Reloading .30 Carbine

[LeverGunJunkie]

Just got my hands on a nice M1 Carbine and want to reload for it. Based on the powder I have available, I'll start with H110.

I guess the info I'm soliciting is:

- Recommended powders you've success with?
- Any peculiarities in reloading for a carbine? Anything I need to know about before I start working up loads and pulling triggers?

Seems like a pretty straight forward reload since they are straightwalled cases.

I plan to use 110gr FMJs for now. Thanks in advance.

 

[jcwit]

Here's what I use. Powder == 4227, 12 to 14 grains, used to use 14 grains but found out I got the same accuracy with 12 grains and it worked the action just as well so now I use 12 grains, makes a pound of powder go alittle further. Bullet I use is my cast from a Lee 90301 mold, weights 100 grains and I size it to .310.

BTW the .30 carbine is not straight walled, its tapered, and keep an eye on OAL of the case.

 

[USSR]

I use 2400 and 4227 powder.

...keep an eye on OAL of the case.

Yep. I just trimmed some yesterday. Firing the same load in the same carbine, 3 or 4 cases will be fine, and then all of a sudden you have a case at 1.295". Can't explain it, but that's what happens.

Don

 

[cfullgraf]

W296, which is the same as H110, is supposed to be the powder that the carbine was originally loaded with. Lots of folks like IMR4227 as well. I use W296 as i use it for .410 shot shells and 357 Magnum so i have it on hand any way.

Most die manufacturers recommend using lubricant even with their carbide 30 Carbine dies. So, your choice, but you can save a bit a money and get steel dies. You still need to remove the lubricant with either die.

Unlike most hand gun cartridges, 30 Carbine cases do grow on the reloading/firing cycle. So be prepared to trim then once in a while. There is one contributor on the forum that says he has never trimmed a carbine case but that has not been my experience with my M1 Carbines.

Taper crimp your reloads to remove any case belling. The case head spaces on the case mouth.

110 FMJs will work fine. Some folks have good success with soft point and cast bullets. I have never tried them. I have had success with Berry Mfg's plated carbine bullets. They are rated for carbine velocities.

Hope this helps. Enjoy your carbine.

 

[HOWARD J]

I use H110 light loads in my carbine because it is an Iver Johnson carbine & I don't trust it.
12 to 12.5 gr of H110

14 to 14.5 gr in my Ruger 30 carbine handgun--I love the noise

 

[USSR]

I cast my own bullets for the .30 Carbine, and I use 12.5gr of 2400 powder with them.

Don

 

[Pat M]

My first time loading the 30 carbine as well. I prepped 50 cases yesterday, and after resizing they were all over 1.290. They definitely go through the carbide resizing die easier with lube....I lubed every 5th case. I had some challenges trimming them with the Lee case trimmer and the electric drill, but they are all 1.185 now. Will be reloading 110fmj with W296. I'm going to start with 14 grains and work up to the never exceed 15 grains.

 

[jcwit]

Couple of tips. Lube each and every case, they resize hard usually.

Correct overall case length is 1.290 not 1.185. This cartridge headspaces on the case mouth, not on the taper. You're almost an eigth of an inch to short. Are you sure you measured correctly?

 

[LeverGunJunkie]

Good deal. Looks like I've got the right powder, and bullet combo. I was planning to either Hornady FMJ, or Rainier....whatever is more available.

Do you experienced guys use pistol primers or rifle primers? I've seen other threads that mention using both without a definitive answer. I was just going to follow the recipe, but wasn't sure what the consensus was.

 

[USSR]

Small rifle primers.

Don

 

[jcwit]

Absolutly, small rifle primers, preferably CCI.

 

[Sixty Gunner]

I load with H-110 or W296. I use 14.5 gr. of either one and 110gr. RN bulets and the results are great.

 

[Pat M]

I stand corrected....that was a typo on my part. My case length gauge was trimming them to 1.285.

 

[LeverGunJunkie]

Small rifle primers...got it. I haven't reloaded much in the way of small rifle calibers. During the lean years of reloading components I snagged 1000 Federal SR primers. My Lee priming device talks about these things as dangerous, and I remember debate in the past on Federal. Are these primers bad, dangerous, or otherwise ill-advised to use?

 

[jcwit]

Use em. They still make them and the lawyers haven't killed the company yet.

 

[FROGO207]

Yep use them. I only load using 25 or 30 primers at a time of those brands that they at Lee say you may have problems with. No problems in 20+ years of reloading with any primers here however.

 

[Pat M]

OK, I seated some 110 gr. Sierra fmj bullets today, seated to an OAL of 1.670 inches. I set up the seating die according to the instructions, but I'm getting a slight bulge in the case around the seated bullet. Is this caused by too much taper crimp?

 

[jcwit]

Actually I wouldn't worry about it. Check to see if one of your reloads chambers OK. DO IT SAFELY.

 

[GRIZ22]

I load with H-110 or W296. I use 14.5 gr. of either one and 110gr. RN bulets and the results are great.

This is about what I do. Just remember don't try to hot rod this round. The 30 carbine was designed to shoot one round at one pressure and there's not anything to play with in that range,

 

[Pat M]

Thanks jcwit. Before I load any more I'll check whether they chamber. I'm striving for that perfect "factory looking" cartridge.

 

[jcwit]

Then don't forget to tumble after reloading them.

 

[LeverGunJunkie]

I really appreciate the replies gents. Great stuff. I look forward to getting some dies and working up a batch.

 

[zeke]

Another user of 14.5 grains h-110 with 110 grainers. Have found the Hornady's version to be more accute than others, perhaps due to open lead base of bullets?. Would add several precautions, mainly because there are so many "older" rifles out there still in use.

Please make sure your floating firing pin is still freely floating.

Trim your brass to 1.280, and clean your primer pockets each time. This provides a little more safety factor related to that floating firing pin, as the round headspaces of the case mouth.

Also using lube with a carbide die, as the chambers in military rifles are sized for reliablity. After the brass has been fired once, then fully resized and trimmed, it doesn't stretch nearly as much.

If accurcy is dismal, may want to check the muzzle crown.

 

[SHR970]

I've loaded with both AA#9 and W296; haven't bothered with 2400 or 4227. I've also loaded 110 FMJ, SP, plated, and Speer Varminter HP. Hornady 90 gr. XTP, and Sierra 85 gr. SP. I offer you a few observations:

Don't waste your time trying the XTP's. I never could resolve a feeding issue with the HP opening hanging up on the feed ramp. It was intermittent but maddening.

Sper HP varminters are my choice for a defense load. You load to the front cannuler for the carbine, they are made for this use. Due to the depth of the bullet, be sure to start low. I found that 14.5 gr. of W296 is max with this bullet. Your feed ramp can not be rough with this bullet but if it feeds in your gun, you'll be surprised with its expansion.

Plated bullets work best in my gun on starting loads. I have used several thousand West Coast / Accura / Extreme bullets. These have good thick plating and harder than most cores. Some plated bullets aren't as thick and use soft lead. You can run into pressure problems PDQ if you aren't careful.

Sierra 85 Gr. SP's can be driven to surprising velocities using published data. You can make an honest 2450 fps. with this bullet. I haven't fired it into something to see recovered expansion, but I imagine it would be violent at carbine velocities.

 

[Maj Dad]

but I'm getting a slight bulge in the case around the seated bullet. Is this caused by too much taper crimp?

If you mean you can see the outline of the bullet in the case, I wouldn't worry as long as they chamber. If you mean a slight bulge at the case neck, you may be using a roll crimper and putting a bit too much on it. I started out using a roll crimper adjusted to put just enough to straighten the flare out (especially using lead bullets) but an occasional long case would get too much and get a rolled bulge. I don't have problems with a taper crimp - it is more forgiving of that occasional longer case.

I use H110/W296, WC 820 and W630 (old powder that I have a lot of and works fine). 2400 seemed to leave unburned granules and was messier, but it worked fine; I use it mostly in shotguns now.