The 30-30 club, are you in?

My 30-30.

The serial # dates it to 1913 and side mounted slings, metric ladder rear site and St Etienne, France markings makes it a candidiate for a Belgian Congo I am told. I really know very little else about this rifle so if anyone has more accurrate info please share. She's well used and all original as far as I can tell. It does shoot modern factory ammo high at 100 yards but manages to keep them within a 2-3 inch group. I plan to develop a load that prints closer to POA. I suspect it may have been zeroed for 200 metres with it's intended purpose as a battle rifle but I'm not sure.

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Good morning Mossyhorns,

What is the serial number of your rifle? There is a good chance it was manufactured outside of 1913. Your rifle is definitely all original and is the style of carbine shipped from Winchester to France. Some of these rifles subsequently were sold to persons in Belgium and are thus proofed with Belgian proof stamps. Some rifles have both. These were made for the French rear-echelon "motorized and mounted" troops. A fellow collector who has researched these rifles also noted that if you pull some of the small parts they have matching assembly numbers under the side swivels, on the forward barrel band, on the magazine tube end cap, etc. he also exchanged emails with the Belgian national museum's director of firearms. He is the one who confirmed that these were never used by Belgian military in any theatre of war or colonization. The "Belgian Congo" labeling is a collectors term only and refers, apparently, to the fact that some of these rifles eventually made their way to plantations in the Congo, Africa for use.

I hope this helps. Your rifle is in relatively good condition compared to many examples I have seen.
Michael
 
Thank you for the info on my rifle twobitrifles. I very much appreciate it. The serial number is 613,### as I recall. I'm just heading off to work and can double check later this evening. This rifle was acquired in Nova Scotia by my father several years ago and a gift to me.
 
twobitrifles said:
Good morning Mossyhorns,

What is the serial number of your rifle? There is a good chance it was manufactured outside of 1913. Your rifle is definitely all original and is the style of carbine shipped from Winchester to France. Some of these rifles subsequently were sold to persons in Belgium and are thus proofed with Belgian proof stamps. Some rifles have both. These were made for the French rear-echelon "motorized and mounted" troops. A fellow collector who has researched these rifles also noted that if you pull some of the small parts they have matching assembly numbers under the side swivels, on the forward barrel band, on the magazine tube end cap, etc. he also exchanged emails with the Belgian national museum's director of firearms. He is the one who confirmed that these were never used by Belgian military in any theatre of war or colonization. The "Belgian Congo" labeling is a collectors term only and refers, apparently, to the fact that some of these rifles eventually made their way to plantations in the Congo, Africa for use.

I hope this helps. Your rifle is in relatively good condition compared to many examples I have seen.
Michael
Click to expand...

Just checked. The serial number is 673###.
 
Have you guys noticed any difference in accuracy with Ballard vs Microgroove rifling on Marlin rifles using Cu-jacketed bullets? From my experience, I actually seem to get tighter groups with the Microgroove rifling using 150 gr factory ammo. I know that for lead-cast the Ballard is better.
 
I've had 5 Model 94's in 30-30 and 1 in 32 Special and all were reliable
and accurate shooters. I also had a few Marlins in 30-30 as well.
At the moment, I have no 30-30 in the safe, but I'll be getting back
into the "30-30 club" soon.
 
1979 Winchester Model 94. I bought it in 1993 for $250 in mint condition at a gun store in Victoria. Can't remember the name of the store and they closed up shop with the introduction of C-68. I think it was on Hillside Ave near Quadra St. Anybody remember what that store was called?
 
30-30 Club entries

H&R 157 full forestock
H&R 158 Topper
Savage 219
Savage 219
Savage 340
Stevens 325C

I won't own a Lever 30-30

I always get annoyed when someone mentions the 30-30 and automatically every assumes it is a WinLin (or is it a MarlEster?) Levergun.

Had Levers: Marlin 45/70, and a Browning 308. Won't own one again. (Well maybe a Browning in 358Win or 375-08)
 
mdmaroon said:
1979 Winchester Model 94. I bought it in 1993 for $250 in mint condition at a gun store in Victoria. Can't remember the name of the store and they closed up shop with the introduction of C-68. I think it was on Hillside Ave near Quadra St. Anybody remember what that store was called?
Click to expand...

Gordon's Sporting Goods, and they closed up because the owner retired. Was a great place to shop at
and hang out with fellow shooters.:)
 
I'm a 94 nut too.
That '59 94 is absolutely beautiful.
My pre-64 was made in '55 and the stock has a few blemishes and 20% of the bluing has gone to patina but the barrel is 100% and it is still accurate as heck and not a speck of rust or pitting.
 
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106 year old (I think) Winchester Model 94 30-30 saddle ring carbine.
S#444445

Nice old gun, worth more than my Sako, Tikka , Berretta or CZ from a cool factor.
 
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