re loading 30-30

roseau river rat

roseau river rat

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ok so im reloading some 30-30 with 30 grains of IMR 3031 sitting under a 150 grain sierra flat nose.
the problem im having is if i push the bullet into the case to an overall dimension of 2.550 book specs there is no way i can properly crimp the bullet in the canelure.
if i crimp in the canelure im about 30 thou shorter than spec.
the cases are the right length to begin with so what gives?
if i measure the overall length of a factory loaded cartridge its closer to 40 thou below the book length of 2.550.
any advice would be greatly appreciated thanks.
Dan
 
Every bullet is different, and has a cannelure at a different spot.

Start a grain lower than the recommended load, or if there is a starting/minimum load and crimp at the cannelure.

If you are just loading 1 at a time crimp isn't necessary and you can crimp them wherever you like, but if loading for general purpose/use always crimp at the cannelure and just work your loads up if you have any concern.
 
0personally I wouldn'd bother decreasing the load, ans most 30-30 factory/published loads are pretty weak.

This obviously is an exception, and in any other case its always recommended to start with reducing loads as much as 10 percent and working up.
 
The col given is usually a maximum length to cycle through most lever actions. I usually seat to the cannelure and crimp there and not worry too much about col. If you really want to play with seating length get a Lee factory crimp die and you don't need to worry about the cannelure as it will makes its own. As already stated, work your way up to max.
 
roseau river rat said:
ok so im reloading some 30-30 with 30 grains of IMR 3031 sitting under a 150 grain sierra flat nose.
the problem im having is if i push the bullet into the case to an overall dimension of 2.550 book specs there is no way i can properly crimp the bullet in the canelure.
if i crimp in the canelure im about 30 thou shorter than spec.
the cases are the right length to begin with so what gives?
if i measure the overall length of a factory loaded cartridge its closer to 40 thou below the book length of 2.550.
any advice would be greatly appreciated thanks.
Dan
Click to expand...

I did a quick check from the IMR/HOD web site
30.5 grains of IMR 3031 is a max charge for a 150 grain flat nose

so I would reduce charge to 28g or 28.5g and crimp in the crimp canelure
for a first load

30.5g subtract 10% = 27.5g for a real world start charge

You do not need to hot rod a 75-150 yard deer rifle
 
Crimp in the cannalure.
30 grs. of 3031 does not appear to be a heavy, or even normal, load with 150 grain bullets, as 30 of 3031 is often quoted as being a "standard" load with 170 grain bullets.
I have also seen that figure of 30 grains increased considerable for 170 grain bullets.
Someone said to start at about 28 grains and work up.
Would they please explain what signs they look for to figure out if they are loading light, medium or heavy and when to say that is heavy enough?
Building up loads like this in high pressure cartridges with a bolt action is common and very desireable.
But with the low pressures of a 30-30 class cartridge, none of the usual signs of heavy pressure will show up. In other words, the pressures that have become too high for the lever action 30-30, will not expand the primer pockets or stick the cases.
Ideal way is to use a good chronograph and load the cartridges so the bullet will reach a velocity the books say they should reach.
Without a chronograph, go by your loading book.
As a point of interest, none of the loading books, until at least the 1980s, gave the overall length of the cartridge in the loading chart.
You bought bullets with a cannalure in them, you looked at a loading chart to see how much of what kind of powder to put in the case and you seated the bullet to crimp in the cannalure. Period.
No problem and no confusion like the modern loading books give, which show every dimension and variation, including every kind of primer, that anyone, (read lawyer,) can think of.
 
Crimp in the cannalure.
Click to expand...

Agree. To the top portion.

OP: My loads are,

150 Hornady RN
8208 @ 31
OAL @ 2.544 ( + or -)

170 Hornady FP
8208 @ 29.5
OAL @ 2.538 ( + or -)

Winny primers for both with medium crimp.

Max OAL is 2.550.

If you use Hornady 160 FTX then you can most likely go beyond the OAL because of the rubber tip. It will crush down anyways and most likely chamber fine.

With any loads, make up dummy rounds and cycle through your rifle to make sure they feed.

Make up 20 or so. You'll need them if you're going to practice at working your lady with some speed.
 
Re 30-30

Thanks for all the info I have 50 that I loaded up and crimped just below the canelure using a lee crimp die and I'll see how they Perform in the old
Lever gun this week.
 
You bought bullets with a cannalure in them, you looked at a loading chart to see how much of what kind of powder to put in the case and you seated the bullet to crimp in the cannalure. Period.

:agree:

To much worrying about max this, max that, for best accuracy :cool:
Its for a 94 winny, accuracy is sort of a moot point.
Pressure is almost imposible to read till lever starts poping open!
Minute of deer has been getting the job done for 100s of yrs.
It's not like your gonna see 1/4" of accuracy diff...or even 1" diff likely.
 
In general, the stories about the lever popping open, are just stories.
If a 94 fails, the first sign is the extractor sticking out of your forehead.
Seriously, if the lever is blown open, what happened to the hand that was holding it shut?
But in all reality, there is nothing to be gained by over loading the 30-30, and only accuracy to lose.
I spent considerable time when I first acquired the 30-30 playing with hot loads. It's not a magnum. If you want one, buy one.
The standard loads for the 30-30 will kill anything that the hot loads you work up will, and will do it more safely, and with greater accuracy.
You can't load it hot enough to flatten the trajectory any significant amount over it's limited range.
Not worth it.
 
Roseau River Rat - According to my Lyman reloading manual, 26.5gr 3031 over a 150gr Sierra FN is the suggested starting load and the max recommended is 28.5gr. I load mine with 27gr over the 150gr Sierra crimped to the canellure. I've shot it over a hundred times in my Marlin and it works great. Its probably my favorite jacketed bullet load for my 30/30 and I highly recommend it.

Unfortunately I can't give you any advise regarding 30gr cause I've never loaded that high. I reload for case life so I rarely go to maximum load and for that same reason I never go beyond.
 
Getting a good tight fit/crimp on a 30-30 bullet and using the canellure as a reference is very important. I cycled the same ammo through my Marlin 336 for 5 days until I scored with a nice young buck.
 
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