.30-30 to .38-55 conversion
- Thread starter madtrapper143
- Start date
madtrapper143
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Steep Rock Lake NWO
I did look into that. Those Winchesters all have tight throats and over sized bores and not really suited for cast bullets.
Darryl
Darryl
vagrantviking
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- High River, Alberta
That's certainly not ideal. I ran into a similar issue trying to load .379" cast bullets with Lee 38-55 dies. The crimp ring inside was too narrow for the bullet to get by.
If someone has a rifle like this it should be fairly cheap and easy to get a proper sized reamer run into it though.
I had Ron Smith do a re-bore from 30-30 to 38-55 on a plain Jane 1950's Marlin 336 pre crossbolt safety.Did a 1-16 twist and it shoots Jet Bullets 268gr GC 's into about 1.5" at 100 yards if I do my part. IMR 3031 is the best powder so far.Nothing in the guns action needed changing.
A Ron Smith rebore sounds like the best option so far. If not 100% stuck on the .38-55 though, you might be able to find a suitable .32 Special barrel to fit to your '94. The .32 Special is a great cast bullet shooter with its slower twist rate and you can still, easily find loaded ammunition if needed. I agree that the larger bore and heavier bullet of the .38 is attractive but the .32 really is Special! Its good to have options...
madtrapper143
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Steep Rock Lake NWO
Just an FYI Mr. Smith was hospitalized a short time ago. I don't think I will be bothering him for a while until he is better.
Darryl
Darryl
fingers284
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Alberta Cowboy Ranges
coyoteshooter
CGN Regular
- Location
- Ontario, Canada
i have the alberta com 3855 some speek of ...it was and is a shooter and the gold finish is going away but nice wood etc..kind of cute ...i run some cast ..about 200 or so ..this mix and that ..with no 2 alloy and good vel it shot 3 in at 100 yds others not so good...moulds are lee and an original ideal...just a fun gun that will hunt if need be ...one of 5 38s i play with .. find a shooter try wtb... few want to carry them and once they leave the box cut the price by half they are out there good luck
madtrapper143
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Steep Rock Lake NWO
I am going to shelve this project for now. It is proving to be a little more difficult than I thought. I made several phone calls and ended up where I started. Thanks to all with the helpful tips and direction. maybe sometime in the future I will re visit this task.
regards, Darryl
regards, Darryl
IMO, it would be a lot easier & faster to just buy a new rifle and sell your old rifle intact.
Have you looked at the new 38-55's in stock at Epps? The Winchester 94 DELUXE SPORTING is a thing of beauty.
Have you looked at the new 38-55's in stock at Epps? The Winchester 94 DELUXE SPORTING is a thing of beauty.
madtrapper143
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Steep Rock Lake NWO
Tang safety on a 94 is a deal breaker. That price is a little out of my income bracket also. BUT that is nicely finished and looks good.
Darryl
Darryl
fingers284
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Alberta Cowboy Ranges
Tang safeties on the Japchesters can be removed and a small blank inserted in the cut-out so a tang sight can be mounted.
It takes a bit of work with a file & fitting but can be done in a couple evenings while watching tv. I did my Jap 86 and don't regret the purchase or changing it at all.....if that's what is made nowadays, that is what we have to work with.
It takes a bit of work with a file & fitting but can be done in a couple evenings while watching tv. I did my Jap 86 and don't regret the purchase or changing it at all.....if that's what is made nowadays, that is what we have to work with.
hey maybe Find a Shiiiiiiiiiiiii-ter model 94 an re build it to the 38/55 or proberly .375win dimension which you can compromise, JES does it, reams one but can handle both........
my old bigbore 94 is a 375 chambered, but i load it like 38-55.... moot point, but with JES chamber, You could run 38-55 long, short, or 375std and put as much powder in it as i could an it would all work fine.
if ya dead set on this, im sure many CGN ? have done a JES, but many on Cast Boolits have JES chambers! worth askin there...
but being Canada, id look for another model 94 bro....never have too many...
im opposite, i want a 30-30 now after 14 years with a 375win ha ha
my old bigbore 94 is a 375 chambered, but i load it like 38-55.... moot point, but with JES chamber, You could run 38-55 long, short, or 375std and put as much powder in it as i could an it would all work fine.
if ya dead set on this, im sure many CGN ? have done a JES, but many on Cast Boolits have JES chambers! worth askin there...
but being Canada, id look for another model 94 bro....never have too many...
im opposite, i want a 30-30 now after 14 years with a 375win ha ha
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Winchester (Miroku) 94 , saddle ring carbine, shotgun butt, 38-55 price was 1300 NEW two years back.
Look at the current Winchester models. Not the fancy one with high price.
These are built different from older 94s and are very smooth action, coil spring instead of flat springs, trigger was hard so replaced with wolf trigger spring by a gunsmith as I could not put the gun back together. The bracket can be put in upside down and still work , sorta of. Take pictures!
OH it shoots lead good as I use black powder sub as well as smokeless reload lead 240 grain.
Look at the current Winchester models. Not the fancy one with high price.
These are built different from older 94s and are very smooth action, coil spring instead of flat springs, trigger was hard so replaced with wolf trigger spring by a gunsmith as I could not put the gun back together. The bracket can be put in upside down and still work , sorta of. Take pictures!
OH it shoots lead good as I use black powder sub as well as smokeless reload lead 240 grain.
madtrapper143
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Steep Rock Lake NWO
I would still like to have the 94 I have now redone. I know it is much more simple to buy new but I have a carbine sitting around doing nothing so I thought a project would be fun.
Darryl
Darryl
Then do it, Darryl.
You will have one of your own, so to speak, that no one else will have, and will enjoy the journey as you work it out. Many years ago, in fact it was almost fifty years ago, I had Alvaan Petersen at The Rifle Ranch in Riverhurst, Sakatchewan, rebore two 30-30s to 38-55 for us at Hougen's SportsLodge.
One was a Marlin, the other a Winchester, and we had an immediate interest in both guns simply because they had been rebored. There was another fellow here, Joe Chung, who had Ron Smith rebore and rechamber a 30-30 to 35 on the 30-30 case. He used it to hunt everything.
Years later I had Paul Rogan rechamber a Marlin and a Winchester to 30-30 Ackley Improved for myself. Oddly enough, the Model 94 took heavier loads than the Marlin before getting "sticky" extraction. Had two barrels of fun with 150 gr bullets at 2600 fps in those rifles!
Even if they didn't actually improve on what was available from mainline manufacturers, they brought to life a rifle that was perhaps dead, and a new experience in shooting and hunting for those who owned them. I well-remember a 7mm Rem Mag that got rebored and chambered to 358 Norma Mag. Ron Smith did it with gain-twist rifling, and that rifle shot 250 gr Speer Spitzers like a match rifle.
Why not! You won't regret doing it.
Ted
You will have one of your own, so to speak, that no one else will have, and will enjoy the journey as you work it out. Many years ago, in fact it was almost fifty years ago, I had Alvaan Petersen at The Rifle Ranch in Riverhurst, Sakatchewan, rebore two 30-30s to 38-55 for us at Hougen's SportsLodge.
One was a Marlin, the other a Winchester, and we had an immediate interest in both guns simply because they had been rebored. There was another fellow here, Joe Chung, who had Ron Smith rebore and rechamber a 30-30 to 35 on the 30-30 case. He used it to hunt everything.
Years later I had Paul Rogan rechamber a Marlin and a Winchester to 30-30 Ackley Improved for myself. Oddly enough, the Model 94 took heavier loads than the Marlin before getting "sticky" extraction. Had two barrels of fun with 150 gr bullets at 2600 fps in those rifles!
Even if they didn't actually improve on what was available from mainline manufacturers, they brought to life a rifle that was perhaps dead, and a new experience in shooting and hunting for those who owned them. I well-remember a 7mm Rem Mag that got rebored and chambered to 358 Norma Mag. Ron Smith did it with gain-twist rifling, and that rifle shot 250 gr Speer Spitzers like a match rifle.
Why not! You won't regret doing it.
Ted
madtrapper143
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Steep Rock Lake NWO
Someday I may get this done. At this time( maybe in the immediate future) there is no one to do it. I fear in the future the guys who do this will thin out to a point it can no longer be done in Canada. That day may be upon us.
Darryl
Darryl
