Top quality brass for 30-30 and 32 Special?

[Canuck Bob]

I realize many find this question a bit ridiculous. But I am not swayed by the bush gun or not a benchrest rifle arguments. I want to stock up on quality single lot, correct headstamp brass for a 30-30 Handi and pre-64 94. I searched but was alarmed by the number of recent posts online questioning the big players brass QC. I am game for loaded ammo or new cases. I've been impressed with some Hornady 223 ammo's brass recently and not so much with some Hornet ammo Winchester brass. Advice please?

 

[Ian]

Hornady brass is perpetually too short, like a tenth of an inch below minimum saami spec. Remington brass of all vintages that I've seen (including nickel plated) is very thin. Winchester is a crap shoot, sometimes it's thin and hard and sometimes thick and soft. Don't laugh, but.....my best brass for .30-30 is Federal.

If you turn the high side off of all the necks and draw the temper a little (NOT full anneal!!!) you can really get them uniform in the neck tension department, and that's the most important thing I've found for consistency of the shooting.

Another tip, most of the primer pockets across most brands of .30-30 brass are too shallow and will benefit greatly from a going-over with a Redding depth uniforming tool chucked in a cordless screwdriver. One of the few uses I've had for a cordless screwdriver, btw.

 

[JWFilips]

Good Info! Thanks Ian

 

[Chris]

I realize many find this question a bit ridiculous. But I am not swayed by the bush gun or not a benchrest rifle arguments. I want to stock up on quality single lot, correct headstamp brass for a 30-30 Handi and pre-64 94. I searched but was alarmed by the number of recent posts online questioning the big players brass QC. I am game for loaded ammo or new cases. I've been impressed with some Hornady 223 ammo's brass recently and not so much with some Hornet ammo Winchester brass. Advice please?

Starline brass was recently discussed in another thread. I like it a lot and recommend it if you are buying new brass.

 

[Ian]

If Starline is making 30 and 32 brass now that would be something to try. If you want "fail safe" excellence, trade a wheelbarrow of Canuckistani Kopecks for brass stamped NORMA.

 

[fiver]

I don't think star-line is making 30-30 brass or I would [Christ who am I kidding I got enough 30-30 brass to last another 100 years] I'd still have to look at it.

for the model 94 I really prefer Winchester brass.
I can neck size it in my 308 size die and it pulls back out at 309.
I keep the Remington for the bolt guns.
I know it seems silly,, but... I think I get better accuracy with that combination.
I find I get better extraction and a firmer crimp on the bullet with the Winchester in the lever guns.

I'm not a fan of the newer brass [as of about 2 years ago] and things might have changed again.
if Lapua was an option I would explore it but not at 1$ a case.
Federal has been pretty good [which is kind of an anomaly these day's] and is my second choice, it seems to be a bit harder than their 308/30-06 brass.

the last 32 win Brass I bought was Hornady but I still haven't opened the box yet.
I was buying a pretty good amount of their brass for a while there and was/is/are/am having good luck with it being consistent with my jacketed loads.

 

[Ben]

Many say this is good brass :

https://www.grafs.com/retail/catalog/product/productId/73808

I don't really know if it is or isn't ? ?
Anyone have feed back on this brand.
.42 ea. to me seems " pricey ".

Ben

 

[Canuck Bob]

Ben, I haven't used it but it gets good reviews on Marlin Owners and Cast Boolits searches. They sell 100 unit bags too.

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?296460-Prvi-Partizan-vs-Hornady-30-30-brass

prvi brass 30-30 site:marlinowners.com (google search entry).

Expensive!, one outlet wants $68 for 50 new Hornady cases up here. Lapua is cheaper in most cases.
WW seems the least expensive and head stamps both calibers. Or just shoot the factory ammo and reuse the brass. I'll be shooting factory as I recover and setup my reloading bench over the winter anyway.

Web reports are suggesting Remington is getting out of the component business. Scary they can assume thier brass is good for one shot. I'm motivated to inventory components before your next election and learn the techniques for extending brass life.

To make this seem sensible I have been heavily influenced by Junior Doughty (RIP), the Frugal Outdoorsman. His articles really hit home in a comfortable way. It sets a great model for enjoying my 32 Special 94 now that I can't hunt.

http://www.castbullet.com/shooting/accu.htm

Many say this is good brass :

https://www.grafs.com/retail/catalog/product/productId/73808

I don't really know if it is or isn't ? ?
Anyone have feed back on this brand.
.42 ea. to me seems " pricey ".

Ben

 

[quicksylver]

I say it with out hesitation...but only because I learned to duck quickly...FC are my favorite in my rifle calibres..except the M1 Garand

I too find Rem 30-30 necks too thin and soft...all others not mentioned in my response are a "crap shoot" IMO

 

[RicinYakima]

I'm with quicksylver on this one. Since I don't load very many jacketed bullets, and then not high pressure loads, I have found Federal brass just fine. Even in there infamous 32 H&R Magnum brass, as long as you don't load over factory pressures. Norma some soft case heads about 30 years ago, Lapua are excellent and European varies by lot. FWIW, Ric

 

[Bret4207]

Every bit of the Graf brass I've used has been good stuff, and I have bags and bags of it. Starline is even better, but limited in choices. Norma has always been top of the line. Federal has always seemed just as good as Win or Rem, but the newest stuff I've got is 10 years old. Some of the nicest brass I own is old PMC stuff. Hunt around, you may run on to a deal on a box lot. Patience plays a big part in brass hunting.

 

[JSH]

I don't know if the brassman has any or not. I am like others on 30-30 brass, plenty for my needs and extra. I bought 1k from brassman years back. Then a bit later he had a sale on mixed stuff and I got 5k for cheap. I must have traded,swapped or sold off a bunch as I have not run across it.

I got on 17 and 22 hornet kick. Brass was hard to find and over priced. I was in OK for work last year and found a fair bit of new old stock prices right for all of it and cash.

I then ran across loaded 17 HH ammo. I just knew it had to be priced wrong. Scanned and it cost me .02 each more than what bullets and brass would have cost me, free powder,primer and not have to load, I bought all they had.
Gent saw me loading a basket up and mentioned they had been doing this off and on for a while on select ammo, Cabelas of all places. Odd thing, back in there a while later, shelf was full and the stuff was priced higher than regular before.

I have fooled with the privi for my milsurps, 7.5x55 and 7.62x54. I have had one issue. This was from the initial run of 7.5x55 years back. Brand new brass had lube dents and split necks. A quick call and replacement was in hand quick. Out of the dozen or so I requested for replacemnent, over half were culls again! Another call and they sent me a bag of 50 with a note saying to keep the extras.
Necks had dents, as expected with bulk brass. OAL was good. Flash holes were well centered. Looked to be annealed well and equally.
You might look and see what loaded ammo will cost when compared to components.
Jeff

 

[Canuck Bob]

New plan! Sorry to work out these reloading source problems on the forum. It just helps so much to keep me on track with the outstanding accumulated years of experience coupled with my Lapua desires and range brass budget. Amazing it comes from such young shooters!

I've decided to track down Winchester brass or ammo for the time being. Unless is is junk I'm going to standardize, a 30-30 and 32 Special seem right in Winnie brass anyways. It is also half price and offers compatible head stamps. I am constantly sidelined by the cost of gun tooling, components, and rifle upgrading. Nice Warne QD CZ 527 rings, $130+ delivered. I was fairly price current just awhile ago before getting sick. Wow are things ever escalating, the worst culprit is the value of our dollar..

 

[Pistolero]

the Grafs headstamp 7.5 Swiss I have is made by Prvi Partisan, same as their Pi-pi-y headstamp stuff, as far as I can tell. I shoot both,
have gotten many loadings. Some cracked necks, so I periodically anneal the necks. If Graf .30-30 is also Prvi, I would recommend it.

Bill

 

[Canuck Bob]

Luck intervened for a change. I closed a local deal on 15 boxes of 30-30 Leverevolution and Zombie Max (!). The loaded cases measure 2.30", the trim to length and have Hornady headstamps. I emailed Hornady and they confirmed that their ammo uses their standard brass.