Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles Revelation 225E/ Savage 340.....should I?

Ran across a Revelation 225E I can trade for. I've always wanted a 30-30 bolt gun to play with load wise, and hunt with....but 788s are pricey. I'd have about $250-worth (to me) of crossbow in it. Looks to be around 80+%. Tossing around doing it as a loading/custom/truck gun project....cut/crown, scope, maybe mannlicher it, somehow....just to be different.

Any thoughts on these things and why I should/shouldn't ?

Well the M788 is a much better rifle and you really should consider saving for that one.

I don't know how familiar you are with the Savage 340 but it's a single locking lug rifle, with only one action screw. The only other screw that attaches the barreled action to the stock is the barrel band screw. The triggers are also horrible to work on from what I understand. Here is some reading on gunsmithing the Savage 340 rifle.

I too wanted a bolt action .30-30 to play with and I don't know how many of the 340 rifles I looked at. I held out and bought a M788 Remington and couldn't be happier. That rifle shoots far better than I do, and has printed several sub ½" groups both 3 & 5 round groups with 150 and 170 grain factory and reloaded ammunition. It really likes the factory 160 grain Lever ammo from Hornady, I haven't tried reloading that bullet yet.

I'm sure the 340 would be fun to play with, and would make a decent enough truck rifle. However, it's nowhere close to the same league as the M788, and if you're patient you can find one reasonably priced. It took me a couple years of searching but I bought one about 80% conditio with a Leupold M8 4X scope for $500.

I've picked up Savage bolt actions in 30/30, like 4 different times.. each time I thought the next one would be better than the last one... they were all the same...

around here tho, I've been able to buy them for about $125, and sold them for about the same...was just disappointed with the limited magazine in them, 125 grain pointed bullets was pretty much the only thing you could load in them reliably...although I've even sunk 220 grain RN bullets in a 30/30 case to magazine length and shot them thru them.. at 2100 fps...*( don't try this at home kids)....

local gun shop had a pair of 788s brought in, by some widow..
and they were on the rack for $200 each... one in 308 and one in 30/30... both in immaculate condition....

the 308 went quick.. the 30/30 set for 6 months or more.. which is surprising in a town where most rifles are rated on whether you can buy ammo for it at Walmart or BiMart...

I'd pass on a Savage or Marlin bolt action 30/30, and jump on a Model 788 if I found one...

my holy grail for rifles tho, is either a Model 54 in 30/30 or a Rem 30S in 30 Remington...

I'll take the counter point. I found a nice one a few years ago. Pre serial number, going by the mag release etc. a mid 50's model.

The single lug issue, it is not like a little normal bolt lug, it is pretty much the length of the bolt. The bolt handle also seats into the receiver.
The single action screw can be added to by drilling and tapping a hole directly above the rear trigger guard screw.

Or do like I did, bed the front of the action and the barrel out to the barrel band.

Not much you can do about the mag length.

This one has a very useable trigger and the bolt functions smoothly.
Accuracy is as good as any lever gun I've owned.

The 170 gr. jacketed flat point Academy/PPU load shoots to about 1.25"@100yds.

All said, I would not spend over $250 for a nice one, its more of an antique oddity to me.

If you don't find a nice Rem, get a Contender carbine or a Handi in .30-30 to play with.

The TC, Hornady 140 gr. MonoFlex can be pushed surprisingly fast from the 23" barrel.

I've had 3-4 over the years in various chamberings. They are what they are and do a pretty good job as a economy deer groundhog whanger. Having said that I would only recommend them to someone that is willing to shoot them as they are as any money you put into them will never be recovered. Lipstick on a pig if you will.

Frankly you can get a much better gun by buying a used stevens 200, axis or RAR. The only thing the 225 has going for it is the 30-30 chambering and again I found nothing magic in bolt 30-30s certainly nothing to recommend it over a 308 which can be loaded down if you like.

Well,I can't argue most of the sentiments. I can always load my .308s to do the same thing. The 788 is also somewhat sentimental to me. As my son said today, "Why do we need another 30-30? We've got plenty of them and .308s. Just keep the xbow." Seems the 340s have enough quirks that it might just piss me off, once I get to working with one.

Thanks.

I've got a Savage 340 in 222,and I love it the side mounted scope dosnt bother me at all ,and I've also got a Stevens 325,which I dont care for.Neither of these guns are worth much,but if you want it go ahead and trade .Even though I always hear of hp rifles selling cheap I seldom even see handi rifles for much less than $250,and even if you want to get rid of it latter you won't completly loose you azz on it unless you put money in it.You would be better off in that case to find a 336,or Glenfield 30.Them micro groove 30-30s are probably the most accurate you can find