Is this safe in a lever gun?

[SCBradley]

I was digging through some stuff today and found a box of 1000 110gr .30 carbine FMJ that I bought a couple of years ago. Being that I also have an equal number of 30/30 brass, I thought it would be fun to use them in my new Marlin 336 for plinking. However, upon inspection, the nose's look like they just might be able to set off primers in the tube.
Any truth in my paranoia?

 

[SASS#23149]

never ever use pointed bullets in a lever gun.the results can be disasterous.

even round nose bullets 'can' set off a mag full of bullets.Flat pointed bullets are the way to go.

 

[SCBradley]

The 110 grainers are round nose, but they still look a little too pointy. I'll go ahead and use them for something else.

 

[rbernie]

It's not just the round nose - it's the FMJ that'll get ya. best to stick to soft lead noses (or LeveRevolution ammo) in a tube magazine.

 

[skipjack]

You could just load one at a time, if you are only plinking.

 

[CrawdaddyJim]

Grind off the front to a nice meplat. Bullet gets lighter and no boom in the magazine. Doesn't take long to do. Just use a coarse wheel. I do mine in a jig so the meplat is square with the center line of the bullet.

 

[critter]

Two. One in the chamber, one in the mag.

 

[SSN Vet]

maybe ya aught to find someone reloading for .30 carbine and make a swap.

 

[zxcvbob]

It's not just the round nose - it's the FMJ that'll get ya. best to stick to soft lead noses (or LeveRevolution ammo) in a tube magazine.

I've wondered the same thing about using LRN bullets in a .357 or hot-loaded .38 Special levergun. The particular bullet (Lee 158 grain tumble-lubed 2R) has a much better ballistic coefficient than a RNFP or HP bullet, and I have the mold already for my revolvers.

 

[ArchAngelCD]

Take a file to the round nose and flatten it off a little since it's only for plinking.

 

[scrat]

Ok first welcome to the high road.

Now serious no one has asked so i am just asking to be on the safe side.

YOU are talking about bullets not the complete round(case with bullet).
We dont anyone telling a new person it is ok to put the complete round of a 30 carbine in a 30-30

If so you can use 30 carbine in a 30-30. i have. you just have to play smart. I have loaded them in 30-30 cartridges. You can also shoot up to three

What i do is this. Load one in the magazine, then follow with a standard 30-30 flat or round nose. then put one 30 carbine/30-30 in the chamber. Or like others have said file down the spire point to a somewhat flat nose. It should be as wide or wider than a primer to be safe

 

[ReloaderFred]

One caution about filing the nose off 110 grain jacketed bullets. Since the base of the bullet is open, you also open the nose by filing, so basically you've got a copper tube with some lead in it. If driven too hard, it's possible to drive that lead out of the jacket and leave the jacket stuck in the barrel.

I've only seen this happen one time, and that was from filing the tip off .30-06 FMJ bullets and driving them at full power. A jacket stuck in the barrel and luckily the guy didn't shoot another round behind it. He was watching his shots very carefully through a spotting scope, and when he couldn't see where the last shot hit on the target through the scope, he had the foresight to check his barrel, and it was obstructed with the jacket. He had a heck of a time getting it out, but at least he averted a potentially blown up barrel.

He had shot those rounds before, without any problem, but that one round came apart, so I'd advise a little caution in this area.

Hope this helps.

Fred

 

[rcmodel]

+1 To what Reloader Fred just said!

NEVER file off the point on FMJ military bullets.
NEVER drill a Hollow-Point in one!

As he stated, that leaves you with an open base, and an open nose.

Or again, a Copper Tube with a Lead Core inside it.

IF the core blows out of the jacket in the bore, you will blow up, or badly damage your rifle.


rcmodel

 

[SCBradley]

They're just the bullets, not whole .30 carbine rounds.

What if I just loaded them upside down in the case? Just thinking.

 

[ArchAngelCD]

SORRY, my mistake... Even though SCBradley wrote 110gr FMJ for some reason my mind said Lead bullet... Thanks for catching my mistake guys..... OK, it's official, I'm getting old!