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Author Topic: 30 cal ammo  (Read 3386 times)

Offline bowkill

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30 cal ammo
« on: December 08, 2019, 02:11:17 AM »
Just traded for a 30 cal gun and need a place to buy balls or a mold?
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Offline Mike from OK

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Re: 30 cal ammo
« Reply #1 on: December 08, 2019, 06:20:11 PM »
I assume you are looking for a mold that throws a .290 ball... Or perhaps even .295.

This is the only place I found that had a .290 mold listed in their product line. But they also had a "custom mold" heading... So if you wanted a .295 they could probably build one for you.

They're a tad pricey though...

https://www.martysarms.com/collections/all

You might also contact Larry Callahan or Jeff Tanner and see if they can build you a mold.

Mike
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Offline Mike from OK

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Re: 30 cal ammo
« Reply #2 on: December 08, 2019, 06:29:16 PM »
Or you can try this...


https://www.ballisticproducts.com/mobile/Super-Buck-Lead-2-1_2-8-lb_jar-290/productinfo/SBK25/

I don't think they're pure lead so they tend to run a little harder than regular lead ball. But one of the other members here uses their #1.5 buck (.310) in his .32 and says he has no issues loading them.

Mike
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Offline Mike from OK

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Re: 30 cal ammo
« Reply #3 on: December 08, 2019, 06:37:53 PM »
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Offline smokinbuck

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Re: 30 cal ammo
« Reply #4 on: December 08, 2019, 06:46:27 PM »
I found a .285 mold from Lee for a .29 rifle.
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Offline WadePatton

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Re: 30 cal ammo
« Reply #5 on: December 08, 2019, 08:34:03 PM »
https://www.ballmoulds.com/  Jeff Tanner has passed, but his company goes on.

Will make you any size you like from .185-.600 for the same reasonable price of 25 GBP (which converts to 32.85 USD today).   Brass moulds with no sprue cutter, but adding a sprue cutter can be done as a member here noted.   Many of us here use Tanner moulds, my only one is in .530 and I love it.



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Offline Daryl

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Re: 30 cal ammo
« Reply #6 on: December 08, 2019, 08:44:07 PM »
Not sure about a Tanner mould that small, but I do have them from .595" to .740" - 5 in total and they've been great.
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Daryl

"a gun without hammers is like a spaniel without ears" King George V

Offline WadePatton

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Re: 30 cal ammo
« Reply #7 on: December 08, 2019, 09:04:41 PM »
Quote from: Daryl on December 08, 2019, 08:44:07 PM
Not sure about a Tanner mould that small, but I do have them from .595" to .740" - 5 in total and they've been great.

I think in the last thread we discussed a 30 cal Tanner mould one fellow had trouble with the sprue freezing up on him and another said he never had such issues.  Methinks the first guy opened up the channel for better flow. 
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Offline Daryl

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Re: 30 cal ammo
« Reply #8 on: December 09, 2019, 08:30:44 PM »
Mould too cold would be the reason for channel "freezing up".
That's easily remedied with appropriate heat application.
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Daryl

"a gun without hammers is like a spaniel without ears" King George V

Offline Tim Crosby

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Re: 30 cal ammo
« Reply #9 on: December 09, 2019, 09:18:32 PM »
 It's been awhile but if I am not mistaken #2 Buckshot is about .27 and #3 is about .30. May try some and see what you get.

  Tim C.
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Offline Scota4570

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Re: 30 cal ammo
« Reply #10 on: December 09, 2019, 10:30:26 PM »
Tanner makes anything up to 2".  I have one of his 0.990" molds, it is a beautiful piece of work and casts great. 

The ballistic products buckshot would be my pick.  Once I decided on a diameter I might get a mold.
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Offline WadePatton

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Re: 30 cal ammo
« Reply #11 on: December 10, 2019, 04:11:23 AM »
Quote from: Scota4570 on December 09, 2019, 10:30:26 PM
Tanner makes anything up to 2".  I have one of his 0.990" molds, it is a beautiful piece of work and casts great. 

The ballistic products buckshot would be my pick.  Once I decided on a diameter I might get a mold.

Yes, I gave the size limits to go with the price I quoted above.  The bigger ones cost a tad more, but I think it's all quite reasonable.
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Online JBJ

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Re: 30 cal ammo
« Reply #12 on: December 10, 2019, 05:01:53 PM »
Wandering around Ebay last night and noticed two Lyman/ideal molds listed. One was .308 and the other was listed as .300 per the listings. Hope this helps a bit.
J.B.
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Offline bowkill

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Re: 30 cal ammo
« Reply #13 on: December 11, 2019, 02:05:08 AM »
you have a link? I was looking on there this morning..
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Offline WadePatton

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Re: 30 cal ammo
« Reply #14 on: December 11, 2019, 02:47:00 AM »
I might be inclined to try a buckshot gang mould as you can find on there now (Martys Arms-perhaps others).  Unless someone tells me that gang moulds just aren't ever good for riflework.  Anybody use such for patched ball ammo? 

Wonder what max size is on the drippers?  Every kid it seems is dripping his own shot these days if you look at youtube.
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Offline Scota4570

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Re: 30 cal ammo
« Reply #15 on: December 11, 2019, 04:18:38 AM »
One thing to add is that making a sizing die is no trouble.  All you need is a tapered hole in a piece of metal.  You can then size oversized balls to whatever diameter you want to try.  I used to do this to adapt Benjamin 22 cal balls for a 22 cal ML made  with a rimfire barrel. 
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Offline smylee grouch

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Re: 30 cal ammo
« Reply #16 on: December 11, 2019, 05:37:50 AM »
Wow, a .27 cal round ball would weigh about 30 grains which would give you 233 bullets per pound.   Cheap shooting for sure. The spru would probably weigh more than the ball.
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Offline WadePatton

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Re: 30 cal ammo
« Reply #17 on: December 11, 2019, 07:07:05 AM »
[exported to gang mould thread]

These gang moulds look pretty nice.  Anybody tried them? https://www.martysarms.com/products/round-ball-molds-inch-sizes

Down to .180" by ten-thousandths, or to order. Seems reasonable.







« Last Edit: December 11, 2019, 09:14:24 PM by WadePatton »
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Online JBJ

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Re: 30 cal ammo
« Reply #18 on: December 11, 2019, 08:57:45 PM »
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Offline Daryl

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Re: 30 cal ammo
« Reply #19 on: December 11, 2019, 09:06:56 PM »
That brand new Lyman/Ideal mould for $75.00 is very nice.
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Daryl

"a gun without hammers is like a spaniel without ears" King George V

Smokey Plainsman

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Re: 30 cal ammo
« Reply #20 on: December 27, 2019, 08:40:42 AM »
I must be missing the appeal lol. The difference between it and a .32 is so tiny, like a 40 grain bullet for the .30 and a 45 grain bullet for the .32, that ballistically they are virtually identical with neither caliber even remotely offering any real benefit over the other. So why not just have gone with a .32 and have a plethora of balls and molds to choose from?

I guess it’s just one of those “to be diffurnt” type deals, and you know what, I’m totally okay with that. :) Would be a nice squirrel caliber for sure. I’ve personally always had a desire for a .53 caliber plains style rifle, for absolutely no logical reason. Maybe the builder just wanted a .30 “just because”?
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Offline WadePatton

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Re: 30 cal ammo
« Reply #21 on: December 27, 2019, 10:55:06 PM »
Quote from: Smokey Plainsman on December 27, 2019, 08:40:42 AM
I must be missing the appeal lol. The difference between it and a .32 is so tiny, like a 40 grain bullet for the .30 and a 45 grain bullet for the .32, that ballistically they are virtually identical with neither caliber even remotely offering any real benefit over the other. So why not just have gone with a .32 and have a plethora of balls and molds to choose from?

I guess it’s just one of those “to be diffurnt” type deals, and you know what, I’m totally okay with that. :) Would be a nice squirrel caliber for sure. I’ve personally always had a desire for a .53 caliber plains style rifle, for absolutely no logical reason. Maybe the builder just wanted a .30 “just because”?

He has a gun of 30 bore, so he wants to cast or buy fodder.  In the days of old bores were not standardized and you used a mold appropriate to each particular gun. Standardization is only a thing after industrialization.  But of course you can yet buy rifled and smooth barrels in various "unstandard" calibers, such as 29, 30, 38, 47 and 52 (likely more). 

It's not for the masses.  It's for the folks who dare to be different and don't mind casting up a few balls-as their forefathers most likely did. The less traveled path often has rewards unknown to those on the highway.
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Offline smallpatch

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Re: 30 cal ammo
« Reply #22 on: December 28, 2019, 07:41:53 AM »
A 10lb bag of #1 shot will last a long time.
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Smokey Plainsman

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Re: 30 cal ammo
« Reply #23 on: December 28, 2019, 10:40:06 AM »
Quote from: WadePatton on December 27, 2019, 10:55:06 PM
Quote from: Smokey Plainsman on December 27, 2019, 08:40:42 AM
I must be missing the appeal lol. The difference between it and a .32 is so tiny, like a 40 grain bullet for the .30 and a 45 grain bullet for the .32, that ballistically they are virtually identical with neither caliber even remotely offering any real benefit over the other. So why not just have gone with a .32 and have a plethora of balls and molds to choose from?

I guess it’s just one of those “to be diffurnt” type deals, and you know what, I’m totally okay with that. :) Would be a nice squirrel caliber for sure. I’ve personally always had a desire for a .53 caliber plains style rifle, for absolutely no logical reason. Maybe the builder just wanted a .30 “just because”?

He has a gun of 30 bore, so he wants to cast or buy fodder.  In the days of old bores were not standardized and you used a mold appropriate to each particular gun. Standardization is only a thing after industrialization.  But of course you can yet buy rifled and smooth barrels in various "unstandard" calibers, such as 29, 30, 38, 47 and 52 (likely more). 

It's not for the masses.  It's for the folks who dare to be different and don't mind casting up a few balls-as their forefathers most likely did. The less traveled path often has rewards unknown to those on the highway.


That was deep.
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Offline Daryl

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Re: 30 cal ammo
« Reply #24 on: December 29, 2019, 07:11:48 AM »
Quote from: Smokey Plainsman on December 27, 2019, 08:40:42 AM
I must be missing the appeal lol. The difference between it and a .32 is so tiny, like a 40 grain bullet for the .30 and a 45 grain bullet for the .32, that ballistically they are virtually identical with neither caliber even remotely offering any real benefit over the other. So why not just have gone with a .32 and have a plethora of balls and molds to choose from?

I guess it’s just one of those “to be diffurnt” type deals, and you know what, I’m totally okay with that. :) Would be a nice squirrel caliber for sure. I’ve personally always had a desire for a .53 caliber plains style rifle, for absolutely no logical reason. Maybe the builder just wanted a .30 “just because”?

I hear, ya, Smokey.  After reading Sporting Rifles and their Projeciles by Lt. James Forsyth, I HAD to have a .69, so I had Taylor build me just such a rifle.
It is my most cherished rifle.
But I also had need of a squirrel rifle. I had a .40, then a .32, now a .36 and feel I am done, for now, that is. LOL
I would REALLY like a .25 to .28 flinter. Now, THAT would be fun.
You see, wanting is the only reason we need to have whatever we want. What we want, might be totally foreign to what someone else wants.
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Daryl

"a gun without hammers is like a spaniel without ears" King George V
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