30-30, Cast Bullets, Lee Loaders?

[flmason]

Hi All,
      Are Lee Loaders OK for lever guns? Have never used them for anything but straight walled pistol and shotgun rounds to date. Have seen one vid of a gent using Lee Loader for 45-70 in a Marlin CB model, I think it was.

Are flat nosed bullets considered mandatory in tube mags these days? I thought round nose was OK to... but have recently read of a round nosed incident that led to an explosion in the mag.

[Ranger99]

never had any problems with roundnose
projectiles in a 30/30 either with safety
or accuracy. if you're loading cast with a
lee loader, you'll want to get the little flare
tool they offer for it if you haven't already.
i've put a lot of lee loader ammo through
a marlin lever, and a handi, and a contender.
you'll want to keep your once-fired brass
separate though. i believe they tell you that
on the little card in the box.
good luck

[blaze]

I used LeeLoaders for years (& yrs ago) to load 30-30 and 22 Hornet (both rimmed cartridges).  But I never really cared for the priming process (using a hammer) and bullet/case crimping process (needed for 30-30 tubular magazines).  Made very good reloads though.  The flair tool mentioned is necessary for cast bullet reloads.  Since I have never had a "reloading room" as such,  I currently used a Lee hand tool with standard Lee dies and lee priming tool.  Makes very good ammunition with both cast and jacketed bullets.  A little on the slow side, but I like it that way for accuracy and safety.  I've loaded both round nose and flat nose, jacketed and cast bullets for my 30-30's and never had any problems (50 years).  Start with your LeeLoader, get experience (if your new at it), and move up to other reloading equipment in time.

[flmason]

I used LeeLoaders for years (& yrs ago) to load 30-30 and 22 Hornet (both rimmed cartridges).  But I never really cared for the priming process (using a hammer) and bullet/case crimping process (needed for 30-30 tubular magazines).  Made very good reloads though.  The flair tool mentioned is necessary for cast bullet reloads.  Since I have never had a "reloading room" as such,  I currently used a Lee hand tool with standard Lee dies and lee priming tool.  Makes very good ammunition with both cast and jacketed bullets.  A little on the slow side, but I like it that way for accuracy and safety.  I've loaded both round nose and flat nose, jacketed and cast bullets for my 30-30's and never had any problems (50 years).  Start with your LeeLoader, get experience (if your new at it), and move up to other reloading equipment in time.

I don't have one, and obviously you might as well get a press if you are going to do this.... but one person suggested using them with a bottle cap press (and of course and arbor press).

I've been wondering about a c-clamp, though I guess if something went wrong that could basically = a pipe bomb.

Lee Hand Press seems like the next step up. But I still reflexively order a Lee Classic when I buy a gun in a new caliber.  Learned on Lee Classic for shotshells and Single stage for brass as a kid. My father was into it... but never used a Lee on bottlenecks.

Glad to hear they work for 30-30 lever guns nicely. Guess I have an irrational attachment to the Lee Classic's simplicity.

Need one in 8mm Mauser eventually. Rarely see those these days. Saw one in Ebay in the last year.

[Ranger99]

never had an accident reloading (yet)
with a lee loader or one of my rockchuckers.
there is a certain amount of finesse to be
used when reloading, either with a mallet and
lee loader, or any type of compound lever press.
i would hypothesize that most reloading accidents
would occur from distractions while loading
which would cause mistakes in powder measurements
or some misaligned or altered dimension loads,
or lack of finesse or feel using the press or
priming tools.
if one doesn't have the necessary patience or
or the ability to "feel" proper press action, i
would think reloading at all would be unsafe.
that's why i believe reloading is a skill better
shown to a novice by an experienced reloader
better than read in a book or watched on youfloob.
and don't forget the eye protection.

[flmason]

Thought I'd try to revive this thread. Sprang for the the low end Remlin 336W this weekend. Should be here next week...+ 10 days for Ca. waiting period.

Since I tend to believe in casting my own... I'm wondering what everyone's favorite bullets and or loads that approximate factory loads are.

Was looking at the old Phil Sharpe book from the 30's... looks like a Lee 170g. RF over 21 gr. of 2400 would get one close, but would need to have a gas check I guess.

I'm wondering that if one plans to use cast, whether the same basic gun in 44 mag. might not be a better choice... heavier bullet weight... so  you can be effective (within range) without gas checks and such?

Really wanted the 45-70, but just haven't been seeing them NIB, and Marlin told me they are backlogged into 2014... so figured, "what the heck... 30-30 has a 100+ year history of being effective... I'm no great white hunter... I can wait until next year for the SS 45-70."

It's not like there's a rush, but did want something that straddled the line between bolt action and the AK/SKS thing. A little faster if used for self defense, but not semi-auto so ammo sensitivity isn't so crucial. Were I not in Ca. and prices not so high these days, I *would* be looking at AK, SKS, M1A, etc.

Anyway, I'm big on rolling my own as much as possible. But I'm wondering if 30-30 really is best served with factory jackeded bullets?

That was one of it's orignal claims to fame, no? "First commercial smokeless round intended for metal patched bullets"?

[DCmauser]

Low-end 336W - well I see that many are available now, but no so many higher-end Walnut ones, at this time.  Is it a supply & demand thing?  Various websites and perhaps a gbo sponsor may have walnut stock upgrades or replacements, (some even OEM ones).  I would imagine that rifles, including lever actions, are a significant part of Mr. Lee's re-loading enterprize.

[RPRNY]

Sharpe's book is a great read and a good fundamental for reloaders but the load data shouldn't be taken verbatim 76 years later. Can you use 2400 with cast bullets in the 30-30? Yes, you can. But IMR 4198 might serve you better and today 's 2400 is not exactly the same as in 1937. SR 4759 is also an interesting powder in 30-30 cast.

170 gr tumble lubed bullet at 1850 mv sized. 311 would be my starting point. I shoot the 311291 albeit with gas checks so sized and I sm very happy with them. I would suggest that a wheelweight
170 gr tumble lube bullet over a 3/4 Max load of SR4759, or a modern load of 2400 if that's what you want to use,  will get you in the black.

Sent from my Kindle Fire using Tapatalk 2

[flmason]

Low-end 336W - well I see that many are available now, but no so many higher-end Walnut ones, at this time.  Is it a supply & demand thing?  Various websites and perhaps a gbo sponsor may have walnut stock upgrades or replacements, (some even OEM ones).  I would imagine that rifles, including lever actions, are a significant part of Mr. Lee's re-loading enterprize.

Yeah, I know. Give my druthers I'd have had a stainless 45-70, but that's just not the market right now. I prefer stainless when the model I want can be had in it. An 1886 Winchester or 1895CB would've worked to... though at the prices for the 1886, I'd have to have a M1A unless it happened to be a pristine vintage 1886. Problem is, I'm not qualified to evaluate a vintage 1886.

I think what it comes down to is that anything with any firepower at all has been being snapped up... 336W, being the least attractive of the bunch, and it's not much more expensive for the better models... 336W is what was left over.

For example, I'm seeing some of the makes seen as more marginal, like Rossi, are still on the shelves. Not saying a current Rossi is better or worse the the current Remlin... don't really know... I just think that perception is that way, so they are still not sold out.