30 Carbine Loads

[isaias_1]

Ok. I did a search for 30 carbine and very little came back. So I am throwing the question out now.

What powders and loads do most of you use. I have a new brass as well as some used brass. I have read enough to know that I have to cut the brass to 1.290" as the carbine headspaces on the case mouth. I have loaded a few (15) with H110 (14.0 Grains)and TULA .223 primers as that is what I have. I also loaded a few (15) with IMR 4198 (14.5 Grains). I am using the Lee manual 1st ed. and the speer manual 11. Both have IMR 4198 and H110 listed for the 110gr RN. I am using Berry's 110gr RN plated bullets. I just want to know if anyone else has used IMR 4198 the Speer manual has a starting load at 13.0gr and goes up to 15.0 gr. I just don't know how accurate this data is as the manual is a bit old now and the Lee manual only states 14.5 grains as start and max load. Any help or comments of what one has used would be appreciated. Thanks

[NWPilgrim]

From what I read the military load was 15. 0 gr of W296. I worked up loads from 14.0 gr to 15.0 gr and only the 15.0 gr load will cycle my Carbines 100%. This is what I use.

[Kevin Rohrer]

The rule is that magnum primers should be used with H110.

The default powder is H110. That 14.0gr load you mentioned with the 110gr FMJ bullet is equal to the military load. That is what I am going to use as soon as I trim all my brass.

As far as the OAL is concerned, the brass should be trimmed at 1.290 to 1.280.

[isaias_1]

Anyone use IMR 4198?

[jcwit]

12 to 14 grains of IMR 4227. You cannot double charge with this load, the bullet I use is a 100 grain cast lead, no gas check.

[SHR970]

First: You do not need to use small rifle magnum primers. That supposed rule is for pistol primers. Data for the 30 carbine uses uses standard Small Rifle and Small Rifle Magnum primers depending on source.

4198 is not the best powder for the 30 carbine but it will work. You can't get enough powder in the case to be dangerous. 15.0 gr. is a compressed load Speer #12. Good luck compressing more in; personal experience.

The real approved powder(s) for it during WWII were DuPont EX-4809 and substitute was Hercules H3950.8B. IMR 4227 did not give adequate muzzle velocity and Hercules 2400 gave excessive muzzle flash. See U.S. Cal. 30 Carbine published by NRA Copyright 1990. Pg. 17. A powder commonly used for it later on was Win 680 (no longer available but AA1680 is current available substitute).

Max. load for W296 is 15.0 gr. but using plated 14.0 is a good number to work with as a max. for most plated though 13.0 - 14.0 gr is a starting load for standard FMJ depending on source. Berry's uses thicker plating; their fps max listed on website and probably quoted later in this thread applies to pistol bullets. You don't want to reduce W296 / H110 too much or other issues arise.

The Lee manuals only reprint what others printed; they do zero pressure testing or data development of their own.

The reason you won't find much data is that there are only a hand full of powders that have the right pressure curve to properly operate the gas tappet that actuates the system. Too much port pressure or too little causes their own problems.

[isaias_1]

Good information to know. Thank you to all. I just started to load for my carbine and did not want to do any damage. So, thank you to all. Any pet loads would be welcomed too. I would like to try all and see what works best for me. Thanks
Isaias

[hodaka]

I use WW 296/H-110 most of the time. My measure is set at 14.8.I have used 2400 with good results. I don't remember excessive flash but I never watched from the side either. I've heard Berry's work well but I have not tried them. I have tried lead slugs and the accuracy was terrible and I went back to FMJ.

[NWPilgrim]

While my pet load is 15.0 gr W296 with Win SR primers, here are some manual loads for 110 gr FMJ:

Lyman #49
W296/H110 14.0 - 15.5 gr
AA9 11.7 - 13.0
4227 13.5 - 15.0+

Hodgdon 2013
W296/H110 14.0 - 15.0
4227 13.0 - 14.5
Lil Gun 14.0 - 15.0

Hornady #9
AA9 10.7 - 12.1
W296 13.0 - 14.9
A1680 16.1 - 17.5

Sierra #5
AA9 11.6 - 12.7
W296 11.9 - 14.5
4227 13.2 - 15.4
A1680 15.2 - 16.0

[velocette]

As has been noted in previous posts, the .30 carbine demands the proper pressure curve to function correctly. The powder that fits that curve is W296 and H110 (same powder, different names) 14 ~ 15 grains is the standard charge with 110 gr. jacketed bullets. W296 & H110 should NEVER be loaded under the recommended charge weights.
Another item of note is that you must trim the cases properly to 1.290 or slightly less. Failing to do so can and will cause the bolt to fail to lock up completely with unpleasant results.

Roger

[Mike / Tx]

I would say 25% of the loads we used 296, 65% were 2400, and the rest were AA-9. We always used either the jacketed RNSP or the Speer Hp, with some regular ball mixed in occasionally.

With my Ruger BH I have used several type jacketed, and will be playing with some cast later this spring.

I never ran cast or the plated through mine as I didn't want to take any chance of fouling the gas port. May or may not happen, but if I "don't" use them I know the chances are way less it will happen.

The BH will digest just about anything I want to run through it.

[jrdavidson]

my carbine likes 110gr FMJs on top of 14.2gr W296 at 1.670" OAL. I trim to 1.285"

WSR seems to ignite reliably with no slam fires.

[TimSr]

I've tested several .30 Carbine loads under 120gr Cast RN bullets including 14.0 gr of 4198 which had about the same mediocre accuracy as 12.0gr H110 or 8.0 gr Blue Dot. 13.0gr of 296 was slightly improved, but I got my best accuracy for my cast bullets with 8.5gr Blue Dot. With my FMJ bullets H110, 296, and 4198 were all very good, and about the same. I'm sure I could have improved them by upping from the starting load on these powders, but moved on to more useful rounds for precision. I was shooting a WWII era M1 carbine.

[landlord]

Is it true you load a 30 carbine with 308 and 06 lead?

[Unclenick]

I would still, in general, use magnum primers, not for their magnum priming mix, but for their thicker cups better capable of resisting impact by the floating firing pin as a precaution against slamfires. Get the Federal GMM205MAR primer if you want a military sensitivity primer that's not magnum. Use the TulAmmo KVB556M or the CCI #41 for magnum versions.

[TATER]

Landlord,
Assuming that we understand the difference between Bullets and cartridges..
Yes, In that they are .308 in diameter.
The 30-06 , 30-30, 300 Win Mag, .308 Win and 300 Sav. And others are 30 caliber.
That being said, No, you would not load a 168grain FMJ in a .30 carbine.

[Mike1]

The Hodgdon reloading site has some info as well

http://data.hodgdon.com/cartridge_load.asp

I also found that reloading cast bullets was not exactly straight forward. COL varied quite a bit depending on the bullet, and it was critical to make sure the gun went into battery.

[Qtiphky]

My load for the 30 is 14.5 grains of H110 pushing a 110 FMJ bullet. Real good accuracy and works the action with no problems. I use small rifle primers with this load as that is what it called for.