New to reloading…question on 30-30

fralic76

fralic76

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New to reloading…question on 30-30

I'm new to reloading, I picked up a press and ordered a set of dies with some other stuff. My question is that I will be reloading for 30-30, the gun is a tube feed. What type of bullets and primers do I need (read that some primers caps are softer then others). Any help would be great.
 
look into your reloading manual for bullet weights. Most all the bullets for a tube fed magazine will be roll crimped into the cannelure of the bullet of your choice which is likely going to be of the flat point or very round nose variety as to not set off a primer under recoil. I have always used CCI for my primers off choice and they always go bang.
 
Primers don't matter - I use CCI or Winchester for everything, but that's just me.

You need flat tipped bullets. No spitzers.
 
fralic76 said:
I have the new lyman manual on order. Is this a good manual or should have I gotten a different one.
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Most reloaders have at least three manuals. Very nice for cross referancing. I like having two newer ones (current powders) and at least one with cast bullet data. (can be older) Nothing wrong with a new Lyman manual, it's a newer one, plus it will have cast bullet data. Good choice!
 
For 30-30 I have used round nose and those Flextip hornady, CCI or Winchester primers (haven't noticed a difference), and IMR4064 or IMR4895 powder.

They always work.

Books used are the Lymans (49th) and Speer, (prefer the Lymans) and have looked up some load data online (Hornady puts some data out for their flex tip bullets.)
 
If you want a caliber specific load book that has all the major manufacturers info consider one of these http://www.amazon.com/Complete-Reloading-Manual-30-Winchest/dp/B001JV75LQ

I have one for 7mm and it's very handy but you miss out on all the reloading tricks in the big books. That said, you can find all those same tricks on the Internet these days.

If also buy 'the abc's of reloading' I think you'd be set.
 
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I have used Sierra Speer and Hornady in regular cup and core style bullets. The Sierra are the softest then Speer and Hornady being the toughest. They all work fine for deer sized game. If you feel the need for chasing bigger game then there is the option of using nosler partitions or the 150 Barnes FN. Hornady also makes a 140 copper bullet you can use. As for primers I've used the CCI and also the Winchester with satisfactory results. Hope that helps
 
Few months ago I had the same challenge... After days and days of on-line research our best bet in therms of bullets supply is BSS. Henry has three types of 30-30 bullets: a cheapo one good enough for practice, a traditional RN and the high tech FTX. I couldn't find any cheaper and I even tried Lebaron...
 
Mark-II said:
Primers don't matter - I use CCI or Winchester for everything, but that's just me.

You need flat tipped bullets. No spitzers.
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This isn't necessarily true, it depends how you intend to use the rifle. If your tube feed rifle is carried as a two shooter with one round in the chamber and one in the magazine, the style of bullet doesn't matter provided its short enough to cycle through the action. On the other hand, if the rifle is going to be loaded with a full magazine, then round or flat nosed bullets will prevent the possibility of a pointed bullet hitting the primer of the round in front of it, causing it to discharge in the tube.

As a point of interest, I don't know if any accidents have been attributed to it yet, but IMHO nerf nosed spitzers intended for use in tube magazines, should be treated the same as pointed lead bullets when its cold out. At low temperatures, these tips stiffen up and get hard, so you won't see any on my bench, but I have no issue with loading a conventional pointed bullet for use in a tube magazine, when its done in a safe manner.
 
Curious.......

Has there ever been a documented case of a round going off in the tube mag????? Not trying to start a huge debate and I always used round nose for my 30-30(except recently I started using those flextip ones as well as the round nose), just curious is all.
 
Boomer, even though I haven't used the soft tipped spitzers for tube fed rifles, I had never thought about the cold issue, thanks for pointing that out!! I hunt in temps well below freezing and if they really do stiffen up I wouldn't want to chance turning my rifle into a suicide bomber tool.
 
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