i took my glenfield 30-30 out the other day to try some new hornandy leverevolution rounds, i shot most of the box and when i looked at the brass the primers were protruding out about a quarter of the thickness of the primer, then i remembered, the last time i shot it last year they did the same thing with federal classic ammo. i tried two different boxes of it and they both did it. ive had that rifle for over twenty years and it never did that before but i havent shot it much over the last fifteen or so years, just a few rounds here and there. could it be that the chamber has a little rust in it that i dont see and its building to much pressure. any thoughts would be appreciated. id like to use it this year for hunting cause it likes the leverevolution ammo.

First drink a coke or similar beverage in an aluminum can, then cut the can open and cut a small circle the size of the base of your cartridge. Super glue it to an empty cartridge and try to chamber it. If the bolt closes you have a head space issue.

It is a good idea to check the headspace. I would bet it is due to the lower pressure of factory .30-30 ammo. There are several similar threads on the various forums on Beartooth.

I've ran into the same thing when firing factory ammo, especially when fireforming brass in my 30-30 Ackley Improved chamber. Handloads near the upper end do not exhibit raised primers. Likely a low pressure situation, but would still want to ensure the headspace was correct.

It's pretty common for low pressure 30-30 rounds to back primers out. It is worthwhile to check your headspace as Sure-Shot suggested, but if headspace is OK I wouldn't worry about the primers.

The SAAMI max average pressure has actually been lowered fairly recently, and that may be why you are seeing backed-out primers now, when you didn't notice them in the past.

I have an older Sears 30-30 that is doing the same thing. I just received the gun from a friend so I don't know how the primers looked when the gun was new or with older factory ammo. I am going to try checking the headspace as mentioned above. If headspace is an issue, how is it corrected?

You'll need headspace gages to know anything for sure. Call gunsmiths around town and see who has them. Generally, they are about $20 or so from the usual mail-order places.

But frankly... I think the odds of have a .30-30 hunting gun with the bolt lugs pounded back are pretty low. It would have to have been seriously abused.

Here's .30-30 cartridge and chamber dimensions. Check your case rim thickness if you try shimming a case head. One .30-30 in my cartridge collection is only .055", which would give you an automatic .008" headspace, before you add bolt to barrel headspace.

http://www.leverguns.com/dimensions/images/3030wcf.jpg

Forster headspace gauges are $25.40 each.
http://www.forsterproducts.com/Pages/pricelist.html#Anchor-46009

Bye
Jack

When using a cartridge to check headspace on a 30-30 make sure you are using a full length sized case as it does headspace on the rim. A once fired case will likely headspace on the shoulder. You can use something as simple as a black marker on the rim to see if it touches.

How did it turn out, jawi?????

It sounds to me the headspace is the first place to look.

IDShooter,

The SAAMI max average pressure has actually been lowered fairly recently, and that may be why you are seeing backed-out primers now, when you didn't notice them in the past.

Can you chew this a bit finer? Such as from what PSI to what PSI was it lowered, and when?

If SAAMI continued lowing ther specs for factory ammo, we are going to be loosing a lot of performance from our older guns.
Primers backing out in Win 94s are more a factor of insufficient pressure than it is headspace. I've had it happen with plinking and light bullet loads in brand new Win 94s. And I've had zero primer back out with normal loads in very old and used Win 94s.

I've gotten to the point I don't wory about it much.

Joe