Reloading the 30-30

[jagermeister]

Although I have a few years experience with bottleneck rifle handloading, I am about to start reloading for this caliber for the 1st time.
Is there anything in particular I should be aware of ?

In the meantime, I have a few question for you Folks :

- Is crimping necessary ?
- Should I get a 2-Die Set and crimp by adjusting the "regular" Seater Die, or I am better off buying the 3-Die set with the separate Die for crimping ?
For the latter question, I was referring to the Lee Dies...

Thank you in advance.
J

 

[NWBlacktail]

I've done a little.

1. Crimping = yes
2. I just use the two die set and crimp with the seating die. No big deal.

Also, if your using the Hornady Flextip, remember they have instructions for trimming brass a little shorter then SAAMI standard.

 

[kraky]

Its pretty much like any bottleneck case but i sure try to not move the shoulder more than needed via measuring w/hornady head space measurer.
Crimping is pretty much a must for a tube magazine.
I've used the seating die but much much prefer the lee collet crimper.
If you see yourself loading more than a little bit you won't regret adding the crimper.
Btw...primers hanging out of the case after firing is a good thing in the 3030. It means you are not over pressure and stretching the case back towards the bolt face. You'll almost always see them hanging out on factory rounds.

 

[jimbires]

use flat nose bullets with the tube magazine . Hornady also makes a rubber tip bullet , I think it's the "FTX "

 

[Guy Miner]

I found that neck tension alone is sufficient, without crimping. But that may be my dies, my brass and my rifle all working together. Traditionally, crimping is recommended for all the tube-magazine lever guns.

The .30-30 is a lot of fun to load & shoot. A LOT of fun. Be prepared for grins!

I load the cartridge for best cycling through the rifle. The closer I get to duplicating factory .30-30 ammo length, the better it cycles. Although some stubby stuff I made up also worked well.

You don't need a premium bullet at .30-30 speeds, particularly on deer. BUT... There are some 170 gr Nosler Partitions, made specifically for the .30-30, on sale at SPS right now. Or they were a couple of days ago when I last checked. Most the 170 gr bullets perform very well at intended velocity, opening well yet also offering a lot of penetration.

Enjoy!

Guy

 

[kraky]

A couple yrs ago I bought some of noslers 3030 ballistic tips as blems from sps. They were naked...not coated w/the normal black coating. Figured I'd load em gentle and go for a deer out of my 308. But those couple bags of bullets made me buy a used marlin...then another...then a couple 35s....then a 357. Damn those blems wound up being expensive!

Well this bullet wound up being darn accurate too. Heres a 5 shot. 95" group at 100. 34 grains h4895 does 2320 fps. The gun has a 2-7 Burris ballitic plex on it. Zero'd 1.75" high at 100 the first hashmark is dead on at 200....the 2nd dead on at 250...the 3rd dead on at 300. You don't want to bet that I can't ring the 12" gong at 300 yds!

 

[Guy Miner]

Those were expensive bullets! :grin:

Worth it though, if they got you into a case of Marlinitis.

I should try those 150's someday... They look really good.

Guy

 

[SJB358]

I run three dies, a sizer, seater then a Lee FCD. My only real load is a 170 Speer or Sierra around 2290FPS and man, it is accurate and real fun to shoot. I loved the Speer Deep Curl 170 bullet, but I have a bag of the 150 BST's as well. Like Guy said, all of those bullets real well that are designed for the 30-30..

My M94 has been stolen by my son.. He shoots the bejeezus out of it!

 

[jagermeister]

Do you Guys have some good recipe with IMR4350 for this caliber, using 150, 165, or 180 bullets ?

Thnx


Inviato dal mio GS 1150

 

[kraky]

4350 is too slow for the 3030. Too bulky too.
I don't think I've ever seen it listed.

 

[Guy Miner]

Here's a link to Nosler's reloading info for the .30-30 cartridge: http://www.nosler.com/30-30-winchster

I tend to use Varget, because I always have some on hand. Agree that 4350 is simply too slow burning to be effective in the .30-30 case.

Regards, Guy

 

[Guy Miner]

jagermeister, are you shooting a traditional lever-action rifle?

If so, only use round nose or flat nose bullets designed for the .30-30, OR the relatively new "gummy tip" FTX bullets from Hornady.

That's the general rule, and a good one to start with. There are exceptions, but that one will keep you out of trouble with the tubular magazine featured in Winchester and Marlin rifles.

Guy

 

[jagermeister]

Apologies for not replying sooner.....

Back to my question, I did some rough research and I should be good with the two following powders I have available at the moment.
Could you give me some loading data with Vihtavuori N133 & N140, behind a 170 grs. Flat nose Sierra bullet ?

By the way, these rounds will go into a single shot, therefore no crimping will be required.

Thank you.
J

Inviato dal mio GS 1150

 

[DrMike]

Cartridge : .30-30 Win. (SAAMI)
Bullet : .308, 170, Sierra SPFN 30-30 2010
Useable Case Capaci: 34.870 grain H2O = 2.264 cm³
Cartridge O.A.L. L6: 2.550 inch = 64.77 mm
Barrel Length : 20.0 inch = 508.0 mm
Powder : Vihtavuori N133

Predicted data by increasing and decreasing the given charge,
incremented in steps of 2.0% of nominal charge.
CAUTION: Figures exceed maximum and minimum recommended loads !

Step Fill. Charge Vel. Energy Pmax Pmuz Prop.Burnt B_Time
% % Grains fps ft.lbs psi psi % ms

-20.0 78 22.80 1706 1099 23196 4356 92.1 1.591
-18.0 79 23.37 1744 1148 24553 4482 93.1 1.553
-16.0 81 23.94 1782 1199 25988 4604 94.0 1.517
-14.0 83 24.51 1820 1250 27505 4723 94.9 1.482
-12.0 85 25.08 1857 1302 29109 4837 95.7 1.448
-10.0 87 25.65 1895 1355 30805 4946 96.4 1.414
-08.0 89 26.22 1932 1409 32599 5050 97.1 1.382
-06.0 91 26.79 1969 1463 34497 5149 97.7 1.351
-04.0 93 27.36 2006 1518 36507 5242 98.2 1.320 ! Near Maximum !
-02.0 95 27.93 2042 1574 38631 5329 98.6 1.288 ! Near Maximum !
+00.0 97 28.50 2079 1631 40888 5409 99.0 1.257 ! Near Maximum !
+02.0 99 29.07 2115 1688 43275 5484 99.4 1.226 !DANGEROUS LOAD-DO NOT USE!
+04.0 101 29.64 2151 1746 45785 5551 99.6 1.197 !DANGEROUS LOAD-DO NOT USE!
+06.0 103 30.21 2186 1804 48429 5611 99.8 1.169 !DANGEROUS LOAD-DO NOT USE!
+08.0 105 30.78 2221 1863 51228 5665 99.9 1.141 !DANGEROUS LOAD-DO NOT USE!
+10.0 107 31.35 2256 1922 54195 5711 100.0 1.115 !DANGEROUS LOAD-DO NOT USE!

Results caused by ± 10% powder lot-to-lot burning rate variation using nominal charge
Data for burning rate increased by 10% relative to nominal value:
+Ba 97 28.50 2162 1764 48489 5228 100.0 1.175 !DANGEROUS LOAD-DO NOT USE!
Data for burning rate decreased by 10% relative to nominal value:
-Ba 97 28.50 1963 1454 33664 5332 94.1 1.357

Cartridge : .30-30 Win. (SAAMI)
Bullet : .308, 170, Sierra SPFN 30-30 2010
Useable Case Capaci: 34.870 grain H2O = 2.264 cm³
Cartridge O.A.L. L6: 2.550 inch = 64.77 mm
Barrel Length : 20.0 inch = 508.0 mm
Powder : Vihtavuori N140

Predicted data by increasing and decreasing the given charge,
incremented in steps of 2.0% of nominal charge.
CAUTION: Figures exceed maximum and minimum recommended loads !

Step Fill. Charge Vel. Energy Pmax Pmuz Prop.Burnt B_Time
% % Grains fps ft.lbs psi psi % ms

-20.0 79 24.80 1706 1098 22301 4585 87.6 1.603
-18.0 81 25.42 1746 1151 23656 4735 88.8 1.564
-16.0 83 26.04 1787 1205 25097 4882 90.0 1.526
-14.0 85 26.66 1827 1261 26627 5026 91.1 1.490
-12.0 87 27.28 1868 1317 28254 5165 92.2 1.454
-10.0 89 27.90 1909 1375 29986 5300 93.2 1.420
-08.0 90 28.52 1950 1435 31828 5430 94.1 1.386
-06.0 92 29.14 1990 1495 33790 5555 95.0 1.353
-04.0 94 29.76 2031 1557 35881 5673 95.8 1.321 ! Near Maximum !
-02.0 96 30.38 2071 1620 38110 5786 96.5 1.287 ! Near Maximum !
+00.0 98 31.00 2112 1684 40487 5891 97.2 1.253 ! Near Maximum !
+02.0 100 31.62 2152 1749 43028 5990 97.8 1.221 !DANGEROUS LOAD-DO NOT USE!
+04.0 102 32.24 2193 1815 45744 6081 98.3 1.189 !DANGEROUS LOAD-DO NOT USE!
+06.0 104 32.86 2233 1882 48646 6165 98.8 1.158 !DANGEROUS LOAD-DO NOT USE!
+08.0 106 33.48 2273 1950 51756 6240 99.2 1.128 !DANGEROUS LOAD-DO NOT USE!
+10.0 108 34.10 2312 2018 55089 6306 99.5 1.099 !DANGEROUS LOAD-DO NOT USE!

Results caused by ± 10% powder lot-to-lot burning rate variation using nominal charge
Data for burning rate increased by 10% relative to nominal value:
+Ba 98 31.00 2216 1854 48887 5819 99.9 1.163 !DANGEROUS LOAD-DO NOT USE!
Data for burning rate decreased by 10% relative to nominal value:
-Ba 98 31.00 1974 1472 33051 5656 90.3 1.361

 

[jagermeister]

Thanks a bunch Doc !

Inviato dal mio GS 1150

 

[DrMike]

De nada.