Savage 340

[richhodg66]

Well, actually, the Sears variant of it. I just got one as I like the .30-30. I like the way this rifle handles and points, very graceful for wnat of a better word.

I have heard good things about the accuracy of this rifle. I'm thinking about trying both Lyman 311291s and 31141s in it with 5744 powder. I have a scope mount coming in for it, not sure what scope I'll put on it, probably something relatively small and lower end of the magnification spectrum.

Any thoughts from those of you who have these rifles?

[atr]

Hi ,,,
Yes I have a Savage 340 in 30-30 Very handy rifle. I mounted a 4x Weaver (El Paso) scope with post reticle. I also use the 311291 and it shoots accurately 1.5-1.75 MOA at 100 yards.
I have been using WIN 748 as a powder, but IMR 4895 would also be a good choice.
I did notice that the cartridges tend to not always cycle easily from the clip so you may experience that trouble also.
The trigger is VERY stiff, with no way to improve it.
Also the exjector is spring actuated and that spring is easily bent and deformed. Hopefully your rifle has a decent spring.
A note of caution about the forward barrel band....if you try to tighten that band too tight it will snap !!.....
Also, the recoil lug doesn't fit snugly against the wood thrust block in the stock. What I did with mine was use flat shims of thin copper sheets (hobby shop, or hardware store) until there was a snug fit. the Accuracy improved a bit after that
I sight mine in for 150 yards which is about where most of the whitetail deer are taken.

I think they are very neat rifles and every time I take mine to the range someone there always wants to buy it.
Just out of curiosoty how much did you pay for yours?

[richhodg66]

Mine was $249 plus tax. It's a little more than I probably could have had one if I had looked more, but I've kind of wanted one for a while. It has a big divot taken out of the stock near the safety I'll fix eventually, but the rifle should shoot OK. Bore is good, trigger doesn't seem too bad.

These appear to have a barrel nut like the 110s do. Could barrels be swapped like those?

Do you think one of these would respond to glass bedding like other bolt actions?

[Kraschenbirn]

'Nother Savage 340 here. Mine really likes the old Ideal/Lyman 311466 Loverin 155-grainer over around 20 1/2 gr. AA5744...like 1 1/2"-2" 100-yd groups off a "field rest", i.e. a folded towel to pad the top of the .50 cal ammo can I use for a catch-all toolbox. Scope is an old Tasco 4x32 with fairly coarse crosshairs. One of these days, I'm going to mount a good scope on that rifle and test-fire it off a really solid rest. Gotta feeling it might shoot better'n I can hold.

Bill

Btw: if I were going to hunt with this rifle, I'd probably go with the 311041 which groups, for me, almost as well as the 311466, also using AA5744. And, I got mine off GunBroker a couple years ago for $165 +shipping and FFL transfer fee.

[richhodg66]

I have a bunch of those 311466 bullets my Dad cast for me and I may even have the mold, I'd have to look. The 311291 has been my go to bullet in .30s for a long time, but I recently got a 31141 mold I want to try for the flat nose. I would like this to be a good walk around deer rifle since it's so light and handy.

I'm really looking forward to getting this thing scoped and shooting now.

[oksmle]

I bought mine, a Springfield 840 in .30-30, in front of a Pawn Shop over in Hartshorn, OK, for $25.00 in 1982. It had a split stock at the wrist & the pawn dealer didn't want to buy it. Took it home & repaired the stock. Lightened up the trigger a bit & settled on a load of 34grains of #4831 behind either the Lyman #31141 or #311291. That generated about 1850 fps & was my mainstay for about 20 years. Then as my eyes demanded that I install a scope I decided to also work up another load. So I went to the Old West #311190 which casts at 195 grains in WW. This is what I'm using now & propelled by 34 grains of #4350 it almost reaches 1900 fps. The rifle rides behind my pickup seat with a loaded magazine in the glove box.
P.S. My rifle sighted in with the above mentioned load at 100 yards hits dead on at 25 yards with .32 cal. Hornady hollow based WC, 6 grains of Unique & large pistol primers. YMMV.

[DoubleAdobe]

I have one of these in the Western Auto brand Revelation in .222 caliber. My brother bought it new at Western Auto about 1970, then gave it to me around 1985. I shot a lot of coyotes with it and killed Coues whitetail here in Arizona with it. It is a very accurate rifle, needs a stock refinish and could probably stand a cold reblue too. Rode around in a gun rack too many years, but they are really under rated by most people. My son in law has the same thing, Savage branded in 30-30. The scope mount rig is a little different but worth the effort to find the right stuff.

[richhodg66]

Wow, I remember Western Auto stores. Sure does seem that the "Walmartization" of America closed down some grand olf names in retailing. Don't get me wrong, I'm all about free enterrpise, and Walmart does some good things, but I miss some of the older places.

I'm interested to hear that these rifels shoot bullets heavier than standar .30-30 bullets well. Seems like I remember reading an article in the old Lyman manual where a guy used one of these to hunt deer with using the Lyman 311284. I have that mold and it shoots great in the '06, I wouldn't have thought about it in the .30-30.

[oksmle]

Lyman #311284 - 210.0 grs - WW/Pb - 1:1 - 33.0 grs #4350 - Hornady GC - CCI 200 primers - Chronographed 1786 fps - Target dated 9/28/92 shows a five shot group measuring 1 3/4" at 100 yds. Receiver sight. I really liked this boolit, but each one had to be flattened to form a metplate so that the OAL would be short enough to clear the magazine. I did the same thing using the Lyman #311335 at 205 grs. In both cases the GC barely drops below the case neck, which dosen't hurt a thing with this slow powder, & actually the #335 was a tad more accurate than the #284. It was a real PITA to chuck each boolit into my drill motor to flatten the point prior to GCing & lubing.

[EMC45]

I shot some 190-308 RCBSs through my 340 Savage and the accuracy was not all that great. I thought maybe it was the twist rate (1-12). Mine is pre 68 (no Ser.#). I just bought the Ideal 130gr. 311410 here and am wanting to try it out. I paid $200 OTD and it came with a Weaver side mount and junky old scope that did not work. Still got the mount though......

[Fishman]

I have a Savage 340c (carbine length) in 30-30. Sweet little bolt gun that opened my eyes to the possibilities of cast by plunking three Lee 170 gr FP into a sub-1" group at 100 yds using 8.8 grains of unique. That was back in '95. There is one at my gunshop right now in .222 for $220 and I am tempted but the last thing I need is another cartridge to load for.

[Fishman]

Forgot to mention that the Weaver base positions the scope off to one side a bit. A steel weaver k4 looks pretty good on it but I'd dearly love a peep sight. You might be happy with the stock sights too as they are pretty good IMHO.

[MT Gianni]

Forgot to mention that the Weaver base positions the scope off to one side a bit. A steel weaver k4 looks pretty good on it but I'd dearly love a peep sight. You might be happy with the stock sights too as they are pretty good IMHO.

Enough that I couldn't keep mine in a standard 8 1/2" x11" paper target. All shots went left with the scopes adjustment at max. I am back to a peep.

[Fishman]

Enough that I couldn't keep mine in a standard 8 1/2" x11" paper target. All shots went left with the scopes adjustment at max. I am back to a peep.

What peep are you using?

I didn't have any problem with my scope setup. I could see the side mount possibly being the culprit. There seems to me to be more possibilities for problems what with the screw holes drilled on a different axis and the mount not flat on the top of the rifle. No practical experience here just thinking out loud.

[richhodg66]

I too would be interested in what style peep sight you used. I really like the XS Ghost ring set up I have on my primary hunting muzzle loader, a set up like that would be cool on one of these.

[oksmle]

richhodg66.... Seems like it was a Lyman #57. But it's been so long I don't really remember. I took the disc out of it & simply used the large ring the entire time it was mounted.

[richhodg66]

richhodg66.... Seems like it was a Lyman #57. But it's been so long I don't really remember. I took the disc out of it & simply used the large ring the entire time it was mounted.

Did it work OK with that split receiver? Mine is tapped on the side for a scope mount, if I could get a peep that used the existing rear holes, I'd strongly consider a peep over a scope.

[10 ga]

I had a beat up 340 in 222 that was pretty shot out. Got a barrel for it in 17 fireball and it is my favorite fox/coon/cat rifle when fur calling. Accurate and it was cheap. Sorry, don't shoot cast in the 17s. 10

[richhodg66]

"Sorry, don't shoot cast in the 17s."

Why not? LOL

Does someone make after market barrels for these? Looks like they'd be quick change like a 110, I was thinking a .375 Winchester barrel would be a good one.

[oksmle]

No, there was no problem with a properly mounted peep sight. Don't forget, mine is the Springfield 840. This is the cheapest of the cheap. And it had no predrilled holes. So I had to drill the original two for the peep then four more for the scope on it now.
When you get everything squared away drop me a PM & I'll send you some of the 195 grain boolits so you can try them.