Reloading Henry 30-30

[Reef]

Hi everyone, been away for a few years. I recently purchased a Henry 30-30 and I'm having a heck of time with reloading for it. Here are the specifics:

Rifle-Henry 30-30 Model H009G
Bullet- Speer 30 Cal (.308) 110 gr. Round Nose Soft Point
Manual- Hornady
Trim Length- 2.029
OAL- 2.490

The issue, I made a dummy round, no powder/primer and seated the bullet to a 2.490 and then adjusted the die for the roll crimp. I then chambered the round and felt some resistance while closing the lever. After the round was rejected it measured 2.417.

Any help is appreciated.

 

[zeke]

Looks like the col is too long for your specific chamber. Perhaps the Speer bullet has a differing profile from the Hdy 110, which is where it appears the 2.490 came from.

Either way, might want to consider another dummy round with COL shorter than 2.417

 

[big al hunter]

Check to see if the bullet hit the rifling during loading. You may need seating too far out.

Take a wood dowel or cleaning rod and put it down the barrel with the action closed. Mark the rod when it is against the bolt face. The mark needs to be precise and thin.

Then open the action and slide a projectile into the chamber with a pencil or some other short rod to hold the bullet gently against the rifling. Then slide the rod down the barrel again. Mark the rod when it is touching the tip of the bullet. This takes both hands to hold both rods, you may need help or a rifle holder.

Measure the distance between the marks and subtract .02 inches. That will be a good starting length for your loaded cartridge.

 

[Reef]

Thanks Zeke

 

[Reef]

Thanks Big Al Hunter. I just referenced the Speer Manual #14 page 431 and there's a Lab note describing my situation.

 

[zeke]

Thanks Zeke

you're welcome

 

[44 AMP]

That's a bullet intended for the M1 carbine there's no crimp groove. Should not be used in tubular magazines, can be single loaded with NO crimp.

Looks like you roll crimped the case where there was no place to roll crimp it, and as a result the case bulged. That is probably the resistance you felt chambering the round.

Specs for COAL .30-30 are 2.550" so you're well below that and I doubt the short bullet hit the rifling.

Not sure why the length changed, unless, did you load it in the magazine then cycle it into the chamber??

With no crimp groove to crimp into a roll crimp doesn't hold well, and can even REDUCE the case neck's hold on the bullet. If that round went through the magazine, that would account for it being shorter. If not, I have no clue what pushed the bullet back

If you want that light bullet weight for the .30-30, get some of the Speer 110gr HP "varminter" bullets. The flat lead tip hollow point makes them safe in tube magazines and it has a crimp groove (cannelure) which is needed for use in tube magazines.

 

[zeke]

44 mag made a good catch on the roll crimp, as i missed that. If that slight bulge was too tight for the chamber neck, maybe that is what caused the col to shorten. What is forcing the bullet back is fairly easy to check with another dummy round. Make one with out the excessive crimp and directly chamber it. As the 30-30 head spaces on the rim, you can drop the dummy round directly into the chamber. You can also make several dummy rounds to see if feeding through the mag decreases col.

If you do not have enough case neck tension, judicious (light) use of a LFC die can crimp without bulging a 30-30. Have used the LFC to crimp standard 30-30 bullets behind the crimp groove without setback from fully loaded and firing, but those bullets have greater interference fit in the case.

44 AMP brings out another good concern, as in why and how committed are you in using these bullets? Now a days we sometimes have to make due with what we can get/have. Another good question may be your intended purpose/reason for the load?

Have no familiarity with Henry rifles, but the Winchesters and Marlins owned have fairly loose chambers and extended throats/leades.

 

[Unclenick]

Here's a picture I did years ago to describe the problem you are having. Different shapes do not have the same COL. The COL for the short ogive of the 110 is expected to have to be seated deeper than you have done.

For crimping, with no crimp groove present, if you want to use that bullet in the 30-30 you can use a Lee Factory Crimp Die.

 

[gwpercle]

Looking in the Speer Manual # 14 , 30-30 Winchester with 110 grain (not the 100 gr. plinker) but the 110 grain soft point , it shows the COAL length tested as : 2.415" .

If yours chambered and ejected and was at 2.417" then use Speer's Data for the Speer 110 bullet ... seat them to 2.415" ( you will be .002" off the lands ) and use Speer's data for powder charges.
Everything should be just fine ... good luck with new Henry...
Gary