New .30 barrel...

[Rick W.]

PRD1,

My barrels were made from 700 takeoffs, as you say, always around and fair barrel quality for the most part, the 10 twist is about right for a 30 Luger too.

I reckon I got into barrel fabrication because of costs, hard times come and go. You can fabricate any taper, length, or speciality of a barrel when on your own; not always available ots; and there is some satisfaction in all of that as I am sure you well know. I guess I like barrels that are a bit different in my later years, standards have their place, but there is always the call over the horizon for me.

I have tried the swaging of factory bullets down for the 30 Luger from the 312's, seems to work. Recently tried it with a Jet and Squirrel in 22 cal, about the same result.

We now have Starline for brass for some oddities that we all shoot some, as the old names seem to be on seasonal or multi-year runs. The European brass/bullets are fine quality as well.

I have perused the bullet making dies a time or two, but never got there. For the most part, current offerings are steel dies which do not wear as well as carbide, but the carbide bullet making dies are getting pricey for most casual guys.

I hear you on motivation. Can be hard to find at times.

I think if I was to purchase a new ots barrel, G.T. is who I would speak with.

[PRD1]

Thanks for the additional comments.
I have put the project into G.T.'s hands, and am sure he will do a good job.
I have been glad in recent years to be able to find good brass for some of the older and less popular rounds, such as the .30 Luger, 8mm Nambu (good bullets, too), .25-20 single shot (also good for the R2 Lovell), etc. I'm still peeved over the shortage of good .30-40 Krag brass from W-W and/or Remington, but have enough to get by. I've been prodding Starline to add the Krag to its growing list of bottleneck rifle cartridges. I'm also surprised that neither PPU nor Fiocchi have made their .30 Luger bullets available thusfar...

PRD1 - mhb - MIke