.30 Rem

[G-River Guide]

I recently inherited a rifle chambered for this obsolete cartridge. Because of it's great sentimental value to me I want to keep it functional and use it occasionally if possible. I just paid through the nose for a stash of .30 Rem ammo I found on gunbroker. As difficult as it is to find, I don't plan to fire much (if any) of the vintage stuff.

A little research found that the .30 Rem is the parent case for the new 6.8mm SPC cartidge. This has issued a whole new series of questions for me. Wikipedia shows the .30 Rem to have a slightly larger bullet diameter and longer overall length than the 6.8 SPC. How can this one case be loaded with bullets of different diameters?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/.30_Remington
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/6.8_SPC

Is it possible to shoot the new 6.8 SPC ammo from an older .30 Remington rifle? (unlikely, I know. but this would be the best case scenario.)

I understand the old .30 Rem can be reloaded with 30-30 bullets, but the problem is finding the brass. (that, and I have no idea how to reload) I assume that with the difference in bullet diameter, that the .30 Rem and 6.8 SPC are not the same exact pieces of brass, but I must ask: is it possible to load 30-30 bullets in the 6.8 SPC brass?

In short, I'm looking for a way to preferably buy or make ammo with modern, readily available components for use in a .30 Rem rifle. Obviously, I'm new to all this. Any info would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Jubjub]

6.8 can not be fired in a .30 remington. It's an entirely different round, with basically the only thing in common being the diameter of the case head.

.30 Remington ammo is available at Grafs http://www.grafs.com/product/236786, and at Old Western Scrounger in two different bullet weights http://www.ows-ammo.com/catalog/index.php/cPath/21/sort/3a/page/2.

If you want to reload, buying a couple of boxes of that ammo would be the easiest source for brass. The most common cartridge that .30 Remington brass can readily be formed from is the .35 Remington, which is the same case with a bigger bullet. If you are new to reloading, it would probably make more sense to just get the ammo. Case forming can be a bit tricky.

Before investing in any reloading hardware, the first step would be to get a good general reloading manual like the Lyman. http://www.midwayusa.com/viewproduct/?productnumber=462564 The how-to part will give you a good idea of what's involved in the process and the stuff that you need.

Forgot to mention: some manuals don't have any loading data for .30 Remington, but have a note in the .30-30 data saying that it can also be used for .30 Remington.

 

[Jim Watson]

The most common cartridge that .30 Remington brass can readily be formed from is the .35 Remington, which is the same case with a bigger bullet.

Not so.
.30 Remington is on a .420" head diameter, 2.03" case length while the .35 has a .458" head and is only 1.92" long. .25 and .32 Remington are on the same basic brass as .30; but not .35.

Guide, if you want to produce your own ammunition, start with the books. The ABCs of Handloading is a good start and a bullet company reloading manual from Lyman, Speer, Sierra, or Hornady will provide actual data. You will have to dig around for .30 Remington data, it is pretty obsolete. Or just pay the price for a little ammo to be shot, as a friend of mine says, "on ceremonial occasions."

 

[rcmodel]

I have to disagree with you on forming .30 Reminton cases from .35 Remington cases.

They are not the same, or even close to the same head size.

Depending on the source:
.30 Reminton is .422" case-head.
.35 Rem is .460" case-head.

OAL of the .30 Rem is 2.050"
The .35 Rem is 1.920".

You cannot make one from the other.

rc

 

[Jubjub]

Doh!

Thanks for the correction. I should take my own advice and read the manual.

 

[cat9x]

http://www.ows-ammo.com/catalog/product_info.php/cPath/21/products_id/451

I'd definitely check them out.

 

[G-River Guide]

Thank you thank you thank you, Jub. Exactly what I was hoping for. I have no desire to get into reloading, I'd much prefer to buy. But at those prices, I still may consider it.

 

[rcmodel]

Get'm while you can, and all you can afford.

Old Western Scrounger has special runs of old / odd calibers made occasionally, and when it is all gone, it is really all gone!
They may or may not ever make it again.

rc

 

[NCsmitty]

Buffalo Arms has some ammo too. Then you'll have brass for reloading.

http://www.buffaloarms.com/browse.cfm/4,4172.html

NCsmitty

 

[Birdhunter1]

Interesting to see you all talking about the .30 Remington as Remington is now chambering it in their R-15 rifle. I've been trying to figure out why they would do this as they could have more power with a .308 on the R-25 platform or chamber a 7.62X39 and have equivalent ballsitics, or there's always the 30-30 Winchester round they could chamber in a bolt gun. Anyway if you look on the Remington website they are manufacturing this ammunition again in 125 gr. Core-Lokt, Accutip and MC UMC loadings.
http://www.remington.com/products/ammunition/centerfire/30_remington_ar.asp

Figuring the .30 Rem is the ballistic equivalent of the 30-30 it could be a fun little round in an AR type rifle

 

[Pokyman]

I do have some 30 Rem. brass if interested. Don't know how much, but it should be around 60 rounds

 

[Don Gordon]

BirdHunter-
The new cartridge is a .30 Remington AR which is not the same as the .30 Remington. (I know-stupid naming by Remington). The new cartridge shouldv'e been called a .30AR Remington to eliminate confusion.

The older .30 Remington is basically a rimless version of a .30-30 Win., and was introduced by Remington to compete with Winchester's levers. It was initally in the Remington selfloader, and then in their line of spiraled magazine pump rifles which allowed for the use of spitzer bullets.

For handloading any bullet suitable for .30-30 should be suitable for the old .30 Remington velocities. In addition, you can load 130 grain spitzers in the Remington pumps, if you can find suitable load info.

 

[T.R.]

It would be interesting to compare 30-30 Winchester and 30 Remington cases with a micrometer. Solution might be as simple as spinning 30-30 cases on a lather to remove appropriate amount of the rim.

TR

 

[krs]

A lather?

 

[Jim Watson]

Yes, it is quite feasible to turn the rims off of .30-30 and then die form to make .30 Remington. If you have the lathe, the knowhow and the time to mess with it.

 

[.45Guy]

I have a ton of .30 remington brass that I used for my .32. If you're desperate I can send it your way. Otherwise, check out Gad's for all your obsolete ammo needs.
.25, .30, .32 are formed from the same case.

.35 Is a different critter.

 

[snakeman]

huntingtons.com has 30 remington brass so you can handload it. I have one too and if the magazine tube is spiraled and there is a c stamped under the receiver you have a rare one. I have one marked this way that I read under archives somewhere that this is a prototype.