.35/30-30 anyone?

mrwolfe · Oct 30, 2016

So, getting a wild hair, another one of those semi-practical projects.

The plan is to rebore a .30-30 marlin .336 to .35/30-30. I see that CH4D has dies available for the "ackley" (40 degree shoulder, minimum taper). This will be an 18 inch, cast bullet rifle.

Now the big question, anyone here have any experience with the caliber? Plan is to throw 260(ish) grain or heavier cast bullets at about 1800 fps for pigs and deer in heavy cover.

Mark W. · Oct 30, 2016

Would make way more sense to just get a Marlin 336 in a bigger caliber. Wildcats are fun they are very hard to sell and in the end loose money.

The readily available Marlin 336C in 35 Remington comes to mind. Not sure your going to be throwing a slug almost 100 grains heavier then the 30-30 case was designed to use without pressure issues.

The 35 Rem throws a 200 grain slug at speeds up to 2200fps (24" barrel Hornady flex tip) and a lead slug at almost 2100 fps. Plenty to knock down any pig around here.

Certaindeaf · Oct 30, 2016

Re-bore? I think you mean re-barrel.

orygun · Oct 30, 2016

Wildcats rarely make sense, but that's no reason to do one if you're so inclined.
I'd think that the cost of reboring and rechambering the original barrel would be considerable. I'd be curious what it would cost.
Does the 35/30-30 move the shoulder forward on the 30-30 case? Seems to me that the 30-30 neck is long enough to rob from.

JRuby · Oct 30, 2016

i had an old 1893 marlin given to me it was not usable due to wear of the chamber and barrel. So I found this gunsmith called the "The Marlin guy" and talked to him. We came up with idea to bore the barrel amd rechamber it to 38-55. My father inlaw has been shooting that rifle for the lsst decade
When we he rehamnered the bore was sizef to use 375 caliber bullets not thev38-55 diameter brcause the bullets were easier to come by.

The Heretic · Oct 30, 2016

I think there are a number of better choices.

The .35 Rem is one. 45-70 and .450 Marlin are another.

Another would be to go to a Browning BLR which opens up the field to a lot more powerful cartridges that can push heavy .30, 8mm and .35 projectiles faster than the .30-30 or .35 Rem.

JRuby · Oct 30, 2016

The question is does he alresdy have the rifle. Either way its probably cheaper to buy a different rifle as Heretic lead to. In my way of thinking fully customized hunting rifle conversions arent cost effective like they used to be 20 years ago.Tables are full of them at gunshows.

The Heretic · Oct 30, 2016

Heavy 30-30 Winchester Rifle Ammunition

HEAVY 30-30 WINCHESTER AMMO
190 GR. JFN @ 2100 FPS (1860 FT.LBS.)

Certaindeaf · Oct 30, 2016

Indeed, if you wanna go plain base lead in .35 for pigs and deer close-up, just get a .357 magnum. Use heavy SWC's loaded stiff.

Velzey · Oct 30, 2016

Call up JES Home - Reboring by J E S

Maybe end up with a 35 whelen ackley improved, it will make heavy cast bollits scoot right along!

mrwolfe · Oct 30, 2016

Thanks guys,
yeah, I know wildcats are a pain, my elk rifle is a .338-06. I have a soft spot (in my head ) for oddballs. I also tend to have lifetime contracts with hunting rifles, so resale isn't much of a consideration.
Looked at .375 win and .38-55 which would be a reload only option for me anyway. .35 rem is easily available, similar ballistics to 35/30-30, just light on the geek factor.

.357 mag is a little light, though probably the most sensible (something I have rarely been accused of being).

I haven't cast in a decade or so and none of my other hunting calibers are really good cast bullet options, so... time to get geeky.

AMProducts · Nov 12, 2016

I'm not much sure I really understand the intention here. Yea, I get the geek factor, but really a .357 max is pretty much what you want, but you want to pay more for it. You'll probably end up having to form brass from .38-55 or .375 win, as I doubt you'll be able to expand the neck back to .35 caliber.

FYI, you can buy new 38-55 and .375 win ammo, why is "reload only" your only option?

mrwolfe · Nov 12, 2016

I've priced .375 and .38-55, it is a little... err... nutty, hence reload only. The only factory ammo I shoot these days is .40 s&w, 5.5612ga, and .22lr anyway. I roll my own for the .338-06, .270 and .308 for hunting.
The price into a .357 max or even a 357 lever is a bit nutty as well these days, but a beater .30-30 I can still find reasonably.

AMProducts · Dec 2, 2016

mrwolfe said:
I've priced .375 and .38-55, it is a little... err... nutty, hence reload only. The only factory ammo I shoot these days is .40 s&w, 5.5612ga, and .22lr anyway. I roll my own for the .338-06, .270 and .308 for hunting.
The price into a .357 max or even a 357 lever is a bit nutty as well these days, but a beater .30-30 I can still find reasonably.

IIRC both .38-55 and .375 Win are both roughly the same OAL as the .30-30, since you're going to need to do a barrel swap to use a .357-30, why not just make a .38-55 barrel? The big advantage with this is you don't have to worry about forming brass, and even then casting .375/377 bullets is easy.