Loading 30-30 , the quick and easy way.............

[KHornet]

On order Ben, will castrate per your instructions as soon as I screw around with it a bit to see the function. You took the center guide out of the press, and rotate by hand didn't you?
Paul

 

[Ben]

On order Ben, will castrate per your instructions as soon as I screw around with it a bit to see the function. You took the center guide out of the press, and rotate by hand didn't you?
Paul

Yes, I call that the " Auto Index Rod ", I'm not certain what Lee calls it.

My Powder Measure sits on top of a Lee Rifle Charging die that I have removed the inner guts out of and replaced it with a neck expander plug from a .30 M 1 Carbine powder throw die.

I had to hacksaw off two threads from the bottom of the rifle charging die ( mine was the long die ) to allow a 30-30 case to be able to get far enough up in the die to fully actuate the powder measure. Works just fine after I cut off a couple of threads from the die and shortened it .

I have recently learned that Lee offers both a short and a long charging die.
Most likely the short charging die would work with the 30-30 case with no modification at all ? ?

Maybe I'm the only person who was interested in using the new Lee powder measure on a 30-30 case ? ? I chose not to use the part that came with the rifle charge die, it does not actually flare a 30 cal. case neck .

 

[KHornet]

Now will be anxious to get it!
Thanks Ben!!!!!!

 

[Brad]

If needed I can probably make the part you need. I can easily remove a few threads from the die Ben mentioned.

 

[KHornet]

10-4, thanks, will see when I get the thing!

 

[Ben]

I wrote this article a couple of yrs. ago. Thought that some of you might find it interesting.



Lee Rifle Charging Die
You may or may not be aware that Lee Pistol expander die inserts fit the Lee Rifle Charging die ( Lee Part # 90194 ) also. Here is the die :

http://www.midwayusa.com/Product/792...to-30-calibers

By placing pistol die expander inserts in the die, this gives you the ability to flare a 30-06, 30/30 , or .308 Win and throw the powder charge at the same time.

You can use a Lee Powder Measure if you're using powders that will meter smoothly through one of them ( like 2400 ) :

or...............

You can use a weighed charge and pour it into the red Lee Funnel as you see in the photo.
Powders like IMR - 4350 , etc. just are not suitable with the Lee Powder measure .

Photos.................

The case in the photo below is flared a little too much. This can be controlled by adjusting the die out a bit.
In this photo , the entire g/c is in the mouth of the case ( in my opinion....a little bit too much flare )

I stand corrected, the price isn't $2.00 for the Lee 30 M-1 expander plug , it is $3.00 , see
link below to order one :

http://leeprecision.com/xcart/PM-EXP-PLUG-30M1.html

I've done the same thing before with my 358 Win. by placing a Lee 38 Spec. Pistol expander die insert into the rifle charging die and using it to expand the necks of my 358 Win. cases and throw a powder charge at the same time.

Makes real quick work of the expanding and powder throwing operation in cast bullet loads.

I like to shoot 16.0 grs. of 2400 in my 30-06. This is a super fast and very accurate way to assemble these loads.

( Note......I think the current price now for the Lee .30 M 1 expander is about $3 )

Thanks,

Ben

 

[Brad]

Sometimes it pays to use your imagination. I load 300 BLK on my Dillon by using a 30 carbine powder funnel as it expands and flares the case mouth for cast.

 

[Ben]

If a person REALLY wants to get it done, there is usually a way.
Sometimes you have to get off the beaten path, but it can be done.

 

[Ian]

I didn't know Lee came out with a short rifle charging die, good to know. I think I used a .44 Magnum PTE die with the .357 Magnum expander installed to load .35 Remington on the turret. Lee stuff is like Legos. For my 300 BLK custom PTE die to use on the progressive I ended up grinding about three threads off the long rifle charging die and made a sliding insert to guide the case mouth onto the expander spud. IIRC I sharpened the .357 Magnum PTE spud so it would find the case mouth better on the .35 Remington, but on the turret you can guide the case easily with your fingers, not so much on the Pro-1000 press.

 

[Ben]

Ian,

True, sometimes we just need to think our way through things and modify or make what we need to get things to work.
____________________________________
Here is the Lee Long Charging Die :

http://leeprecision.com/long-charging-die.html
____________________________________
Here is the Lee Short Charging Die :

http://leeprecision.com/short-charging-die.html
____________________________________
Ben

 

[Ben]

Lee stuff is like Legos.

That's a good one, I'll have to remember that one ! !

 

[Ian]

Thanks, Ben.

One of these days when I don't have anything better to spend money one I'm going to buy a Hornady L-N-L AP for my rifle calibers. Until then, a po' boy gets by with what he has, and I'm so heavily-invested in Lee stuff (presses, turret heads, disc measures and tons of extras, a multitude of specialty dies and spare parts) that it doesn't make sense to change. I will get one of those nifty powder measures to add to the collection soon.

 

[KHornet]

Good learning thread!!!1

 

[Ben]

Thanks, Ben.

One of these days when I don't have anything better to spend money one I'm going to buy a Hornady L-N-L AP for my rifle calibers. Until then, a po' boy gets by with what he has, and I'm so heavily-invested in Lee stuff (presses, turret heads, disc measures and tons of extras, a multitude of specialty dies and spare parts) that it doesn't make sense to change. I will get one of those nifty powder measures to add to the collection soon.

You'll really like it.

Ben

 

[Pistolero]

Nice press, I have one and use it for some cartridges which I load more than the Redding turret supports well but less than is
worth setting up a Dillon 550 for.

BUT the darned primer system that comes with it is the most mickey mouse thing ever. If tolerances were good enough, it
would work, and for lg primers it is OK, but for small primers, about 20-30% pop out and hit the floor, just a PITA.

Bill

 

[John]

30-30 was the first X die I bought from RCBS. I have not had to trim cases in this caliber since. I think their system works.

 

[Ben]

Bill,

I don't want to come across as a Lee Basher......I own a lot of Lee products that work well and I'll buy more Lee products in the future ........HOWEVER , I own 3 Lee Turret presses, one is the old style 3 hole Pro 1000 for pistol, the primer system on it was total junk , I own the Lee Classic Turret Press that you see in this thread, I could not get the primer system to work on it. Finally, I also own the Lee Load Master , 5 hole, progressive press. I couldn't get the priming system to work on it either.

I have adopted a procedure that applies to all of my Lee Turret presses, I size and prime on another press. Once I started this procedure, I was able to make good ammo on any of my three Lee Turret presses. I simply load the presses with F/L sized brass that has been primed and I'm off to the races..............

It has been my experience that the priming system on Lee turret presses, is definitely the weak link in their engineering chain.

 

[KHornet]

Definitely agree on the lee priming issue for turret!

 

[Ben]

You know.........you'd think with all the great innovative gadgets for reloaders that Lee has offered throughout the years , that their engineers could come up with a more reliable system of seating primers on their Turret Presses ? ?

 

[KHornet]

They must have worked for Disney before they worked for Lee, as the priming factors are for sure Mickey Mouse!