@Henry Rifles: Why do you have to be like that? (Maybe you guys can help me)

[SoonerEd]

Had the same issue in a Marlin 336 35 Remington. Bullet I was using (Lee 35-200-GC) is a bore rider design similar to yours. Wouldn't chamber a PC bullet or required lots of force. Or, if it did, the bullet would unseat after extraction, lodging the bullet in the barrel and dumping powder. When I tried one not PC, it works fine with just a slight bit of engraving on the nose. As suggested above, try a dummy round with out PC. I just shoot mine not PC and if I stay around 1,800 fps or less with WDWW I don't get leading...and, that is in a micro groove barrel.

[freakonaleash]

I have never used this powder coat stuff sounds like a pita. I pan lube everything I shoot. 170 gr is a better choice . And stay away from Lee molds, they don't carry enough lube.

[FergusonTO35]

My Lee 170 does, although I like the RCBS alot better.

[mvozz]

Interesting thread! Each firearm is unique, even the same brand. My buddy and I were out burning some lead, we were both using 357 mag leverguns. Mine is a Winchester AE his is a Remlin. The Winchester chambered everything I threw at it, the Remlin struggled with some of the loads being too long and we had to work them out of the gun. Fast forward and we were playing with 44 mag leverguns, mine is a 1977 Winchester, his is another Remlin. 240 grain boolits, his shoots great mine won't chamber anything because they are too long - go figure!! It had me a little cranky but I figure that this is all part of the game with casting and handloading. By the way, for my 30-30s the Lyman 170 FN GC is about as good as it gets - powder coated and no GC for plinkers and powder coated with GC for more serious work.

[ClintonJ]

I haven't given up, but it is certainly a project put on hold at this point. I may try some Alox and tumble them and see how it works. Also, somebody asked about sizing them. Pretty sure I answered that already, but the book said sized to .308, so that's what I did. My mold seems to throw them at .311... but I'll probably stick tumble, size and tumble a time or two and see how it goes...

Don't waste your money on the Lee manual. I have the second edition and they don't have any data for 30-30 Winchester using cast bullets in either 120 grain or 150 grain. They do have data for 160 grain and 170 grain.

That's exactly what I expected... one might think that they would sell a manual that lists the different loads for all the molds they sell, but I guess that's just asking too much!

The Lee 150 appears to have a long bore nose section so PC will probably not work in your rifle. Look for a tapered FP mold. You can get BLL or LLA lube to work at low fps. Past 14-1500 fps I'd get a GC version, maybe the 041 mold, has a taper after the drive bands but is 180 gr. I've used a 31-142C PB or D, GC from accurate, fits my Marlin. I PC them.

Sorry, you guys are loosing me with your TLA's (3 letter acronyms)...

I have never shoot any bullets lighter than 170gr in a 30 30. I'm not sure why you would want to go any lighter.

Because I didn't think my 10 year old son would handle it well... apparently I was wrong and may have to look into the 170gr mold in the future.

I think this is it. A lot of manufacture state handloads void warranty.

Yeah, I expected that... I just didn't expect the broken record.

[M-Tecs]

Yeah, I expected that... I just didn't expect the broken record.

Monday I called Henry to see if they could help me identify the problem. The first guy I talked with must be the gate keeper... I explained what I was doing, what my problem was and his response was "We don't recommend reloads in our rifles."

Okay, that's fine... most companies will tell you that voids the warranty... I'm not too worried about that. So I try to clarify that I'm just trying to understand why the bullet might not be cycling. He asked if factory loads worked alright and when I told him yes, he simply repeated the line about not recommending reloads...

No matter what I said, that was the response... "We don't recommend reloads in our rifles."

REALLY?!?!?! Maybe I'm way out of line here, but I expected to hear that... and then I expected him to say "but let me tell you a few things you can go investigate or look at or check that might help solve your problem. Nope, no help there! In hindsight, I have a few thoughts...

Yes, you are out of line with your expectations. They stated the company policy about not recommending reloads. Why would re-asking the same question over and over change their policy??? If you stated that the rifle would not function with factory his response most like would be " We will send you return tag and have our gunsmiths look at it".

Customer service reps are not the gunsmiths nor are they generally reloading experts. Some are not even shooters much less reloaders or bullet caster.