Home Forums Lever Action Central Marlin 336 Lever Actions Crazy idea, reboring a 336 .30-30 for S. MI use.

I just had an idea today and wanted to bounce it off of the fire before I pursued it any further.

Michigan just changed the rules to allow rifles with straight wall cartridges of over .35 cal and not longer than 1.8" to be used for deer hunting in the former shotgun zone. While pondering what rifle would fit the bill, several ideas came up, like rebarreling a .38-55 or .444 to fire a shorter version of the original round, figuring with a new barrel and a case trimmer, I could play with load data and come up with decent round. But then I thought of this:

Would it be possible to re-bore a .30-30 to .445 Supermag? True, it only has a 1.6" case, but it has factory brass that will be minimal fuss, and the COL is less than the .30-30, so it should feed, and I believe it would clean up the factory chamber. I could use the Hornady flex tip bullets to maximize external ballistics, and gain a useful margin over the standard .44 mag, and wouldn't likely have the presure issues of the Casull or .460. Sure, I could just get a .44 and hunt, but would that be the way of the true loony?

What do you think?

old70

Or you could use a .45-70 as is, trim the cases to 1.8" and seat the bullets out like the two on the left. (Factory 405 gr on right) A factory crimp die would keep them from setting back under recoil.

Thinking he meant 1.8 OAL, not case length.

Or rebore it to 375 Win. or 38-55.

Michigans Limited Firearm Deer Zone rules in regards to rifles:

"A .35 caliber or larger rifle loaded with straight-walled cartridges with a minimum case length of 1.16 inches and a maximum case length of 1.8 inches."

Man, the 1894S 44mag I had back in the late 90's was a sweet rifle...sounds like a slam dunk.

That rule starts just above the 38 Special, lets the 44 Special in and allows up to the 460 S&W�the latter sounds about perfect for a rifle - or the 454 Casull - or 44 Mag, or 480/475 - or without getting crazy with the rechambering business (which can get spend quickly).

The .460 S&W is too high pressure for most leverguns except the purpose built Bighorn M90. Nice rifle but pretty spendy.

http://www.bighornarmory.com/catalog/big-horn-armory-products/model-90-rifle-460-sandw-5/

Well, as long as there are plenty of 44 Mag lever guns (or 45 Colts, 41 Mag, etc) I wouldn't get too crazy with modified rebored lever guns. I toyed with building a 44 Van Houten Souper years ago and it wasn't going to be a cheap deal then. Besides, even the paltry 45 Colt works just fine in a reasonably strong common lever gun.



I've played this one a few times here but this was the result of a 300 cast out of my M94 16" Trapper carbine; distance 150-200 yards. Bullet speed 1550: muzzle; full penetration diagonally through body w/ exit.)

http://www.rossiusa.com/product-details.cfm?id=159

One of the above in a .454 Casull would be pure murder on your local deer population!!!