Following on from O.S.O.K,,,,,,,,

[Nath]

My 94 has been behaving below par for ages throwing flyers and so I set about it once more and this is how it went.
I went and got some H4895 which is a little slower than H322 and some different primers, CCI BR instead of standard FEDS.
Did some test loads on the fed primers and yep flyers But it did look better and I do like the powder.
That was yesterday so today I thought and thought about it, I have never liked how the locking bolt rises by different amounts! After much study I decided to measure an empty case from the head to the shoulder (resized case), guess what? Too long!
I adjusted the sizer die down untill the shoulder length was very close to book and now the bolt pops up just how Mr Brownig intended. Dumby me ain't been sizing enough I needed 3/4 more turn on the die!
Repeated the test loads today with an exception and bingo, just under 2" @ 100yds. YEHArrrrrrr.
The exception, I repeated the favourite test load with CCI BR primers and got an unbelievable 1" group and on old brass!
I am so relieved.
I will have to pull the H322 loads I have and resize the brass, I'm sure it will shoot good then.
I will load 20rds of the H4895 and field test over time, maybe I'll do a bit better now

Nath.

[gamekeeper]

There's going to be a lot of unhappy foxes about!

[Nath]

GK, I missed one saturday morn first light in the pheasants. 70yd shot with the hornet. I went to pieces and yanked the trigger like a beginner
Very humbling

Nath.

[O.S.O.K.]

Well, glad you found the culprit. You have met the enemy and he is you, to paraphrase Pogo.

I just wonder what I'm doing... could be something with reloading but I've checked it all over - though, mine's not a standard round... I am neck sizing...

I did do a little more work on the rifle - followed my own advice - I'll post it in my orig thread.

[gamekeeper]

Nath, we've all been there, I just call it Buck Fever!

My dealer still has a Win 94 Antique Model for £250, the one my firearms officer said I couldn't have bein' as there's no bears in Hampshire! He said he will try to coax the firearms officer into letting me have it for foxes as I hunt in a heavy woodland! I doubt it will make any difference but I know the dealer is fed up with seeing it on his shelf!

[O.S.O.K.]

What caliber? 30-30? that's about what, $600? That's a great price if its in good shape.

Perhaps explaining that you're going to shoot mild cast bullet loads would help matters with the "authorities"?

[gamekeeper]

O.S.O.K.

Yup it's a 30/30, I think made in 1967 and not had a lot of use and $460 US, only thing I don't like is some one put a recoil pad on it.
I tried the mild load on the " authorities" and it didn't work

Still I'm glad Nath has sorted his problem, it's posts like this that I learn about how to fix problems I ain't got yet!

[O.S.O.K.]

Would they cotton to something like this?





Savage "Sportsman" bolt action. 5 shot detachable magazine chambered for 25-20. 87 grain softnose bullet at 1800 fps. That'd be about perfect for varmint type game species.

[gamekeeper]

O.S.O.K.
Yes the firearms dept have said I can use a 32/20 on Foxes so I reckon a 25/20 would be fine.

Its just not easy finding a decent lever action in either of those calibers.

[J Miller]

Nath,

I'm not sure what press and dies you are using but here are the instructions:

From RCBS;

"Screw the Full Length or Neck Sizer Die into the Press until the Die touches the Shell Holder when the Shell Holder is brought up to the top of the press stroke. Be sure all play is removed from the press leverage system. To do this, adjust the Die as above, lower the Shell Holder and set the Die 1/8 of a turn lower. Set the large lock ring securely against the face of the press."

From Lyman;

"Adjusting the standard resizing/decapping die (full-length or neck size): Make certain the expanding button is tight on the decapping spindle rod and the decapping pin does not protrude more than 1/8" below the bottom of the die. Loosen the set screw in the die lock ring and back it off to give you room to screw the die into the press.
Lower the press handle until the shell holder is at it's highest point. Turn the die into the press until it's bottom edge makes firm contact with the shell holder.
The size die is now adjusted for either full-length or neck-resizing and decapping. Screw down the lock ring and tighten the set screw."

From Bonanza (Forster) for the Co-Ax® press;

"To adjust the die vertically in the "T" Slot of the press frame, back the die most of the way out of the lock ring. Bring the handle all the way down against the stop. Hold the lock ring and screw the die through the lock ring until it makes contact with the with the jaws of the Shell Holder. Use a slotted screwdriver to lock the ring in place on the die. Do not over tighten lock ring retaining screw! This screw should be just tight enough to keep the die lock ring under tension. The die must be allowed to float for Co-Ax® alignment."


I have loaded the 30-30 cartridge since the early 1970s on two different RCBS presses and now my Bonanza Co-Ax® press, and have followed the die makers instructions to the letter. By doing this my hand loaded ammo has consistently fit and functioned in over 14 different Winchester 94s and at least one Marlin 336.

Some of my 30-30s were picky and some were not, but keeping the ammo full length sized in a properly adjusted die / press combination has worked very well for me.

Joe