Re loading 30/30 win for lever action

[auriga3]

I would be grateful for any advice & info on this subject,i was planning to use a Lee Classic loader as i will not be loading many rounds.Do the cases have to be full length sized every reload?i planned to use a vise type fls die.Do the round have to be crimped because of the tubular mag?if so i guess the Lee Classic loader will be of no use unless there is a crimping die that can be used without a press.Do round head projectiles have crimp rings? Thanks

[marksman]

IMHO if you are just wanting to reload cheaply for your dirty 30 I would have a look at the lee hand loader
unless you are going to start reloading for other rounds this would be all you need to get started
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QgbCxELF6nk
it would be advisable to get a good set of powder scales, a trimmer, calipers, champfer tool ect

I had a win94 lever action, a great rifle to carry around the bush
mine liked 170gr flat points, good fun

[SCJ429]

Many projectiles have a cannuler pressed into the jacket for you to press a crimp into.

No you don't have to full lenght resize every time but it doesn't hurt. If the cases don't chamber easily you will need to full lenght resize.

You don't have to crimp but might consider it if the projectile are pushed into the cases under recoil while they are in the magazine.

[Oldbloke]

IMHO if you are just wanting to reload cheaply for your dirty 30 I would have a look at the lee hand loader
unless you are going to start reloading for other rounds this would be all you need to get started
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QgbCxELF6nk
it would be advisable to get a good set of powder scales, a trimmer, calipers, champfer tool ect

I had a win94 lever action, a great rifle to carry around the bush
mine liked 170gr flat points, good fun

+1 precisely how i started. A 30-30 too.

[tom604]

Many projectiles have a cannuler pressed into the jacket for you to press a crimp into.

No you don't have to full lenght resize every time but it doesn't hurt. If the cases don't chamber easily you will need to full lenght resize.

You don't have to crimp but might consider it if the projectile are pushed into the cases under recoil while they are in the magazine.

i have a win 30/30 and just a light crimp is the go,,neck tension may not be enough unless the case is full-ish

[in2anity]

Do the cases have to be full length sized every reload?

Possibly, but not necessarily. The usual anecdote "you have to always fl resize levers, ars ,semis blah blah blah" preach you see on every blog and forum is usually unsubstantiated heresay - it simply boils down down to whether or not your handload will reliably cycle, which is rather easy to test with a few indicative primerless dummy rounds. A lot of it has to do with how hot you ran your last load - run em cool and they don't fireform as tightly, and you'll probably be fine with a couple of neck-sized loads before a fl. I just suggest testing a few dummies thoroughly before going ahead and rolling up a stack of handloads on a whim. Otherwise you might end up having to pull a stack of cartridges...

Do the round have to be crimped because of the tubular mag

Again, possibly, but not necessarily. It depends on how hot your loads are. If it's a 94 bucking a blazing-hot load like a bronc, then yeah, you probably should crimp em. Run em cooler in a heavier marlin (with good neck tension), set-back is a bit of a myth. If you're worried, just measure the length of the incoming rounds in the mag once you've fired some, just to make sure the oals are good. Be aware, a crimpless lever load will be reliant on neck-tension alone, which relates to your choice of die. It seems you need decent tension for reliable ignition in the 30/30.

FWIW I rely a on the tight-neck tension (probably incidentally) provided by a Hornady die - I have a Lee die and neck tension is looser. As a result, when using the lee die (and no crimp) accuracy suffers. That is unless I crimp - if I crimp the lee-die loads, groups tighten up a bit again. But generally I'm not really a fan of relying on crimp for improving ignition.

I'd like to quote Paco Kelly here also because it's very true "Gaining accuracy in a leveraction rifle is really not much different than doing it in a bolt action. The principles are the same. There is no mystery, it is just that most folks take if for granted that 3 to 5 inches at 100 yards is normal and you have to live with it. That is utter nonsense….first of all on today’s market there is not one brand of lever action, one style, or one make that won’t generally shoot into less than 2 inches with the right ammo. Some few individual guns (lemons) may go into larger groups…but bolt actions have the same problems with the unusual stinker in a group.”

If you're looking for accuracy, check out the Berry's plated bullets. Exceptionally accurate in all my 30/30s. Not a hunting bullet.

[wrenchman]

i load for the 3030 and i size and crimp every time up to the time my sone wanted to load for the 3030 i never had just the bolt guns we have been loading hornady flex tips
but my son just got a bullet mold and we are going to work up some loads for it when he has time he is working lots of hours.
i use a lyman press but do like lee dies if you go to youtube most the makes have how to videos and it helps.

[auriga3]

Thank you gents for the info

[No1Mk3]

G'day auriga3,
Just a couple of points, you don't need a cannelure on the projectile to get an effective crimp, I have loaded many projectiles and simply crimped on the jacket. As you see in the vid marksman linked to the Lee tool does crimp, and that is all I used on my 30/30 for years. I would get about 4 to 6 loads of hunting ammo before needing to body size, and at the time simply gave my brass to someone with a press and bought more new brass for myself, still cost effective for loading hunting ammo. If you want to lash out a wee bit more without breaking the bank, I also used after the Lee, a Lyman 310 loading tool that does size brass and can still be used in the field, Cheers.

[mickb]

Another vote for the Lee handloader as well. Easy way to start out, or to re-enter the sport like I did. My set up here, can even take it to the shooting site and load and test on the fly.

[Oldbloke]

What about one of these?.

https://www.ebay.com.au/p/LEE-PRECISION ... 9003300442

Cheap as chips.

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