25-35 sounds like fun, and I need a 30-30.
I keep having this vision of a trim, lightweight, single-shot, break-action rifle in 30-30, shooting 150 grain TTSXs at 2400 fips. The closest thing to this vision that I can think of in an existing rifle is a Savage 219, but the ones I have seen fall short of the ideal. I have a Ruger #1 in 7x57, and it is nice enough, but it is built like a tank, and reloading in the heat of action is slow at best. I can reload a break-open action much more quickly.
I have also thought of buying one of the H&R/NEF guns and performing major surgery on it, including reshaping the action, removing steel from the barrel and non-critical areas of the action to lighten it, polishing and rust blueing, and new pretty walnut to replace the "hardwood" factory stock. This sounds like a neat winter project for the days when it is dark when I leave for work and dark when I get back home. If the project bombs, I'm only out about $200 for the rifle. I wouldn't buy the walnut until/unless the metalwork turned out satisfactorily. I know some folks turn up their noses at the H&R guns, but operating break-actions with an exposed hammer is second nature to me, and I like them.
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