Roamin_Wade
member
Why can’t I find any factory loaded ammunition for the 30-40 Krag in a 150 grain bullet?
30-40 Krag Ammunition
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243winxb
Member
Use Www.ammoseek.com $1.32 each, plus shipping.
Matthew Clark
Member
Just a suggestion and not trying to be a smarty pants. Would be a great time to start reloading. You would love your Krag a lot more. It's a very fun and versatile round.
Other than that the aforementioned places sell Krag ammo. Have your LGS order you some. You might avoid atrocious shipping costs if they include it in a stock order.
Happy shooting!
Other than that the aforementioned places sell Krag ammo. Have your LGS order you some. You might avoid atrocious shipping costs if they include it in a stock order.
Happy shooting!
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Roamin_Wade
member
I might someday but I don't shoot enough to validate reloading yet...BUT...I have been saving all my brass for a long time so that I have it when I'm ready. Get the kids all grown up and then turn a room into a proper reloading room, I think.
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Roamin_Wade
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Roamin_Wade
member
Only 180 gr too but thanks...
Edited: The links are to 180gr for others that might be interested in Krag factory loads but the O/P wants 150gr.
Remington, Winchester, and now Hornady still make 180gr factory ammo for this. https://www.midwayusa.com/product/100178709?pid=248306 Remington https://www.midwayusa.com/product/1019537821?pid=470460 Hornady, Winchester on clearance, https://www.grafs.com/retail/catalog/product/productId/19880
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Sorry about not checking the original posting a bit closer.
Krags generally are not at their peak performance in light bullets so that is why the 150 gr. have gone bye bye for factory loads. Krag ammo sales alone are probably anemic so not surprising that the remaining sellers focus on the same load when they load it at all.
I suspect that most folks reload Krags now anyway as the during the great ammo shortages, Krag factory loads disappeared as lowest on the ammo mfg. priority list. If you plan on doing it, Grafs and Sons does have new brass to reload.
Krags generally are not at their peak performance in light bullets so that is why the 150 gr. have gone bye bye for factory loads. Krag ammo sales alone are probably anemic so not surprising that the remaining sellers focus on the same load when they load it at all.
I suspect that most folks reload Krags now anyway as the during the great ammo shortages, Krag factory loads disappeared as lowest on the ammo mfg. priority list. If you plan on doing it, Grafs and Sons does have new brass to reload.
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Roamin_Wade
member
I would think the 150gr would get pushed faster and therefore fly truer, further. I figured there were good reasons why it is hard to find but can you tell me anything about the performance of 150gr rounds as opposed to the 180's?
Gordon
Member
The original loading begin as a 220 grain bullet. The 180 grain pointed bullet was what made it's fame. The 180 grain load is perfect for the twist and designed for the velocity range of the .30-40. Krag 30-40 is one of the easiest to reload for IMHO. I have a 310 tool for it !
takes about a hour of fidling to load a box of 20 with the Lyman knuckle cracker.
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I am talking only about the military model and not the 1895 or other rifles. The Krag Jorgensen was designed for a round nosed 230 gr. jacketed bullet which by 1894 was changed to a 220gr jacketed bullet. The round nose issue reduces the ballistic capability significantly whether you are firing a 150 gr or 180 gr. You might also have some OAL caused problems with a 150gr as the magazine for the rifle was literally designed around the cartridge and bullet that was fired.
Some folks can get a spitzer to feed with an unmodified magazine, some require modifications, and some won't feed them at all from the magazine. It is also of an era like the .30-30, the .303, the original 7x57 and 8x57 Mausers in being designed for what we would consider very low pressure @ about 40,000 psi. An attempt was made to boost the .30-40 Krag cartridge to 2200 fps around the turn of the century to flatten the trajectory but the increased pressure led to cracked bolt lugs and problems with receivers. The Army returned to the 2000 fps as a result. A lot of folks like long heavy round nosed cast bullet loads for these that more or less replicate the jacketed load but at less pressure.
FWIW, the U.S. Army team did quite well in the 1907 Palma matches using the Krags and I believe that they used a spitzer of some sort. Might be able to find out what they did and if it was replicable.
Turns out there is an old THR thread about the Palma Match ammo and specifically bullets and how to replicate the load.
https://www.thehighroad.org/index.php?threads/1903-or-1907-is-palma-team-load.855254/
https://www.thehighroad.org/index.php?threads/1903-or-1907-is-palma-team-load.855254/
AK103K
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Thats because you dont reload.
Youre not going to save any money, but youll shoot a hell of a lot more.
Ive loaded 30-40 in the past and 150 grain bullets did quite well in the two rifles I had.
Its also a LOT cheaper when you load them yourself. Just finding 30-40 ammo can be a challenge in general too, especially if you arent willing to use the web.
Yup^
I haven't seemingly saved any money yet. I get out to the range about once a week now though.
'Bout the only caliber I dont reload for is the 30-40. Only because I scrounged up about 180 rounds in the last 20 years and only around 6 months ago picked up a sporterized 1896.
A set of dies is next up on the list.
I haven't seemingly saved any money yet. I get out to the range about once a week now though.
'Bout the only caliber I dont reload for is the 30-40. Only because I scrounged up about 180 rounds in the last 20 years and only around 6 months ago picked up a sporterized 1896.
A set of dies is next up on the list.
Make sure and slug the bore as bores tended to wander with .308 as the std. plus wear on it. Flat based jacketed bullets will slug up a bit sometimes in oversize bores as will lead bullets but usually the closer the match between bullet and bore, the better the accuracy. It is not uncommon on Krags to have bore diameters of .310 or so and occasionally one that is a bit tighter than .308 shows up. Some also have 1903 barrels that were refitted for the Krag after WWI and these are usually more to .308 specifications and less worn.
I can keep a 3 inch group at 100 with the 180gr round nosed.
I slugged the bore and she came out as .309".
The bore on her is WORN. Clean and mostly free of pitting but really worn.
Does ok with factory, and .308 roundball loads pushed in.
Have a #1 mkIII* (1917) Enfield that the bore is .308 and groove is .317/.318.
Another reloading project...
I slugged the bore and she came out as .309".
The bore on her is WORN. Clean and mostly free of pitting but really worn.
Does ok with factory, and .308 roundball loads pushed in.
Have a #1 mkIII* (1917) Enfield that the bore is .308 and groove is .317/.318.
Another reloading project...
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