30-30 Handi Rifle Who has one?

[Texas by God]

I would rechamber one with either twist. The 30-40 is great and I don't need the heavies anyway.

[Ranch Dog]

This will go off topic on this older topic, but any 30-30 single shot guys should look at this auction: Rossi Single Shot 7.62x39. It is more of a "buy it now" with free shipping, I have no stake in it

I've had a couple of Handi's; 223 Rem, 30-30 Win, 35 Rem, and two 444 Marlins. Hands down, I felt the Rossi's were better. I've owned them chambered in 308 Win, 7.62x39, 44 Mag, rechambered a 44 Mag to 444 Marlin, and a 45-70. Of all of these, Handi's and Rossi's, the only one I regret getting rid of was the Rossi 7.62x39. My rifle was cut to the SAAMI spec, .300 bore, .310 groove, and with a 9.45 twist.

I have more guns than a small town gun store so, though tempted, I'm not going to buy it even though I want it. Thought I would mention it to you single shot guys that are trying to feed an addiction.

[sparky45]

I recently had one of my Handi's rechambered to a 7.62 x 39 and it's a joy to shoot. I had Tim Malcolm (forum member) do the work and it seems to be spot on. That Rossi looks good but since I already have a single shot 7.62 x 39 I'll pass.

[ulav8r]

This will go off topic on this older topic, but any 30-30 single shot guys should look at this auction: Rossi Single Shot 7.62x39. It is more of a "buy it now" with free shipping, I have no stake in it

Only problem is that is a $150 gun.

[30-30 guy]

I have an old topper 30-30 with a redone 2# trigger pull that shoots a 170 grain lee flatnose lubbed with alox and 20 grains of BLC-2 into 7/8 inch at 100 yards. Beats my Thompson encore with an mgm barrel and 2# trigger with the same load by 1/4 inch. Best 2 cast boolit guns I own. Working on my new henry 30-30 now!!

[Tom W.]

I posted earlier ( like 2007 or so ) that I have one. A few months ago I had it rechambered to 30/30 a.i.
Next weekend I'll try a few a.i. loads, but am having a ball just shooting fire forming loads.

[Ranch Dog]

Only problem is that is a $150 gun.

Sorry fellow, but they all were once. My first Handi 30-30 Win was about $95 at Wal-Mart. Would not eject a cartridge (three returns to the factory), hunted with a wooden dowel on my pack, and the trigger needed a crank winch to pull (factory wouldn't touch it).

[curator]

I've had an SB2 Handi in .30-30 for about 20 years. It was made with an 1 in 10" rifling twist so I reamed the chamber for .30-30AI, 40 degree. Now I shoot 200 to 220 grain cast flat nose boolits in it with accuracy to 2000 fps. Cases seem to last nearly forever and accuracy hovers around 1.5 MOA from 100 to 250 yards.

[rking22]

3030ai seems interesting. My 3030 handi was a factory fit barrel to my sb2 4570, just because. I like 3030 and was sending it in for a 20ga and 357mag barrel setup. Well after I had the 3030 for a couple years I found it to have excessive headzpace,, REALLY factory fit and they couldnt get that right! It's so deep I get liggt strikes, other barrels are great.So, what $$$ and who is reccomendrd for a ream to AI? Or, better yet,is there a "shared reamer" out there?
Thanks for any help.

[ulav8r]

3030ai seems interesting. My 3030 handi was a factory fit barrel to my sb2 4570, just because. I like 3030 and was sending it in for a 20ga and 357mag barrel setup. Well after I had the 3030 for a couple years I found it to have excessive headzpace,, REALLY factory fit and they couldnt get that right! It's so deep I get liggt strikes, other barrels are great.So, what $$$ and who is reccomendrd for a ream to AI? Or, better yet,is there a "shared reamer" out there?
Thanks for any help.

Since the 30/30 AND the AI both headspace on the rim, you will still have excessive head space. If you size your cases to seat on the shoulder instead of the rim, there is no "need" to re-chamber. You will have to rely on hand loads to eliminate headspace or have the rim cut shimmed to give proper headspacing on the rim.

[rking22]

As a 30Herrett shooter, I just set it up on the shoulder. Pain in the rear when I get some of that brass mixed with the other. Yes, I could stand to be better organized, but a 3030 AI would keep my brass easy and.... I don't have one of those ..yet

[HangFireW8]

Since the 30/30 AND the AI both headspace on the rim, you will still have excessive head space. If you size your cases to seat on the shoulder instead of the rim, there is no "need" to re-chamber. You will have to rely on hand loads to eliminate headspace or have the rim cut shimmed to give proper headspacing on the rim.

rking22, ulav8r is right, just rechambering won't help, the barrel has to be set further back against the breech in some way.

As an expediency, headspacing on the shoulder (AI or not) can be done, as long as you don't share brass with another 30/30. It is accomplished starting with new or other-gun brass by necking it up to the next caliber (8mm or so) then then necking it back down to .30 only as far as needed to get it to chamber. Then the bump on the 2-diameter neck will hold the rim against the breech.

[Hamish]

A small pony-tail rubber band placed around the base of the brass will help keep the cartridge against the breech face, then just be careful not to bump the shoulder back, segregate the brass.

[John Taylor]

I took two old H&R 30-30s in trade a while back. One of my customers was looking for a small caliber rifle for his two daughters so I made a new barrel for one in 32 S&W so he could use it to train the two girls and still have the 30-30 barrel for when they got old enough to hunt with him. I have had to many projects so little time to try out the other H&R.