30BR Question ?

[wlleven]

Who here loads for the 30BR and what is your experience with it? I'm thinking of a 20 inch barrel, light kicking gun that the barrel will last a long time without loosing accuracy.

I'm looking at a 200-300 yard gun, will shoot 125-150 gr bullets so I will opt for a 10 twist as I will need to shoot copper for hunting because I live in Kalifornia.


wll

[rjtfroggy]

30 BR is alot of work when it comes to loading. Cases need to be resized from either 6br or 7br then trimmed then fire formed then annealed then start over. It is not a cheap endeaver, besides the extra work you will need custom dies(well priced as custom anyway) I have a set I no longer use because I found it to be not worth the effort. I turned that rifle action into a 308, and built a short 250-3000 with a 18" varmit barrel laser type accuraccy as long as I do my part, and reloading is simple.
But hey it is your money and time good luck.

[redlabel]

I currently have a 30BR that I load for , but mine is a Krieger 1 in 18 twist , I don't mind all the brass prep . Most people with a 30BR like H4198 best, but mine prefers AA2015 better with 112 gr. Cheeks bullet and it is a very accurate combination

[wlleven]

I currently have a 30BR that I load for , but mine is a Krieger 1 in 18 twist , I don't mind all the brass prep . Most people with a 30BR like H4198 best, but mine prefers AA2015 better with 112 gr. Cheeks bullet and it is a very accurate combination

Thank you for your info, I still don't know what I'll do.

I may just go for a 20 inch barrel in 7.62x39 with a 1 in 10 twist and a 308 bore. It would be great for 200-300 gong target shooting and not wear out the bore in 1500 shots !


wll

[bootsmcguire]

I had a 10" twist Pac-Nor in 30BR. I loaded it with 155gr A-Maxes and Varget, accuracy was good and fun to shoot, but it gave me no advantage over my 308 and had very similar recoil. Brass prep wasn't bad, and I had made a custom set of Lee Collet Dies for mine which made reloading easy. It just didn't give me any advantages over the 308 in that configuration. Had it been like redlabel's with the slower twist I may have had a different opinion.

Why not try a 6BR? Barrel life is good, easy to load for, good brass available, and an 8" twist performs well with all bullet weights available for the 6mm bore. Just a thought if you're building a paper puncher.

[82boy]

The 30BR was never designed to be a hunting cartridge. The case inventor RG Robbinet designed the case for shooting Benchrest score targets. As other have mentioned case prep is very intensive, and not for the newby reloader. Most that shoot the 30br shoot match grade bullet in the 112-118 gr weight, usually in a 1 in 17 or 1 in 18 twist barrel. The powder of choice is 4198, and it takes a case full to make it work. As far as being light recoil, you may want to shoot one first before you decide if the recoil is light. My experience is the recoil from a 30BR beat me half to death. This is why I quickly sold all my 30BR stuff. If your desire is to do something different than shooting paper with a 1 in 17 twist barrel, and using match grade 112-118 gr bullets, I would recommend you look at something else like a 308 .

[wlleven]

The 30BR was never designed to be a hunting cartridge. The case inventor RG Robbinet designed the case for shooting Benchrest score targets. As other have mentioned case prep is very intensive, and not for the newby reloader. Most that shoot the 30br shoot match grade bullet in the 112-118 gr weight, usually in a 1 in 17 or 1 in 18 twist barrel. The powder of choice is 4198, and it takes a case full to make it work. As far as being light recoil, you may want to shoot one first before you decide if the recoil is light. My experience is the recoil from a 30BR beat me half to death. This is why I quickly sold all my 30BR stuff. If your desire is to do something different than shooting paper with a 1 in 17 twist barrel, and using match grade 112-118 gr bullets, I would recommend you look at something else like a 308 .

As it stands now I'm up to my ears in 308's don't need another, but ... I would like a light .308 caliber to have fun with.

From everything i have read and from what you guys have said, maybe the 30BR is not my cup of tea (also looking at die prices).

I just may go to a 7.62x39, 18 to 20 inch barrel with a .308 bore and a 1/8 or 1/10 twist. Brass is all over the place, dies are everywhere and the case is very efficient.

The only thing i would need to find is a bolt face or maybe a PPC extractor that would fit in a 308 bolt face.


wll

[wlleven]

The 30BR was never designed to be a hunting cartridge. The case inventor RG Robbinet designed the case for shooting Benchrest score targets. As other have mentioned case prep is very intensive, and not for the newby reloader. Most that shoot the 30br shoot match grade bullet in the 112-118 gr weight, usually in a 1 in 17 or 1 in 18 twist barrel. The powder of choice is 4198, and it takes a case full to make it work. As far as being light recoil, you may want to shoot one first before you decide if the recoil is light. My experience is the recoil from a 30BR beat me half to death. This is why I quickly sold all my 30BR stuff. If your desire is to do something different than shooting paper with a 1 in 17 twist barrel, and using match grade 112-118 gr bullets, I would recommend you look at something else like a 308 .

As it stands now I'm up to my ears in 308's don't need another, but ... I would like a light .308 caliber to have fun with.

From everything i have read and from what you guys have said, maybe the 30BR is not my cup of tea (also looking at die prices).

I just may go to a 7.62x39, 18 to 20 inch barrel with a .308 bore and a 1/8 or 1/10 twist. Brass is all over the place, dies are everywhere and the case is very efficient.

The only thing i would need to find is a bolt face or maybe a PPC extractor that would fit in a 308 bolt face.


wll

[82boy]

I just may go to a 7.62x39, ... The only thing i would need to find is a bolt face or maybe a PPC extractor that would fit in a 308 bolt face. wll

The PPC extractor is not what you want, it is designed for bench use, where the cases will be picked out by hand, you can not use an ejector with it. A PPC bolt face would be a better idea. One other thing to consider with the Savage action and Factory Savage bolt faces they are super problematic with short cases like the BR and PPC. The only fix is to have a 223 bolt head opened up and modified by a good smith. Then feeding these cases from a magazine is another story.

[wlleven]

The PPC extractor is not what you want, it is designed for bench use, where the cases will be picked out by hand, you can not use an ejector with it. A PPC bolt face would be a better idea. One other thing to consider with the Savage action and Factory Savage bolt faces they are super problematic with short cases like the BR and PPC. The only fix is to have a 223 bolt head opened up and modified by a good smith. Then feeding these cases from a magazine is another story.

Thank you very much for your help, do you think I'll have trouble ejecting 7.62x39 cases with the correct bolt head? Also do I need a special size magazine to use 7.62x39 rounds in a box fed rifle ?

Thank you again for your help.

wll

[Trapper]

willeven, In my humble opinion, I would choose an 6.5/.308 ( .260 Remington ) . Terrific ballistics, great bullet selecting, can punch paper well and be used as a hunting round. Light recoil, reasonable barrel life, terrific inherent accuracy. You already have the .308 bolt head so you are good to go. Plus it is easy to reload and the brass is already made.
Trapper

[82boy]

Thank you very much for your help, do you think I'll have trouble ejecting 7.62x39 cases with the correct bolt head? Also do I need a special size magazine to use 7.62x39 rounds in a box fed rifle ?
Thank you again for your help.
wll

If you have a bolt head opened up, by a qualified smith you will have no problem, don't short cut things in this area. On reliable feeding of a 7.62x39 may be a chore. I would not attempt it on a stagard feed Savage, and if I would attempt it on a center feed savage I would start out with a 6br box. The other problem may lie in the way the barrel is chambered, you may need a feed cone cut in the back of the barrel to make it work. (Sure helps in feeding 223's and other small cases.) As far as feeding I have no idea, these are just my educated guesses.

[thomae]

7.62 x 39 bolt head from Savage Arms:BOLT HEAD, RH, SH, 7.62X39, BLK - P/N: 108659 $28.00 (This component is restricted to gunsmiths.)

7.62x39 magazine: from cheaper than dirt: Not currently available, but here's the link: http://www.cheaperthandirt.com/product/71525

On the Savage website, they do not sell the whole magazine assembly, but do sell the mag box: MAG BOX SHORT 7.62X39 (NFS) - PN: 108664 $18.00

I believe it may use the same mag follower as the .223 magazine: MAG FOLLOWER ASSY 223 - PN: 106253 $11.00

I hope this helps.

[wlleven]

7.62 x 39 bolt head from Savage Arms:BOLT HEAD, RH, SH, 7.62X39, BLK - P/N: 108659 $28.00 (This component is restricted to gunsmiths.)

7.62x39 magazine: from cheaper than dirt: Not currently available, but here's the link: http://www.cheaperthandirt.com/product/71525

On the Savage website, they do not sell the whole magazine assembly, but do sell the mag box: MAG BOX SHORT 7.62X39 (NFS) - PN: 108664 $18.00

I believe it may use the same mag follower as the .223 magazine: MAG FOLLOWER ASSY 223 - PN: 106253 $11.00

I hope this helps.

Great info, thank you very much.

wll

[earl39]

just get a bolt head from gunshack. I have 2 grendals and they feed fine, the grendal uses the same ppc bolt head. I called savage and got the magazine box and follower for the 7.62x39 and all is good. If you don't have any parts bought yet why not just buy the rifle in 7.62x39.

[wlleven]

just get a bolt head from gunshack. I have 2 grendals and they feed fine, the grendal uses the same ppc bolt head. I called savage and got the magazine box and follower for the 7.62x39 and all is good. If you don't have any parts bought yet why not just buy the rifle in 7.62x39.

Well I bought a short action Rifle that I will rip apart as soon as I get it.

I know where to get the Box Magazine and the bolt head ...but I don't see McGowen, Shaw making a 6.5 Grendel ?

Have not made up my mind on the contour, I think heavy sporter in a 22" or maybe a varmint in 20" Since I have bad shoulders I will get a muzzle break or ported in the case of the 22" even though it is a light caliber.

I have not contacted McGowen yet, but will on Monday !

What length barrel would you recommend and what twist, I'm leaning toward a 1/8 twist in a bolt gun, you would probably use a 1/9 in a AR platform from all I have been reading.

wll

[earl39]

I know Shaw will chamber the grendal because i have one i got from gunshack. Just give Lance a call or drop an email and ask him what the wait will be if you decide to go that way. Just shooting out to 600 yards a 20 inch barrel is plenty long enough but my shaw barrel was bought in one of the group buys and is 26 inches. My brux barrel is 20 inches. I would think the 7.62x39 would need no longer barrel than the grendal as case capacity is a couple of grains less due to the taper being blown out when making grendal brass from 7.62 brass.

[wlleven]

I know Shaw will chamber the grendal because i have one i got from gunshack. Just give Lance a call or drop an email and ask him what the wait will be if you decide to go that way. Just shooting out to 600 yards a 20 inch barrel is plenty long enough but my shaw barrel was bought in one of the group buys and is 26 inches. My brux barrel is 20 inches. I would think the 7.62x39 would need no longer barrel than the grendal as case capacity is a couple of grains less due to the taper being blown out when making grendal brass from 7.62 brass.

I will call them on Monday.

I have gone through heck and have made a million changes on what I was going to do with this action. The caliber I decided on a day or so ago, the 6.5 Grendel is just an incredible cartridge and is just so efficient I could not believe it. The barrel last forever (very important to me with this rife as it will be shot alot at the range).

Was going to get a shorter barrel, but decided a 24 or 26 would be fine as this will be a range gun not a walk around gun like I had planned.

I will get a Tacticool stock for it also as the price is right and for what they are, they are pretty good.


wll