.30/30 load development

• Date - 21/22 February 2009
• Cartridge - .30/30 Winchester (.30 WCF)
• Powder - RL 15
• Charge - 31.2 grains (2.2cc)
• Primer - CCI 200 LR
• Bullet - Speer Hot Core 150-grain Flat-Nose (BC .268, SD .226)
• Brass - 50 Federal and 50 Winchester (100 total)
• Trim Length - 2.021-2.025
• COAL - 2.540-2.545

This development will take place with a Marlin M336C rifle and will hopefully prove to be a good, mild, accurate load suitable for hunting out to 175 yards. Currently loading these via Lee Loader, applying a slight crimp to the cannelure as per instructions. Speer recommends 30 grains o RL 15 as a starting load (1823 fps) and 34 grains as a maximum compressed load (2170fps), so I am well within safe parameters.

Right now, the only variation is the brass, but will determine the "better" performer and then tweak things from there. I have no chronometer so will have to borrow one or come up with a way to "estimate" velocity. As it is, I am expecting about 2000fps, but that is just a guess; if anyone has data suggesting otherwise, please advise.

This is the first time I have loaded flat-based bullets and it has been interesting. Normally, I use a boat-tail which makes for easy bullet seating, but with these flat-based bullets there seems to be a bit of a trick to it. In spite of my efforts to be careful, the neck of one case (once-fired) split near the mouth about a millimeter. I won't discard it now (unless i hear otherwise), but this is the last time that case will be loaded.

24- i recently bought the "loadbooks" from loadbooks usa which has all the load data from powder, bullet etc. manufacturers in one book. seems to do well. i'll check out your link.

i finished loading the first 50 (federal brass) and noticed that either the cannelures on the bullets or my caliper has some very slight variations. i load to the middle of the cannelure every time and then apply a slight crimp, but the COAL seems to vary between 2.540-2.545. a small number even go a thousandth or two over or under that.

Taz;

I've been loading .30 bullets for years & using the same ole RCBS chamfer tool all the while.  I've never had an issue with the neck splits & I've loaded more than a few flat-base Speers in my day.  I very strongly suspect that Robert is correct in his assessment of the Lee dies you're using.  Might want to consider getting a set of either RCBS or Redding dies.

And, t'were me, I'd pull the bullet, recycle the powder, pop the primer, and ditch that split neck brass.

900F

yep - chamfering was the problem!

i thought i ahd chemfered them when i trimmed them last year, but it turned out that i hadn't. chamfered these and everything was fine.

finished loading all of them and only lost one (federal) case, whichw as replaced with a spare winchester case. will go to the range sooner or ater to see how they shoot.

i will probably switch to another chamfer tool. normally, i use boat-tail bulltes, but with the 30/30 that seems impossible, so a chamfer tool with a better angle would definitely be in order.

the lee one works quite well for most purposes, but .30/30 brass seems awfully thin and it doesn't take much to ruin a neck ~

lol - this is why i like boattail bullets. never have to worry about this!

the lee tool did seem to takecare of the problem ~ i plan on loading a few remington cases just for load development/plinking purposes. remington brass seems even thinner than the other two, and that is saying a lot because .30/30 brass seems thin to begin with. I'll use the lee tool and see how it goes.

qwhen i get the the .308, i may have to bite the bullet (forgive the pun) and get the VLD or similar tool. .308 brass is thicker, but i am going to try some flat-base sierra pro-hunters rather than the boattail gamekings i ahd been using up till now.

My load now days is as follows:

Cases - R-P and Win 30-30

Powder - BL-C(2)

Charge 35.5 grains

Bullet - Sierra 30-30 .308dia 170grain flat nose # 2010

Trim length - 2.028

COL - 2.540

Lee Factory crimp Die used

I have not used RL-15 but did use RL-22 once. I will try to find the info on the 22.

I have a question about 30-30. I load flat point for lever actions but I also have a Stevens bolt action and wandered if anyone has load other bullets for rifles that are not tube fed?

Rod