MidSouth Shooters SupplyLee PrecisionWidenersRotoMetals2
RepackboxReloading EverythingInline FabricationLoad Data
Titan Reloading
Results 1 to 15 of 15

Thread: Trying to figure out what sizing die to get for pre 64 30-30 Winchester 94

  1. #1
    Boolit Master Stopsign32v's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2015
    Location
    South Carolina
    Posts
    840

    Question Trying to figure out what sizing die to get for pre 64 30-30 Winchester 94

    Well I have nothing small enough to push down the bore of this thing or I was going to shove a 36cal lead round ball nose down and measure.

    So here I am just wondering, what sizing die would you guys recommend? I know some run the .309 but then I also read some run the .311. Is it true biggest is better (no pun, and it's NOT true!)? Would running a .311 when you really need a .309 do any premature damage to the rifle?

  2. #2
    Boolit Buddy Dom's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2015
    Location
    W. Montana
    Posts
    429
    Unless you actually slug your bore I would go with .309. Best to slug first & get the correct size the first time.

  3. #3
    Boolit Master Stopsign32v's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2015
    Location
    South Carolina
    Posts
    840
    Quote Originally Posted by Dom View Post
    Unless you actually slug your bore I would go with .309. Best to slug first & get the correct size the first time.
    Would going from muzzle to receiver and then measuring largest point be the useful way?

  4. #4
    Boolit Grand Master


    GregLaROCHE's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2018
    Location
    Southern France by way of Interior Bush Alaska
    Posts
    5,286
    Quote Originally Posted by Stopsign32v View Post
    Would going from muzzle to receiver and then measuring largest point be the useful way?
    Yes. That can work.

  5. #5
    Boolit Master
    Join Date
    Sep 2009
    Location
    Arizona
    Posts
    1,776
    If your 36 round ball is pure lead you can carefully tap it into the muzzle then use a ram rod with a cloth patch to push it all the way through the bore, hold the rifle up side down with the breach open and let the ball fall out onto a thick piece of cloth then measure. This will give you a good reference. Buy a sizer 2 thousandth over bore diameter.

  6. #6
    Boolit Master Stopsign32v's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2015
    Location
    South Carolina
    Posts
    840
    Quote Originally Posted by 45-70 Chevroner View Post
    If your 36 round ball is pure lead you can carefully tap it into the muzzle then use a ram rod with a cloth patch to push it all the way through the bore, hold the rifle up side down with the breach open and let the ball fall out onto a thick piece of cloth then measure. This will give you a good reference. Buy a sizer 2 thousandth over bore diameter.
    You gave me an idea and I used my carbon fiber brass tipped cleaning rod. Worked pretty good

    The largest point I could see was .308 but this is a 1955 model and I do not believe it has been shot very often. What do you guys say, .309 or .311? Right now I'm casting some Lee C309-150-F and some C309-170-F. I have gas checks for them as an option too if needed.
    Last edited by Stopsign32v; 10-12-2021 at 10:59 PM.

  7. #7
    Vendor Sponsor

    DougGuy's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2013
    Location
    just above Raleigh North Carolina
    Posts
    7,395
    Quote Originally Posted by 45-70 Chevroner View Post
    Buy a sizer 2 thousandth over bore diameter.
    That only works *IF* the throat is of sufficient diameter to chamber a loaded round .002" over groove diameter.

    The best thing to do is size to fit the throat. The freebore in the throat will be at the very least the same as groove diameter, likely it is larger so you want to size to fit that. Wouldn't want to size greater than the freebore, loaded rounds won't chamber.

    Also, the neck area of the chamber needs to be sufficient diameter to chamber the loaded round and it will be larger with larger diameter boolits so comes a point where one will interfere, either the neck or the throat, so having a cerrosafe casting or a pound cast of the chamber and throat would tell you all you need to know about what size boolits your rifle will chamber. Sizing to fit the bore is the least concern.
    Got a .22 .30 .32 .357 .38 .40 .41 .44 .45 .480 or .500 S&W cylinder that needs throats honed? 9mm, 10mm/40S&W, 45 ACP pistol barrel that won't "plunk" your handloads? 480 Ruger or 475 Linebaugh cylinder that needs the "step" reamed to 6° 30min chamfer? Click here to send me a PM You can also find me on Facebook Click Here.

  8. #8
    Boolit Grand Master


    GregLaROCHE's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2018
    Location
    Southern France by way of Interior Bush Alaska
    Posts
    5,286
    Quote Originally Posted by Stopsign32v View Post
    You gave me an idea and I used my carbon fiber brass tipped cleaning rod. Worked pretty good

    The largest point I could see was .308 but this is a 1955 model and I do not believe it has been shot very often. What do you guys say, .309 or .311? Right now I'm casting some Lee C309-150-F and some C309-170-F. I have gas checks for them as an option too if needed.
    If you already have the C309s, you should load them and give them a try. There’s a good chance they will work for you. Gas checks are always a plus, especially if the boolit was designed for one.

  9. #9
    Boolit Buddy
    Join Date
    Dec 2009
    Location
    Ball Ground, GA
    Posts
    415
    As Dougguy said, in lever actions the nose is going to be the issue most of the time. Example, my lyman 30 160 RN throws a body of .310 and a nose pushing .302. My Lee 30 150 FN throws a body of .310 and a nose of .299. The lee will shoot very well in every lever I have tried it in crimped in the crimp groove. The Lyman will NOT chamber in any lever I have tried unless I seat deeper and crimp on the front driving band.
    Accuracy is the same for both sized at .310. .311 is my preferred if the boolit drops at .310 or larger.
    Tony

  10. #10
    Boolit Grand Master bedbugbilly's Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 2013
    Location
    MI (summer) - AZ (winter)
    Posts
    5,098
    And if it is questionable if your boolit diameter will chamber - load a couple of dummy rounds and try yjem. I had a 94 and a Marlin and the dummy rounds will tell you a lot. S=Don't crimp the boolit in the dummy round - let the neck tension hold it in place. I had an odd boolit that when the dummy round chambered, it told me I had to seat deeper as it pushed the boolit back further into the neck. I don't remember who made the mold - I believe it was an old custom one. It would feed but not chamber - with it seated deeper, it still fed just fine.

    If you have the 309 molds - measure to see what they drop at and load some and try them. In the two 30-30s I had, a 309 shot fine. Your rifle will let you know.

  11. #11
    Boolit Master
    Join Date
    Sep 2009
    Location
    Arizona
    Posts
    1,776
    Quote Originally Posted by DougGuy View Post
    That only works *IF* the throat is of sufficient diameter to chamber a loaded round .002" over groove diameter.

    The best thing to do is size to fit the throat. The freebore in the throat will be at the very least the same as groove diameter, likely it is larger so you want to size to fit that. Wouldn't want to size greater than the freebore, loaded rounds won't chamber.

    Also, the neck area of the chamber needs to be sufficient diameter to chamber the loaded round and it will be larger with larger diameter boolits so comes a point where one will interfere, either the neck or the throat, so having a cerrosafe casting or a pound cast of the chamber and throat would tell you all you need to know about what size boolits your rifle will chamber. Sizing to fit the bore is the least concern.
    Yes you are right, I was think of my 1925 30-30 W 94, it will chamber 3 thousandth over. My RCBS 180gr is a bore rider sized to .311.

  12. #12
    Boolit Grand Master

    gwpercle's Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 2011
    Location
    Baton Rouge, Louisiana
    Posts
    9,254
    I went with a .309" sizing die and the
    Lee C309-170-F & Lee C309-115-F
    I tumbled lubed the C309-115-F and tried them w/o gas checks and accuracy was dismal .
    After that I always slap a GC on them ... just makes my life easier .
    My Model 94 is about 1974 production and sized to .309" works just fine ...
    Don't tell anyone but I've never slugged the bore of this one ...don't fix it if it ain't broken !
    Gary
    Certified Cajun
    Proud Member of The Basket of Deplorables
    " Let's Go Brandon !"

  13. #13
    Boolit Grand Master
    Mk42gunner's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2005
    Location
    Butler, MO
    Posts
    9,021
    Knowing what I know now, I believe that sizing for the throat is the best way to go. How you get that measurement is up to you, either a chamber cast or a pound slug. About the only thing slugging the bore really does is tell you if there are tight or loose spots in the barrel. Of course it took me slugging a lot of barrels to come to that conclusion.

    I have cast for three different .30-30's, although oddly never a Winchester, (H&R, Marlin, and a Savage). They all did okay with a 0.311" boolit, not to say they wouldn't do well with something smaller but as Gary said: "Don't fix it if it ain't broken".

    Good Luck with that sweet little carbine you got.

    Robert

  14. #14
    Boolit Grand Master


    Larry Gibson's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jul 2005
    Location
    Lake Havasu City, Arizona
    Posts
    21,305
    Winchester chambers for the M94 back then (pre 64) had very little "throat" In my pre 64 M94 if I use cases with necks long enough to just fit the chamber neck a 311041 seated to the crimp groove will just have the front edge of the drive band engraved by the leade/rifling. I size the cast bullets for both my M94s at .311 and haven't had any problems. Never slugged either bore BTW.
    Larry Gibson

    “Deficient observation is merely a form of ignorance and responsible for the many morbid notions and foolish ideas prevailing.”
    ― Nikola Tesla

  15. #15
    Boolit Master Stopsign32v's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2015
    Location
    South Carolina
    Posts
    840
    Well this Lee die with my lead drops at .310

    I just got a Lee .311 push through die to put the gas checks on.

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