Problem reloading 30-30 cases with the 160 grain Hornady FTX Bullet

[EKing]

Using a projectile other than round nose, in a 30-30, is inherently dangerous. Please stick with the round nose projectiles, for your safety and the safety of others around you.

The FTX bullet is safe for tube-fed lever action guns, not a safety issue.

 

[DaemonAssassin]

The FTX bullet is safe for tube-fed lever action guns, not a safety issue.

Source for that info? I ask because that is a total new one to me that a Spitzer bullet can be safely used in a tube fed, lever action rifle.

 

[iH8DemLibz]

The FTX Leverevolution bullet has a very soft rubber tip.

Too soft to detonate a primer.

They are well crafted and very accurate bullets in the right gun.

Love them in my .45/.460.

 

[Uncle Duke]

Source for that info? I ask because that is a total new one to me that a Spitzer bullet can be safely used in a tube fed, lever action rifle.

DA, definitely safe to use in tubular magazines. They are ballistically superior as well. They're really quite an innovation.

http://m.hornady.com/store/FTX

 

[DaemonAssassin]

DA, definitely safe to use in tubular magazines. They are ballistically superior as well. They're really quite an innovation.

http://m.hornady.com/store/FTX

Well I was wrong. Learn something new everyday. Thanks for the info.

 

[Striper69]

Well I was wrong. Learn something new everyday. Thanks for the info.

I just read an article in Handloader that round nose bullets are dangerous in lever rifle with tube fed magazines.

 

[DaemonAssassin]

I just read an article in Handloader that round nose bullets are dangerous in lever rifle with tube fed magazines.

Not sure if you are being sarcastic, considering the history of lever gun ammo...

 

[Striper69]

If they chamber and they cycle and they can cycle out of your receiver with the bullet intact, then use them.

Is your shell carrier hitting the bottom of die on the up stroke while trying to seat the bullets?

This can happen when folks turn the die instead of the plug when adjusting seating depth.

I did an experiment tonight. I loaded an empty cartridge with a FTX bullet. It did the same thing and you were right- the seating die was bottoming out so it couldn't push the bullet any further.

I'm using the Lee Hand Press with Lee dies.

 

[Striper69]

Not sure if you are being sarcastic, considering the history of lever gun ammo...

The article is called "Beginning Bullet Casting Part II" in the October 2016 issue.

 

[DaemonAssassin]

The article is called "Beginning Bullet Casting Part II" in the October 2016 issue.

Link?

 

[Striper69]

Link?

I think you have to get a copy of the magazine.

 

[DaemonAssassin]

I think you have to get a copy of the magazine.

Given that the issue is 6+ months old, I doubt any places have it on hand. If you can find it on the web, I'll be able to read it. I can understand why they would say that if you were casting your own boolits, given how people play with the metallurgy of the lead alloys they cast with. On the other hand, levers have been using factory round nose bullets, since the dawn of time.

Not calling you out for a false statement, but unless there is some actual documentation, I'll continue to swear by RN bullets out of a lever. Now the FTX bullet, I was completely unaware of and that was me not keeping up with something new in the field.

 

[Striper69]

The guy's article is there. It's his opinion. He says to use flat nose bullets in lever rifles.

 

[1time]

Is the seating die hitting the case. I have only used factory lever evolution ammo in 45/70 and the cases are shorter than standard 45/70 to get the bullets seated to the correct oal.

 

[Striper69]

I took the Marlin 30-30 to the range today to get a rough idea of how accurate the bullets were but first I shot one of the round nose Hornadys I had already sighted the rifle in with.

I then shot one of the FTX bullets at the target. I started out at 15 yards cause I thought the FTX bullets would be way off.

The round nose bullet hit about an inch high and left of the bulls-eye. I couldn't tell right off where the FTX bullet had hit. So I shot another FTX way to the right of the target. It was in-line with the bulls-eye. I looked really close to the first hole and the FTX had almost hit the same hole as the round nose!

I didn't have time to do much more shooting and I wanted to try out some other ammo/guns. I'll try out the FTX at 50 and 100 yards tomorrow.

 

[Striper69]

Is the seating die hitting the case. I have only used factory lever evolution ammo in 45/70 and the cases are shorter than standard 45/70 to get the bullets seated to the correct oal.

I'm pretty sure that he 45-70 Hornady brass I have is the same length as some Remington ammo I also tried. I'll double check and I also have some new Winchester brass.

Did you actually trim brass to get the correct size?

 

[Doobie]

Given that the issue is 6+ months old, I doubt any places have it on hand. If you can find it on the web, I'll be able to read it. I can understand why they would say that if you were casting your own boolits, given how people play with the metallurgy of the lead alloys they cast with. On the other hand, levers have been using factory round nose bullets, since the dawn of time.

Not calling you out for a false statement, but unless there is some actual documentation, I'll continue to swear by RN bullets out of a lever. Now the FTX bullet, I was completely unaware of and that was me not keeping up with something new in the field.

Where have you been hiding buddy? LOL I think these were introduced around 2005 or 2006
LEVERevolution®
Tweet
MonoFlex MonoFlex All other Lever Loads are Pointless!
LEVERevolution® represents a breakthrough in ammo design for lever action rifles and revolvers. The key to its innovation and performance is the patented elastomer Flex Tip® technology of the FTX® and MonoFlex® bullets. Safe to use in tubular magazines, these bullets feature higher ballistic coefficients and deliver dramatically flatter trajectory for increased down range performance.

Up to 250 feet per second faster muzzle velocity than conventional lever gun loads.
Exceptional accuracy and overwhelming downrange terminal performance.
Patented FTX and MonoFlex bullets featuring Flex Tip Technology.
Up to 40% more energy than traditional flat point loads.
The innovative LEVERevolution bullet design may require a newer magazine follower to provide best possible functioning of the last round out of the magazine. These magazine followers may be purchased from the manufacturer of your firearm. For optimum performance we do not recommend storing LEVERevolution ammunition in tubular magazines for extended periods, as this can result in tip deformation.

Hornady LEVERevolution ammunition is loaded with FTX and MonoFlex bullets.

Not recommended for use in handguns


U.S. Patent No. 8,413,587

BTHP
FTX
MonoFlex


LEVERevolution with MonoFlex

WTH in bold? That's an ad from Hornady's website...not sure the date of it

 

[1time]

I'm pretty sure that he 45-70 Hornady brass I have is the same length as some Remington ammo I also tried. I'll double check and I also have some new Winchester brass.



Did you actually trim brass to get the correct size?

Nope, factory loaded ammo. Once fired from win is 2.096, pmc is 2.082, Hornady is 2.036.

This is a factory loaded 325 FTX next to a factory loaded PMC 405g.

 

[1time]

Where have you been hiding buddy? LOL I think these were introduced around 2005 or 2006
LEVERevolution
Tweet
MonoFlex MonoFlex All other Lever Loads are Pointless!
LEVERevolution represents a breakthrough in ammo design for lever action rifles and revolvers. The key to its innovation and performance is the patented elastomer Flex Tip technology of the FTX and MonoFlex bullets. Safe to use in tubular magazines, these bullets feature higher ballistic coefficients and deliver dramatically flatter trajectory for increased down range performance.

Up to 250 feet per second faster muzzle velocity than conventional lever gun loads.
Exceptional accuracy and overwhelming downrange terminal performance.
Patented FTX and MonoFlex bullets featuring Flex Tip Technology.
Up to 40% more energy than traditional flat point loads.
The innovative LEVERevolution bullet design may require a newer magazine follower to provide best possible functioning of the last round out of the magazine. These magazine followers may be purchased from the manufacturer of your firearm. For optimum performance we do not recommend storing LEVERevolution ammunition in tubular magazines for extended periods, as this can result in tip deformation.

Hornady LEVERevolution ammunition is loaded with FTX and MonoFlex bullets.

Not recommended for use in handguns


U.S. Patent No. 8,413,587

BTHP
FTX
MonoFlex


LEVERevolution with MonoFlex

WTH in bold? That's an ad from Hornady's website...not sure the date of it

It is still current. It is probably due to the oal of the cartridge. Notice my pic above.

This box is from November.

 

[John from MD]

As for not using round bullets in tubular magazines, I have been using the Lyman 311291 bullet in my Win 1894 30-30 for 40 years. No problemo. It has been a recommended bullet by the industry since before I was molding them.

I will admit the LeveRevolution FTX bullet is almost as accurate and will go farther but if I want to shoot that far, I get out my Savage Sporter in 30-06.