Are 30-30 and 45-70 relatively easy rounds to reload for a beginner?

[PogoJack]

Greetings. I have a Lee single kit in the box in the garage, sitting there for about 8 years or so. I have been too scared to reload due to not wanting to store powder and primers and also worrying about causing a kaboom.

I might drive a couple of hours north AZ to a rural property and reload and test there within a couple of weeks.

Would you recommend either the 30-30 or 45-70 for a beginning reloader, or should I start with 9mm first?

This guy makes it looks relatively straightforward on the 45-70, but I am scared of not recognizing an issue with the case or boolit.

I would hate to blow up my face and/or my lever guns.

[justMike]

Your concerns are highly outsized to the actual risks in my opinion. Ordinary good sense precautions are very adequate to preclude 'disaster' scenarios.
The one concern that many don't think about and seems to rarely cause problems is static electricity. I'll leave that to others to discuss.
No guts, no glory though. Reloading outside has 'issues' of its own, like how wind might affect powder measurement.

[mrkubota]

I have a shop up in Cave Creek and can run through the process with you if you want to schedule some time. //Ben mrkubota@yahoo.com

[Divernhunter]

all are easy to reload.
I will be selling some 45-70 brass and bullets and 30-30 bullets. Maybe a bit of brass for the 30-30. I have lots of 9mm brass to sell also if you need some. Good prices.

[sofbak]

Start with 45-70. It's a straight wall case, so you won't be worrying over chamber headspace, case neck datum location and so on.
Go slow.
Ensure you have selected a powder, a projectile, and powder charge that are compatible-i.e., a combination with legit published load data.
Carefully (and accurately) measure the powder charge. Over or under weight charges are a leading contributor to bad reload events.
Unless you are working by torchlight, the probability of an unscheduled powder ignition is low.
And kabooms only occur in a sealed vessel (like a brass cartridge), in open space powder burns but doesn't go boom.

[bhilliker@comcast.net]

Divernhunter----I'd be happy to relive you of some of that 45-70 brass!!!!

[Imageview]

45-70 aside from having no neck also has enormous latitude in powder, if you're loading trapdoor loads you can accidentally add 5 more grains of powder and still be well within the safe range for a modern gun. 9mm ironically has very little latitude, because it needs to cycle.

[golfish]

Start with 45-70. It's a straight wall case, so you won't be worrying over chamber headspace

I've shot Apple's 45-70 but never loaded it or fondled the ammo. Last year I picked up a bunch of * - brass from the range and thought they looked like a larger .357 case. I've since learned that they are tapered cases and not straight wall. Lube should be used.

The single stage press is your friend. Go slow, study as much data as you can and you will succeed.

[ar15robert]

30-30 is pretty easy actually just take time and start lower load and go from there.

These days i load mine on the lower scale for target shooting.

[bhilliker@comcast.net]

In the past week I have shot 150 rounds of 45-70 with a falling block Uberti. 30 inch barrel. Half were 15 grains of Trail boss--other half 13.5 grains of trial boss. Shoulder is in tact. Friend loads 23 grains of IMR 4759. Shot several of those and had the same recoil as the Trail Boss. 4759 is discontinued but people have it and will let it go---friend just bought 8 lbs and I just bought 3. Hodgen is going to start making Trail Boss again this summer. Good luck---lot of fun with 45-70

[ar15barrels]

Greetings. I have a Lee single kit in the box in the garage, sitting there for about 8 years or so. I have been too scared to reload due to not wanting to store powder and primers and also worrying about causing a kaboom.

I might drive a couple of hours north AZ to a rural property and reload and test there within a couple of weeks.

Would you recommend either the 30-30 or 45-70 for a beginning reloader, or should I start with 9mm first?

I recommend starting with a straight wall pistol cartridge.
They are simpler because sizing is not nearly as critical.
SIzing on 30-30 and 45-70 are also not as critical as both of them are rimmed cartridges though so you could start with those.

After you have some experience with handgun and rimmed cases, then you can move on to something that actually headspaces on the shoulder and learn how to adjust the sizing die more precisely than just snugging it down against the shellholder.

[sigstroker]

.30-30 is going to be somewhat more complex because the case is bottlenecked. That means you need to have a way to measure the length, which could be a simple gauge, or a vernier caliper. The reason being that bottleneck cases stretch. So you also need a way to trim your cases, and a chamfer tool as well.

[PogoJack]

Thank you gents so much for this advice. I?ll read through it again slowly and update if I get the nerve. Thank you again!!!!

[bergmen]

Thank you gents so much for this advice. I?ll read through it again slowly and update if I get the nerve. Thank you again!!!!

There is virtually no reason to be afraid or concerned if you are careful and follow established, published procedures and recipes.

Go by published specifications from the major players (Speer, Hornady, Nosler, Lyman and many others) and you will be fine.

Pay SPECIAL attention when setting up powder measures using an accurate mechanical or digital scale. I've been reloading for 30 years or so and this is where I am most anal. I check and recheck before proceeding to charging the cases. No distractions during these steps, no music on the radio, no TV with a ball game going, NOTHING. Make sure there is no reason to be interrupted (take a leak before starting so all is well).

I never take anything for granted. After charging the cases, I visually check each and every case to make sure they are charged correctly before pressing the bullet in and crimping.

In 10s of thousands of rounds of all types rifle and pistol I have reloaded I've had ONE squib load in 9mm that missed a powder charge. That was 15+ years ago and I've been totally anal ever since. I KNOW all of my rounds are loaded to perfection these days and range sessions prove it.

I enjoy shooting BECAUSE I reload. I never have to go through the background check process and pay exorbitant fees for factory ammo ever again. I also can configure my loads to my goals both accuracy and/or recoil. Not possible with factory ammo.

Have fun!

Dan

[browndude]

30 30 win is what provoked me to get into this side hobby to target shooting. This guy's videos helped me alot. Esp. By watching them over n over to catch the details to avoid mistakes. And take your time even tho a single stage is best way to start off.

https://youtu.be/wNa9SIN50mY?si=UwOrj9ZWOwBmQ1O6