.30-30 cast bullet use question

[Tangle Eye]

I guess I should know this but I don't.  Do any of you bullet casters know if its OK to use the Lyman 311291 in a tubular magazine.  I use this bullet in my single shot and  I was going to load up a bunch of these for my 1894 but got to looking at the bullet and while its described as a round nose bullet its just pointy enough to make me wonder (worry?) about primer detonation in the magazine.

What's the opinion for those who've used this bullet?

[Derby Younger]

Tangle Eye:

Have an old Lyman manual (45th) in front of me. Lists the 311291 w/GC for 30/30 Win. If memory serves that's a RN, so it should work.

Best,

Derby Younger

[D. R. Greysun]

Tangle Eye,

'30-30 Winchester' dose not necessarily mean 'Winchester Mod. 94'

Here what I do, place the cartridges end to end. If the nose of the boolit can touch the primer of the boolit ahead of it, it's not made for tube mags.  Don't mean you can not use them single shot!  Having said that, more than once I have seen people use Remington factory round-nose cartridges (R30301) in Mod. 94's.  There is also a Notice:  'These cartridges are adapted to and intended for use only in arms in good condition originally chambered and designed for this cartridge.' My feeling is Round-nose boolits have no business in tube mags.  Why take a chance?  There are plenty of flat-nose boolits around to use.  Just my $.02!

D R

PS: If you use them, WARN your follow shooters! 

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[Derby Younger]

"'30-30 Winchester' dose not necessarily mean 'Winchester Mod. 94'"

D.R.:

Good point. I may have misled by using the term RN. However, the 30WCF was designed for lever guns and how many single shots are out there. Again from the Lyman manual.."The use of only flat or blunt nose bullets is required for use in tubular magazines.."

1. Lyman #311291 is listed for the 30/30.
2. Lyman #311291 is a blunt nosed bullet.
3. Therefore #311291 is good.

Best,

Derby Younger 

[Tangle Eye]

I just got off the phone with the tech at Lyman. He said the 311291 was safe and appropriate in a Winchester Model 94 lever.  So - per Lyman its Ok. Of course, it's not his hand under the magazine either. 

[Derby Younger]

Tangle Eye:

Afternoon Sir. Just pulled some 150gr 30/30 out of inventory. Same bullet design. In this marvelous age of litigation, don't believe a Corporate tech would tell you OK if there was even a hint of a problem.

Oh, my hand has indeed been under the mag on both 30WCF and 32WCF, same bullet design, same hand still there. Maybe I'm just lucky.

Best,

Derby

[Delmonico]

I've been critized many times over the years for this opion but if you understand ballistics it make sense, "the 150 gr. load for the 30-30 is a joke, it does not shoot enough flatter to make a difference at sensable range" the 170 flat nose damages tissue better than the 150 RN and it most often exits a deer, entrance holes don't bleed, exit holes do.  Think of that next time yer following little tiny almost unseen drups of blood.  The old gun writer dribble about using all the energy inside is pure BS, it makes tracking difficult.

Lyman makes a 170 flat nose for the 30-30 and RCBS makes a better 180.  The famed Savage 303 was almost identical to the 30-30 with a 190 gr. bullet and it was always consider much better for larger game as Elk, Moose and Grizzly till better rounds got popular in the 20' and 30's.

Buy the mould that looks like a proper 30-30 bullet.

[Tangle Eye]

I agree Delminico -- I like heavy bullets and slow speed I guess.  I've got that Lyman flat nosed bullet on my "to get" list.  They list it at 170 grains so that means it'll pour heavier for me. Their 169 grain = 183 in my alloy (good old wheel weights).  Lookin forward to tryin it out.

You're also right about the exit wound - I learned all that when I used to archery hunt.  Of course these will be shooting at steel mostly. 

[Delmonico]

I wouldn't be afrait to take a deer out to 150 or so with either the Lyman or the RCBS.  My back up deer rifle is and early Big Bore 375 (NO safety or angle eject) it is loaded with a 255 gr FN out of an orighial 38-55 mould by Winchester.  It is loaded to about 1850 fps. 

Never shot a deer with that bullet, but the 250 gr Winchester factory bullets and the 220 Hornaday bullest expand little on none on a deer and the all died quickly spurtin' blood all over, they exit.

[Hemlock Mike]

Some folks flattin the tip a little with a light tap of a hammer or use the "wrong" punch in a luber sizer press.  Works for me !!

Mike

[D. R. Greysun]

Darby Younger,

1. Lyman #311291 is listed for the 30/30.
2. Lyman #311291 is a blunt nosed bullet.
3. Therefore #311291 is good

Never said the Lyman 311291 wasn't OK for Model 94's.  I use 147 Gn BTSP for long range in my 30-30, I do however, load them one at a time.  Just FYI, there are more than one bolt-action, single shot etc. 30-30 rifles out there. 

D R