Anyone reload 30 Carbine?

[pochi]

I just started reloading and one of my reloads is 30 Carbine.

Factory rounds work fine (firing every time), but my reloads all get light primer strikes.

I'm using Winchester rifle primers (non-magnum).

I assume factory reloads use rifle or thicker USGI primers, so I doubt it is primer or firing pin springs (as the harder factory primers should fail if it were primer thickness or firing pin spring).

I am thinking it is head spacing/case length problem, but I am trimming to book spec.

 

Anyone have any suggestions or similar problems?

[Garufa]

Haven’t reloaded .30 carbine since I was about 14 (seriously) so take this as you will.

I do know that .30 carb is known for stretching brass and it does need to be trimmed…from time to time. I never did that when I was an ignorant kid and there was no internet to say otherwise and didn’t have any problems.

Maybe you’re trimming too much?  Have you compared your reloads to factory loads that don’t have light primer strikes, especially the case length?  Since it spaces on the case mouth maybe you went a tad bit short?

Edited Tuesday at 09:38 PM by Garufa

[Darrell]

Keep us informed, please. I load 30 carbine for a Blackhawk and a rifle, and have never had the problem you describe. I do have to be careful, though, as my Blackhawk is much more particular than the rifle, and sometimes a reload won't fit fully into the Blackhawk cylinder when it will work just fine in the rifle. I found that the Lee Factory Crimp die solved the problem for me, but that's not going to help with your situation.

[Grayfox54]

6 hours ago, Garufa said:

I do know that .30 carb is known for stretching brass and it does need to be trimmed

The .30 Carbine is  notorious for stretching brass. It has to be trimmed after every firing.  Perhaps you did trim too much. 

Also check the firing pin's movement in the bolt. Could be just enough crud built up in there to slow it down a bit or maybe shorten its full travel just a hair. Check the bolt face to make sure the cartridge head is sitting flush and square.

Honestly, I'm just guessing here as I've never run into this particular problem before. 

[DeepSouth]

I've had everything needed to reload 30 Car. for 15 years and never loaded the first. Range brass keeps coming in, tumbled, polished and stored away. It's my son's gun and he doesn't fire it much.

Try another primer. We have one 9mm that doesn't like Wolf and another that doesn't like Winchester. CCI and Federal work well in them.

[pochi]

Update: I measured the the casings for the factory and the brass I was using along with some brand new brass. All measured roughly the same (just under the max length).

I primed some brass (old and brand new) and neither would ignite the primer. I had some factory brass that was primed but not loaded. Oddly, that worked perfectly. The primer depth might be a difference, but they look similar. The Primer itself in the factory loaded looked flatter and went all the way to the edge of the primer pocket, while the primers I used rounded down at the edge.

I tried CCI and Winchester rifle primers and the Hornady primer on the press and a hand primer. No primer I load will ignite. 

So, I seem to have eliminated brass length and anything past the primer. Anyone have an idea? I'll try to get some pictures tomorrow. Thanks for any suggestions for things to try.

[DeepSouth]

Try firing the primers a second time while it's still in the chamber. If they fire the primer isn't seated, you're driving the primer deeper into the pocket then it fires. I have that problem on my musket.

Primers have different heights, Fed .117, CCI .118, Rem .119, Win .121.

Primer pocket dimensions and tolerances

Pocket Type	Depth Min	Depth Max	Diameter Min	Diameter Max
Small Rifle/Pistol	0.1170	0.1230	0.1730	0.1745
Large Rifle	0.1250	0.1320	0.2085	0.2100
Large Pistol	0.1170	0.1230	0.2085	0.2100

Primer dimensions and tolerances

Primer Type	Height Min	Height Max	Diameter Min	Diameter Max
Small Rifle/Pistol	0.1150	0.1260	0.1745	0.1765
Large Rifle	0.1230	0.1360	0.2105	0.2130
Large Pistol	0.1150	0.1260	0.2100	0.2120

Edited 2 hours ago by DeepSouth

[Frog4aday]

The .30 Carbine headspaces on the case mouth, like the 9mm & .45ACP, meaning it must be taper crimped, not roll crimp.

I would assume your dies are made to apply a taper crimp, but if it looks like your loaded rounds have the brass curved in toward the bullet, like a .38 Special or .357 Magnum cartridge, it will allow your .30 Carbine cartridge to move fwd under impact from the firing pin, failing to ignite.

Try less crimp and see if that gets ignition back to normal.