load .308 tracer bullet in 30-30 wcf?

[elephant_man]

I was wondering if it's safe to load 30/06 projectiles in a .30 WCF. They're both .308 diameter, and they both have about the same weight, so I figure I could load them like I would load standard 150 grain bullets. Anyone ever try this? Is the tracer material gonna wear out the barrel quicker or cause something bad to happen?

The reason I ask is because Cheaperthandirt is selling 100 for 10 dollars. This is cheaper than buying from Midway who is selling 50 bullets for 14 dollars.

Link: http://cheaperthandirt.com/AMM003-41593-1656.html

 

[JesseL]

You can load them with no problem, just be sure not to put more than one in a tube magazine.

 

[hoghunting]

You can load them up, but OAL might be a problem. With the pointed tip, don't load more than one round in the magazine as the tip on one bullet will rest on the primer of another. If the OAL is too long, they won't feed from the magazine and you will have to load directly into the chamber.

 

[cdrt]

You don't say where you live, but there are some states (like California) where it is illegal to shoot tracer rounds (for obvious reasons, like starting fires). And there are some ranges that do not allow tracer rounds for the same reason.

Having shot tons of these from M60's, etc. I personally would not shoot them out of my .308, no matter how cheap they are, but that's just a personal observation.

 

[Carl N. Brown]

Spitzer bullets for .308 loaded in .30-30 cartridges tend to be too
long to feed through the action. I could load one directly in the
firing chamber, but it was too long to eject unfired. Most .30-30
rifles have a rate of twist for short blunt bullets 150 to 170 grains
which usually load shorter overall than a 150 grain .308 spitzer,
meaning you end up with poor accuracy and a singleshot to boot.

Not mention the fire hazard. A guy near my uncle started a wildfire
(burning brush during a no-burn drought) and was billed $20,000
and was lucky to negotiate it down to $3,000. If a firefighter died,
it would have been manslaughter. Tracers are for very controlled
conditions like Knob Creek.

 

[trueblue1776]

Doesn't it take a military style powder to ignite a tracer?

 

[Carl N. Brown]

Powders commonly used in reloading .30-30 include IMR3031,
IMR4895 and H4895. 4895 was originally a military powder IIRC
and IMR3031 is similar.

 

[elephant_man]

Thanks for the replies, guys!

I guess I won't be getting these. I never thought that it could be a fire hazard.