.30 Rem. vs. 30-30 dies

pika · April 8, 2007, 05:52 PM

Can you use 30-30 dies in place of .30 Remington dies with a different shell holder ?. It looks like they have a different shoulder angle and L.O.A..
Thanks for your help !!..

Trapper L · April 8, 2007, 09:02 PM

No. The 30 Rem. is also a little longer in the body of the case. The shoulder angle is 23 degrees for the Remmy and the 3030 is a hair over 15. You might get away with using a 3030 for neck sizing only but if you have the autoloader or pump, you most likely will have problems chambering the case. I had a 30 Rem. years ago in the Model 14 pump. Neat old shooter but brass was hard to come by and it wasn't worth the effort.

**Johnny Guest** · April 8, 2007, 09:09 PM

Your question is certainly valid, pika, one that has crossed my mind a couple of times. Some manuals call the Remington ctg a rimless version of the .30-30, and tell us that identical loading data may be used. It is easy to infer that the same dies, with appropriate shellholder, might be used. Never having owned any rifle in .30 Remington, though, I never bothered to look it up.

I finally managed to locate dimensional drawings for both cartridges. The following information is from Speer Manual for Reloading Ammunition Number 8 from 1970.

Body width, both at base and shoulder, is identical, which at first blush looks encouraging. Case length is practically the same, too - - 2.040 for the .30-30, while the Rem is 1/100th longer.

The .30 Rem has a sharper shoulder angle: 23 degrees as opposed to 15"39' for the .30-30. The base-to-shoulder distance is .077 shorter for the .30-30. I feel it might be impossible to make it work due to this. Even if you could get a cartridge loaded on .30-30 dies to chamber, the shallower shoulder angle would make for VERY short case life - - Perhaps only one or two reloadings.

In short, I don't think it would be a worthwhile project in the long run. If someone gave me an old rifle in .35 Rem, I might well experiment with the .30-30 dies which I already own. I'm certain that RCBS can furnish appropriate dies for the .30 Remington, but equally certain that they'd be fairly expensive.

Best of luck.
Johnny

LATE ADDITION: Trapper L beat me to it - - He posted while I was proof reading.

JPG

Trapper L · April 8, 2007, 09:47 PM

Johnny,
Sure glad to know I'm quick about somethin'.

Molasses · April 9, 2007, 09:56 AM

I used my .30-30 dies to barely neck size new, unprimed .30 Rem brass (just enough to ensure the bullet didn't fall through the neck while seating) and finished with the .30-30 seating die while I was waiting for my .30 Rem dies to come in. Purely a makeshift, temporary arrangement, but the old Standard Arms model G never seemed to mind. I think it's important to emphasize that it was virgin NEW brass and I wasn't actually sizing down to anywhere near the shoulder. Wouldn't dream of full-length sizing .30 Rem with .30-30 dies or recommend it due to the shoulder differences mentioned by everyone else already.

pika · April 10, 2007, 11:24 AM

Thanks for the replies. I figured that is what it would be. I'll get a set of rcbs dies from Graf. and quit fiddling around. Appreciate the help..

TEDDY · April 10, 2007, 09:29 PM

Mollasses:my god you have an old rifle.about 1910.a friend had one in 25 rem.
I'v seen a few in gun shows thru the yrs.we hunted in VT.

April 8, 2007, 05:52 PM	#1
pika Junior Member Join Date: October 8, 2006 Posts: 3	.30 Rem. vs. 30-30 dies Can you use 30-30 dies in place of .30 Remington dies with a different shell holder ?. It looks like they have a different shoulder angle and L.O.A.. Thanks for your help !!..

April 8, 2007, 09:09 PM	#3
Johnny Guest Moderator Emeritus Join Date: August 28, 1999 Location: North Texas Posts: 4,115	It looks dubious to me. Your question is certainly valid, pika, one that has crossed my mind a couple of times. Some manuals call the Remington ctg a rimless version of the .30-30, and tell us that identical loading data may be used. It is easy to infer that the same dies, with appropriate shellholder, might be used. Never having owned any rifle in .30 Remington, though, I never bothered to look it up. I finally managed to locate dimensional drawings for both cartridges. The following information is from Speer Manual for Reloading Ammunition Number 8 from 1970. Body width, both at base and shoulder, is identical, which at first blush looks encouraging. Case length is practically the same, too - - 2.040 for the .30-30, while the Rem is 1/100th longer. The .30 Rem has a sharper shoulder angle: 23 degrees as opposed to 15"39' for the .30-30. The base-to-shoulder distance is .077 shorter for the .30-30. I feel it might be impossible to make it work due to this. Even if you could get a cartridge loaded on .30-30 dies to chamber, the shallower shoulder angle would make for VERY short case life - - Perhaps only one or two reloadings. In short, I don't think it would be a worthwhile project in the long run. If someone gave me an old rifle in .35 Rem, I might well experiment with the .30-30 dies which I already own. I'm certain that RCBS can furnish appropriate dies for the .30 Remington, but equally certain that they'd be fairly expensive. Best of luck. Johnny LATE ADDITION: Trapper L beat me to it - - He posted while I was proof reading. JPG __________________ MOLON LABE! Amendment II ensures the rest of the Bill of Rights. Blog: Expert Witness

April 10, 2007, 11:24 AM	#6
pika Junior Member Join Date: October 8, 2006 Posts: 3	.30 Rem. dies Thanks for the replies. I figured that is what it would be. I'll get a set of rcbs dies from Graf. and quit fiddling around. Appreciate the help..

April 10, 2007, 09:29 PM	#7
TEDDY Junior member Join Date: December 10, 2006 Location: MANNING SC Posts: 837	old rifle Mollasses:my god you have an old rifle.about 1910.a friend had one in 25 rem. I'v seen a few in gun shows thru the yrs.we hunted in VT. Last edited by TEDDY; April 10, 2007 at 09:30 PM. Reason: spelling

April 8, 2007, 09:02 PM	#2
Trapper L Senior Member Join Date: November 20, 2006 Location: South Texas Posts: 804	No. The 30 Rem. is also a little longer in the body of the case. The shoulder angle is 23 degrees for the Remmy and the 3030 is a hair over 15. You might get away with using a 3030 for neck sizing only but if you have the autoloader or pump, you most likely will have problems chambering the case. I had a 30 Rem. years ago in the Model 14 pump. Neat old shooter but brass was hard to come by and it wasn't worth the effort.

April 8, 2007, 09:47 PM	#4
Trapper L Senior Member Join Date: November 20, 2006 Location: South Texas Posts: 804	Johnny, Sure glad to know I'm quick about somethin'.

April 9, 2007, 09:56 AM	#5
Molasses Senior Member Join Date: February 17, 2007 Location: Anoka, MN Posts: 258	I used my .30-30 dies to barely neck size new, unprimed .30 Rem brass (just enough to ensure the bullet didn't fall through the neck while seating) and finished with the .30-30 seating die while I was waiting for my .30 Rem dies to come in. Purely a makeshift, temporary arrangement, but the old Standard Arms model G never seemed to mind. I think it's important to emphasize that it was virgin NEW brass and I wasn't actually sizing down to anywhere near the shoulder. Wouldn't dream of full-length sizing .30 Rem with .30-30 dies or recommend it due to the shoulder differences mentioned by everyone else already.