.30-30 OAL for Reloading

[kmittleman]

Hi Guys,


I'm relatively new to reloading and am working up loads for my Marlin 336 in .30-30. Does it matter if I size the cartridge to the max OAL as described in the schematic (of the .30-30 in my relaoding manual) or can it be just anywhere between min. to max. OAL?

Thanks in advance!

-Kevin

[J Miller]

I have never seen a lever action 30-30 that cared the least bit about a few thousands in over all length. When in doubt build a dummy round and see if it will feed and function through your rifle.

For my 30-30s I trim the cases to 2.028" (as per the Winchester loading guides I have) after full length sizing them, then I seat my bullets to crimp in the crimp grove.
I have never in 46 years of loading the 30-30 had a rifle that would balk at rounds loaded in this manner.

Joe

[iceman]

I do the same, check the trim to length after sizing, if inside the parameters, seat to groove and go at it. I also check once in a while to make sure the first of the batch feeds properly before doing a batch.

[earlmck]

Like J Miller and iceman said, there is no trick at all so long as you are loading bullets manufactured specifically for the 30/30. You just make sure your brass case hasn't grown too long (is still within spec for case length) and then seat to the crimp groove. Gets a bit more interesting when you use bullets that don't have a crimp groove, or one put there for some other cartridge. (For example, bullets made for the 30 carbine can make a pretty nice plinking round for quite a lot less than you'd spend making the standard 30/30 load) Then you'll have to watch the OAL more closely. All the OAL length means to you is that you can be sure if you keep to that as a max it will feed through any 30/30 rifle out there. I usually play with my individual rifle a bit to see just where it would stop feeding because of being too long, but that's just me. Your rifle will probably accept a round just a schosh longer than the loading book gives as max OAL.

Using other bullets with a real blunt shape there is the possibility that you could have the bullet start to jam into the rifling while still within the book OAL. You'd feel that as a bit hard to close the action and you'd see rifling marks on the bullet and know you needed to seat those a bit deeper. I haven't had that happen to me with the 30/30 but it sure happens to me when loading for the 35 Remington.

[Sarge]

I do the same, check the trim to length after sizing, if inside the parameters, seat to groove and go at it. I also check once in a while to make sure the first of the batch feeds properly before doing a batch.

Same here. Trim and crimp in the cannelure... reliable, accurate ammunition results.

[93marshooter]

Max OAL of 30-30 is 2.550. I have two Marlins, a newer "Revelation 200" from the 1970s it is much more forgiving of aol of bullets. It is the modern round bolt rifle. My other is a model 93. It will not chamber any thing longer than 2.550 from the mag. It will accept longer rounds fed one at a time. After getting a few stuck in the receiver between bolt and bore, I am careful to mike all of my reloads brass and loaded ammo for both rifles.

[win38-55]

For my 30-30 loads I use 150 Grain Winchester bullets. Set to an overall length of 2.555 and have never had a problem.
I also use 31 grains of IMR 3031 which makes for a real nice shooting bullet. Along with CCI benchrest primers.