Problems Seating Cast Bullets in 30-30

[tkcomer]

Having a little trouble seating some cast bullets in 30-30. I'm using sized and chamfered Winchester or Remington brass. The bullets are Laser Cast 170gr bullets that the box says are sized to .310. These are a gas check design, but I'm told no gas checks are needed at the low power loads I'm using, which is 8.8grs of Unique. I'm also using the Lee Turret press with the 30-30 deluxe dies. The trouble I'm having is when I seat a bullet, I'm shaving some lead off most of the bullets I seat. I don't crimp with the seater die. I use the factory crimp die with this setup. Is it normal to shave a little lead off of rifle bullets? I've loaded a lot of cast in pistols, but that brass gets belled to help seat them. This is my first attempt with cast in rifle rounds. On a side note, I did shoot 5 loads through my Winchester 94 a short while ago as a test. What a pleasant load! These will be great for plinking if I get things going. Any help would be appreciated.

 

[res45]

Here is what you need you have to spread the neck slightly just like loading pistol bullets. http://www.midwayusa.com/eproductpage.exe/showproduct?saleitemid=140461 Your local Gun shop can order you one and save you the shipping charges.

 

[tkcomer]

Might be what I need. Remove size/decap die to put that in. Not sure if it will interfere with the Lee Auto Disk with the rifle charging die when I drop the powder. That's the next step. Or if the seater die will close up the case mouth. I always thought you shouldn't expand a rifle brass case mouth, but there that die is. I may look into this.

 

[scrat]

Same time .310 is a little big. I would make a dummy round without powder and primer and try chambering it. In my 94 .309 and .308 is all she will take. I like to use .308 though. whenever i used a .310 i would have problems like you say on seating the bullet and then would have problems chambering the round. Look on most 30-30 boxes. Sami is i believe .308

 

[res45]

This die is made to do exactly that expand rifle cases for cast bullets I have one I use on my M44 Mosin and my 300 savage. I also shoot cast bullet in my 357 mag. its the same setup except the expander die comes with those dia set's most people dont shoot cast bullets in there rifles. Thats why this type of die isnt know about. I shoot the same bullet you do in my 300 savage. As far as .310 being a little big that the exact size you need if your bore slugs at .308 the standard is to use a cast bullet gas checked or non gas checked that is .002 over your bore dia. other wise you may get gas cutting and leading problems. If you want to ask a few questions ofthe guys that do this all the time take a look here. http://castboolits.gunloads.com/

 

[Cosmoline]

I had the same problem with .30-30 cast slugs. res45 seems to have the solution. Let us know what you come up with.

 

[tkcomer]

The dummy round and the 5 test rounds cycled just fine. No lead that I can see in the barrel after I fired the test rounds. This is a very low power load, so no gas checks are needed. Will the seater die close the case mouth back up? That's my big concern. I don't want to buckle the brass.

 

[res45]

Yes it will just like it does in a pistol die close it and crimp it with no problems. You dont have to flare the mouth very much to start with and those bullets your using I believe they also have the base on them to apply your own gas check if you want to shoot them faster and use them for hunting Deer.

 

[res45]

Cosmoline you may find this interestering since your shooting a 30-06. http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?t=13425

 

[Fatelvis]

I size Lyman's 311401 bullets to .311" for my 1948 vintage Marlin 336, and it shoots great with no leading! With cast bullets and mild powder charges, don't be afraid to go .001" larger than the norm. You may find a better fit to your grooves, giving better accuracy and no leading.

 

[SASS#23149]

I bought a seperate roll crimp die for my cast 30-30's to be shot in tube magazine guns,like my Marlin. Mkes bullet set-back far less likely.
I"m not so sure that all seater dies apply a crimp...re: rifle dies that is.
Of course that is one of many things I'm not an expert on.

 

[Phil A]

I'm partial to the Lyman M die neck expanders for cast. - Phil

 

[tkcomer]

I fired about 35 rounds through the gun last night. It's printing pretty low at 30 yards, but I plan on ordering a new set of sights for it. Shoots great groups. Wife is even amazed on how little it kicks. Went to clean it and lead shavings flew everywhere when I pulled the cleaning rod out. Then the end of the cleaning rod pulled out, so I just put the gun up until I get a new rod. I pulled one bullet just to look and the sides are all cut up from seating it into the case. I think that's where the lead shavings came from. I'll order that expanding die and try again. Though I do have 60 more rounds to shoot up. Heck, if nothing else, the expanding die might improve groups even more. And I did learn one other thing. The necks on these 30-30s are thin. They dent when they bounce off the concrete. Don't even step on one.

 

[243winxb]

http://www.lymanproducts.com/lymanproducts/index.htm Click on "DIES" at the top of page, then scroll down on this page to the "LYMAN M DIE RIFLE" "#30S" List price $16.50., this die has been used for many years to load cast bullets. I size the 30-30 to .311" You do not need to crimp the bullet.

 

[tkcomer]

That looks like a nifty die also. Trouble is, I've already ordered the Lee die. Along with a new cleaning rod as the ones I get at Wall-marts don't seem to hold up to the cleaning I do on all these guns.

 

[res45]

The Lee die is a Universal die it has several different size expander heads so it can be used with various rifle and pistol cartridges.