Reloading EverythingWidenersLee PrecisionTitan Reloading
Inline FabricationMidSouth Shooters SupplyRepackboxLoad Data
RotoMetals2
Page 1 of 2 12 LastLast
Results 1 to 20 of 37

Thread: 30-30 bullet oal ?

  1. #1
    Boolit Mold
    Join Date
    Apr 2023
    Posts
    10

    30-30 bullet oal ?

    To start I hope this is in the right spot. I'm trying to load for my marlin 336 30-30 and im having issues with the oal of the bullet and not being able to close the lever. I'm using winchester brass trimmed to 2.029. bullets are lyman 311291 cast of wheel weights. and oal of 2.550 will not close the lever. I tried seating the bullet deeper and the only way it closes is to get the bullet oal down to 2.380. I'm just not sure if this would be safe to shoot or not? I did try to force the lever closed with the 2.550 round and it wasn't a good idea. I'm ordering a new lever. lesson learned. does anyone have any ideas or input on my situation or atleast tell me what I'm doing wrong. thanks I took a photo of the round I forced in
    Attached Thumbnails Attached Thumbnails 20230531_204148.jpg  

  2. #2
    Boolit Buddy
    Join Date
    Jan 2020
    Posts
    204
    Looks like the nose of the bullet is too big buy the engraving of the riflings marks .

  3. #3
    Boolit Mold
    Join Date
    Apr 2023
    Posts
    10
    I forgot to mention I did slug the barrell at .308 and the bullets are sized at .310 .

  4. #4
    Boolit Buddy Rockingkj's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2023
    Location
    Nebraska
    Posts
    365
    Hornady lists the max overall length of a loaded cartridge at 2.550, that does not mean the loaded round has to be that. With that bullet seated as you pictured ,you’re way too long. Seat deeper just off the lands “lands is the groves you see on the bullet”. That should be a 170 gr bullet and suitable for 30-30. I am sure there will be additional advice for you here. I would expect your seating and crimp would be at that 1st grove at the nose of the bullet.
    Last edited by Rockingkj; 05-31-2023 at 09:24 PM.

  5. #5
    Boolit Mold
    Join Date
    Apr 2023
    Posts
    10
    so I have searched and the minimum for coal is 2.450. would it be safe to shoot them at the 2.380 length.
    Last edited by ericg; 05-31-2023 at 09:40 PM.

  6. #6
    Boolit Buddy Rockingkj's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2023
    Location
    Nebraska
    Posts
    365
    I just measured factory (Hornady) loaded rounds and they are 2.380 length. Measured some hand loaded with similar to your bullet profile j-word bullets and overall length was also 2.380.

  7. #7
    Boolit Master


    Join Date
    Oct 2010
    Location
    Franklin, TN
    Posts
    1,629
    Cartridge Overall length has nothing to do with it. The nose of your bullet is larger than your rifle's bore. Thats evident from "reading" the bullet.
    Good Luck!
    Rick

  8. #8
    Boolit Bub D.Bullets's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2023
    Posts
    71
    Will the action close on a factory round? Personaly I would take it back and see if the chamber was cut correctly. Sounds like it was NOT.

    So you are saying 2.380 is the bullets Jam point. That is outside of SAAMI specs.Specs are on line. Shortest OAL is 2.450 or you start changing Pressures to much.

    http://www.castpics.net/subsite/SAAMI/default.html Page 57
    Click image for larger version. 

Name:	SAAMI 30-30.jpg 
Views:	22 
Size:	81.6 KB 
ID:	314632
    Last edited by D.Bullets; 05-31-2023 at 10:54 PM.

  9. #9
    Boolit Buddy Rockingkj's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2023
    Location
    Nebraska
    Posts
    365
    Quote Originally Posted by RickinTN View Post
    Cartridge Overall length has nothing to do with it. The nose of your bullet is larger than your rifle's bore. Thats evident from "reading" the bullet.
    Good Luck!
    Rick
    I believe the ring we see on the nose of the bullet is caused by the seater. Bet that was there before the round was attempted to be chambered.

  10. #10
    Boolit Master

    Join Date
    Mar 2010
    Location
    NC Arkansas
    Posts
    1,394
    Bought my Glenfield #30 in 1974 from a coworker. It was 2-3 years old. When I loaded Lee 150 grain bullets to the crimping groove the action would not close and the rifling marks on the bullet extended to within 1/8 inch of the brass. Took it in to CST and one of the upperclassmen re-cut the throat so the bullet no longer jammed into the rifling and loaded rounds would eject easily. One of the instructors explained that marlins usually had very short throats, they worked well with jacketed bullets but seldom with cast.
    Spell check doesn't work in Chrome, so if something is spelled wrong, it's just a typo that I missed.

  11. #11
    Boolit Mold
    Join Date
    Apr 2023
    Posts
    10
    I have had this gun for over 15 years. always shot jacketed bullets threw it. rockingkj is correct the ring is from the seating from my rcbs dies.

  12. #12
    Boolit Buddy Rockingkj's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2023
    Location
    Nebraska
    Posts
    365
    The profile of the bullet is pretty straight sided so engaging the lands closer to the tip. Short of seating deeper only other option is to get a different bullet with more curve to the profile of course still with round nose since it’s being used in a leaver gun.

  13. #13
    Boolit Master
    metricmonkeywrench's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2016
    Location
    Virginia
    Posts
    1,107
    So I will go a different direction rather than blaming the gun. I also have a JM 336. According to the Lyman Manuals the OAL for the -291 should be 2.521 which puts you over .030 to start with.

    I had a similar issue with the -291's and the culprit turned out to be either in the sizing or loading step along with the chosen lead. I was working with some softer lead and only size/lube what I intend to load/shoot so there was no way to ID the real culprit. Problem place one- During sizing i may have been a bit to aggressive on the sizer or working with some cold lube while seating the gas check and bumped the nose (squished the top) of the bullet a bit or Problem place 2- I did not initially at first have the 31L M die to expand the case to accept a .311 sized bullet which took more force then "normal" to seat the bullet (your evidence if the seat die making a ring on the bullet) may also be bumping the nose of the bullet during seating. Once I got a heater under the 450 with the lyman 311 size die and added the 31L (sizes to .310) M die all my diameter issues seemed to go away in my rifle.

    Measure the bullet diameter below the ogive as cast (allow a couple days after casting for the alloy to settle) then measure after sizing and finally after loading to see if there is any change and if you have nay bad actors in your process.

  14. #14
    Boolit Mold
    Join Date
    Apr 2023
    Posts
    10
    thank you to all that has responded and after reading everyone's input I checked a cast boolit before sizing and after sizing and the bullet is gaining .002-.004 in size at the tip. so should I try a different alloy or should I try a different boolit mold

  15. #15
    Boolit Buddy Rockingkj's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2023
    Location
    Nebraska
    Posts
    365
    Might try a Lee size die. That die goes in your reloading press and is pushed thru the die by the base. Additionaly might consider a slightly larger expander. Looks like you’re using quite a bit of force to seat the bullet. RCBS “cowboy” dies have a larger expander for cast bullets.

  16. #16
    Boolit Master
    metricmonkeywrench's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2016
    Location
    Virginia
    Posts
    1,107
    Quote Originally Posted by ericg View Post
    thank you to all that has responded and after reading everyone's input I checked a cast boolit before sizing and after sizing and the bullet is gaining .002-.004 in size at the tip. so should I try a different alloy or should I try a different boolit mold
    That doesn’t sound too-too bad as far as bumping the nose but could be a contributing factor after the OAL. What lube are you using and do you heat it? Also is there another bump when you seat the bullet? One of the clues is still the ring on the nose from the seat die. Also what alloy are you using.

    The -291 and the -041 bullets are the go to standard bullets for 30-30 so you should be fine there.

  17. #17
    Boolit Grand Master popper's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jun 2011
    Posts
    10,572
    bullet is gaining .002-.004 Alloy is soft. Try a different mold or eat deeper. A proper neck expander would help, jacketed expander botton is too small. Neck tension sizes the base of the bullet down and skrunches the nose to a larger diameter.
    Whatever!

  18. #18
    Boolit Master 243winxb's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2005
    Location
    USA
    Posts
    2,837

    30-30 Lyman 311291

    The Lyman 311291 should look like one in chart/photo? Did Lyman change the design & keep the same number?

    The bullet i cast years ago, fit my Win M94. The bullet body was sized to .309" or .310"? The nose diameter was a lot smaller.

    What does your "as cast" bullet measure? Nose & body? Ty.

    Attached Thumbnails Attached Thumbnails Screenshot_20230601-202934_Drive.jpg  
    Last edited by 243winxb; 06-01-2023 at 08:57 PM.

  19. #19
    Boolit Mold
    Join Date
    Apr 2023
    Posts
    10
    I'm using rcbs rifle lube. I do not heat my lube. The ring is coming from seating the bullet.
    There is no indent or marking from sizing.

  20. #20
    Boolit Mold
    Join Date
    Apr 2023
    Posts
    10
    Click image for larger version. 

Name:	20230601_210413.jpg 
Views:	14 
Size:	54.3 KB 
ID:	314650Click image for larger version. 

Name:	20230601_210504.jpg 
Views:	18 
Size:	52.8 KB 
ID:	314651Click image for larger version. 

Name:	20230601_210542.jpg 
Views:	16 
Size:	46.9 KB 
ID:	314652Click image for larger version. 

Name:	20230601_210342.jpg 
Views:	12 
Size:	48.1 KB 
ID:	314653


    this boolit is right out of the mold little over a week ago. there doesn't seem to be a taper till right at the nose

Page 1 of 2 12 LastLast

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •  
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