Home Forums Lever Action Central Cowboy Levers Converting .30-30 to .38-55

Have any of you used the e-guns octagon .38-55 to convert a Winchester 94 .30-30 to the older cartridge? If so, what does it encompass?

A friends dad just did this project. (My fault, I bought a Marlin .38-55 a couple of years ago, and it was well liked, by his son.)

I haven't seen the finished project but I understand he is really pleased with the outcome. His son told me, "all he did was swap barrels, everything else worked fine."

For what it's worth...

Since the .30-30 is a necked-down .38-55, a barrel should be all that's needed.

Where can I find out about this e-guns octagon barrel? I did a search and came up with Dillon presses.


Thanks, Rob

Check this link:

http://www.e-gunparts.com/DisplayAd.asp?chrProductSKU=882400&chrSuperSKU=&MC=

What else it needed to do this conversion. The listed web site says that hardware and sights are not included. What hardware is needed and which sights will fit? I have a "spare" 94 that I am thinking of converting but don't want to find out halfway through that I am in over my head.

Your current hardware may not fit, as that particular barrel is not tapered. This conversion works better if you are starting out with a rifle, and not a carbine. By rifle, I mean the longer barrel with the steel forened cap. By carbine, I mean anything with the barrel band. If you have a round barrel, you will need to get an octogon forearm, or remove some material from your old one. As far as sights go, you can transfer over your current sights. I have one of these barrels here, feel free to PM me with any other questions. It is a very easy, and IMO, worthwhile conversion. Plus, it looks really good.

R.

If your handy the hardware can probably be made to fit even by hand, if not then it will have to be replaced..sights of most types are available from such places as Brownells, NECG. Its not much of a conversion and any good smith can do it...

I am not sure that anything is gained by going from a 30-30 to a 38-55, the 30-30 is the better killer IMO, and has a bit more range, thats why the 38-55 is moribound more or less. But for the nostalgia buff its a grand choice..I shot a lot of deer and Javalina with an old beater 38-55 that I swapped two Jackasses, a rawhide quirt and a pitchers mitt for when I was a kid, but in the end went back to my 30-30 and my beloved 25-35 SRC carbine that I still hunt with from time to time.

I had a "beater" pre-64, 94 30-30 rebored to 38-55. It turned out GREAT! didn't need any action work. Jesse Ocompaugh (sp?) of Cottage Grove, Or. did the work. Do a search on lever actions and you'll find all the details.
Virgil B.

Yes by all means go for it and disregard those that tell you a 255 grain 37 cal bullet is less lethal than than a 170 grain .308. Lots of elk,blackies,and deer will tell you different (if they could).

Bob

I don't see how it would be much more effective on deer than a heavy .357 Magnum from a rifle. Better off with the .30-30, IMHO.

Did you ever complete this project?

+1
...pretty darned close:

My data says that out of the muzzle, the momentum and *Taylor Bekker Index of a 38-55 250 gr. is 17.5.

For comparison, the 30-30 (160 gr.) is 14.8 and the .308 (165 gr.) is 17.82

Considering that the 38-55 was considered a target round, I think its a winner. Especially for deer and black bears.

Big slow moving bullets usually kill better than small slow moving bullets, but if you place the bullet in the lungs then it won't matter if it is a 170 gr or 250 gr.