adding freebore or throat to a 30-30 contender

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  • Last Post 12 July 2022
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Fitzpatrick posted this 23 June 2022

I have a 30-30 in a contender and it has just about no freebore is this a job I can do with hand tools and a reammer,or do I need to send it of to a gunsmith 

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Aaron posted this 23 June 2022

The 30-30 barrels varied across the years with freebore dimensions and chamber/barrel alignment. Perhaps a new barrel from Bullberry Legacy Barrels will be less expensive than a rechamber to modify the freebore.

 

With rifle in hand, I confidently go forth into the darkness.

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Larry Gibson posted this 23 June 2022

If you are good with tools and understand that a "throating reamer" will cut fast, then renting the reamer and doing it yourself isn't difficult nor expensive.

LMG

Concealment is not cover.........

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Ken Campbell Iowa posted this 24 June 2022

i have a nice throater you could use for postage ...  straight 3 degree included taper from 0.313 down  ...  i do require a deposit which is fully returned when the good reamer is returned.  

the only hard part to throating is to not to cut too much ...  plan ahead and be gentle 

ken

 

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RicinYakima posted this 24 June 2022

Take him up on it. It is a simple job if you ever took machine shop in High School. 

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beltfed posted this 25 June 2022

are you sure you want freebore ,etc on your contender

I had great success in the days of IHMSA with my 10" contender/ old 14 twist factory stock barrel.

It shot the 311466 Loverin well enough to hit a 39 and then 7 of 10 beer cans at 200yds in a shootoff

beltfed/arnie

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Fitzpatrick posted this 26 June 2022

yes, this is a 1 in 10 twist with just about no freebore 23 in barrel  I will be shooting 230 gr paper patched bullets so good bit of freebore is a must , I have other 30cal barrels for shooting lighter bullets from pistol platforms .

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beltfed posted this 26 June 2022

Fitzpatrick,

I am very curious as to the 230 grain PP bullet you mention. 

Apparently your bullet diameter is straight "patch to groove" like the old Lyman 301620.???

You would not need a long freebore with a Dual DIameter bullet:

Base band/major diameter at "patch to groove" that fits in the case neck and a "patch to bore" body

that slips snugly on to the lands.

beltfed/arnie

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Fitzpatrick posted this 26 June 2022

It s a LBT design that I size down to .305 then patch, the base is then .311 with a taper that drops to .308  with the nose of the bullet  being .303 which fits into the riflings with a slight engraving  , This is going off the bullet that I use in the 30-06 and 308 . and it is cast from pure lead with 1-40 tin added so a good expanding hunting bullet . 

 I shoot a lot of paper targets but all research and development is to achieve a better hunting bullet .

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beltfed posted this 26 June 2022

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Fitzpatrick posted this 26 June 2022

Look like that would be good for my 40-65.

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barra posted this 27 June 2022

Would like to see the cast bullet and a wrapped one of those.

So DD pp’ed bullets work for smokeless then?

 

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Fitzpatrick posted this 27 June 2022

Yes it works with smokeless real well , I'm heading off to work for now but when I get home this afternoon I will post some pics of the bullets

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Fitzpatrick posted this 27 June 2022

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Fitzpatrick posted this 27 June 2022

these are a couple of choices I am working on, both are 230 gr.

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barra posted this 28 June 2022

Thank’s Fitzpatrick 

I’m inspired to get my stuff out and have another go.

I have been sleeping and having fun with mild  pb bullets for the last few years. 

If you rub some grit on non lubed  patched bullets you throat will get longer quickly enough.( attempt at humour)

 

 

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Fitzpatrick posted this 28 June 2022

Yea , I also heard that if I just put some valve grinding compound on a bullet, tap the end with threads install a bolt and use a cordless drill that I could increase the throat, But I think I will try a throater first and see how that works.

  In my Savage model 340 and with the reliable Winchester model 94 I have good groups with bullet up to 200 gr. but with the COL length limit and the 1/12 twist that seems to be my wall. With the Contender I'll have no limit on COL and the 1/10 twist should do well with the heavies.

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beltfed posted this 28 June 2022

 

Fitzpatrick,

Here is a pic of the DDEPP bullet for 16 twist 40 cal, Shot at 100yds

with my rebuilt 40-65 Hi Wall/16 twist K&P barrel.

My first DDEPP design.

Look up Buffalo Arms   JIM# 403380E.   

beltfed/arnie

 

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Fitzpatrick posted this 29 June 2022

Very nice , I might Have to talk you out of a few of those to try in my CPA 40-65 it also has a 1/16 twist and a 34 in Douglas barrel,

what's the diameter of bullet after patching ?

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beltfed posted this 29 June 2022

The base diameter is about 0.410-0.411 and the Patch to bore body is about 0.400

that is with Seth Cole 55W paper.

PM me your full name and address and I will send you a few.

beltfed/arnie

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Fitzpatrick posted this 04 July 2022

Here is the a casting of the chamber that I am going to enlarge the throat of. 

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Glenn R. Latham posted this 04 July 2022

That looks like your typical 30-30 chamber - no throat.  A .310" x 3° throating reamer will do wonders.  Careful measurement may also show that the chamber is considerably longer than your cases.  Reforming 38-55 brass helps with that.

Glenn

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Fitzpatrick posted this 04 July 2022

Glen you 100% right , I form my brass from the 38-55 long and trim back to 2.125 that gets me .005 off the chamber wall and with cast loads seems the brass doesn't grow after that.

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Fitzpatrick posted this 07 July 2022

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Fitzpatrick posted this 07 July 2022

here are some pictures of the added freebore to the 30-30 , and a dummy round to check for fit , so far fits like a glove.  Thanks for helping me make this happen Ken Campbell.

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Fitzpatrick posted this 07 July 2022

Next task is to head to the range will post the results . 

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Fitzpatrick posted this 11 July 2022

I think we have success!  My first five shots was with a 230 gr bullet, paper patched over 18 gr of reloader 7. 

The second five shots was a 200 gr bullet paper patched over 18 gr of reloader 7. 

Both five shot groups at the same target at fifty yards. 

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Fitzpatrick posted this 11 July 2022

Here is a picture of the little rifle. Contender 23" barrel 30/30 cal. 

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barra posted this 12 July 2022

Excellent work.

Now all I need to know is the mysterious lube you are using laughing

 

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Fitzpatrick posted this 12 July 2022

That is white Label Lube , Liquid Alox with powder Graphite added it make a water resistant paper patch and good lube.

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