Where would one find ammo?

[dave]

Brass "flows" forward when fired. Annealing keeps it from getting work hardened from resizing but they still will get thinner, that's why they must be checked for length on occasion. Light loads of course help slow this to a minimum.

[Dick Hosmer]

Since this is the case, wouldn't the slight (0.1") shortage issue with .303 British brass eventually become almost moot?

[Parashooter]

Unfortunately, this "flow" on firing isn't really what happens. When fired (with good headspace and normal pressure), the case mostly expands outward to fill the chamber. This makes the diameter greater and actually decreases length. (Those in doubt need only measure cases before and after firing.) When a case is full-length sized, it gets pushed from the back end and squeezed around body and neck. Since metal displaced inward has to go somewhere and the only place not constrained by die and shellholder is forward, length then increases. If FL sizing weren't rather hard on our precious brass, this might be helpful for adding length - but it is, so we often size just the necks to enhance longevity.

When we neck size only, there's very little displacement of metal during sizing and length increase is minimal - not enough to add .1" during the normal life of a .303 or .30/40 case.

[PhillipM]

Unfortunately, this "flow" on firing isn't really what happens. When fired (with good headspace and normal pressure), the case mostly expands outward to fill the chamber. This makes the diameter greater and actually decreases length. (Those in doubt need only measure cases before and after firing.) When a case is full-length sized, it gets pushed from the back end and squeezed around body and neck. Since metal displaced inward has to go somewhere and the only place not constrained by die and shellholder is forward, length then increases. If FL sizing weren't rather hard on our precious brass, this might be helpful for adding length - but it is, so we often size just the necks to enhance longevity.

When we neck size only, there's very little displacement of metal during sizing and length increase is minimal - not enough to add .1" during the normal life of a .303 or .30/40 case.

I can't understand why the RCBS X-Die isn't the most popular on the planet. Trim once and forget it.

[psteinmayer]

I use LEE Pacesetter dies, neck size only (die backed out one full turn), and I rarely have to trim! I gotta agree with Para.

[jon_norstog]

dlc, get yourself set up for reloading, then send me a PM. I'm 71 years old and have more brass than I'll ever need unless I move somewhere that has a decent gun range - one W/O a 10 year wait list or a political loyalty test

jn

[dlc_aec]

jon,

i tried to pm you, but your box is full.

i have all the equipment and supplies for reloading. i reload for all my rifles/shotguns now. im just short a set of dies, and those ill get.

can you email me? dlc_aec at yahoo.com

thanks,
douglas

[CJCulpeper]

dlc

Did you manage to contact the location with the boxes of Krag ammo?

[PhillipM]

I'm messaged Hornady on Facebook:

We don't make any 30-40 Krag ammo and it appears hardly anyone else does either. Generally, it's simply because manufactures can't sell enough of it to justify taking the time to produce it. It's simply not popular enough. You may want to ask Remington as it appears they make some on a seasonal basis.

[psteinmayer]

Hmmmmm And yet Hornady (using PPU brass) makes 7.7x58mm Jap, sold through Graf and Sons. It seems to me that there would be a heck of a lot greater demand for 30-40 than there would be for 7.7x58.

[nf1e]

After reading this thread I decided to load up some 30-40 for the Fall season. I found that I was down to my last box of 100 R-P from Midway years ago. Upon opening the box of brass I found much of it has small corrosion spots. Never seen that before. So that last 100 is in the wet tumbler getting cleaned up. Guess I will have to put some unobtainium 30-40 on my hunt for list.

[Art]

30-40 Krag is one of those obsolete cartridges that the ammo makers make runs of every few years. I posted on this forum a while back about .30-40 in stock at Academy here locally. It's all gone now. Winchester even whips out some .41 Long Colt every few decades. Just watch for it.

psteinmeyer: I'll bet you that there are a lot more people in this country with functional 7.7mm Japanese rifles than with functional Krags. Three and a half million Jap. Type 99 rifles were made compared to only about a half million U.S. .30-40 Krag Jorgensen type rifles, and those Type 99s are a lot more recent manufacture.

[psteinmayer]

You might be right... I just see more Krags at ranges, in CMP Matches, and at gun shows than I do Type 99s. I personally have two of each 😀.

I do think it prudent though that more people contact Remington and Winchester occasionally about our beloved Krags. Maybe they'll get the hint that there is still a big demand for 30-40 ammo and brass.

[gnoahhh]

Don't be bashful about old pre-war brass if you stumble onto it. Just anneal the necks before loading it and ride off into the sunset with it. I have around 300 pieces of that old stuff, loaded 100 a couple years ago and am still going strong with that first batch. Also, I put out "want to buy" ads in a few forums last year and the stuff poured in. It's out there if you try hard enough.

I'm even running a handful of old 1920's vintage brass that's still good.

Hole in the wall gunshops still turn up the stuff, too. I popped into one recently, didn't see any on the shelf. When asked, the owner allowed as how he might have some "in the back". What he had was two old bags of 50ea. W-W from long ago. He sold them to me for the old price still on the bags.

My point is, put in the hours searching for it and you will be rewarded. I bet I spent 100 hours on the prowl, physically and electronically, last year and now I have (hopefully) enough for my remaining days.

A couple years ago I was in a "semi-modern" hardware store and just happened to notice some old dusty boxes of ammo hidden behind some junk on the bottom shelf. .30-40's, .250-3000's, and .30-30's from probably the 70's. I gathered them all up, plunked them on the counter and asked the pimply-faced kid if the prices on the boxes were legit. He called his boss at home who told him to sell them to me for that price. If it had a sticker, it was good to go! I ran with them to my car, literally. The highest price was $7.95. 14 boxes total, five of which were .30-40's.

[psteinmayer]

Amen to that Gnoahhh... It IS out there to be found!

I have some brass probably from the 1930 and 1940s... some marked .30 USA, others marked .30 Army. I may rotate these back into the mix. I currently have 20 rounds designated as dummys (all marked .30 USA) that I will reclaim. I'll make up new dummy rounds using brass with neck cracks since I ain't going to shoot those anymore!