Want To Buy 30-40 Krag Brass?

[Fr Mulcahy]

I keep seeing 30-40 rifles on Gunbroker and it has me thinking about one. I would want to be able to shoot it, but ammo is about 5 bucks a round.

Does anyone have some spent 30-40 brass that they would be willing to sell?

I have read that the brass can be reformed from spent 303 British. I guess that is another option if I want to pull the trigger...

 

[rocketman]

I keep seeing 30-40 rifles on Gunbroker and it has me thinking about one. I would want to be able to shoot it, but ammo is about 5 bucks a round.

Does anyone have some spent 30-40 brass that they would be willing to sell?

I have read that the brass can be reformed from spent 303 British. I guess that is another option if I want to pull the trigger...

I couldn't find brass when I first bought my Krag so I took 303 brass I and did the conversion. I annealed the case shoulders, lubed, then used the Krag chamber to reform them to what I called "303 Krag". I engraved the heads with "Krag". I also just used a 303 Lee neck sizer with a .308 mandrel for a while until I got a proper die.

Later I got some 30-40 brass from Grafs and converted all my "303 Krag" back to 303 Brit. The "303 Krag" cases worked fine for the 5-6 firing cycles and I didn't see an accuracy change when using them vs the 30-40 brass. The necks are shorter so you'll have to seat some bullets further back. In the pic below I have a 220 round nose bullet seated with the cannelure at the same position the 30-40 brass neck would be. That should give you a length perspective.

 

[rocketman]

Here is a 30-40 case next to "303 Krag" case with the bullet seated in the same position.

 

[Fr Mulcahy]

I couldn't find brass when I first bought my Krag so I took 303 brass I and did the conversion. I annealed the case shoulders, lubed, then used the Krag chamber to reform them to what I called "303 Krag". I engraved the heads with "Krag". I also just used a 303 Lee neck sizer with a .308 mandrel for a while until I got a proper die.

Later I got some 30-40 brass from Grafs and converted all my "303 Krag" back to 303 Brit. The "303 Krag" cases worked fine for the 5-6 firing cycles and I didn't see a accuracy change when using them vs the 30-40 brass. The necks are shorter so you'll have to seat some bullets further back. In the pic below I have a 220 round nose bullet seated with the cannelure at the same position the 30-40 brass neck would be. That should give you a length perspective.

Much appreciated, Rocketman! If I understand correctly, you fireformed the 303 British into 303 Krag. Did you use a projectile when you fireformed? How much lube did you use?

 

[rocketman]

I converted the brass using the krag rifle chamber and just a little case lube(same as if using a die). Any full length 30-40 sizing die would be the best way to go but I didn't have one at the time.

After sizing in the chamber, I neck sized using a Lee 303 British collet neck sizing die with the .311 mandrel swapped with a .308 mandrel from another die. Again, a proper 30-40 full length or neck sizer die would do this and be ideal.

I fired formed using a starting load of powder and bullet. Then I just neck sized every load thereafter.

I didn't want to buy a full length sizing die and at the time Lee didn't make a 30-40 collet neck sizing die. I prefer the Lee collet dies as you can get creative with how you use them(I also used the 303 die to load 7.62x54R ). I later had a 30-40 collet neck sizing die custom made by Lee.

The 303 die with the .308 mandrel as well as the custom 30-40 die worked fine for the "303 Krag" brass. However, I believe it was the combo of 303 die with actual 30-40 brass that left a mm or two of unisized neck at the mouth of the case. It wasn't problem, it just looked "incorrect".

 

[SBSATS]

So guys, this reply is just before Thanksgiving and I also find myself looking for 30-40 brass. Die set was easy enough to find as well as bullets.
But brass is the hold up. All the legit sites show sold out. I also checked out 3 scam sites that always have what you want, cheap and free shipping (even with primers, lol)
So anyone know of a legit source to purchase the 30-40Krag brass? Or have some you would sell or maybe trade for? If push came to shove I would even do the 303 Brit conversion.

 

[red dirt shootist]

So guys, this reply is just before Thanksgiving and I also find myself looking for 30-40 brass. Die set was easy enough to find as well as bullets.
But brass is the hold up. All the legit sites show sold out. I also checked out 3 scam sites that always have what you want, cheap and free shipping (even with primers, lol)
So anyone know of a legit source to purchase the 30-40Krag brass? Or have some you would sell or maybe trade for? If push came to shove I would even do the 303 Brit conversion.

So guys, this reply is just before Thanksgiving and I also find myself looking for 30-40 brass. Die set was easy enough to find as well as bullets.
But brass is the hold up. All the legit sites show sold out. I also checked out 3 scam sites that always have what you want, cheap and free shipping (even with primers, lol)
So anyone know of a legit source to purchase the 30-40Krag brass? Or have some you would sell or maybe trade for? If push came to shove I would even do the 303 Brit conversion.

How much do you need and would mixed headstamps be ok?

 

[SBSATS]

How much do you need and would mixed headstamps be ok?

Thanks for your reply. I'm helping a friend who just bought a single shot 30-40. Was going to get a bag of 50 new, but all legit are out.
He's only doing deer loads so MOA isn't a concern and mixed will work fine as long as they aren't worn out or cracked. But if you have more at a reasonable price, I am sure he will buy more.

 

[red dirt shootist]

Thanks for your reply. I'm helping a friend who just bought a single shot 30-40. Was going to get a bag of 50 new, but all legit are out.
He's only doing deer loads so MOA isn't a concern and mixed will work fine as long as they aren't worn out or cracked. But if you have more at a reasonable price, I am sure he will buy more.

Ok, I can afford to give you 20, as I still shoot my old Krag, 10 various and 10 super x, they look to be in pretty good shape. I got some things going on, I may not get them out till next Mon, but I'll try earlier. Send me an address. The only thing I ask is that your buddy drops a few bucks in the Salvation Army bucket.

 

[SBSATS]

Ok I will most definitely do that and I appreciate it as does he . My address 331 N. Mckinley, Shawnee, OK 74801.