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Thread: Thoughts on trapper 16" barrel on 30-30, good & bad?

  1. #1
    Boolit Buddy iMigraine's Avatar
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    Thoughts on trapper 16" barrel on 30-30, good & bad?

    Hey lever heads,

    Been thinking about getting a 30/30 for plinking and using casting boolits. Read somewhere that 16" barrel will loose 200fps compared to a 20" barrel. Is that the only real negative? In a .357Mag lever I wouldn't be bothered by this. Not sure if I should care when using a 30-30 too?

    TIA

  2. #2
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    I've got one, and the portability and handiness makes up for any velocity loss. And, velocity-wise, you're still ahead of most pistol cartridges. But if target shooting is the goal, then the convenience of the short barrel becomes less important and longer might be better.

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    Boolit Master
    JSnover's Avatar
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    For plinking with cast, what's not to like? Makes a good defensive carbine too, if you don't already have one.
    Warning: I know Judo. If you force me to prove it I'll shoot you.

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    Boolit Master kingstrider's Avatar
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    I have two factory Marlin 30-30 rifles with 16" barrels and love them. The loss in velocity is negligible but the muzzle blast is greater than a longer barrel if that matters to you. Eventually I'm going to buy another 30-30 and convert it to a SBR for use with a suppressor.
    Keep moving forward!

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    Boolit Buddy
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    I have a 78 model 94 Winchester. Love it.!! Critters can't tell the difference. It'd be real hard to part with this one

    Papalote

  6. #6
    Boolit Buddy

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    I love my Winchester 94 Trapper. It is my "go to" rifle. Bill

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    Boolit Master Shawlerbrook's Avatar
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    They are like an adult’s Red Ryder.

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    Boolit Master Guesser's Avatar
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    I have a Wrangler in 32 W.S. with the 16" barrel. Great cast shooter, especially after I mounted a receiver sight. It almost doubled the sight radius and made me a much more accurate operator.

  9. #9
    Boolit Grand Master pietro's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by iMigraine View Post

    Been thinking about getting a 30/30 for plinking and using casting boolits.

    Read somewhere that 16" barrel will loose 200fps compared to a 20" barrel.

    Only those who are OCD care...................................

    While 16" Trappers (mine is a .30-30) are very handy for hunting, they're not quite as accurate at longer ranges (say, 150yds) as a (say) 24" barreled example - simply because their shorter sight radius is less forgiving @ longer ranges.


    .
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    The coroner's van is your next ride

  10. #10
    Boolit Master Guesser's Avatar
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    pietro.....that is exactly why I put a receiver sight on mine; almost doubled the sight radius.....

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    Texas by God's Avatar
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    A T/C Conteder 16" 30-30 is considered a long range wonder-and a Trapper 30-30 is not. Strange. Trapers are cool.

    Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G930A using Tapatalk

  12. #12
    Boolit Master OlDeuce's Avatar
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    Very good thoughts !!!! Ol Deuce
    Do the Best with What you have !

  13. #13
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    so slowing a 30-30 down to 300 B.O. speeds is okay?

  14. #14
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    Quote Originally Posted by runfiverun View Post
    so slowing a 30-30 down to 300 B.O. speeds is okay?
    It would be interesting to chronograph 150 gr bullets out of 16" barrels .300BO vs 30-30, R5R. I think the 30-30 might win.

    Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G930A using Tapatalk

  15. #15
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    The rifle will do what it needs to accuracy is more the shooters responsibility than the barrel and with a 150 grn round nose cast I can still hit what I am aiming at with open sights out to 100 yds.

  16. #16
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    We love our shorty Winchesters one a 30-30 the other a 44 mag; both wear reciver sights and are very very handy hand fast handling both my full size and short 30-30 94s shoot the same cast boolits very well but the longer one is slightly more accurate at longer distances can't remember the actual velocity lose between the 2 but I vaguely remember it wasn't as high as I was expecting. The short ones are much louder or seem so cause there closer to your face/ears. No critter deer hog black bear has ever seemed to know the difference. The .44 is what my daughter used to take her first and all subsequent deer and know claims it as her rifle so I've been playing with the 30-30s more and can't say either one is the wrong answer for Hunting plinking walking around target of opportunity rifle.

  17. #17
    Boolit Master Drm50's Avatar
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    I've got a Marlin 30/30 16", have had it for close to 50yrs. When I got it my crew turned up their
    nose at it. Said barrel was to short. Now same guys have pestered me for 49 yrs to trade me out
    of it. Nothing I ever shot with it complained about -200fps, it shot right with standard guns. As
    a matter of fact I got a 35 just like it and it's a shooter to. Have Lyman 66s on both of them.

  18. #18
    Boolit Master
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    love my 357 mag trapper.

  19. #19
    Boolit Master OlDeuce's Avatar
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    My Old 16'' trapper has been around the rock a few times But, Still today has a Great Barrel after all these years 1927 !!!! Way cool



    Ol Deuce
    Last edited by OlDeuce; 10-08-2017 at 08:14 PM.
    Do the Best with What you have !

  20. #20
    Boolit Master

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    Quote Originally Posted by Drm50 View Post
    I've got a Marlin 30/30 16", have had it for close to 50yrs. When I got it my crew turned up their
    nose at it. Said barrel was to short. Now same guys have pestered me for 49 yrs to trade me out
    of it. Nothing I ever shot with it complained about -200fps, it shot right with standard guns. As
    a matter of fact I got a 35 just like it and it's a shooter to. Have Lyman 66s on both of them.
    You’ve got something fairly rare. I believe the 16” marlins were called Marauders and were only made a few years.

    I’ve got a Texan with 18 inch barrel and it sure is handy to carry and hunt with.
    Shoot Safe,
    Mike

    Retired Telephone Man
    NRA Endowment Member
    Marion Road Gun Club
    ( www.marionroad.com )

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