Lead cast bullets for 30-30

[huntinstuff]

I bot some Missouri .311 30-30 flat nose lead cast bullets. The bullets have 2 grooved bands around the circumference of the bullet near the base, colored in blue.

I have never reloaded these before. Do I lube them prior to setting them in the case or is that what these blue bands are for?

I will keep them around 1600fps I think....

Anyhow, looking for your awesome input as usual.

[1886]

Those blue bands on the bullets are wax lube. Shouldn’t have to do anything but seat them. Should be able to press a thumb nail it to the blue if it’s wax

[obsessed1]

No lube needed but you will want to bell your brass. You may even want to put a .310 expander in your die....I'm running .310 sized 165s in my 30-30 and find the original expander to be fine but I do get some neck bulge... a pair of needle nosed pliers work great as a belling tool if you dont already have a die for it.

[catnthehat]

Yup, A Lee Universal expanding die is very economical and save a lot of messing around!.
Until I go one, I used to use a tapered dowel for the thinner cases like the 30/30, and a tapered steel punch for the thicker cases.
Cat

[obsessed1]

Originally Posted by catnthehat

Yup, A Lee Universal expanding die is very economical and save a lot of messing around!.
Until I go one, I used to use a tapered dowel for the thinner cases like the 30/30, and a tapered steel punch for the thicker cases.
Cat

I use a lee universal as well if loading on the press. Recently I have enjoyed loading some of the older cartridges I load for on lee load alls ( whack it with a mallet types) and found a quick pressured twist with a set of needle nosed works great to open up the mouth of the case neck.

[huntinstuff]

Sounds like i am in over my head

I thot they were just bullets. Lol

Now it sounds like a pain in the ass

[Hawkeye]

Just don't put them in your mouth......that does bad things to your thinking and you will have even more troubles (not to mention a bad taste in your mouth)!

[obsessed1]

Originally Posted by huntinstuff

Sounds like i am in over my head

I thot they were just bullets. Lol

Now it sounds like a pain in the ass

It's not a PITA you just need to bell the case mouth or it will shave off the lead. It's a very simple step.

[colroggal]

You dont need anything fancy to expand the case mouths. Try grinding the threaded end of an old bolt round or tapered. I used a half inch bolt I found in the garage and a plastic mallet for years. Just takes a gentle tap or two.

For .44 magnum cases I used a .458 500 grain Hornady dgs bullet for a while.

(I'm cheap)

Colin

[catnthehat]

Originally Posted by obsessed1

I use a lee universal as well if loading on the press. Recently I have enjoyed loading some of the older cartridges I load for on lee load alls ( whack it with a mallet types) and found a quick pressured twist with a set of needle nosed works great to open up the mouth of the case neck.

I use the Whack-a-Mole Lee stuff LOTS! LOL
On my bigger cartridges , I have a case mouth tool for shotgun hulls that works super, but I have used the needle nose pliers in the past with perfect results as well.
I don't bell case mouths too much when I am using BP though, but in my 9.3X72R drilling I still do.
Cat