Need help with new dies

[Markbo]

I just got my .30-30 and .30-30 AI dies and was trying to FL resize some new brass to AI to send along when having the chamber reamed. Lee die set.

For the life of me I don't know what I am doing wrong but I swear it is only sizing the neck. Does the .30-30 AI have to be fireformed first or something? It appears the contact is only in the neck down to 'about' where the ackley shoulder should be.

Am I doing something wrong or is it possible I got a neck size die instead of a FL sizing die like the box says?

ETA: Yes I measured the new brass and it is fine.

[TedH]

Yes, you must load the cases as standard 30-30 first and fire them in an Ackley Improved chamber to "fireform" them to the Improved dimensions. If you run a standard 30-30 into an Ackley resizing die, yes, you will only neck size.

[AJMD429]

Yep - never done it myself, but my understanding is you'd load some light-to-moderate .30-30 loads, then shoot them in your Ackley Improved gun/chamber. At that point you'd have your "AI" brass, and you'd adjust your AI dies to size THOSE cases either neck, or full length, or whatever.

Someone else on the forum has no doubt done lots of this stuff, and may chime in...

[Chuck 100 yd]

What them boyz said +1

Now, if what you need is to make sure your gunsmith uses the same chamber style as the full length die you have ( and there are a couple of AE chamber styles out there) It would be best to let him pull a chamber cast out of that die to make sure the chamber reamer is compatible without over working your brass. I would want to be on the safe side if I were doing it.

[Cast Bullet Hunter]

I just got my .30-30 and .30-30 AI dies and was trying to FL resize some new brass to AI to send along when having the chamber reamed. Lee die set.

For the life of me I don't know what I am doing wrong but I swear it is only sizing the neck. Does the .30-30 AI have to be fireformed first or something? It appears the contact is only in the neck down to 'about' where the ackley shoulder should be.

Am I doing something wrong or is it possible I got a neck size die instead of a FL sizing die like the box says?

ETA: Yes I measured the new brass and it is fine.

You have it backward.

First, you have the rifle chambered.

Second, you fire factory loads in the AI chamber.

Third, you send the fired, un-sized, cases to the die manufacturer to have a custom die set made to match your existing chamber.

While casting your sizing die to determine which Ackley version the dies are a much easier way is simply read what the manufacturer stamped on the die. If it is the more common 40 Degree version you dies should read ".30-30 AI 40 degree". If they just say ".30-30 AI" then call the manufacturer and ask as they likely only make one version. Odds are it is the 40 degree version.

If you have the dies just send the rifle to be re-chambered as you don't fit the chamber to the dies. .30-30 headspaces on the rim so there really isn't anything to fit. The headspace guage doesn't know what shape the front of the chamber is as it is only a short button to measure the distance from the face of the bolt to the breech face.

[Markbo]

What great advice... I knew I came to the right place!

I'll try to contact Lee tomorrow and see what they say.

Thanks again!
Mark

[TedH]

If you bought off the shelf LEE 30-30 Ackley dies, they are the standard 40 degree shoulder.

That's what I use with mine, but I found them to push the shoulder back excessively when screwed in to kiss the shell holder. If left out about a half turn they do great.