[kk5ib]

I have some .308" 150 gr flat point bullets from Midway in special buy, and I'm not sure if they are flat enough. They are flat, not pointed or rounded, but as best as I could, I measured the smallest diameter of the exposed lead flat point and it's about .170", of course much smaller than the diameter of the primers. Is this flat enough to use in the magazines of a 30-30 rifle, say a Winchester 94's or Marlin 336's? TIA.

[GooseGestapo]

They should be "ok".

The velocities and hence recoil that you'll be running them at will not produce sufficient recoil to cause any problems.

Only a full powered load with a very pointed bullet, and a dose of bad karma will cause a magazine detonation. And, usually, such will just blow out the magazine forward plug......

Most of my .30/30 loads run around 1,500-2,000fps and recoil is quite mild. And, seldom do I fill the magazine.

FWIW, I just miked some Lee .311-150FNGC that I've shot thousands of, and successfully killed deer with, the meplat ran 0.195". I've run these to 2,300fps+ and no problems..... (see the killed deer above !!).

If they don't have a gascheck (you didn't state), then you should limit pressures to ~20,000psi and velocities to under 1,800fps. At this recoil level, I doubt that even a pointed FMJ could set off a round in the magazine.

One of the writers for "Handloader" magazine did a series of tests with a fixture he constructed from a magazine tube and used a variety of bullets and had to "stage" the detonation as he couldn't initiate one under "normal" conditions. Hence, tube magazines are safer than most have thought.

That still dosen't mean that they are "fool proof", given an adequately motivated fool............ But relatively safe nevertheless.

[The Bushmaster]

kk5ib...Who manufactured those bullets? Do they have a cannelure? What does the box they came in say about them?

I load Speer's 170 grain FNSP for my Mod 94. They are designed just for tubular magazines. I measured as close as I could across the flat point and got .160"...I still would not recommend loading those bullets for tubular magazines (I know Murphy very well) unless you could post a photo or identify them better for us...We actually have no idea what you have...

[rcmodel]

Remington factory 30-30 170 grain ammo has used a round-nose bullet for going on 60 years that I know of, and probably way longer then that.
http://www.midwayusa.com/eproductpage.exe/showproduct?saleitemid=584233

You'd think they would stop doing that if guns were blowing up right and left, wouldn't you?

IMO: Unless you shoot spitzer bullets in them, 30-30 mag tube explosions are way over-rated, and just don't happen.

rcmodel

[kk5ib]

The bullets are in a blue Midway Repackaged Reloading Components box labeled "Bullets 30 Cal (308 dia) 150 Gr FN Hot-Cor Box of 100". They are jacketed bullets with cannelure and about .050" length of exposed lead. I assume they are Speer by the Hot-Cor label, can't be sure. Will try to attach pictures.

[rcmodel]

Look like perfectly safe Speer 30-30 bullets to me.

Load them & shoot them!

rcmodel

[The Bushmaster]

Yup...Speer...

[David Wile]

Hey KK,

I just cannot imagine any way those bullets pictured would cause you any trouble. Like RC noted above, I have used round nosed bullets in a tube mag for many years without any problems.

Best wishes,
Dave Wile

[The Bushmaster]

As long as those round nosed bullets are soft points like Remington Core-Loct. Which flatten as soon as they are loaded in the magazine anyway...

[SSN Vet]

Those are Speer bullets...probably seconds or blemished in inventory going by your photo's.

Speer list this bullet as being specifically for tube mag rifles.

I'm staring at a box that I use in my Marlin 336.

The factory fresh ones are uber shiny.