Thread: Anyone played with .30-30 subs?

I bought some Trailboss yesterday and some of shooternz's cast bullets arrived this morning so I'm about ready. I have an expanding die on the way but no doubt there are other DIY ways to flare the case mouth if I get impatient
From my limited research (please correct me if I'm wrong), other than flaring the case mouth the reloading procedure is the same as normal?
But load development is best done backwards, as in start with a full case (but not compressed) and work downwards in charge weight = less risk of a squib load?

I'm having major surgery next week, with 10 days in hospital and 4 or so weeks recovery with no driving, so it will probably be a while before I get to test some loads, but I will post the results when I do.

look forward to seeing your results . . . R

Cigar...Ive loaded them in 7.62x39mm .308 and .30/30 didnt need to flare the case at all,the copper base has enough of a tapered edge they slide in easy enough....Im picking you will end up somewhere around 5.5???grns of Trail boss to go subsonic BECAUSE I use 4.6 for the x39 and 6.4 for the .308 hope that helps.you need a std primer not magnum as I found out...its harder to get subsonic with magnum one...they got just too much grunt and powder levels get silly low...went and looked up what Im using this time...

Originally Posted by Cigar

I bought some Trailboss yesterday and some of shooternz's cast bullets arrived this morning so I'm about ready. I have an expanding die on the way but no doubt there are other DIY ways to flare the case mouth if I get impatient
From my limited research (please correct me if I'm wrong), other than flaring the case mouth the reloading procedure is the same as normal?
But load development is best done backwards, as in start with a full case (but not compressed) and work downwards in charge weight = less risk of a squib load?

I'm having major surgery next week, with 10 days in hospital and 4 or so weeks recovery with no driving, so it will probably be a while before I get to test some loads, but I will post the results when I do.

You're supposed to work out case volume with a projectile seated, and start with 70% of that. It's the point you work up from, but also down

or use same VOLUME of TB as your normal other powder load......

Thanks, it's good to have an idea of roughly what the load will be so I don't go too low, or stop too high because I think I'm going too low. I'm planning to chrony all shots as i go but that doesn't always work out if the range is busy or I forget to take the chronograph or spare batteries...

Trail Boss does not like to be compressed or to have fillers, My load for .308 sub is 8.5 grs I worked up to 12.0 grs and the accuracy went out the widow,
To work out the start load fill the case to the base of the neck 70% of this is your start load work backwards from there, start without
the surpressor just to be safe the bullets should be stabilised but you never know

Sound advice I have seen the supressor off a 223 where the owner had tried one round with a 77 grain projectile in a 9 inch twist barrel good thing dpts are modular.

First steps this afternoon - working out my starting loads with Trailboss powder.
For the 30-30 using unfired Winchester cases, filled to bottom of neck was 10.8 grains, so starting load about 7.6 grains.
For the 308 using once fired neck sized Lapua cases, filled to bottom of neck was 14.8 grains, so starting load about 10.4 grains.

I will hopefully start loading some rounds over the weekend, at this stage I'm thinking half grain increments:
30-30 from 7.5 down to 5.5 or 5.0,
308 from 10.5 down to 8 or 7.5

Loaded up a few this afternoon, it's going to take a lot of rounds to use 9oz of Trailboss!
Made up 30-30s at 7.5, 7, 6.5, 6 and 5.5 grains of Trailboss, plus some at 8.5 and 9.5 (three of each, except only two at 9.5)
For the 308 I did three each at 10, 9.5, 9, 8.5 and 8 grains.
All using shooternz's 151gr cast bullets, and all crimped.
I might not get subsonic at the lowest charge, but it's a start and if I do get subsonic I didn't want a whole lotta rounds with even lower charges.

The higher loads in the 30-30 are because I decided some reduced recoil loads would be fun for my 14 year old nephew and stepson (two different kids, I didn't marry my sister you sick bastards!). So i want to have a subsonic load, and a max load using Trailboss. The 9.5gr load still has space left in the case.

I found 8.5g trail boss and the 151g the perfect combo in my suppressed A7,I dont bother to crimp or flare the cases,they seem to work fine.

I always crimp for the 30-30 as it is a tube mag lever action and in the past I have had projectiles move deeper into the neck when not crimped.
I crimped the 308 rounds this time mainly because I wondered if the lubed bullets might move in the case neck under recoil.

What recoil, The best expander is the Lyman M die it can flare the mouth just right to fit the gas check in.

Originally Posted by berg243

have to agree that it is an economical powder even in the 45/70. lot of fun reloading sub rounds and trying different bullets.

I looked at the charts and saw that you get less pressure and more velocity with 2208 than TB in the .45/70 seems weird/wrong but double checked and yip its the case.

Thats right TB is to fast to give good velocity it has the same pressure curve as Black powder it was developed to replace Black powder and duplicate it's performance
the bonus is it is great for subsonic loads, any of the fast to medium powders will give higher velocity in the 45/70 from 2207 to 2208 are better for velocities over 1300fps