30-30 Chambers

[Fess]

Do current manufacturers use the SAAMI 30-30 chamber, or do they use a modernized version? I have a reamer from the Winchester New Haven plant (dated 1998) that appears to be SAAMI, but I also have a Clymer 30-30 reamer bought in the early 2000's that is different and looks more like that of a modern cartridge.

The SAAMI 30-30 chamber has a forcing cone of 15 degrees per side starting at the exterior of the case neck and no gentle taper at the throat. Most modern cartridges have chambers with a short 45 degree per side cone from the outside of the case neck to the freebore section, then a throat with a gentle slope of 1 1/2 degrees or so per side. This gentle throat goes from the freebore through the rifling to the bore diameter. Most cartridges have a small section of freebore (sometimes called ball-seat) that is a cylinder slightly larger than the bullet diameter prior to the gently tapering throat. It is generally believed that the modern freebore-throat combination gives the bullet better alignment with the bore and provides better accuracy than the old forcing cone design.

The fact that I have seen both types of chamber reamers makes me wonder if some manufacturers use the modernized version. Below are photos with the SAAMI reamer on the top.

[Scott Tschirhart]

Interesting.

[earlmck]

Now there's an interesting question that I didn't even realize was a question until your post Fess. Obviously I don't know the answer; hopefully somebody here does.

[Fess]

I know that 30-30 was used in Encores, Contenders and even some target rifles when that Clymer reamer was made, so it is possible that only they got the better chambers.

[Larkbill]

I have never done a chamber cast on any of mine, but that newer one seems to resemble the one in my 14" Contender. Fired cases interchange between that, my Remington 788, and my '74 Model 94. My Savage 325 will chamber those gun's cases, but it's fired cases won't begin to go in the others.