30-30 winchester reloading question

[d30carls]

I am new to reloading been reloading .223 and 40s&w for a couple months now. I have a marlin 336 30-30 i am considering reloading for but i was curious, i know the bullet diameter is .308 and they generally use flat nose bullets but can a guy use standard 308 bullets as long as I still crimp so there is no set back I know i will probably lose a round I can fit in the tube since it is a tube fed but that is the least of my worries

 

[Indy_Guy_77]

If the diameter is appropriate - and you don't mind only having 1 bullet in the tube (+ the chambered round) then have at it.

The polymer-tipped bullets should work, too. LeveRevolution stuff. Optimized for tube-fed mags. No idea if you can buy those bullets as components or not, though.

-J-

 

[d30carls]

you dont think i could put more that one in the tube i believe it holds 5 or 6 now or is there another issue im not thinking of

 

[snorko]

you dont think i could put more that one in the tube i believe it holds 5 or 6 now or is there another issue im not thinking of

Tube fed rifles should never be loaded with pointed bullets such as FMJ or even a .308 HP rounds. The danger is that in recoil the pointed bullet can detonate the primer of the round in front of it in the tube with potentially explosive results.

 

[Leo]

NEVER load pointed bullets in a tube fed rifle. Now that we are in agreement, a tip for the 30/30 that will help.


Never seat the bullet and crimp it at the same time, like you can do with do may other calibers. The die sets are made that way but it will get you in trouble. The brass on a 30/30 is pretty thin. It is easy to buckle at the shoulder. Leave the crimp body of the seater dies about 1-1/2 turns out where the crimp taper cannot contact the brass. Screw the seater stem in slowly until it is seating the bullet properly. Seat all the bullets that you are working on at the same time. Remove the seater stem, and slowly turn the die body down until you are getting just enough crimp. Now seat all the rest of your cartridges. Even like this, if you get a little too aggressive, you may buckle the shoulder.

This is one of the applications where I think the LEE collet style crimper is a good tool. (they call it "Factory crimp die") Seat the bullets with the regular die backed out as explained above, and use the LEE crimp die to finish.

The 30/30 is fun and easy to load for. Do not push the powder charges too far, it is a low pressure round, and most of the rifles will not tolerate overcharge.

Good Luck!

 

[Kirkd]

I doubt you'll even find load data for a pointed bullet. I load for a 30/30, so if you have any specific questions, let me know.

use the Lee crimp as the previous poster recommended. Its what I use.

 

[Broom_jm]

There is actually a surprising amount of data available for pointed bullets in 30/30, thanks to all of the other action types it has been chambered in.

I have loaded 125gr Ballistic Tips (single-feed only), 160gr FTX and both 150 and 170gr flat-nosed bullets in 30/30. It's a pretty easy cartridge to reload for, IMO.

If I was just starting out, I would go straight to the FTX bullets and Leverevolution powder. The bullets fly a little flatter and the LVR powder creates a little more velocity, but neither of these are why I would recommend this combination. It's the accuracy a lot of guys are getting that is truly impressive! I put together some of these loads for my dad's Marlin 336 and I'll be danged if they didn't shoot right at an inch at 100 yards...to me, that's great for a lever-action rifle.

 

[d30carls]

Thanks everyone thats why I love this place