Sizing .30-30 cases for Contender

[jason280]

I recently added a 14" Contender in .30-30, and I'm finally getting around to loading for it.  Most of the information I have found recommends sizing the brass to headspace on the shoulder rather than the rim, which should provide better accuracy and longer case life.  Here's my question. Using a standard FL sizing die, what is the easiest way to accomplish this?

[BCB]

Some will say it can’t be done in a full-length sizing die…

I say it can and I do it…

I screw the sizing die down until it touches the shell holder.  Then I back it off a few turns…

Then I take a magic marker and place a line from the shoulder to the mouth…

Then start sizing the case and you can see when you get to the shoulder without “touching” it as the marker line will get lighter in color as the neck is sized…

Let the case in the die and screw the locking ring down…

That should do it…

But, make sure it will chamber and it will cock and hold the hammer back.  If the barrel doesn’t close properly, the hammer won’t stay back…

Be careful…

Good-luck…BCB

[shot1]

I also use a FL die to neck size or more accurately "part size" the case. Never thought of using a magic marker. I always smoked the neck of the case with a candle. Then used the same process described above. Some time down the road you will have to bump the shoulder a little to get your action to lock up though.

[Hopalong7]

    Run the ram w/ shell holder to the top of it's stroke and screw in the FL sizer until it's in firm contact with the shell holder. Now back off two full turns....this should give you at least a starting place.  Now at this point I take the barrel off the gun so I can chamber the brass with the extractor in full recess.  Fully chamber a piece of sized brass as far as it will go.  The brass should now be resting on the shoulder or the extractor.  If not, screw the die down a quarter turn and retry.  Now with the brass fully seated I want the rim of the brass to be protruding from the breech of the barrel by a couple of thousandths.  The only way I have to measure this is to set a straight edge across the end of the brass and then stick a feeler gauge between the straight edge and barrel breech.  I sometimes vary this protrusion according to the amount of barrel gap I have, trying to have the brass protruding by a thousanth or two less than the gap.  Then I remount the barrel chamber the brass and check for peoper action lock-up.  Once I get the die set where I think it needs to be I lock down the ring firmly and dedicate it's use to just that barrel.
   FWIW Lately I've really been liking what I get with Lee's Collet die, although I've not yet tried it on any of the 30-30 family of brass.

[Madmark]

Since you mention you are just getting around to reloading for it... Is the brass you are using new? Or was it fired in the barrel you are loading for? If the brass fits in your chamber and locks up without effort, you will have to fireform it to your chamber before setting your die up like detailed in the other posts. 

[WayneS]

Depending on your die  or tool collection there is a way to insure proper head spacing on the sholder to began with.
IF you are starting with fired brass , do as mentioned above and make sure they will chamber and your Contender will "lock-up"
If you have a way to expand the case neck, maybe a .312 expander will be enough.
What ever you use expand the case neck all the way to the shoulder, then start running the case in a sizing die  W/O the expander ball,till all but about 3/16 of the neck is sized, now start trying to chamber the case, keep lowering the die untill the case will chamber BUT requires a hard snap of the action.
What you have just done is set the shoulder and the case will head space on the shoulder.
A bit more work that just load & fire then partical or neck size and if you don't MAX out your loads it may not affect case life.

[lynneil]

Another similar question. Suppose I full length size new cases or cases that were used in a different gun/chamber. They chamber on the rim. When I fire these rounds off in my barrel, they become fire formed to this barrel. I then neck size only these cases. Will they chamber on the shoulder or the rim. In other words if the case was chambered the first time on the rim, how do I go about changing the case to chamber on the shoulder?- Or am I doing that by neck sizing on the next and all future loads?

[Bob Tobergte]

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[Madmark]

Another similar question. Suppose I full length size new cases or cases that were used in a different gun/chamber. They chamber on the rim. When I fire these rounds off in my barrel, they become fire formed to this barrel. I then neck size only these cases. Will they chamber on the shoulder or the rim. In other words if the case was chambered the first time on the rim, how do I go about changing the case to chamber on the shoulder?- Or am I doing that by neck sizing on the next and all future loads?

If your once fired brass was fired in a chamber shorter than yours, it will headspace on the rim. Insert the fired (short) case in the chamber, and using a straightedge across the breech end of the barrel, check the distance between the  the case and the straigthedge. There should be a couple of thousandths of an inch space between the straightedge and the Rim. After fireforming, this gap should be gone, and now the case is headspacing on the shoulder. Because of variances in the barrel/frame gap, the cartridge rim will probably protrude a couple of thousandths. You want your sized cases to protrude the same amount, or .001 less. If you get too much resistance in closing the frame on a sized case, adjust the sizing die down till the frame closes on the case without a fight. It's easier for me to show than to tell, but all the replies above have the same basic info. Good luck, and be careful!