.30-30 neck tension issue any help!!!!!!

[mcammo]

I was loading some 30-30 today for a friend, I do not have one, but I have the RCBS dies and they are new and only 100 rounds loaded if that. I have loaded about 25 rounds, seated the bullets but not crimped and I noticed one of the bullets had slipped back into the case where only the tip was sticking out so I tested some of the others and they all pushed into the case neck very easily, so i pulled the bullets and resized all the cases and started again, this time only loading about 10 before noticing the same thing so I took the rest of the brass and sized again this time using a expander ball that I have polished down about .001" for another .308 die I have then loaded several more rounds and still noticed if I pushed on the bullet tips against the counter edge they pushed into case very easily. so I measured the case neck dia. on one of the cases and it looks to be about .001" + bigger about halfway down the neck, so when the bullets are seated to the cannalure it seems like they have expanded the case neck near the top and there is not enough neck tension the length of the neck to hold the bullet. I do not think I should rely on crimp alone to hold bullet in place and the bullets move so easily after they are seated that there is no way of holding a constant OAL before applying crimp.
This is all once fired brass and I know .30-30 brass has thin necks but I do not recall this issue the last time I loaded 30-30.

 

[old #7]

Have you measured the diameter of the bullet?

 

[hubcap]

mcammo- is your expander ball adjusted so that the end of the ball is retracted at least 3/16 of an inch from the end of the die. The instruction book says you need at least that much. I have mine set at about .280 ''. Mine reduces the neck about .006 ''. Just maybe thats it.

 

[JD338]

Are you crimping the bullets? A good roll crimp should take care of the problem.

JD338

 

[baltz526]

once you get the neck tension issue fixed, pick up a lee crimper die.

 

[mcammo]

Dies are set right, I always set dies using my Stoney Point and bump shoulder back .003-.005" I already have Lee Crimper but can't get bullets to stay in neck without slipping around for OAL can move them with my fingers in and out. Checked bullets and they are OK for dia. Only thing I can see is the neck looks like it tapers when I measure it at the top and near the shoulder there is noticable difference seems like the bullets push past the tight part and then will move in and out easily like the bottom half or so of neck is not being sized.

 

[mcammo]

OK I believe I've found my problem, I loaded a dummy round usining a .308 Nosler AccuBond in the .30-30 case, and could not push the bullet back into case, so loaded dummy round using the Remington 170 gr. SP 30-30 bullets I got from Midway, bullet easily slipped back into case, so measured the bullet they are .308 at the heel, but go to .304 - .303 between the heel and the cannalure so I believe there is the problem a bad batch of bullets and I've had them on the shelf for a few years so I'm thinking no recourse. I'm going to get some new .30-30 bullets and see if that fixes the issue.

 

[JD338]

Now would be a good time to try the new Ballistic Silver Tip 150 gr Round Nose designed for the 30-30.
Nosler p/n 51165 BC .232 SD .226 OAL 1.066"

JD338

 

[mcammo]

I just checked and Midway has them on back order so I'll order some when they get in and give them a try.

 

[Guest]

I'd still advocate contacting Remington - they should make good on the bullets regardless of their age. Give them a call and see what they say. It can't hurt, and maybe they'll stand up and do the right thing.

Still, buy some Noslers, too, though, obviously.

 

[mcammo]

So after doing some more looking and measuring, it looks to me like the .308 dia. at the heel is just right at the heel and tapers quickly down from that dia. from there so I'm guessing the .308 heel part goes into the case neck and partially expands it some, but by the time the bullet is seated to correct OAL the heel is completely inside the case and no longer grabs the neck, now only the .303 - .304 dia area is in the neck and will not hold the bullet.

I was using my RCBS Competion seating die to get the bullets started in the cases its a .30-06 die so I could only use it to get the bullets well started but could not adjust it enough to final seat but figured at least the bullets would be started straight and knowing .30-30 brass has thin necks figured it couldn't hurt, what I should have noticed was the bulged necks at the heel of the bullet because the heel was only about halfway down the neck, so the .308 dia. heel was forcing the neck open and you could see it in my dummy rounds.

I may say something to Remington but not hopeful I'll see any new bullets.

 

[JD338]

Call Remington customer service and tell them how disappointed you are in their bullets.
Then call Midway and order a couple boxes of the 150 gr BST, :wink:

JD338