first 30-30 loads

[kielbasavw]

Actually first loads ever. Recently got my table together and needed to make some loads to sight in a rifle I got.

Hornady 150gr soft point round nose.
30gr IMR 3031
CCI 200 large rifle primers
Overall length 2.550

Only did 38, since that's all the brass I had. Only one out of three books gave me a trim length and over all length. Wasn't sure how short I could go, so I set them at the max length.

I used my rcbs reloader special press, rcbs dies, along with their trim die. I primed the brass with the universal arm setup (very neat how that works by the way). Used uniflow powder measure, but was getting quite inconsistant weights.. like +\- up to 5 whole grains, but typically anywhere from 1-3 whole grains, so I used a trickler to get uniform weights.

My first finished round I accidently crimped it a biiiiit much which shortened the length by about .015.

Most are dead nuts 2.550 but a few are a couple thou short. What do you guys think?









Over crimped. Safe to shoot or tear it apart?

[tiller]

Lmao holy smokes!!!! That is some crimp job!!
I dont even think that would pull... Might just save that one as your first prize reload.

Other than that the other look pretty good

Powder drop inconsistency is from the stick powder

[kielbasavw]

How do the rest of the crimps look? I also read that a baffle in the powdermeasure might help

[Bumslie]

Send it to me. I'll shoot it

Looks good. Congrats!

[Ferrum]

No ladder loads? That heavy of a crimp is gonna suck to pull rounds from, if your rifle doesn't like them.

[Ferrum]

Send it to me. I'll shoot it

Looks good. Congrats!

Dude

[kielbasavw]

No ladder loads because the rifle is not sighted in at all. I prefer to sight it in with your typical proven 30-30 load, then I can play with other loads later.

When you say pulling the bullets, are you referring to the over crimped one, or the rest of them?

[Enfield47]

Congrats on your first reloads. The longer grain powders may not ever work too well in your powder measure. For me, I found it easier to use a Lee dipper and trickle to the desired weight. I don't have a powder trickler so I use a spare case with a primer still in it and twist it back and forth between my thumb and index finger - works like a charm. This is what I do when loading rounds with IMR 4064.

[Ferrum]

No ladder loads because the rifle is not sighted in at all. I prefer to sight it in with your typical proven 30-30 load, then I can play with other loads later.

When you say pulling the bullets, are you referring to the over crimped one, or the rest of them?

Regardless of the rifle being sighted in, I always do ladder loads. How do you know that the recipe your using, proven or not, is going to work in your rifle? Too many variables for me to load a bunch of the same rounds that I haven't shot in my rifle. Just my $.02.

[kielbasavw]

How am I gonna get sighted in with a bunch of random loads.. and its a lever gun... I'm sure they are close enough. I've been told and read 30gr of imr 3031 is a go to load for any 30-30. So ill take my chances :-D

[Exodus343]

must... resist... wanting a 30-30...

[mark501w]

I'am currently loading for .30-30 your length is fine 30 grs is OK. I as a max go to 32grs of IMR 3031. You are crimping to much won't hurt anything but, you will start wrinkling your case. You need a good crimp so you won't push your bullets into the case under recoil. You didn't mention trim legnth, you can't have them to long that will give you pressure problems! Now for the biggie you have a very good reloading set up there including the powder measure , did you mean .5 gr of a variation +or-? If you meant 5grs variation you have a problem that powder measurer shouldn't have that kind of slop. That plastic chingas on the bottom have a small hole? You can get powder bridging in the space above it. I think they used to give you 2 one large one small if not might be something to think about? If you snap the powder measurer the same way each time the loads will smooth out. Separate your cases by manufacturer when you sight in & look for pressure sighns. They will shoot a little low boost them up next time & you should be good.

[kielbasavw]

5whole grains, not tenths. Problem is the long powder won't let me throw consistently. It always locks up and I have to cut what ever is stuck.
Trim length was done with a trim die, which cuts it at 2.0305.
Is there a better overall length to go for? Or setting at max length is what to aim for? My books dont really explain that.. one book only gives me a # and that's it.

[kielbasavw]

And my "good rounds" are still over crimped? Thought they seemed fine guess I gotta keep that in mind next go around

[jwc]

I use the same powder thrower with no baffle and it drops 29.5 grains of IMR 3031 very consistently.

I found that pulling the lever up and down firmly the same way every time is the key to having it drop the exact same amount of powder each time.

I agree that stick powder is hard to meter though. I plan to switch to Benchmark powder once I use my remaining stock of 3031.