Just went Retro and loaded some 308 Win with a LEE CLASSIC HAND LOADER.

[Lumberman]

My 1st attempt at loading rifle ammo. The directions contradicted most of what I have read about loading rifle calibers. No case lube required. No trimming to length required. Just wanted to try some stuff that I had in stock, so I used 40.7 grn of IMR 3031 and some old Rem 150 grn jacketed bullets. My main concern is that with the bullet seated to the gas check the cartridge has a shorter OAL than data most load data shows. OAL on these are around 2740. Should I be concerned.

 

[rbstern]

My 1st attempt at loading rifle ammo. The directions contradicted most of what I have read about loading rifle calibers. No case lube required. No trimming to length required. Just wanted to try some stuff that I had in stock, so I used 40.7 grn of IMR 3031 and some old Rem 150 grn jacketed bullets. My main concern is that with the bullet seated to the gas check the cartridge has a shorter OAL than data most load data shows. OAL on these are around 1740. Should I be concerned.

You should be safely under the max pressure load, assuming a reasonable OAL. But the OAL you indicated is about 1.1 inches short of OAL for 308 Win. Did you mean 2.740?

Keep in mind that the Lee Classic Hand Loader is a neck sizing reloading process, intended for shooting the reload in the same firearm that brass case was fired in.

 

[Lumberman]

Shot perfect. Highly accurate. Takes about the same amount of time to reload as a muzzle loader. With the case being neck sized only , will it work on cases from an auto loader. I would like to try it with my R1 30'06.

 

[rbstern]

Shot perfect. Highly accurate. Takes about the same amount of time to reload as a muzzle loader. With the case being neck sized only , will it work on cases from an auto loader. I would like to try it with my R1 30'06.

There's a chance it will work fine. However, it's not a good idea.

With a manually operated firearm, you and the leverage provided by the action can force the action closed on a fire-formed cartridge. With a semi-auto, the only force available is the momentum of the bolt and the return spring, and it's a "dumb" force. A semi-auto can't feel if the action needs a little exta effort to close on a tight cartridge. In such a case, the best result is a misfeed and/or misfire. Worst case, an out-of-battery ignition. A well designed firearm in good operating condition should prevent such a thing, but I don't know enought about the R1 to comment on that.

 

[Lumberman]

What about using the Classic Loader for my Marlin 1895 45/70. Buy turning the loader around and giving it a few taps it is supposed to do a taper crimp. Would you risk it in a tub feed rifle. Do not want to compact the rounds.

 

[rbstern]

What about using the Classic Loader for my Marlin 1895 45/70. Buy turning the loader around and giving it a few taps it is supposed to do a taper crimp. Would you risk it in a tub feed rifle. Do not want to compact the rounds.

Fortunately, this is easy to test. Load some rounds made the way you describe. Fire one. Unload the magazine and measure the OAL of the rounds from the magazine to see if there was any signficant change. Gather some data like this and figure out what amount of crimping works.

With the amount of foot-pound energy available in the 45/70, and the fact that an extra 50fps is not going to change the trajectory much, stay away from max loads, to give yourself just a little extra margin in case one of the bullets does set back.

 

[WIMPOD]

What about using the Classic Loader for my Marlin 1895 45/70. Buy turning the loader around and giving it a few taps it is supposed to do a taper crimp. Would you risk it in a tub feed rifle. Do not want to compact the rounds.

Personally, I would pick up a single stage press and the LEE factory rifle crimp die. This puts a nice crimp on the bullet and will keep it from moving back into the case. I use them for my 30/30, 35 Rem and 308 rounds.

 

[BHJ]

Auto loader may work but is probably not a good idea, Also after a couple of firings you'll need to trim the length. Probably a good idea to go ahead and check the case length anyway. If you have a lee case trimmer cutter and lock stud (http://www.midwayusa.com/viewProduct/?productNumber=476992) and a case length gauge and shell holder (http://www.midwayusa.com/viewProduct/?productNumber=459337) at least you can be sure the rounds will chamber smoothly before you drive all the way to the range and find out your ammo wont fit. these tools are inexpensive and work well.
If you want your ammo even more accurate you may check into a powder scale.
A lot of people think you have to have fancy equipment to reload quality ammo and don't realize that ammo loaded with a Lee loader held the 1000 yard record for seven years according to the Guinness book of world records.
Good luck BHJ

 

[midatlantic_bullets]

Don't feel alone, I routinely take my Lee Loader and a block of wood and hammer to the range to experiment with multiple load with my 300WinMag. I love the convenience, but at 10 rounds per hour, I only use it for fine tuning. I go to the range with vials of powder all set up at .1 grain incements around what I know shoots well.