One of the things that always kept me from getting a 30-30 back in the day was the reputation of weak brass for that cartridge. A few loads and it's done. Now I'm working on some options for a woods/brush deer gun and the 30-30 is a good cartridge choice.

I can't afford to have Bullberry make me up a custome gun right now, so that means a Marlin. It also means I will probably want to invest in casting equipment and such, maybe not at first but inevitably.

Sooooooo, does quality 30-30 brass exist? How are the chambers in Marlin guns? Assuming full length resizing each time and moderate loads, what would be the average "lifespan" of a piece of brass?

I've only used bolt guns and neck sized (Lee collet) for the most part. Lever guns and full length resizing will all be new to me.

The cartridge itself is just what I want. Too bad I'm not crazy about the gun and the brass... I like to do lots of practice with my hunting gun, so the 30-30 appeals to me in lots of ways. Low recoil, low powder consumption, low cost bullets and lends itself well to cast shooting which is even cheaper. However, from what I gather the micro groove dictates you cast your own to get the precise bullet diameter needed. At this point I prefer to keep things simple. Taking a bore measurement and casting bullets for that particular barrel complicates things considerably. Then you end up buying different casts to see which your gun likes and so on.

So what will I be in for if I go the Marlin 30-30 route? TIA

I'm not so sure you couldn't just neck size for the 30-30 and get decent function. I have a BLR browning that I neck size for and it feeds and functions just fine. (Can't tell the differnce between full length sized). I even made the mistake once of feeding some neck sized ammo from the BLR into my BAR and guess what....it also functioned just fine.
I'm not sure if lee makes a collet die for the 30-30 but maybe. If so I would say give it a try.

You say in your post that "I'm not crazy about the gun and the brass"----maybe give a .308 a shot instead.....not much more powder used and far more flexibility. Try and get your hands on some bulk brass, bullets, and powder and you'll be in for some great shooting.

JWK, I have a Marlin #336 (Microgroove) that I use exclusively for cast bullet shooting, mostly with Remington & Winchester brass. I partially FL size these, leaving ~3/32" of the neck unsized and have no problems whatsoever chambering the brass, even with cast bullets sized to .311". Since I rarely exceed 1,750fps, the brass lasts forever and accuracy in case you're wondering, is 2 m.o.a. or better with a Lyman receiver sight and the "right" cast bullet (typically Lyman #311466 or Saeco #315). Btw, both Lyman & Saeco CB's will perform well in the .308Win. should you decide to purchase it over the Marlin.

quote:

One of the things that always kept me from getting a 30-30 back in the day was the reputation of weak brass for that cartridge.

The problem isn't the brass. Further many lever actions were badly maintained and shot loose and brass wouldn't have stayed in them for many reloads no matter what the brass quality was.

Get yourself a Marlin levergun or a savage 30-30 and have a ball. Use any brass you can find and forget the number of times you can reload it. It's a fine round and a fine tool for deer hunting in the wooded areas of the US.

quality brass does exist. I use either Winchester or Remington brass reloading for my .30-30AI. I shoot the Model 94 and sold the 336-just like a Win 94. I may not be that "up" there in years but of late and I mean late the brass for the .30-30 is quite exceptional in regards to satisfaction. I would not concern myself at all. Buy the "little' gun and knock em dead. It is used in my parts extensively.

The issue isn't bad brass, the issue is loose actions and people oversizing the brass.

Typically the guys who reload 30-30 also set their dies so that the loading press "cams overcenter" between the shell holder and die body, instead of setting things up to size the brass to the rifle's chamber.

Doing that to any brass will dramatically shorten brass life.

What needs to be done to make 30-30 brass last is minimum sizing to make the brass actually headspace on the case shoulder instead of the rim, basically the same technique that reloaders use to greatly extend the life of brass with belted magnum cartridges.

AllanD

I actually came across a couple of boxes of Norma 30-30 once fired ammo last week. $2.00 per box of 20, I could not pass it up for the novelty of Norma 30-30. Did not know Norma ever made the ammo for that caliber. It will soon be 32 Win Special or 38-55 brass as I don't own a 30-30.

I just cut 2 .30-30AI chambers in Marlin 336's and I fireformed the rem and win brass with fairly mild loads, neck sized them and reloaded about 250 rounds. I've shot only 40 rounds doing sight-in, but have had not problems with the fireformed brass.

I like the Marlin, but they are both great rifles...get one and enjoy it...don't sweat the small stuff!

quote:

Originally posted by 390ish:
I actually came across a couple of boxes of Norma 30-30 once fired ammo last week. $2.00 per box of 20, I could not pass it up for the novelty of Norma 30-30. Did not know Norma ever made the ammo for that caliber. It will soon be 32 Win Special or 38-55 brass as I don't own a 30-30.

390......

Just to pass on the Norma 30.30 brass experiences I had....I had 8 out of 10 screw up in a Model 94 of mine.. they would not eject....rim was on the small side... the walls were also weak... and I had to knock them out with a mallet and a steel rod....

Just don't want to see someone else have the same nightmares I had with Norma 30.30 brass....

cheers
seafire

I shoot cast bullet almost exclusively in my 30-30 rifles, of which I have a few. One Marlin, one Winchester Model 54 bolt action, two Model 64s and five model 94s running from one made in 1911 to the latest in 1989. I certainly disagree with those who say you shouldn't neck size when loading for the 30-30. Seems like I can use brass fired in any one rifle in all the others, even when neck sizing.
I collect Lyman 310 tong tools for reloading and they neck size only. I find it relaxing to load up a couple of boxes of ammo for one of the 30-30s with tools of a bygone era. The only concession to modernity is I use a powder measure and a Lee priming tool. Each powder charge is still hand weighed though. I don't like using a dipper and by using the Lee priming tool, there literally no chance of contaminating a primer. Bullets used are either Lyman's #311291 or the RCBS #30-180-FN. The Lyman cast out to 176 gr. and the RCBS a 190 gr. bullet. At 1950 FPS, it duplicates the .303 Savage round and kills deer very handily, as does the Lyman bullet at 2050 FPS. My cast bullets are loaded to full 30-30 power.
Brass is whatever is handy, although I keep them separated accord to make. Winchester, Federal, Remington all work well and last quite a while at even full power loads.
Cast bullets are made from wheel weight metal with two percent tin added to aid castability, gas checked and sized .310" which seems to suit all the rifles. All the 30-30 rifles shoot one inch or less at 100 yards.
How accurate can cast bullets be when loaded in one of those antique tong tools? While the .308 Win. is not a 30-30, using a Winchester Model 70 sporting rifle and #311291, 1.5 MOA groups are fairly common when I do my part at 200 yards and 2.5 MOA at 300 yards seems to be the norm. Of course, weather conditions dictate just how good those groups are. Early in the morning before it gets too windy is what is needed. The target load only moves out at 1600 FPS in the .308.
The 30-30 and cast bullets go together like ham and eggs.
Paul B.

If it is a real concern you can get form dies from RCBS and turn .375 Winchester brass into super strong 30-30 cases but it is really not worth the expense or trouble in my opinion. Either Remington or Winchester 30-30 work very well.