.30-30 headspace vs. low pressure

[jr_roosa]

This is a follow-up to my previous post.

I shot my test loads yesterday. No signs of overpressure or head separation, but there was lots of soot from the shoulder forward, which I don't get on the commercial loads in my Winchester '94. It looks like the case is only sealing the chamber behind the shoulder.

We discussed in the last post that my shell holder/die combo might be .003 or so too short.

The case lengths were measured and all were between min and max. I loaded Hornady 150gr RN per the Hornady manual in front of 32 or 33.7 grn of Win 748 and Fed large rifle primers. Both loads had the same sooting.

So, is this consistent with the shoulder being too far back? Is it consistent with the pressure being too low? Is this a dangerous sign?

I think that I'll get an RCBS shell holder before I resize the next batch and see what that does.

If I still get this sooting, is it worth treating the .30-30 as if it headspaces on the shoulder and backing off the die until the shoulder is in the right spot for my gun?

Any other advice?

Thanks.

-J.

 

[mkl]

I don't think .003 short is what's giving you the problem.

Sounds like low pressure. My speer #12 shows 33.0 grains as a starting load of 748, with 37.0 (compressed) as a max. It also shows using a magnum primer, since 748 is a double base ball powder that's somewhat hard to ignite.

I'd try 34.0 grains with a magnum primer and see if you don't get a "clean burn."

I was working up 30-30 "plinker" loads about a month ago using a surplus pistol powder from Bulgaria. [Not a good idea to start with a totally unknown powder unless you've been at this many years and have a chronograph.] Anyway, very dirty burn was common until I got to the velocity I thought the 85 grain bullet should have. At that point the burn was clean.

Since I was using a single shot, looking down the barrel was easy. It looked like a sewer pipe on those low pressure loads.

 

[The Bushmaster]

I use 32 to 33 grains of W-748 and have some soot on the neck and a velocity of 2050 fps with a 170 grain Speer FNSP (factory is about 2100+ fps for a 170 grain bullet). The amount of sooting that I have I don't concider a problem. I have seen as much with factory Remington 170 grain Core-Lokts. I do set my shoulder .030" forward because of a worn chamber (old .30 WCF) to keep the primers from backing out by setting the die just .030" off the shell holder. You might look at that as I don't know what your chamber on your mod 94 looks like.

 

[Ol` Joe]

So, is this consistent with the shoulder being too far back? Is it consistent with the pressure being too low? Is this a dangerous sign?

I think that I'll get an RCBS shell holder before I resize the next batch and see what that does.

If I still get this sooting, is it worth treating the .30-30 as if it headspaces on the shoulder and backing off the die until the shoulder is in the right spot for my gun?

Any other advice?

I`d set up your die to work as little of the brass as possible and still have 100% functioning. Pushing the shoulder back is overworking the case and premature splits or seperation can occure from it.
The cause of the sooty necks has been discussed, and I agree with the low pressure theory the others have put foreward. Raise the charge a grain and you will likely see the soot greatly reduced. Set the die to only bump the shoulder back about 0.002" and you should be fine with the shellholder you have.