Loading 30 cal carbine

[Jimbeaux82]

I am about to try loading 30 cal carbine for the first time. I am very experienced loading bottleneck cartridges , but I have never loaded for pistol or any cartridge that headspaces on the case mouth. My question to the board, can the case length be too short to safely load, since it headspaces on the case mouth? Book maximum is 1.290", trim to length is 1.285", and I have an assortment of brass down to 1.270". So within practical limits, what is the shortest length that can be loaded safely?

Thanks,

Jimbeaux

 

[Sas874runner]

Isn't 30 carbine a rimmed case? If not you can chamber the shortest empty case and color in the old primer with a permanent marker or smash some clay into the firing pin indent Of the old primer and pull the trigger. Pull the case and see if the strike is adequite. Or if you have a few primers to spend you can chamber an empty primed case and see if it will fire the primer. That way is more so to get on the nerves of the old lady.I would guess that the case measuring 1.270" should be just fine. I have loaded some 45 acp cases that were .040" below max case length.

 

[RogueRiver]

30 carb is a semi-rimmed but more of a rimless case- PS even if you have carbide dies I recommend a lil bit of case lube since the case is tapered it will go more smoothly resizing. if you have miltary brass the primer pocket might need to be cleaned up to be able to reprime

 

[1Shot]

First off it depends on which loading manual you look in as to what the suggested trim to length of the cases is. I have a number of manuals and they list from 1.280 to 1.286 as the trim to lengths. All list 1.290 as the max case length. Those cases you have that are 1.270 have they been sized yet? If they have not been sized yet when you size them you will find that they most often have gotten longer. I always trimmed my cases to 1.280 like the Sierra loading manual says. I used their load that they suggested was the most accurate as well as it was the suggested hunting load of 13.8 hrs H110 with a 110 gr bullet that will do 1900 fps from a standard M1 Carbine. With the 30 Carbine dies it comes with a taper crimp in the seating die. I would suggest that you set the die up as to just seat the bullet first to the COAL you want. Do this by screwing the seating die down only enough to allow you to screw the seating stem in the die down just enough to allow you to seat the bullets. Then back the seating stem all the way up and in a second separate procedure screw the seating die down enough to put the taper crimp on the case. It takes a little more time but your results will be much better. I would suggest that you load just a few rounds and go see how they shoot and function before you load a bunch. Find what works first then load a bunch.