FL and Crimp for my Lever Action?

[dfraser]

Hi all,

Just wondering if it is recommended to Full Length resize and or crimp every time I reload for my 30-30 Marlin 336.

Or can I stick with neck resize with no crimp my reloads, like my other benchrest bolt actions.

I am using 170 grain soft points with Varget

This is for range gong shooting, no hunting whatsoever, no truck gun either.

Regards

 

[bigedp51]

You do not have the primary bolt lift that breaks the case from the chamber walls with a bolt action. Pump actions and lever actions pull straight back and a neck sized cases will cling to the chamber walls, and will bind when "trying" to eject the fired case. It may not happen the first time a neck sized case is fired but within a few firings the case will not spring back and cling to the chamber walls.

On lever actions, pump actions and semi-auto the case should be full length resized and be .003 to .005 smaller in diameter than its fired diameter. This allows the brass to "spring back" from the chamber walls and eject.

If the expander is .002 to .003 smaller than bullet diameter crimping the bullet will not be necessary because of the increased bullet grip. If you do not polish the expander smaller then crimping is advisable to prevent bullet setback.
NOTE, I full length resize all my cases except for my Enfield rifles where the dies over resize the cases, that causes case head separations.

Below some good advice from Kevin Thomas, who worked in the Sierra test lab and now shoots for "Team Lapua USA".

 

[dfraser]

Thank you! bigedp51

Just learned something new Big Time!

Regards

 

[camster]

I would crimp for a tube magazine in all cases (pun intended).

 

[emerson]

I crimp for my Model 94. Neck size a couple of times, but may f/l size more often than I do for my bolt guns.

 

[Al-Sway]

I always FL size my .30-30 cases. I also make sure that the lot I am using (whether 20 cases or 50 cases) are trimmed to the same length. Trimming is not necessary every loading but it needs to be done at least once. That allows for a consistent crimp, which also do for every loading. Ensures trouble free shooting.

 

[220]

You have to roll crimp, if you load and unload over a week or more of hunting you will find even in factory crimped ammo the bullet
will get pushed back into case , do not fire pushed back ammo as it can cause high pressure although you would possibly have longer free bore which would take up some of that pressure .
I have seen recoil set back bullets when mag loaded to max spring pressure .

 

[Grawfr]

Very interesting and informative, Bigedp51, thanks!