Calguns Reloading clinic invitation for those that want to learn.

[stilly]

Carla's going to teach me to reload, as soon as I get the dies and consumables for .30 carbine, unless we get impatient and start with some .45 rounds for me to burn in her 1911. She'll help me find out what combo the little carbine likes. Too bad we can't reload rimfire. I've been going through that stuff like candy.


FWIW, Carla also introduced me to Ed's Red, and that's when I learned that the smell makes me turn a pretty shade of green. I'll stick with Hoppes, thanks.

Stilly, GITD bullets?? *DO* tell! My kind of thing....

Enjoy... My picz do not lie!

[Lil Stinkpot]

I see what you did there. How does the extra layer do in the barrel? Any significant fouling?

[stilly]

Powdercoat STICKS like duracoat or cerakote. It hugs the lead and does NOT let go, because it is softer and somewhat flexible, it will compress rather than chip or flake off. We are still compiling data on the PC but so far it is a good thing. It actually seems to CLEAN the barrel... :O No fouling at all mainly.

[Asphodel]

Question for you reloaders; can 30-30 be reloaded. When I bought my Marlin lever action at an auction a few years back, I figured I would be able to buy reloads just like I could for my 9mm, .45 and .38. I guess I figured wrong, since I couldn't find any. I even called a place that specializes in reloads and was told they didn't.

So, do people reload that caliber. I love shooting my lever action, but factory ammo isn't cheap. I shot 150 grain and was happy with that. I bought one box of 170 grain once and I'm no wuss, but decided the 150 was more comfortable.

I also appreciated the gentleman years ago who let me shoot his 45-70, but after one shot, I thanked him and gave him back the other ammo he had given me to shoot. Big, big difference between 30-30 and his ammo.

See you on the 16th and if I get the hang of this reloading thing, I hope to eventually reload 30-30. I like shooting the rifle and my son fell in love with it.

Hi, retired

(I get to be 'retired' these days, also)

Yes, 30-30 is one of the easiest cartridges to reload.

I've loaded well over a couple thousand of them, over the years, as I used to use my old M94 to provide basic instruction, introduction to centre-fire rifle shooting, for newbies. The 30-30, with 150's and loads just a little 'softer' than factory rounds, was ideal for that purpose.

The first, obvious question, is whether you have any friends who do reloading and would allow you the use of equipment.

If so, all you need are the dies, powder, primers, and bullets, plus a reliable reloading manual which specifies the details of case length, powders and charge weights to use, etc.

Personally, I like 'Pet Loads' by Ken Waters, a compendium of his work for Handloader magazine, over the years, in which he published the practical test results from a variety of loadings for each of the cartridges he loaded for research purposes.

Mr Waters' chapter on 30-30 goes into great detail of practical test results, with different powders, charge weights, and bullet weights, relative to 'pressure signs' (evidence that a load is too hot, so must not be used), accuracy, and chronographed velocity.

Its reasonable that one of his recommended loadings would be the best place for you to begin. You may find that your particular rifle is more accurate with a somewhat 'softer' load with 150's, or that it 'prefers' 170's at 'factory load' levels.......rifles are individualistic, and the only way you will learn what your rifle 'likes' for best accuracy is by 'trial and error' over time.

If you don't have a friend who has loading equipment and will help you, you can 'improvise' fairly cheaply, with the simple, but slow 'Lee Loader', an old-style simple loading system. The simple instructions for the use of the loader are included with it.

You will also need a best quality powder scale, with the 'check weights' for it, as reliably accurate charge weight is essential both for accuracy and for your safety. The little special tool used to clean the primer pocket is inexpensive.

You needn't invest in a tumbler to clean cases, for small quantities, just polish them gently with fine steel wool, taking care to remove any steel wool particles.

You can avoid the investment in a good dial or vernier caliper by getting a 'case length gage', which holds the case like the rifle chamber, but is hardened, so that you can file off any excess case length safely with a fine-toothed file. Removing the burrs left after filing a case to length is obvious, using the file gently on the exterior of the case mouth, and delicately 'shaving' the 'mouth' of the case with a small, sharp pen-knife blade.

The 30-30 is one of the cartridges in which the case must be 'crimped' into the 'cannelure', a 'crimping recess' in the bullet. Bullets for any tubular magazine 30-30 are specific for that purpose, being flat or soft nose to prevent the bullet tip from firing the cartridge ahead of it in the magazine, during recoil.

The 'over-all length' of a 30-30 round is controlled by the case crimp into the cannelure of a standard bullet specified for 30-30. It is obvious, once seen and compared to a factory round.

You will find that loading for 30-30 is easy, albeit tedious, if you take care to perform each of the necessary steps in the process by exactly following the specified protocol, particularly being certain of the powder you use. In this modern age of the internet, you can find many videos of loading operations on the 'you-tube' programme, so you may observe various details of technique.

(Always keep powder in the original containers, and carefully double-check that any other powders are put well away from your loading area, so that only the desired one is readily accessible), and take particular care to weigh each and every charge accurately. ('thrown' charges 'by volume' with a powder measure are alright, if done carefully, for 'plinking rounds' for handguns, but accurate rifle loadings require accurate charge weight)

The only really bad handloading accident I know of, which has happened recently, was that of an uncommonly negligent man who thought he was loading for his 30-06 with one of the standard rifle powders, such as 4895 or 4064, but, with an amazing level of negligence, loaded '06 with an equivalent charge weight of a fast pistol powder, such as Unique or Bullseye. I saw the photos of what was left of the rifle, when one of those was fired. Fortunately, the firer suffered only minor injury. The 'moral of the story' is obvious )

Added on edit........I had a 'something isn't quite right' feeling after writing the above, and remembered that I'd never used the 'Lee Loader' for 30-30. So......I did some looking on the internet, and, as I feared, the Lee Loader will indeed load 30-30, but a seperate 'crimp die' is required to correctly crimp the case into the bullet cannelure. Apparently, an inexpensive Lee light press and the die required can be obtained from Midway or similar suppliers. It might not be your best investment, tho, all things considered.

If you can find a 'deal' on the smaller pattern of RCBS press (or its equivalent in another good make), and justify the investment for a set of RCBS or equivalent quality dies, it may take awhile to recover the cost of setting-up to load your rounds as compared to just buying factory rounds, but the better equipment will make loading much easier, and you will 'come out ahead' in the long run.

Yet one more edit......no matter which style of dies you use for rifle cases, the cases must be oiled or some 'case lube' applied, so that you don't risk having a case 'sticking' in the die. Use a Q-tip to apply a bit of 'case-lube' to the inside of the case mouth, so that the expander ball runs smoothly. Remember to rinse the cases in acetone or lacquer thinner to remove all traces of lubricant before loading, and allowing time for the solvent to surely all evaporate. Do this outside, as solvent fumes are not good for you.

There is a variety of case-lube which is alleged to be water-soluble, so that you can simply rinse the cases in hot water, and dry them in the oven, at, say, 350-ish deg. for 15 minutes or so. I don't remember the make, tho.

You might, by putting in a 'wanted' advert in the suitable area here, find a 'deal' on a good used light pattern press, when someone is 'up-grading' their equipment. I got one of my RCBS presses at a garage sale, still new in its box, but rusted-up from storage in a damp garage, from someone who 'was going to load rounds, but just never got around to it'......but I'd be embarrassed to mention how cheaply it was offered me.....sometimes one just 'gets lucky'.

cheers

Carla

[stilly]

Interesting...

Ken Waters has a GREAT book. I had a hunch it came out from magazine columns, then put into two volumes, then finally combined.

GREAT book! It is like cliff notes for reloading! I like how he rates different powders for accuracy or best loads. (Thus the name PET loads...)

Xtreme sells .308 bullets for 30-30. I think they are like 150GR or something, but they will be plated and last I heard they were decent. Cheap too...

http://www.xtremebullets.com/308-150-FP-p/xc308-150fp-b0500.htm

Wow, Carla just summed up about what we will be telling you on Sunday. No need to attend anymore.

[Asphodel]

Hi, Stilly,

If 'retired' is in your area, and can participate in one of your reloading group events, that would be wonderful......its always nice to have the opportunity to socialise a bit with other 'gun freaks'........and.....in all that 'yobble-yobble' above, I only 'skimmed the surface' or 'covered some of the basics'......enough, maybe, to 'just get a start' on some of the details of loading good rounds.

If you can provide 'retired' with the use of a good press, and a good scale, that would be a very helpful thing to do, and, I'm sure, would be quite appreciated.

Theres quite a few little subtleties in load development which can, and hopefully will, make the difference between the usual 2+ moa and a 1 moa 100yd. group, with a Winchester or Marlin lever rifle, and it does take some time and practice.

cheers

Carla

[stilly]

Hi, Stilly,

If 'retired' is in your area, and can participate in one of your reloading group events, that would be wonderful......its always nice to have the opportunity to socialise a bit with other 'gun freaks'........and.....in all that 'yobble-yobble' above, I only 'skimmed the surface' or 'covered some of the basics'......enough, maybe, to 'just get a start' on some of the details of loading good rounds.

If you can provide 'retired' with the use of a good press, and a good scale, that would be a very helpful thing to do, and, I'm sure, would be quite appreciated.

Theres quite a few little subtleties in load development which can, and hopefully will, make the difference between the usual 2+ moa and a 1 moa 100yd. group, with a Winchester or Marlin lever rifle, and it does take some time and practice.

cheers

Carla

LoL. I believe he is on the list. Most of the presses seem to be Rock Chuckers or maybe a Lee or two. So he might be leaving a little bit more green then when he showed up.