Silly Question: 30-30 Neck Sizing

[challenger_i]

Ok, before ya'll all laugh yourselves silly...

Can One successfully use a 308 Winchester neck sizing die to neck size 30-30 Win, and/or 30-30 Ackley Improved?

[35 Rem]

I don't know why not as long as the body of the die will allow a 30-30 case to go deep enough to size the whole neck.

[Delkal]

The case length of the cartridges is the same but the 308 has a much shorter neck. You will only be able to size part of the 30-30's neck.

[ACC]

The case length of the cartridges is the same but the 308 has a much shorter neck. You will only be able to size part of the 30-30's neck.

In a lever action, I would think you would need to full length size it. In my bolt action 30/30 I only neck size but the bolt has more camming power. I hope it works for you.

ACC

[challenger_i]

Loads will be for a bolt gun. My trusty Model 94 is enjoying a well-deserved retirement!

[country gent]

You may not want to size the complete neck as a full size part of the neck may help with centering the bullet to the bore. Try a 308 die and see what it does. Strat with the die just touching the smoked neck of a cartridge, the long neck of the 30-30 is a plus here as it will have a nice bearing surface behind the sized portion.

The other thing to remember with true neck sizing is at some point the body of the cartridge will need to be sized down again or cambering will become stiff. This will come on faster with the tapered and shallower shoulder angled 30-30. The ackley improved will go a little longer.

Start with full length sized brass fire formed to the chamber then go to neck sized only. Brass formed to a different chamber may give problems.

Ideally would be a die to neck size with bushings so no expander ball would be needed. Just the bushing to size right to what you need want. The bushing with the shoulder angle as a part of it would allow the neck to be sized in any length, and also to bump the shoulder back if needed. It would also act as a leade into the bushing.

[725]

I don't think so. I have, however, been known to be wrong. Seems the long neck .30-30 would mix well with the short neck .308. Best way to see is to just give'r a try.

[Bazoo]

I haven't done it. I can't see any reason it wouldn't work in a pinch. You will only partially resize the neck, because the shoulder is set farther down on the 30-30, and dies are made to give minimum dimension with the bottom of the die hitting the shell holder.

[MostlyLeverGuns]

I have used a 308 Win sizing die for the 30-30 and 303 Savage, works fine, neck is NOT sized for its full length but there is plenty of neck reduction to hold a boolit. 308 brass has a thicker neck so it may not squeeze the 30-30 small enough to hold the bullet, depending on your die, but most 308 Win dies will. Simply backing out a 30-30 die a turn or so will size the neck and usually does not touch the case shoulder or body due to the taper of the 30-30. I would try both the 308 and backed out 30-30 die and use the one that works the best. It is usually NOT necessary to bump a shell holder against the die to get proper sizing - usually just overworks the brass.

[challenger_i]

Thanks, gents!

[Paul24]

My samples of 30-30 brass as fired have .331" neck diameter. My smallest 308 neck collet is .332". Hence No contact when I tried the 30-30 in the 308 die. If you have a 308 die try one of you 30-30's. go easy the 30-30 is longer over all but there should be room in the 308 die for it. Worst case you may have to buy a 30-30 sizing die. I seat 30-30 boolits with out crimp in the 308 seating die. Crimp is separate operation. Not a silly question I went thru the exercise.

[Harter66]

The 30-30 neck is considerably thinner. The stock ball was fine in the Lee 308 die . Yep it only sizes about half of neck . If you have a 7mm decapping stem in RCBS or Lyman dies would help the thin necks.