Lee Loader

I've been wanting to add another Savage 170, a 22" rifle (B) chambered in 30-30 Win and finally accomplished that!



I've owned a 170B chambered in 35 Rem, I've owned two, and have found it to be an MOA shooter with both jacketed and cast. That is the reputation of the rifles. These were inexpensive rifles, selling for just under $100 when they were introduced in the early '70s. The problem is that a lot of them were literally "used hard & put up wet." Finally got past that as both of mine are 98% or better.

Gon'na get it fitted with my 170-grain cast bullet and find a hog for it.

Think I saw one today. If I took a 98% anything and drove the 44 miles home with it laying on the five bikes in the bed of my truck it would arrive at home in 50% better shape than what I looked at today.....except for the Rossi levers being sold by my SRC drug dealer.

GasGuzzler wrote:Think I saw one today. If I took a 98% anything and drove the 44 miles home with it laying on the five bikes in the bed of my truck it would arrive at home in 50% better shape than what I looked at today.....except for the Rossi levers being sold by my SRC drug dealer.

I hear you, that is why I took my wife's car to pick it up. They don't stay new around here very long but I do try my best to take care of them.

"SRC drug dealer" = Saddle Ring Carbine drug dealer? Man, now you need to explain that for sure.

The guy I got my .357 from has just about all the other calibers from the Amedeo days. I'm his only sucker haha. His offerings are all very nice. Most other guns (outdoor trade days) were beat up badly.

We digress .... sorry

Very quick 100 yard sight in yesterday with my C311-170-RF bullet and LVR. The bullet is sized to .310 for the Savage spec bore. The ogive of the bullet was designed for the Marlin's throat so I have to trim the 30-30 Win brass back to 2.000" to get the crimp groove to work. Got to give Savage a thumbs up on their chamber cut as it is exactly like my 340 that was cut 20 years earlier!

The bullet is from an old lot cast in 2008. It was cast with 95/5 wheel weights and tin then water quenched for 21 BHN but with the passage of time it is now 16. I use a multiplier of 2 with a gas checked bullet as to what pressure the BHN can survive without a lot of experimenting and barrel cleaning, so the bullet will survive a 32.0K PSI load without issue . As far as "calculating" a load for LVR, I use some factors that I came up with after some pressure trace work with that powder applied against a QuickLoad estimate for BL-C(2). I used the Lee Pro Auto disk to drop the powder and had them ready to go real quick.

The shooting started and 25, went through 50, and sighted in at 100 yards in 11 shots. It was getting late in the day and the 12th round was in the chamber with the hopes of finding a hog. Unfortunately, none could be found. High winds on Friday night & Saturday morning knocked a lot of acorns out of the trees so the hogs are hold tight in the brush with plenty to eat at night.



Here is all the techie kind of stuff.







Looks like this "Fudd" gun will work and I should get some more range time to fine tune things around my chores this week.

Ranch Dog wrote:Very quick 100 yard sight in yesterday....
Looks like this "Fudd" gun will work ....

I'll say! 11 rounds and ready to go. After the Enfields, it's nice to have an easy one.

What do those hold - 5 rounds in the tube? (Yes, I'm going to start looking for one. )

klr wrote:I'll say! 11 rounds and ready to go. After the Enfields, it's nice to have an easy one.

Isn't that the truth!

klr wrote:What do those hold - 5 rounds in the tube? (Yes, I'm going to start looking for one. )

Three in the tube with one in the chamber for four.

I had a very large boar show up and my yard feeder Saturday night near midnight. I slipped out the door with the 170B 30-30 Win to shoot off the rear fender of my truck. While passing through my garage, I chambered a round and looking back on it; the action felt a bit odd. With the crusty old guy lined up, there was a light "snap" as the trigger was pulled, that was it. It was very still out, and the noise wasn't as loud as the firing pin striking the hammer but the hog heard it and took off.

I tried cycling the rifle, but it was locked up with a live round in the chamber. The next morning, I took it to the range and was able to open the bolt with a solid forearm pump and the cartridge popped out. As I was looking at the rifle, the left extractor fell into my hand. It was broken.

Not sure why this happened, but I will look it over once I have it apart. I was able to order the part from Numerich. Twenty bucks plus shipping, ouch!

I have the Sav. 170B in 30-30 not sure where my brother got it but I own it now,the right extractor was broken on it as well. I had an old gunsmith/stock maker replace it for me several years ago,he only charged me ten bucks for part and labor.

Mine isn't quiet as nice as yours probably about 70% compared to new but she is still a tack driver using either the Lee 150 or 170 gr. RNFP bullet or more recently for a plinker load 3.5 grs. Bullseye behind a Lee TL .314" 32 cal. SWC sized down to .311"

I have the extractor and rifle sitting on the bench. Our temperatures are supposed to hit 100°, so that will quell the desire to be outside and the replacement will proceed!