Need help with .30 bullet selection

Rickybill · 03-09-2020, 10:21 PM

Having read, somewhere, that the groove diameter was .3095", I'd never loaded anything but .311"-.312" bullets run through a .309" sizer.
I started with some 90gr Sierras that had a lot of lead exposed at the tip, and had some feeding issues with those.
I soon discovered the Hornady 85gr XTP, and that became my go-to bullet; expensive, but the crimp groove is in exactly the right place.
I loaded some hundreds of those over loads of Unique, N340, and probably a couple of others.
After discovering the .309", 90gr XTP, I decided to give that a try. No crimp groove, but wasn't sure that was important.
Loaded over 5.2 of N340, I had some functional issues, but am not ready to blame the load, as I was also using a borrowed mag for a few strings.
I shortened the OAL "a smidge", thinking there could have some binding in one of the mags, and I'll try to be more scientific, next range trip.

03-09-2020, 10:21 PM	#32
Rickybill User Join Date: Aug 2018 Posts: 25 Thanks: 0 Thanked 12 Times in 6 Posts	Having read, somewhere, that the groove diameter was .3095", I'd never loaded anything but .311"-.312" bullets run through a .309" sizer. I started with some 90gr Sierras that had a lot of lead exposed at the tip, and had some feeding issues with those. I soon discovered the Hornady 85gr XTP, and that became my go-to bullet; expensive, but the crimp groove is in exactly the right place. I loaded some hundreds of those over loads of Unique, N340, and probably a couple of others. After discovering the .309", 90gr XTP, I decided to give that a try. No crimp groove, but wasn't sure that was important. Loaded over 5.2 of N340, I had some functional issues, but am not ready to blame the load, as I was also using a borrowed mag for a few strings. I shortened the OAL "a smidge", thinking there could have some binding in one of the mags, and I'll try to be more scientific, next range trip.