Neck sizing 30/30 for lever action?

Yanus · September 22, 2000, 11:35 AM

Guys, I am considering a 30-30 lever action and would like to know if neck sizing the brass would work assuming the cases would only be used in one weapon. Comments anybody? Thanks.

------------------
Never do an enemy a minor injury. Machiavelli
"Stay alive with a 45"

Paul B. · September 22, 2000, 12:36 PM

Yanus. Yes. No. Maybe. I load and feed several 30-30 rifles, ranging from a 1911 carbine to one made in the early 1980's. What has worked for me is this. I use a full length sizing die. I started out with it backed off about 4 turns. I sized a round and tried it in the gun. Turned the die down a bit, and tried it again. I kept this up until the case entered the rifle without difficulty, and then gave it about a one sixteenth of a turn more. When using a magic marker to see how far the case went into the die (You color the neck and shoulder) the markings showed that the only the neck was being sized, and there was about one sixteenth of an inch of the neck left unsized. The nice part about it, is the brass fired in one rifle, sized in this manner, will still fit in all my 30-30 rifles. That's 4 Winchester 94's, a model 64, a model 54, and they also worked in a Marlin, which I sold recently. This is with full power loads using cast lead bullets. I can get factory specs with lead, so I don't use jacketed bullets in my 30-30's.
Using a Lyman tong tool, which only neck sizes, the brass seems to work in all the rifles as well, regardless of which rifle they were shot in.
These are just my observations based on usage in my rifles, but maybe it will answer your question.
Paul B.

Yanus · September 22, 2000, 01:28 PM

Thanks, Paul.
I thought the idea would work. I have reloaded just about everything else, but had never tried loads for a lever action. You also answered another question I had about using cast bullets. Call me old fashioned, but I prefer lead over jacketed whenever possible. I plan to set this up as a survival/bug out rifle that can ride in my pickup whenever I wish. Out of curiousity, what loads do you use in your lever guns?

------------------
Never do an enemy a minor injury. Machiavelli
"Stay alive with a 45"

Big Bunny · September 22, 2000, 06:04 PM

Yanus....we find that after 7 loads FLS( a cheap vice-die will do) on W30/30 is normally needed with target loads mainly to stop "stickeyness" in loading in rapid fire.I would think it would be far less with full hunting loads and heavier projectiles.

More importantly in L/Actions - I feel- is the proper neck tension/crimping and type of blunt-nose or exposed lead-tip projectile in the old tube magazinem system.

This is principally for safety and also for repeat ballistics.

------------------
If we shooting sportspersons don't hang together... we will all hang separately !
Never knock another's different shooting interest or discipline...REMEMBER we are all but leaves on the same tree of freedom.

Yanus · September 23, 2000, 08:07 AM

Thanks, Big Bunny.
Neck sizing sure makes the brass last longer without splitting. I like the idea of FLS after about 7 loads. I will probably use Lazer Cast from Oregon Trail. I really like their pistol bullets, so I will give their .30 cal rifle bullets a try. They claim a BHN of 24 which is very hard.

------------------
Never do an enemy a minor injury. Machiavelli
"Stay alive with a 45"

Paul B. · September 23, 2000, 01:43 PM

Yanus. I don't post loads on the forums. You can E-mail me for them, is you wish.
Paul B.

September 22, 2000, 11:35 AM	#1
Yanus Senior Member Join Date: November 1, 1999 Location: Nowherespecial, TX Posts: 437	Guys, I am considering a 30-30 lever action and would like to know if neck sizing the brass would work assuming the cases would only be used in one weapon. Comments anybody? Thanks. ------------------ Never do an enemy a minor injury. Machiavelli "Stay alive with a 45"

September 22, 2000, 12:36 PM	#2
Paul B. Senior Member Join Date: March 28, 1999 Location: Tucson, AZ Posts: 3,802	Yanus. Yes. No. Maybe. I load and feed several 30-30 rifles, ranging from a 1911 carbine to one made in the early 1980's. What has worked for me is this. I use a full length sizing die. I started out with it backed off about 4 turns. I sized a round and tried it in the gun. Turned the die down a bit, and tried it again. I kept this up until the case entered the rifle without difficulty, and then gave it about a one sixteenth of a turn more. When using a magic marker to see how far the case went into the die (You color the neck and shoulder) the markings showed that the only the neck was being sized, and there was about one sixteenth of an inch of the neck left unsized. The nice part about it, is the brass fired in one rifle, sized in this manner, will still fit in all my 30-30 rifles. That's 4 Winchester 94's, a model 64, a model 54, and they also worked in a Marlin, which I sold recently. This is with full power loads using cast lead bullets. I can get factory specs with lead, so I don't use jacketed bullets in my 30-30's. Using a Lyman tong tool, which only neck sizes, the brass seems to work in all the rifles as well, regardless of which rifle they were shot in. These are just my observations based on usage in my rifles, but maybe it will answer your question. Paul B.

September 22, 2000, 01:28 PM	#3
Yanus Senior Member Join Date: November 1, 1999 Location: Nowherespecial, TX Posts: 437	Thanks, Paul. I thought the idea would work. I have reloaded just about everything else, but had never tried loads for a lever action. You also answered another question I had about using cast bullets. Call me old fashioned, but I prefer lead over jacketed whenever possible. I plan to set this up as a survival/bug out rifle that can ride in my pickup whenever I wish. Out of curiousity, what loads do you use in your lever guns? ------------------ Never do an enemy a minor injury. Machiavelli "Stay alive with a 45"

September 22, 2000, 06:04 PM	#4
Big Bunny Senior Member Join Date: August 9, 1999 Location: New South Wales - Australia Posts: 605	Yanus....we find that after 7 loads FLS( a cheap vice-die will do) on W30/30 is normally needed with target loads mainly to stop "stickeyness" in loading in rapid fire.I would think it would be far less with full hunting loads and heavier projectiles. More importantly in L/Actions - I feel- is the proper neck tension/crimping and type of blunt-nose or exposed lead-tip projectile in the old tube magazinem system. This is principally for safety and also for repeat ballistics. ------------------ If we shooting sportspersons don't hang together... we will all hang separately ! Never knock another's different shooting interest or discipline...REMEMBER we are all but leaves on the same tree of freedom.

September 23, 2000, 08:07 AM	#5
Yanus Senior Member Join Date: November 1, 1999 Location: Nowherespecial, TX Posts: 437	Thanks, Big Bunny. Neck sizing sure makes the brass last longer without splitting. I like the idea of FLS after about 7 loads. I will probably use Lazer Cast from Oregon Trail. I really like their pistol bullets, so I will give their .30 cal rifle bullets a try. They claim a BHN of 24 which is very hard. ------------------ Never do an enemy a minor injury. Machiavelli "Stay alive with a 45"

September 23, 2000, 01:43 PM	#6
Paul B. Senior Member Join Date: March 28, 1999 Location: Tucson, AZ Posts: 3,802	Yanus. I don't post loads on the forums. You can E-mail me for them, is you wish. Paul B.