass you receive is all fired in his gun, use a full length sizer and then set it to "just" set the shoulder back a touch. Don't set the die to bottom out on the shell holder. Many will say that levers don't have the camming power to seat a cartridge in the chamber like a bolt gun, and that is somewhat true. But that also doesn't mean you have to push the shoulder back a whole bunch. This will result in better case life which is somewhat important these days, and likely a bit better accuracy.

[FergusonTO35]

I've ordered the Lee 170gn Flat Point mold, as well as the .309 Lube Sizer. I've seen that IMR 4198/3031 is a gold standard for the caliber, and thankfully, I at least have some IMR 4895 to put to use. I think it would be prudent to powder coat these projectiles as well. We aren't looking to reload immediately, we are just going to make sure that at some point we can make his rifle sing again.

Good choices you have there. Pick up some aluminum gas checks from James Sage Outdoors ($30.00/1000) and put them on the base of the boolit prior to sizing. I use a pair of channel locks to make sure they are seated all the way before putting them into the sizer. I really don't know how well .309 sizing will work as I've always done .310 or as cast. Hint: these boolits also work really well unsized and dipped in Lee Liquid Alox. I would start with around 24 grains IMR 4895 and slowly work your way up looking for best accuracy. I use range scrap lead, probably 10-12 BHN. Unless you are getting close to jacketed bullet pressure, I think sizing and lube is more important than hardness.

As others have said, it may be prudent to try jacketed slugs first. Hornady 170's are $35.00 a box here locally and if the rifle won't shoot at least decent with these then you have a problem.

[VariableRecall]

Good choices you have there. Pick up some aluminum gas checks from James Sage Outdoors ($30.00/1000) and put them on the base of the boolit prior to sizing. I use a pair of channel locks to make sure they are seated all the way before putting them into the sizer. I really don't know how well .309 sizing will work as I've always done .310 or as cast. Hint: these boolits also work really well unsized and dipped in Lee Liquid Alox. I would start with around 24 grains IMR 4895 and slowly work your way up looking for best accuracy. I use range scrap lead, probably 10-12 BHN. Unless you are getting close to jacketed bullet pressure, I think sizing and lube is more important than hardness.

As others have said, it may be prudent to try jacketed slugs first. Hornady 170's are $35.00 a box here locally and if the rifle won't shoot at least decent with these then you have a problem.

Unfortunately, I don't have any options for 30-30 compatible projectiles locally. My local Sportsman's Warehouse, which is usually the best place to get reloading stuff, doesn't seem to have them in stock. Prices online for the same projectiles aren't great either. However, a Boolit Buddy has volunteered to gift me some projectiles to try out before I begin casting for them. I'll be certain to use this page as a reference as I begin my step-by-step journey to getting economical range experience with a classic.

[beefan]

Based on my experience with two 94 Winchesters and a recently acquired Savage 340, pay attention to and adhere to the overall cartridge length listed in the manuals. If too long the cartridge will not feed from the tubular magazine of the 94, and you'll have problems ejecting an unfired round from the Savage action. Just my .02 worth.

Good luck and good shooting.

[OverMax]

I use IMR 4198 too. Since I cast my own I either Check or paper patch. Reason for the G-check >is to stop barrel leading. Speeds above 900 fps will lead a barrel and flame cut a bullet base. When I >paper-patch for my 30-30 and 32 spec I hand-load a duplex powder charge for those two.

[15meter]

For whisper loads in 30-30(and several others) follow the link in this thread:

https://castboolits.gunloads.com/sho...30-30-06-45-70

May want to print out the PDF. Seems to me that website has become static. When that happens, websites have a tendency to evaporate.

[FergusonTO35]

Unfortunately, I don't have any options for 30-30 compatible projectiles locally. My local Sportsman's Warehouse, which is usually the best place to get reloading stuff, doesn't seem to have them in stock. Prices online for the same projectiles aren't great either. However, a Boolit Buddy has volunteered to gift me some projectiles to try out before I begin casting for them. I'll be certain to use this page as a reference as I begin my step-by-step journey to getting economical range experience with a classic.

Check these guys out. I've ordered from them before and they ship fast at reasonable cost:

https://talltalesoutdoor.com/hornady...se-box-of-100/

[yeahbub]

It's been noted that you're in for an education, which is true, but it'll be a fun and informative one. You have mentioned your intention to use cast sized to .309, which may work out, but there are considerations with cast which militate toward better results when they are fatter, part of which is chamber dimensions. With cast, boolit fit is king. Accurate alignment and support in the rear and up front are important for best accuracy. The hardest cast boolits are softer than the softest jacketed, so it's important that they get a straight start, hence, the suggestion by others of using a larger diameter than groove dimension. The largest cast boolits which will still chamber without drag will better fill and center the case neck in the chamber (support and alignment in the back) while the bore diameter nose (.300 or .301) will center the nose on the lands. In mine, this means .311 diameter driving bands and a .301 nose. To find those dimensions is the reason to have the rifle in-hand before test rounds are assembled. Since you won't be producing ammo that will have to work in many .30-30's, you can tailor your efforts to this one and precision results.

BTW, Win '94's and most lever-actions are rear-locking which exhibit more bolt compression and action stretch, so the case shoulders will have to be set back somewhat more often than with a bolt gun. Cast boolit loadings will postpone this in some degree, but if you're trying out a new cast boolit or experimenting with sizing diameters, be sure you can close the action on a case by itself without shoulder interference which can be mistaken for a too-fat boolit. I prefer a full-length-sized case for this, just to be sure.

Powder coat is an excellent way to have boolits which aren't dirt magnets and can be driven at increased pressures/velocities without needing a gas check. They are available commercially in various diameters, but I can't think of who produces them just now - someone here will know.

Good luck with it. Keep us posted as to your results.

[robertbank]

I have been loading plinkers using 10 gr of Unique under Lyman's 311041 in 30-30 without GC's for some time now. Fun load and cheap to shoot. I have used this same 10 gr load in 30-06 and .303Br using various bullets as well. I do believe you are going to find your .309 sizing die to be to narrow for cast bullets. I would size .311. You want a tight fit or you will experience gas cutting and leading. Your rifle, your money just saying. Out to 50 yards the 10 gr Unique load can be a winner.

The collective advice to pay attention to your OAL is critical or you will spend a lot of waisted time trying to fish out those to long cartridges from the gun. We all speak with some...... experience in this regard. LOL.

Take Care

Bob

[Land Owner]

In the lever action 30-30 you CAN use Spire Pointed bullets, cast and jacketed, PROVIDED you load one in the chamber AND NO MORE THAN ONE in the magazine.

[GhostHawk]

The Lee .314 truncated cone sized to .311 or .312 with a light coat of BLL shoots great at close ranges ie grouse and rabbit. Over 3 grains of Red Dot it makes about the same noise as a .22lr. Shoots to the sights out to about 25 or 30 yards.

[imashooter2]

I'll pick up a Lube sizing die in .309 to split the difference, then.

Come to think of it, I already use .452 sizers for .45 ACP, so it makes sense to go a teeny bit higher in diameter for lead projectiles.

What BHN do you use with your 30-30 projectiles?

As a general rule, there are far fewer problems from sizing too large than sizing too small. .310 is solid advice. You should take it.

[RickinTN]

I don't think anyone has suggested one but a Lyman "M" die is worth it's weight in gold. I wouldn't load any cast bullets without one.
Rick

[waco]

RCBS neck expander dies for me in lieu of Lyman M dies. Either way it is important to expand the case neck not just flare the mouth.

[FergusonTO35]

I don't think anyone has suggested one but a Lyman "M" die is worth it's weight in gold. I wouldn't load any cast bullets without one.
Rick

Yes, this is a necessity in any cartridge which is primarily loaded from the factory with J-words. You can usually get good results without it in a cartridge that traditionally uses lead bullets such as .38 Special and .45-70.

[redgum]

LEE C312-185 Sized to .311"
MP Molds 308 Hnt HP GC
https://www.mp-molds.com/product/mp-308-hunting-hp-gc/

[indian joe]

In the lever action 30-30 you CAN use Spire Pointed bullets, cast and jacketed, PROVIDED you load one in the chamber AND NO MORE THAN ONE in the magazine.

"loading for a friend" .....that would be outright lunacy!!!!!!

[atr]

friendship is one thing....loading ammunition for a friend is something else. I agree with indian joe.