Now That’s Accuracy — Mike Ezell’s Tack-Driving 30 Major
Sometimes everything comes together — a great barrel, the right load, good bullets, and, of course, a gifted trigger-puller. Check out this target from Forum member Mike Ezell. That’s five (5) shots at 100 yards from Mike’s 30 Major benchrest rifle. When this was shot a while back, Mike reported: “I fired a few groups in the great weather. No surprises — it did VERY well! My little wildcat, the 30 Major, has always been a shooter. That target was not a fluke — I shot a few groups today and Agg’d a high One.” Mike is a Kentucky gunsmith who builds his own rifles.
30 Major is Based on 6.5 Grendel
What’s a “30 Major” you ask? This is Mike’s own wildcat, a 6.5 Grendel necked up to .30 caliber. Mike writes: “The 30 Major is essentially a .070″-long 30 PPC. With the great 6.5 Grendel brass available from Lapua, all you need to do is neck-up and turn the necks to prep the brass.” Mike says it is very much like a 30 BR, but you just start with 6.5 Grendel brass instead of 6mmBR brass.
The cartridge has one major benefit — it utilizes a PPC-diameter bolt face. That makes it easy to convert your group-shooting 6 PPC to shoot score with .30-cal bullets. Mike explains: “If you have a PPC, to shoot score, all you have to do is chamber up a [.30 caliber] barrel and screw it on your PPC.”
From 7.62×39 to 30 Major — Full Circle
Arms expert Neil Gibson has an interesting perspective on the lineage of the 30 Major. He reminds us that this wildcat has returned to its roots: “Start off with the 7.62×39 Russian [cartridge]. The Russians then modify it, necking it down to .223 for deer hunting. The U.S. bench rest guys then modify that, necking it up to 6 mm and blowing the case out making the 6mm PPC. Someone takes that case, necks it out to 6.5 mm, making the 6.5 PPC. Alexander Arms takes that and makes the 6.5 Grendel. Then finally Mike Ezell takes the Grendel and necks it up to 30 caliber, making the 30 Major. From 30 caliber, back to 30 caliber. OK, the original uses .31 caliber bullets, but the bore is still .300. Talk about almost coming round full circle!”
Great Accuracy Restored after Solving Mystery Problem
To get his 30 Major rig shooting this well, Mike had to solve a mysterious problem that cropped up last year. Mike explains: “Two years running, I have finished in the top 15 in IBS points shooting [the 30 Major], but last year’s benchrest season was tough.” Mike was having some accuracy issues that defied explanation. But he figured it out: “The front action screw was bottoming out against the barrel extension – just barely. A simple fix brought the gun back to life. It’s a Stiller Viper Drop Port. The action is screwed and glued into the stock, so I was a bit surprised … especially after having checked for [that issue] while looking for the problem. I’m just glad to have found the trouble so I can begin to re-instill some confidence in the gun and myself, after last year.”
Mike is a ‘ell of a gunsmith and has a very good chambering in the 30 MAJOR.
Good Lord! That looks like one of my 6.5X52 cast bullet ‘Cruise Missile’ oval bullet holes. In the singular.
Amazing shooting!
The cartridge makes me chuckle though. Start off with the 7.62×39 Russian. The Russian’s then modify it, necking it down to 223 for deer hunting. The US bench rest guys then modify that, necking it up to 6 mm and blowing the case out making the 6 mm PPC. Someone takes that case, necks it out to 6.5 mm, making the 6.5 PPC. Alexander Arms takes that and makes the 6.5 Grendel. Then finally Mike takes the Grendel and necks it up to 30 calibre, making the 30 Major. From 30 calibre, back to 30 calibre. OK, the original uses 31 calibre bullets, but the bore is still .300. Talk about almost coming round full circle
Editor: Great commentary Neil! From 7.62×39 back to 30 Major, stepping down in bullet diameter and back up again, bit by bit.
Lapua deserves a lot of credit for making top quality brass with small primers and small flash holes available for the parent 6.5 Grendel, from which the 30 Major is made. Besides that, the differences are less case taper, a steeper and more pronounced 30° shoulder angle and more capacity than the x39. These are important factors when designing an efficient and accurate cartridges that can be competitive in today’s BR game. Remember, the new world record 5 shot group of .007″ was fired with a version of the 30 Major, not the x39. The single biggest difference is that NO br quality bullets are made in .311 diameter, so that alone is significant when talking br accuracy. If you want a gun that can simply go “BANG”, the x39 might well suit your needs, but not that of someone serious about accuracy…for the reasons mentioned already. If this is coming full circle, the 6ppc was a huge waste of time by Pindle, Palmisano and the entire br community. What the 30 Major is, more specifically, is a .070 long ppc, necked up to 30 caliber.
The 30 Major is to the 7.62×39 as the BAT DS is to the 98 Mauser.
PP Mauser got his inspiration for the bolt action from the latch on a privy door. The 7.62×39 is closely based on the 7.9×33 Kurtz.
Bottom line: every innovation is from standing on the shoulders of giants. We should all be good with that.
I’ve been shooting a 30 Major for years. Very nice, very predictable cartridge.
BTW, it’s worth talking to Mike to get the story of how it came to be as a benchrest cartridge.
Mike,
This wasn’t a dig at your cartridge, purely a statement of the almost cyclic evolution of a cartridge from 30 to 30 calibre (well .3105 to .308). One designed for short range killing effectiveness and weapon handleability, the one for punching holes in paper as accurately and efficiently as possible.
Personally I have a 6 mm PPC rifle (RPA Interceptor) and I’ve had one in 7.62×39 (CZ 527 Carbine), so I’m quite aware of the difference of bang and punch. Actually, the 7.62×39 was remarkably accurate for a mass produce plinker, sub 1″ groups at 100 yards isn’t bad for such a rifle. But yes, finding high-quality suitable-weight (110-125 gr) bullets was neigh on impossible.
Neil
Actually… This is precision.
Accuracy is when they are all in the center.
Sorry, couldn’t resist.
I think for history’s sake You have to mention the 219 Donaldson Wasp. The 7.62×39 was just matching the wasp to a rimless case. Go ahead and measure them
Can you use 7.62×39 brass and fireform. Lapua has made 7.62 x 39 for quite awhile.
Once upon a time in the past we did rework 7/62 X 39 brass to a 6PPC
article was in precision shooting years ago by Rick Hornbeck formed by my friend Hank Gonnella.
Grendell is different case {longer }
NICE CASE and the 30 major is a winner’
Good work MIKE””
Thank you, George!
SamL..You can form 30 Major brass from 7.62×39, although the only reason to do so would be price. Remember, the Grendel brass is not only very good quality brass made by Lapua, but also has small primer pockets and small flash holes. IIRC, there are also internal differences to handle the pressures better, such as thicker brass in the web area. I never had much luck using x39 brass at br pressures and didn’t pursue it much, with good brass being available that only requires necking up and turning, in the form of 6.5 Grendel brass from either Lapua or Alexander Arms…which is the same brass as the Lapua but with the AA headstamp.
To make 30 Major brass from x39 brass, you actually start by pushing pushing the shoulder back a few thou, then fire form. You gain capacity by having less case taper and a 30° shoulder.
The x39 has quite a bit of taper and only a very small shoulder.