my dad (RIP) had gotten me my first shotgun, Savage m67 pump in 20ga. it was also my deer gun, i think it was Foster rifled slugs. the next year, my dad's friend let me have an old Winchester m94 in 32 Win Spl. to go hunting with. i just turned 14yo when my grandpap gave me my first rifle (given to me on Christmas day). it was a used 1972 Winchester m94 in 30-30. i killed alot of deer with that rifle, but i put it in the safe and i just plain forgot about her. then about 12 years ago, i've read a little about the 35/30-30 and then the seed was planted in my mind. about 5 years ago, i sent the 30-30 to JES Reboring and he did awesome job of making it the 35/30-30. as my eyes ain't what they once were, i put on a Williams FP aperture sight. i also got the CH-4D reloading dies and 500 pieces of 30-30 Starline brass. i also got a 200gr RCBS FNGC mold.
this is 25-30 or more shots, fire forming the 35/30-30. it was with open sights at 50 yards.
Winchester m94 in 35/30-30 with 200gr RCBS FNGC and 2400/tuft of Dacron going 1726fps. this is sighting in with the Williams FP at 100 yards.
i have taken the m94 out hunting for 4 years. last year, the first Monday of rifle season i had a heart stint done, so i only have 2 days to hunt. the other 3 years were good, 2 doe and a buck. the doe were at ranges of 20 and 30+/- yards and the buck was at 53 yards.
it took me about 25 years to do the 35/30-30, but i luv it!!! as long as eyes are ok, there is no need for a scope or a reflex sight.
how fast will the 35/30-30 go? the 35/30 will be close to the 35 Rem speed (fps), but not enuff to make a difference. where the 35/30 shines is the weight of the bullet. the 35/30 is around 280gr, while the 35 Rem is maybe about 250gr. i was going to go with a 270-280gr WFN GC mold, but i already had the 200gr mold, so i decided to try it and i'm glad that i did. i use 2400 because i have enuff of it to last and my sons' lifetime.
i have, or rather my youngest son has a Savage m340 in 30-30. he has killed deer with it, with either a factory load or a handload. he likes the 170gr FN (Remington factory load or 170gr Hornady or Speer FN). it was his first rifle that my dad loaned to him.
"Russia sucks." ---- Me, US Army (retired) 12B & 51B
Russian Admiral said, after the Moskva sank, "we have the world's worst navy but we aren't as bad as our army".
I bought my Mossberg model 464 several years ago. It features a 16-inch barrel, grey laminated stock, and marine-coat finish which appears as brushed stainless steel. This carbine will shoot any brand or bullet weight into a 2-inch group at 100 yards. It's my top choice for hunting wild hogs and deer in thick cover. 30-30 is a keeper! - Sherwood
I bought my Mossberg model 464 several years ago. It features a 16-inch barrel, grey laminated stock, and marine-coat finish which appears as brushed stainless steel. This carbine will shoot any brand or bullet weight into a 2-inch group at 100 yards. It's my top choice for hunting wild hogs and deer in thick cover. 30-30 is a keeper! - Sherwood
I have 4 Winchester 94's, A Marlin 336 and A Savage 99. The Winchester is by far the easiest carrying and quickest on target for me. Man, I think I need another 1!
The new Ruger made Marlins seem to be really well made, and that's what I'd buy if I wanted a new one. They aren't cheap, but neither are the older JM Marlins. Do not buy a Remington era Marlin. I think they all have "REP" stamped on the lower left of the barrel instead of the original "JM". They are hit and miss on quality control.
I like Marlins and Winchesters. The first deer I ever killed with a rifle was with a Marlin 336 shooting red-box Federal Hi-Shok flat tip soft point 150 grain. I bought that rifle in the early '80s when I was in high school with money I saved. Bought it at BEST department store. Kept it for many years until I stupidly sold it. It had nice wood. But a front sight that would never stay tight (I didn't know what thread locker was back then.) I've owned a Remington Marlin (Remlin) 336 since then. It was fine. No problems, accurate, cycled fine, and looked good. But I never loved it like my first one, and have sold that one off. I always liked the smooth stock of my first gun better than the chekered stock of the Remlin. The only Marlin I have now is my great grandfathers's 1901-built Marlin 1893 .30-30 takedown with an octagon barrel and Marbles sights. It's got a broken ejector tip but it still functions and ejects fine. My great grandfather used it Pennsylvania to hunt deer and turkeys. It's a safe-queen at this point.
I owned a Winchester 94 Ranger in years past. I liked it a lot. It had a smooth hardwood stock. It was very plain. I must have rubbed up against it in the safe with a sweaty arm because I pulled it out one day and it had rust freckles on the barrel where I must have touched it. Kept if for years and actually ended up giving it away. For a couple years, I had no .30-30 at all other than that ancient Marlin mentioned above.
Then I bought a Miroku-made Winchester 94 Short Rifle. Wow. Very nice gun. Wasn't sure I'd like the safety, but learned to use it only when I was cylcing rounds emptying the gun. Otherwise, it cycles very smoothly, and it's very accurate. Fit and finish is superb. Since I bought that, I bought several other Miroku-made Winchester levers - an 1886 and a 92. All are superb. But so far they've only been used on the range. I do love the smooth wood.
Here's mine and one picture of what it looked like when I got it. Bought it cheap. Needed a major clean up job.
Tore it completely apart end to end, and top to bottom. Went over every piece externally and internally cleaning, polishing where needed, both wood an metal. Cleaned up like a new one.
Picture of the receiver parts after they were cleaned up.
End result. I'm not real up on M94's but it's a newer angle eject. Kinda proud of it just because of the shape I bought it back from.
Shoots well, action works slick and cycles as it should, and handles very well. Weighs 5 lbs 13 oz as it sits.
Edit to add: Forgot to put a picture of the left side, it's old enough yet to be a New Haven CT rifle. Beyond that don't know much about it.
Last edited by ShadeTree; 12/31/23.
One is alone in a land so vast, there is only the mountains, the wind, and the eyes of God.