35-30 experience?

[pls1911]

I have a '93 Marlin with a sweet action , a fence post stock, and a bore looking like a gravel road.
I've read good things about the rebore to 35-30 and was looking for anyone with personal knowledge or experience.
MO member sent me JES contact info for the job, so I'll be contacting him as well.
I prefer the 35-30 over the 38-55 because I won't need new bullet molds etc... only a die set.

[Outpost75]

I love mine, which John Taylor relined for me in 16" twist. He recommended not attempting a rebopre on my ca. 1909=8 Winchester 1894 because the old nickel steel barrels are difficult to get good interior finish on in a rebore. I'm very happy with the relining, and you cannot see any transition between the barrel and liner. The original barrel markings and patina were preserved. I'm using an LBT 260-grain plainbased bullet cast 1:30 with 15.4 grs. of #2400 for 1420 fps. I'm not interested in trying to see how hot I can load it, as I like the hunting performance of the big, flat, slower bullet which kills well without a lot of bloodshot meat. Same bullet also makes a great plinker with 8.4 grains of Bullseye for about 1250 fps.

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While you can neck .30-30s up, if you don't mouth anneal first you will get about 25% neck splits. It's easier to use Starline .38-55 cases in the shorter 2.085" length and to neck them down. I had John cut my chamber neck a wee bit longer so that I could use the Starline brass and my LBT mold is cut to fill the .360" throat which is of the form as in the .35 Whelen. I wanted specifically to emulate the .38-55s hunting performance in a .35. Of course I can also approximate .35 Remington performance with the 200-grain bullets, but I prefer the heavies. I don't shoot pistol bullets in mine, I have a .357 Marlin 1894 Cowboy which scratched that itch.

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[GabbyM]

re bore to 32 Special will clean up that barrel too. But won't give you the heavy bullets a 35 will.

[pls1911]

I have .32s , but I was not aware that a .32 would cut enough to clean up the bore.

[GabbyM]

I have .32s , but I was not aware that a .32 would cut enough to clean up the bore.

It may not clean up if it’s seriously pitted.
32 barrel would have a .312” bore and .320 grove. Which is pretty close.
Just cutting the rifling off plus .004” from new spec .308" 30-30 grove diameter. Wouldn’t take much to get the 32 Special reamer in the throat either. If bore didn’t clean up then gun smith could go ahead and take it out larger. Thing is I always thought those barrels were thin enough as is. With a .308" hole in them.

If you already have 32’s then you have reloading dies and probably bullet molds too. I know it’s fun to get new stuff but molds and dies is what $150.
I’ve thought for a long time cutting a Marlin micro grove out to 32 Special with real rifling and a cast boolit friendly twist would be a huge upgrade for most 336’s. My daughters 336 doesn’t really shoot cast for nothing compared to my Win 94. Not that I’d want to put money on ten random 94’s out shooting ten random chosen 336’s.

There’s 8m then .338” in between 358 too. But there is a line someplace between a wildcat and a bastard chambering.

If you wanted to shoot heavier boolits. If the gun smith is using a cut rifle machine he could set it up to cut whatever twist rate you want. Cut in a 12 or 13 twist and you could shoot a 200 grain boolit over some H-LeveRevolution to a tad over 2,000 fps. However in the real world that’s probably futile as the standard 170 FN is plenty of boolit. That nice RCBS bullet probably weights 180 grains from WW alloy? And it’s not going as fast as it could.

Just something to think about. I’d reckon Jess has already tried it and has a pretty good idea how feasible it is.

[Nobade]

I shoot a 35x30-30 in a rolling block rifle. Either Lee 358 win dies or 35 rem. collet die works for reloading. If I ever needed to size the body, which I haven't yet, a 38-55 die works. Oh yeah, a carbide 357 mag die will also neck size.

Capacity is identical to a 35 rem, and so is performance. Since it is a rolling block rifle, I don't load it terribly hot but it is easy to hit 2200 fps with 225gr. paper patched boolits. Light recoil, great power and accuracy, it works for me. I use necked up 30-30 cases, annealed first, and have never had a neck split. I neck them up with that 358 win die, which has a tapered expander.

-Nobade

[northmn]

The ideas for using two sizer dies is a lot cheaper than buying a custom die. Just looked up a price on 35-30 dies while browsing Midway at $179.00 Neck sizing might work for a couple of shots with a lever. A 93 Marlin does not lend itself to the same level of loads as a 336. Reading Outposts description on forming cases kind of matches when I made a few 38-55 cases out of 30-30's (they were too short and did not work accuracy wise) Personally I would look into making it a 38-55 and not messing with all the stuff. A 38-55 with a 375 barrel would be a very usable combination as even some of the J bullets would work as well as cast. Also more friendly to Winchester brass.

DP

[badgeredd]

JES bored my Marlin 30-30 barrel and rifled it with his three groove rifling in a 1:15 twist. I shoot 180 grain to 250 grain cast bullets in it only. The accuracy is great and the thump power is so much better than the original chambering. I got a set of 35/30-30 dies from CH4D which I haven't used as yet. I have neck sized since I built the rifle 3 1/2 years ago using a 357 Mag carbide sizer die. I anneal a bunch of once fired 30-30 and opened them up with a 358 Sizer die. It is an easy wildcat to work with and IMHO you'll never regret getting it done.

One thing I will mention is that I would recommend that you NOT shoot pistol bullets of less than 180 grains in it. Accuracy will likely be horrid with short bullets. I generally use a 200ish grain bullet but that is me.

BTW 35/30-30 is said to be one of the earliest wildcat cartridges because it was used to breath new life into worn 30-30s and 32 Specials.

Edd

[starmac]

Outpost I noticed the notches in your stock, I have an old model 14 remington, that an old guy from Pa notched the same way.

[Outpost75]

Outpost I noticed the notches in your stock, I have an old model 14 remington, that an old guy from Pa notched the same way.

My rifle came from an estate in Texas, was originally made as a "short rifle, shotgun butt, extra light."

Original owner was a WW1 vet who was later a lawman. Not sure if the notches are deer or bad guys, but the rifle is at home in our Appalahian hill country now, and is a sure deer killerwhich doesn't blow a turkey apart. You can eat right up to the bullet hole.

[nekshot]

The way brass for 35 remmies is going the 35-30-30 route seems more appealing all the time. I am half scared to let others shoot our 81 in 35 remmy because of losing brass. who all makes dies for the 35-30-30?

[Outpost75]

......who all makes dies for the 35-30-30?

I got mine from Redding.

Pricey, but custom-made exactly the way I wanted them. I sent chamber cast, two fired cases, six Starline 2.085" .38-55 cases and six bullets cast from my LBT. 360-260FN mold, and they did it exactly right the first time, with quick turn-around. They also suggested and did a long, tapered expander plug so that I could make cases in one pass from.30-30 or .32 Win. Spl. Worth every penny.

I then had www.hollowpointmold.com convert some extra dies for me so that I had a set for my Ideal tong tool. Erik also did a hollowpoint mold for me. My favorite hunting rifle now!

CH4D and RCBS also make them.