Krag Collectors Association Forum Archive
General >> Ammunition, reloading, shooting, etc >> Ammo 29 & 30
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Message started by RetiredMil on Mar 14th, 2019 at 2:53pm

Title: Ammo 29 & 30
Post by RetiredMil on Mar 14th, 2019 at 2:53pm
I was checking some old 29 & 30 ammo yesterday to find which rounds to pull the bullets and reload.  The one thing I ran into was loaded rounds that I could break into with my fingers at the neck.  It appears they were not stored properly by the corrosion inside and the powder was stuck together plus they were not crimped.  I have pictures but they are too large to down load.

Title: Re: Ammo 29 & 30
Post by psteinmayer on Mar 14th, 2019 at 5:29pm
My personal feelings are you should not bother messing with those old rounds for components.  Even the bullets would be harder on the rifling than current production bullets.  I wouldn't even bother with pulling them down.  New brass, powder and bullets are readily available, and far safer in the long run.  Of course, this is just my opinion...

Title: Re: Ammo 29 & 30
Post by Zgun on Mar 14th, 2019 at 6:00pm
I agree with Paul 100%.

Zgun

Title: Re: Ammo 29 & 30
Post by RetiredMil on Mar 14th, 2019 at 6:23pm
Checking to see if photos are right size.
30-40krag_001.jpg ( 85 KB | 0 Downloads )

Title: Re: Ammo 29 & 30
Post by RetiredMil on Mar 14th, 2019 at 6:33pm
Yes you are right old rounds are not worth messing with I found this out the hard way.  Now I need to remove the partial case stuck in the barrel. The case separates about 1/8 inch below the neck when fired.   Will the 303 broken case extractor be long enough to remove the case?

Title: Re: Ammo 29 & 30
Post by FredC on Mar 14th, 2019 at 7:26pm
The trick will be not damaging the barrel. If it does not come out with some easy prodding with a cleaning rod I would take it to a gunsmith.
If it was mine I have some possible answers in my shop, but most people do not have so many lathes they need a paper and pencil to count them.

On that case that broke it looks like it had some moisture in it the powder. whether it leaked in or the powder broke down into a corrosive liquid, I have no clue. I guess I might keep some to look at and give the rest to a museum?

Title: Re: Ammo 29 & 30
Post by psteinmayer on Mar 14th, 2019 at 8:21pm
A 303 case extractor may work... but my feelings are it won't get up into the throat area to get that ring.  As I said before, get a piece of wooden dowl rod that is smaller than the bore.  Try to maneuver it to catch the lip and tap it out with a mallet.  BE CAREFUL to NOT strike the barrel/muzzle with a hammer when it breaks free!  If that doesn't work, then take it to a gunsmith.

Title: Re: Ammo 29 & 30
Post by RetiredMil on Mar 14th, 2019 at 9:20pm
I took the rifle to a gunsmith but he did not have the right tool he had a 308 extraction tool but it was too short so he could not remove it.

Title: Re: Ammo 29 & 30
Post by Parashooter on Mar 14th, 2019 at 10:29pm
A GI 30/06 broken case extractor works fine for my Krag. Long enough for any common military .30 caliber - since '06 is the longest case in that "family" (7.62 NATO/Russian, 7.65 Mauser, .303 British, 7.5 Swiss/French, etc.)

Never, never pound on a wooden dowel in the barrel. It can shear, wedge, and have to be bored out - with a long spoon-bit.
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SpoonBit.jpg ( 166 KB | 1 Download )

Title: Re: Ammo 29 & 30
Post by RichWIS on Mar 15th, 2019 at 1:47pm
Have read somewhere that pushing a new 30 cal brush from the chamber past the case  and then pulling back will sometime remove the ruptured case.  Never tried it myself so no guarantees.

Title: Re: Ammo 29 & 30
Post by RetiredMil on Mar 15th, 2019 at 4:14pm
Is there any difference between the GI extractor and other 30-06 extractor on the market?

Title: Re: Ammo 29 & 30
Post by Parashooter on Mar 15th, 2019 at 7:49pm

RetiredMil wrote on Mar 15th, 2019 at 4:14pm:
Is there any difference between the GI extractor and other 30-06 extractor on the market?

Pictures found at marketers like Midway and Brownell look much the same as the GI unit. Here's one "new" on e-Bay for $8, shipped -

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I should add that the 30/06 case extractor's rim won't necessarily work with the bolt's extractor for cartridges with a different rim diameter (though it works fine on my Krags and Lee-Enfields). When it doesn't fit the bolt, just insert by hand and push out with a flat-ended steel or brass rod from the muzzle.

Title: Re: Ammo 29 & 30
Post by psteinmayer on Mar 15th, 2019 at 9:59pm

Parashooter wrote on Mar 14th, 2019 at 10:29pm:
Never, never pound on a wooden dowel in the barrel. It can shear, wedge, and have to be bored out - with a long spoon-bit.


Wow... I never imagined!  I'll be sure to tuck that tidbit in to my memory. 

I'd go with Para's suggestion. 

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