Advanced 30-30 reloading

[Fatelvis]

Try running one of these through the necks before seating your bullets.
https://noebulletmolds.com/site/shop/expanders/expander-plug-rifle/310-x-306-exp-plug/
it will help guarantee seating them straight, and will assure uniform neck tension in one step. Good luck!

 

[Charlie98]

Just a little taper crimp.

You might give no crimp a try.

I have Savage 99's in both .308 and .30-30... with the rotary magazine so I don't have to crimp. Taking the crimp away takes away any possible deformation of the neck, even with a taper crimp.

 

[Bfh_auto]

You might give no crimp a try.

I have Savage 99's in both .308 and .30-30... with the rotary magazine so I don't have to crimp. Taking the crimp away takes away any possible deformation of the neck, even with a taper crimp.

He's also running lever evolution which gives compressed loads in 30-30. I tested it and got no setback with my 336 with no crimp.
I still lightly roll crimp because it's a hunting rifle.

 

[milsurpguy]

I use less than 35gr of leverevolution. I dont think it's a compressed load.

The light taper crimp was a compromise between a target round and a hunting round.
But it's worth trying with no crimp.

 

[Hugger-4641]

I usually use a heavy crimp on 30-30 because they get removed and put back in quite often in mine. My best loads are 3/4 to 1 moa, which is better than I can get with any factory loads. I just bought the Lee Factory Crimp die but I haven't tried it yet. I have compared 300wm with and without it and it definitely tightened the velocity spread. I just bought one for 30-30 and the other rifles calibers I have and I'll post my chronograph and group results when I get them.

 

[Hooda Thunkit]

I have compared 300wm with and without it and it definitely tightened the velocity spread. I just bought one for 30-30 and the other rifles calibers I have and I'll post my chronograph and group results when I get them.

Please do. I'm interested in your results.

 

[tightgroup tiger]

My old Marlin 30-30 has a chamber on the tighter and shorter side so I headspace my 30-30 hand loads off the shoulder instead of using the rim of the cartridge. That made a big difference with mine. I was shooting about a 1.5 MOA with it with loading up the tube and shooting off my elbows.

But after about 3 shots my groups would start opening up. (barrel band on forearm touching barrel)

I would have to draft out my barrel to try to keep it a constant temp, but the first three shots were definitely the best three from it.

This rifle was built in 1952. My 1948 Win 94 had such a long chamber that head spacing off the shoulder wasn't possible.

I tried shooting single shot with spire point bullets and that also helped a little, but didn't make big enough difference at 100yd to care about.
See if you can headspace off the shoulder of the case and make your loads fit your chamber like it's a .308 Win instead of a 30-30.

 

[milsurpguy]

Yeah with about 32 or 33 grains leverevolution I can get 4 or 5 shots before the barrel is really hot, with 34 to 35gr it's 3 or less.
But 34 to 35gr is pushing 1moa so I won't need 4 or 5 shots hopefully.

 

[milsurpguy]

I tore down and cleaned up my rcbs case trimmer, oiled it up, installed the 30cal auger.
Got out the feeler gauges, set the case trimmer to 0.009 and leter rip.
9 thousands turns down about 90% of the cases, the thin ones turn about 3/4 the way around the neck.

Thought yous guys was sayin 30-30 necks were thin?
I thought I read somewhere that necks were usually turned down to 7 or 8 thousands on match ammo?
That will work good with my 0.325 neck sizing bushing.

 

[Jim Watson]

I recall one Contender shooter who necked down .375 Win to .30 to get a thick enough neck to turn for a close, uniform fit.