30-40 Krag AI

[Mac11700]

Thanks to Quick..I am now a proud owner of a nice little 30-30 barrel that locks tighter than a bank vault on my NTM 45 BC frame..With one of my spare forearms that I added a brass insert and bedded for the forearm screw it is completely free floated and you actually have to apply some downward pressure to open it up. I have to wait and see if it is pulling the lug off of the hing pin and if consistency is effected..but from my discussions with Quick the barrel is a real good shooter to start with.



Right now it has my old red checkered laminates on it..




But I am wanting to change them when I can to a full Fiddle-back Maple Manlicher from Gunstocks Inc. That will have to wait for a while,but first I have decided to give the 30-40 Krag AI a whirl. I've been researching the various calibers and waffling between many as we all do,and have settled on this one cartridge. While many have offered some great suggestion of what I should do,thanks to Remington they have eliminated any hope of my doing a 308 since they won't or can't give any serious type of time line for a production run of suitable barrels to have re-bored to make one.

I think the 30-40 AI should offer me something close to what I wanted,albeit in lighter barrel configuration. I've run across some loading data for the Ruger #3 for the factory 30-40 Krag which has some interesting loads in it..http://www.loaddata.com/members/search_detail.cfm?MetallicID=3198&caliber=.30&caliberid=12&header=.30%20Caliber%20Reloading%20Data..If these or higher loads can be safely done,then I will be extremely happy with the results.

Now I just have to go shoot this one first just to see how well the old 30-30 does and then get it packed up and shipped off to Oregunsmithing to have it converted..I hope to have some better wood on it by hunting season and all of my load development done before the leaves start turning for once in my life..I procrastinate way too much when there's work to be done in the yard..

If anyone has some good load data feel free to PM me and I will give it a good evaluation..Ebaco dies will be used and I've got some 168 Grain Bergers and CT SBT's to load with so-far..and hopefully soon a nice assortment of other bullets to try..

Mac

[quickdtoo]

Looks good Mac, range report please!! 

Tim

[aromakr]

Mac:
I've shot a 30/40 AI for over forty years, Now the loads I've used were in a Winchester Hi-wall or a sharps/Borchart so back off to start.
I've had great luck with Hogdon's H380 and Imr 4320. all these loads are in Winchester cases & Win standard rifle primers. 168 gr Sierra boat tail HP. My starting load was 51.5 gr IMR 4320 and 54.0 gr H380. I've gone as High as 53 gr of 4320 and 55.5 grains of H380. My best load was 52.0 gr of 4320 into 5/16" group and a muzzle velocity of 3065 fps. These were shot at the indoor range at RCBS using there chronograph and of course no wind in the tunnel. This is a great cartridge that has taken many animals in that forty years.
Bob

[Mac11700]

Quick...as soon as I am able I will..

BoB:

Thanks I am anxious to get this done and will give your loads a try.

Mac

[dpe.ahoy]

Mac, the more I look at your stocks, the more I like em.  Gonna have to keep an eye on the classifieds for a set like that.  DP

[Mac11700]

Thanks..

Good luck on finding a set of these on the classifieds..I would say from the way they have sold in the past you would have to be buying them with-in minutes of them being posted..I still kick myself for not buying a set of the Curly Maples when I had the chance..I've thought about selling these a few times,but don't know if I should since I know they most likely won't never offer them again with checkering..but if anyone wants them that has a set of the Curly Maple ones..pm me and we'll talk 

Mac

[quickdtoo]

Site sponsor GSI makes a similar laminate called midnight rose.

Tim

http://www.gunstocksinc.com/web_pages/Laminate--samples.htm

http://www.gunstocksinc.com/web_pages/Plate-pics/NEF-stocks/Handi-rifle-stocks.htm

[dpe.ahoy]

Curly Maple is another set that is super sharp and on my list of "look fer's".  DP

[Mac11700]

Site sponsor GSI makes a similar laminate called midnight rose.

Tim

http://www.gunstocksinc.com/web_pages/Laminate--samples.htm

http://www.gunstocksinc.com/web_pages/Plate-pics/NEF-stocks/Handi-rifle-stocks.htm

But they aren't finished or checkered are they Quick? Will they finish them for ya on a special order?

Mac

[quickdtoo]

No checkering, I think the only finishing they do is the butt pad, but I've never asked Ed.

Tim

[Mac11700]

No checkering, I think the only finishing they do is the butt pad, but I've never asked Ed.

Tim

Would be nice if they did...but don't know how much that would add to the cost...

Mac

[quickdtoo]

Give Ed a call and see what he says, ya never know what you can talk him into!! 

Tim

[Mac11700]

Give Ed a call and see what he says, ya never know what you can talk him into!! 

Tim

Just might have to do that..

Mac

[PHATINJUN]

I don't have any loads to share with you Mac as I got turned off by the price of the AI dies and just did the 30/40 Krag with my Handi but I like it just the same lots of fun to shoot and accurate as I can shoot. good luck with it and keep us posted. Kurt

[quickdtoo]

Eabco has the dies for $60, some data too.

Tim

http://www.eabco.com/reload03.html

[PHATINJUN]

I wonder if they have not come down on the dies I was sure when I checked them almost 2 yrs ago they were like twice that but then again I'm gettin old and could be wrong maybe the price had some thing to do with the reamer. But at the time I think Eabco was the place I found them. Kurt