Some "Possible" .30-30 Reloading Help for Folks (Slight Shoulder Bump)

[brianpa]

Thanks for the load info I've been trying some 170gr. loads with W748 with no luck. So I will try 33gr of W748

[Luv the lever]

Thanks for the info. So far 1 or 2 x’s shot, 150 Hornady FN with 33 gns BLC2 resulting well. I’ve now gone and sorted by weight but can’t decide just how close is close enough? I separated by .1 gn each but now thinking .3-.5 should be close enough.

[Mags]

Thanks for the info. So far 1 or 2 x’s shot, 150 Hornady FN with 33 gns BLC2 resulting well. I’ve now gone and sorted by weight but can’t decide just how close is close enough? I separated by .1 gn each but now thinking .3-.5 should be close enough.

For my I own I go with .2-.3 as close enough without going over what I'm targeting.

[Mr. Neutron]

Sorry I’m late gettin’ back here. If you’re talking about powder charge variations, I’m definitely no reloading “Guru”, but I personally agree totally with Mags’ advice. I’ve read somewhere that for hunting rifles, a charge variation of +/- .5 grains in large capacity cases *probably* wouldn’t influence the outcome of shots at most hunting ranges. For some reason, I try to hold mine closer than that in the interest of consistency. I weigh every charge for my rifle loads. Just the way I’ve done it for a long time. Not sure I’d consider a 30-30 a “large capacity” case to begin with. But I am absolutely certain under field conditions most of us wouldn’t notice a .2-.3 grain variation in a charge.

One thing I don’t do is weigh is my brass, like the bench rest shooters do. Seems like it probably wouldn’t net ya much of an advantage (for accuracy) in a hunting rifle. I just try to stay with only one brand of brass for each of my rifles.

Which brings up a question I’d like to ask: Do most of y’all load mixed brass, or try to stay with cases from only 1 manufacturer? If you shoot the mixed brands of cases, with one powder charge, bullet, & primer combo, do you notice any differences in groupings?

[Rifletom]

In rifles, I stay with one brand of brass, usually Winchester. .45 Colt, it's all Starline. In .38 spl and .45 acp, whatever I have on hand for the most part.
And that is usually Win, Fed, R-P and Speer.

[Vaquero]

I've never worried about head stamps, like Neutron says I ain't no bench rest shooter.
I most just plink with them, sure a lot of the rifles find their way into the field from time to time. One of the reasons for having them.
Just like the 3 shot group I posted above, they could have all been the same as well as could've been all different. No clue.
As long as they shoot groups similar to that, heck I'm satisfied.

RP

[Mags]

...
Which brings up a question I’d like to ask: Do most of y’all load mixed brass, or try to stay with cases from only 1 manufacturer? If you shoot the mixed brands of cases, with one powder charge, bullet, & primer combo, do you notice any differences in groupings?

I see no difference with mixed brand brass. Also no difference in primer brand or type.
My .2-.3 close enough without going over is/was mostly driven by my powder measure. Got tired of trying to iteratively dial it in to get it exact. Then after shooting found out that little variance didn't matter in the target results. So i go with close enough now.

[Mr. Neutron]

I see no difference with mixed brand brass. Also no difference in primer brand or type.
My .2-.3 close enough without going over is/was mostly driven by my powder measure. Got tired of trying to iteratively dial it in to get it exact. Then after shooting found out that little variance didn't matter in the target results. So i go with close enough now.

And this is with .30-30 stuff? Good to know! I have a bit of mixed brass; some I was given, and some I shot from my own rifle. I'd really like to load these up just to have on hand. And I don't feel like my RCBS powder measure is any more repeatable than say, that +/- .2 grain spread, with pretty much any powder I've tried. Likely doesn't matter, huh?

For my .45 ACP, my little .380 ACP, and every other handgun I've loaded for, it was always a mix of range brass or just whatever I could get to feed those guns. My Kimber 45 has never been too picky about what it got fed, and I'm pretty certain I could put rocks in the magazine of my little .380 LCP Max, and it would feed them, fire 'em, and eject them. And still not be very accurate, hee hee.......

[Mags]

And this is with .30-30 stuff?

For this topic yes, .30-30.
Two other calibers, I'm a little bit more discerning with separating brass.
o With 45 colt I have 3 buckets, Winchester brass, Reused Hornady Leverevolution brass and everything else.
oo For whatever reason the RCBS Universal shell holder jaws used in the case trimmer and primer tools have trouble grasping Winchester 45 colt brass.
oo Hornady Leverevolution brass case length is shorter than standard 45 colt brass.

o I keep .223/5.56 brass separate. New and once fired 5.56 brass needs to have the primer pocket swaggered.

I don't separate brass brands in .380 and 45 acp either.

... And I don't feel like my RCBS powder measure is any more repeatable than say, that +/- .2 grain spread, with pretty much any powder I've tried. Likely doesn't matter, huh?

I think it matters when loading small calibers. The RCBS powder measure I have isn't too repeatable dropping 3ish and less grains of powder. It sometimes under drops.

[Mr. Neutron]

Nice, helpful post, Mags!

The RCBS powder measure I have isn't too repeatable dropping 3ish and less grains of powder. It sometimes under drops.

Man, did I ever find that to be true this afternoon! I realize it’s off topic, but I got into some small pistol primers at BiMart this morning. I’ve had some .380 ACP brass, powder, and lead bullets sittin’ for months on my mess I call a reloading bench. They’re MAGNUM Small Pistol caps, but at this point in time I’d possibly stuff a dog turd in the primer pockets if I thought it might ignite a round.

And the ole RCBS powder measure kinda lived up to it's small charge-challenged reputation and sucked like a bucketful of ticks on those tiny (2.8 grains ) charges of Bullseye. It works pretty well for 30-something grain charges of Win 748 for .30-30 rounds and larger. Thankfully…….. I do use a trickler for most of my rifle rounds, then weigh each one. Takes a lotta time, and I know I probably sometimes make rounds that can outshoot my skill level now. Whatever. It keeps me off the streets, huh?

Added in EDIT: Mags, when I need to trim my 30-30 cases, my RCBS case trimmer sounds as if it's about like yours. Doesn't hold the flange of the case well at all. I've kinda given upon it, as much as I like RCBS's stuff, and am using a Lee case trimming setup for the 30-30. It seems to be a bit more consistent.