30-30 pointed bullets question

StiffDrink

StiffDrink

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How susceptible are pointed rounds in a 3030 to going off while in a tube mag? Second question, i was just looking at some factory winchester 170gr silver tip, and the round is flat on the end, but still contacts all of the primer, my question is, I have some speer lead tip hunting rounds I want to reload, and even though the initial shape of the round is pointed, it has a flat lead tip, around the same size as the winchester silver tip, is this good to go for reloading?
SD
 
I don't know of anyone who has actually tested those bullets. I don't know anyone who wants to test the theory on those bullets. I don't know of any way to tell for sure without testing. Are you willing to do it?
 
There was an article in Handloader a couple of years back on just this. The author tried to get the theorized intra-magazine detonation with pointed bullets, but could not make it happen. Nevertheless, he concluded the article by endorsing the practice of not recommending it. If I knew where that issue was in my boxes of back issues, I could give you more details.
 
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Personally wouldn't want to risk a catastrophic magazine detonation... just use it as a "two shooter", one in the chamber and one in the mag. I love 150 BT's in my single shot .30/30's... OAL @ 2.8" and 38.5 grains of LVR... whoo wheee... that ain't your grampa's turdy turdy!
 
If you take a file to the tip of the bullet, you can make the flat larger, to make sure it won't ignite the primer.

BUT - A bullet designed for 308 and 30-06 won't expand well at 30-30 velocity.

AND - make sure you can seat it deep enough. A long round won't feed from the magazine.

I have used pointy bullets and loaded just two. 99% of my hunting kills have been one shot kills. The availability of the second shot makes me feel better.
 
Ganderite said:
If you take a file to the tip of the bullet, you can make the flat larger, to make sure it won't ignite the primer.

BUT - A bullet designed for 308 and 30-06 won't expand well at 30-30 velocity.

AND - make sure you can seat it deep enough. A long round won't feed from the magazine.

I have used pointy bullets and loaded just two. 99% of my hunting kills have been one shot kills. The availability of the second shot makes me feel better.
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I have a bolt action 30-30 I load for and this ends up being my issue, the ogive on most bullets are not 2.60" OAL friendly.
 
I use flat tips, and originally had the same concern when I first got my 464.
All the research I did resulted in revealing that the pointy tip would not detonate the primer it presses on.
 
Of course, for over a century of major gun manufacturers and ammo makers have just been pulling your leg about the dangers of spritzer bullets igniting the next one in a tubular magazine. I mean, if I were marketing a tube fed centerfire, I certainly would limit its market appeal in this day of high speed, long range shooting, just for the sake of nostalgia. Sure.

Me, I think put together, all the major ammo makers in the world are perhaps a tad more knowledgeable than the average wonderweb scholar. Just me.
 
Well, the second question was, if the flat nose of my Speer round is the same size as the flat nose of a round nose of my factory rounds, would it work, but i agree with zanni, the seating depth is probably going to give me issues. Also, I am not worried about penetrating for hunting, these are for plinking, just looking for alternatives, to use rounds I already have
 
Years ago, there was a write up describing a catastrophic magazine detonation. It was made worse because the original rolled, open seam factory tube had been replaced with a seamless tube, epoxied into the forend as part of a bedding experiment to enhance rigidity. The tube ruptured and shattered the forend, shooter's left hand was mangled by steel and wood fragments. It would have been less dramatic with a factory rolled tune with an open seam.
Folks are free to do as they please, of course.
Bullets with pointed plastic tips may be the way to go.

As always, Ganderite's suggestions make a lot of sense.
 
I was concerned of this in one of my levers and Hornady made/makes a round nose bullet with the claim
of being able to use them in the mag tube configuration.

Just can't remember the caliber.
 
If you watch the video of the Hornady tests about magazine detonations when advertising their FTX bullets they have the .30-30 cartridges in a clear plastic tube and have white plastic bushings on the necks of the bullets to centre the tips in the tube. The tip of one bullet rarely lines up perfectly with the primer of the round in front of it because of the rim and tapered body. That is why magazine tube detonations are relatively rare. If it happens to line up just right (wrong?), that one in whatever chance, you can have a really bad day.

I've known a lot of guys who use FMJ for coyote with .30-30 levers and do the standard 2-shot loads (one in chamber, one in magazine).
 
Like Bassmaster says, 170 grain FP's are made for tube mags. Nothing to worry about. The flat bit is bigger than the primer pocket and factory primers are seated properly. Loading .30-30 is something Winchester has been doing without getting sued for over 100 years.
The Speers a SPFN? Those are made for use in a tube mag too. Just be sure the primers are seated a tick below flush and you'll be fine.
 
StiffDrink said:
Well, the second question was, if the flat nose of my Speer round is the same size as the flat nose of a round nose of my factory rounds, would it work, but i agree with zanni, the seating depth is probably going to give me issues. Also, I am not worried about penetrating for hunting, these are for plinking, just looking for alternatives, to use rounds I already have
Click to expand...

For plinking in my M94 30-30 I load surplus FMJ bullets. I load them upside down. They make great wadcutters and length is no longer an issue. Accuracy to 50 yards is good.
 
I remember reading about detonations in a 45/70 levergun

what was happening was the bullet was a flat tipped jacketed round, and the edge was jacket material.
when laid on its side, the edge lined up perfectly with the center of the primer. recoil would set them off.

since then, I have always thought I'd lay cartridges on a table and see how they line up... and if the flat tip could contact a primer, I'd not use more than one in the tube.

it is only recently that I have a levergun.... so will be checking....
 
Someone has probably already said it. A 150 Speer grandslam is their premium bullet meant for penetration and to compete with the Nosler Partition.... It was no doubt designed for 308-30-06 velocities at a minimum, used in a 30-30 it would not open as designed. Might be ok at absolute point blank, but probably a deep narrow wound and a lingering unethical kill.

You would be going to a lot of trouble to make ammo inferior to $1/round Walmart silver box Winchester.
 
nowarningshot said:
Someone has probably already said it. A 150 Speer grandslam is their premium bullet meant for penetration and to compete with the Nosler Partition.... It was no doubt designed for 308-30-06 velocities at a minimum, used in a 30-30 it would not open as designed. Might be ok at absolute point blank, but probably a deep narrow wound and a lingering unethical kill.

You would be going to a lot of trouble to make ammo inferior to $1/round Walmart silver box Winchester.
Click to expand...
ive already mentioned, its not for hunting, not a factor, and im not going through any more trouble then loading any other round, the question is, can it be done.
 
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