[Hiaboo]

I have a pack of large rifle magnum primers, not large rifle primers. So I'm wondering if I could use the magnum safely with minimum loads?

Please do tell me the "rules" between mangum/regular primers, I read it somewhere once but I forgot.. Thanks.

[The Bushmaster]

Reduce your powder charge by 10% and work back up watching for over-pressure signs. You can use magnum primers in the .30-30 safely as long as you don't start at the top of the powder chart. Know what the signs for over-pressure are.

[Hiaboo]

I figured as much. I just got in a 30-30 and all I have right now is LR magnums.. The shop where I get my stuff doesn't have the LR I need so... urgh. I loaded 'em all up with minimum loads anyway (only 20) to give it a test.

[ants]

My insignificant little opinion. I started loading 30-30 almost 3 decades ago, then quit for a while, now I started loading it again (and I love it).

You are NOT going to be able to use overpressure signs with 30-30. This cartridge has such low, low pressure that the overpressure signs tell you that it's already too late. Pressures are kept low to protect older lever action rifles.

Furthermore, magnum primers have thicker cups to withstand magnum pressures, so the primers won't show you any overpressure signs, even after the rifle done blowed up. Another pressure sign -- stuck bolt -- won't be apparent if you're loading for a lever action rifle.

Primer choice is yours. Just don't wait for overpressure signs to tell you to stop.

[K3]

Use a chrono to measure your MV with your starting loads. Once you start getting near the top of normal .30-30 velocities, I believe I'd stop there.



My .02 adjusted for inflation.

[Eb1]

Apparently some manuals call for magnum primers with H335. I do not have magnum primers so I have been using CCI200 primers with good success. I do not have any experience to add with magnum primers, but thought I would throw that in.

[jacobhh]

You are NOT going to be able to use overpressure signs with 30-30. This cartridge has such low, low pressure that the overpressure signs tell you that it's already too late.

I agree here. I have purposely worked up loads in my bolt guns using magnum
primers and found one for a Rem 700 I like and still use, but I wouldn't do it
for my lever guns.

[dakotasin]

i have used magnum primers in the 30-30 to do load work ups. you will gain 30-50 f/s over a standard primer load.

the 'rules' for magnum primers are subject to change depending on any number of factors, but here's how i determine primer use:

if the case is filled w/ 60-ish grains of powder, and it is a rifle i intend to hunt (meaning much sub-zero weather), it gets a magnum primer. so, guns like a 25-06, most anything w/ 'magnum' in the name, etc.

very large cases, regardless of powder charge gets a magnum primer. so a 7 rum gets a mag, the 300 wsm gets a mag, etc. i have also found that reduced loads in the larger cases (300 wsm specifically) need a mag primer to prevent hangfires.

ball powders get a mag primer, regardless of powder charge or case.

you will find some options w/ the 30-30 will apply to the ball powder and mag primer...

[Grumulkin]

Primers are a pretty interesting subject. Some of my experiences are:

1. For rifle cartridges of the size of the 30/30 Winchester and up, in my experience substituting a large rifle magnum primer for a large rifle primer makes no appreciable difference in pressure. When I did a trial in a 44 Rem. Mag., using large rifle magnum primers with H110 was equivalent to about an extra 1.5 to 2 grains of powder.

2. A 357 Herrett I load for with IMR 4227 has a definite preference for CCI 250 large rifle magnum primers.

3. I use regular large rifle primers as opposed to magnum primers in a 7mm Rem. Mag. with RL-22 and get excellent accuracy and have had no hangfires.

4. I load some cartridges with ball powder and regular primers with excellent results.

The guidelines about using magnum primers with large capacity cases, etc. make some sense but there are notable exceptions.