35/30-30, Any Players?

[Gtek]

Have been looking around for a while, was able to come in the back door on several to here but (Sorry - no matches. Please try some different terms) was the theme in the magic box. 100 year wildcat to salvage worn bores, CH4D makes dies, RCBS appears not to anymore, J.E.S. does bore but 349/359, etc.
The thought of being able to play with all the pistol boolit molds that live here in this house and what ever else for fun to try steered me to this. I have several 336's maybe too ugly even for a hard blast and parker job, do not think a .32 hole is capable in view of pits in bores. Was thinking about playing with the new Duracoat with filler set up that has come out, and this "wildcat". I do not see where there is any structural/safety issues from pumping up, no internal corrosion of receiver group, the .375" hole option is there but----. Anybody playing with these?
Thanks, Gtek

[Outpost75]

I have a Winchester 1894 relined in. 35/.30-30, but do not use any bullets less than 200 grains in it.

If you want to plink with pistol bullets in a rifle a .357 Magnum makes more sense.

[Alan in Vermont]

If you want to plink with pistol bullets in a rifle a .357 Magnum makes more sense.

Well, it sure seems like a fine idea to me. If I can ever find a suitable candidate for the surgery and the $$ to do it with I plan on researching your theory.

[northmn]

We ahd a discussion a while back on the 35-30 Some mentioned the ability to just neck size the brass with a 38/357 dies as the reloading dies run in the neighbor hood of $170. Getting a 38-55 or a 375 Winchester chambering with a 375 bore also makes a lot of sense as there are jacketed bullets as well as cast that shoot very well in those rifles. No need to reform cases either.

DP

[williamwaco]

We ahd a discussion a while back on the 35-30 Some mentioned the ability to just neck size the brass with a 38/357 dies as the reloading dies run in the neighbor hood of $170. Getting a 38-55 or a 375 Winchester chambering with a 375 bore also makes a lot of sense as there are jacketed bullets as well as cast that shoot very well in those rifles. No need to reform cases either.

DP

DITTO and they are quite accurate.

[Alan in Vermont]

I loaded a lot of 357 Herrett by neck sizing in a 38/357 carbide sizer, expanding with a Lyman "M" die and seating bullets and boolits with a Lyman P-A seater. When I get my 35/30-30 together I'll use the same dies for loading that.

Come to think of it a 357 Herrett might make a good boolit cartridge in a 94 but I don't know if it wold be long enough to not require extra work to get it to feed properly. It would, of course, require a new barrel as well due to the 30-30 chamber being too long to start with.

[Alan in Vermont]

Well now, I just did some quick comparison measuring and it looks like the 30-30 barrel, after boring to 35 Cal, would clean up far enough back to take a 357 Herrett reamer just fine.

Only snag I can see would be that full bore 357 H loads would likely unglue a 94 action. Not an issue for me as I'm thinking the 357 H Condender may be going down the road to fund the 35/30-30, but the next owner might load it with published Herrett data and end up with "Issues".

Always something,,,,,,,,,,

[Bob Busetti]

Ken Waters did an article on it sometime ago, it should be in his pet loads book.
Bob

[winchester 71]

great idea but maybe pushing a 94 wen run at the top end..............

[badgeredd]

I had a barrel bored by JES to build my 35-30 for a Marlin 336. I personally like it a lot and another member of the forum liked it so much 2 years ago that he just got his built. Power wise it is a great lever cartridge with a lot of bullets available as well as molds for cast. Dies are available from CH4D for about $80. 357 Herrett dies can be used to form brass if spaced correctly off of the shell holder. 357 Mag sizer die can be used to neck size only. Frankly I have a 38-55 and 375 Winchester and I don't see the big deal favoring either over the 35-30. They are all good cartridges and none are hard to deal with. Get what you want.

Edd

[35 shooter]

I plan on having one made up one day on a 94 win. Makes a lot of sense to me if for no other reason brass would always be easy to come by. I'd probably be just as happy with the 38/55 tho. Anyway, looking for a donner rifle now.

[Gtek]

Brass was one of the driving thoughts. I have buckets of 30WCF. The 38-55 and 375 seem to be very seasoned and not on the cheap. Also, I do not have .375" anything in stock, I have 357-360 covered. Dies. molds, sizers, and down another rabbit hole I go. Having had Marlinitis for several decades I am pretty well set, 94's, 336's, 95's, pistols to 450's. I always have the option of mouse poppers in 30 but just was looking for use of bad bore thirty holes on something different. Thank You for feedback. Gtek

[scattershot]

The Marlin was also chambered in .35 Remington. Might be cheaper just to convert one to that caliber, and then you'd have the option of using factory ammo (gasp!)

[northmn]

Changing calibers is not cheap. I do not yet cast for my 35 Remington, although I could use 38/357 bullet molds I have available. Basically I do not because I already have a 30-30 and a 32-20 which fill my needs for cast bullet use. I also have a 38-55 which also fits in that category. For me, getting into cast gets to be a bit hard to justify for the 35 as getting a good gas check mold which would permit proper use of the caliber and the gaschecks just do not ammortize over my use of the rifle.
As to the 35-30, it is close to the 35 Remington but does not have quite the case capacity. The 35 is a great cartridge for deer and I would not begrudge anyone from trying to match its equal. Whatever one feel sfill sthe bill.

DP

[bearcove]

Calibre is king. I have 15 35 cal molds. Sold my 375 molds, 2 of them. I do 22, 6.5, 7 mm 30 35 41 44 45 pistol and rifle 50 BP.

See how I've cut back!

[TXGunNut]

I'm not sure which would be easier, modifying the bolt/extractor for 35 Rem or finding dies to load 35-30's. I do know that 35 Rem brass is getting pretty scarce these days so the 35-30 would probably get the nod were I in your shoes. RD designed a nice 35 cal boolit that's worth a look either way you go, I think NOE makes it now. Hard to argue against the 38-55, my next project is a 375 Win with light plinker loads but I already have the dies and brass.

[Nobade]

You can get 35x30-30 dies from CH4D, but there is no need for them. I started reloading that cartridge with a set of Lee 358 win. dies, which worked fine. Then I added a Lee 35 Rem collet die, which works if you add a spacer on top of the ram. Also a 357 Mag carbide sizer neck sizes fine. If I ever need to size the base/body, a 38-55 FL die works. To make cases, the Lee 358 win set has a tapered expander button and necks them up no sweat.

This is a worthwile cartridge to work with, if you don't want a 38-55. For all the reasons mentioned, lots of bullets available. Plentiful and cheap brass. Powerful and accurate. It holds exactly the same amount of powder as a 35 Rem (at least my version does) and data is interchangeable. If you want one, go for it. You may get to be a bit creative with loading dies, but it's no big deal to get it to work well.

-Nobade

[geargnasher]

MidwayUSA has Marlin 336 .35 Remington bolts complete for something like $65, in stock. The rest of the innards is the same IIRC. Rebore, rechamber, swap the bolt, done deal unless I'm missing something.

Gear

[Nobade]

That would be a pretty good deal! I need to check on Midway...

Wonder if they have cases?

-Nobade

[Gtek]

That is a good deal on the bolt, may need to order one just to have. My mind still pushes me to a rimmed case. Headspace is a none issue, I have cut new blocks for min. headspace set. We'll see what shakes out, still mental Ping-Pong. Gtek

[izzyjoe]

I have also been kickin' around the idea of 35-30 for a few years, but I've got a 35rem, so I can't justify tossing good money after bad. But if didn't already have a 35rem I'd go for it.

[bearcove]

Good thing but it is a solution looking for a problem. If you don't have that problem...

[Fast Asleep]

I had JES rebore a Marlin 36 to 35x30-30 recently--per past experience the rifle came back very quickly and it shoots great. I am using the C4D dies and found that if I used 375 Winchester cases, the necks had to be turned for my .359 diameter bullets to chamber easily. No such problem with 30-30 or 32 special brass. I am shooting a 250 grain NOE flatpoint bullet over 3031 for 1830 fps--a very effective load on hogs!

[Outpost75]

When John Taylor chambered my .35/.30-30 he used a .35 Whelen neck and throater and a standard .30-30 reamer to cut the body. The neck has enough clearance that I can use .375 Win. brass with .360" bullets without turning necks. I can also use the Starline .38-55 brass in the 2.085" and cases just clean up with a light cut using a Lee .358 Win. case length gage and triimmer. Throat diameter is .360" with 1/4" cylindrical section so that I can use unsized bullets seated out. My LBT mold is cut to fit this throat.

My most used bullet is a 361-250FN LBT plainbase, which gives a 2.50" overall length when the bullet base is seated to the base of the neck. I run these 1:30 tin/lead and drive them to .38-55 velocity, because I don't need to shoot anything farther than 100 yards or so, or larger than black bear. No brontosaurus around here, the locals ate them all!

99873

[sisterjim]

I have a Savage 24V in 30-30 and one in 357mag both over 20 gauge. I figure that the 357mag would easy ream out to 35-30-30. I could move the 30-30 on then as I prefer the 35 for cast. Any thoughts on pressure etc in this break action. Thanks JIM

[Nobade]

As long as you keep it down to factory 35 Rem ballistics it should be just fine. Your rifle is at least as strong as a Contender, and they work fine with either cartridge.

One suggestion I have for anybody who wants to make one of these. Rather than use a 35 Whelen reamer for the neck and throat, try a 357 mag reamer. It makes a tighter neck that doesn't have to be sized so much. In fact, if you choose the right bullet diameter it doesn't have to be sized at all. Of course a normal 30-30 for the body, with a floating pilot to fit the bore.

-Nobade

[zarrinvz24]

Didn't see anyone else mention it but I believe that 35/30-30 dies are also offered by redding. Either the b or c series dies.

[fremont]

I have a JES rebored Marlin 336C in 35/30-30. Had no trouble sourcing dies ($80?) from CH4D. It loves RCBS 200 FNGCs over Re-7. Going to experiment with 250's soon, possibly over either W748 or H4895.

[Zim]

Shooting a Winchester 35-30 rebored by JES with a williams peep sight. At 100 yards I can see the paper but no dots. Why didn't I try this when I could see?? Got a 4" group and I am pleased.
Shooting 180 gr LBT GC over SR4759 load. Busting clay pigeons on the 50 yard berm is regular. This rifle is much more accurate than I am.

I got a rebored set of Lee dies with the rifle & bought a set of Redding. No preference, yet.

The Marlin is getting looked at since scopes help.

[richhodg66]

Sorry to steer this thread away, but I was toying the other day with the idea of the new Mossberg 464 lever guns as a platform for just such experiments. I've only handled them, but from what I've read, they seem to be good guns and can be had more reasonably than decent Marlins can anymore (the new productions ones I've seen are really dissapointing).

Another thought would be the Savage 340. Seems like they use the same barrel nut arrangement the 110 does, could a switch barrel bolt gun be a possibility?

[Zim]

The Savage 340 has a barrel band for front stock support. Would you change this or keep it? My 340 does not have the scope mount option, so you would need a newer gun.

Switch barrel is always possible.

The last 2 Marlins I've looked at were in the $300 range.

[JSH]

What's wrong with just going to 356. 356 brass, reformed 444 and or 308 brass for options.

I have a spare 336 JM marked 30-30 that will be a 356 before it is over.

[Antietamgw]

The Savage 340 has a barrel band for front stock support. Would you change this or keep it? My 340 does not have the scope mount option, so you would need a newer gun.

Switch barrel is always possible.


The last 2 Marlins I've looked at were in the $300 range.
I don't see irons well in field conditions either. I bought a basket case 340 that wasn't drilled and tapped either. It wasn't a difficult job, the set up is just a bit different. You see some from time to time that are cobbled up or with extra holes but a fella like John Taylor or Good Steel would get it right. I'd thought of swapping barrels as well, though my thoughts for the 340 were more toward 7-30 Waters. It's a chambering I thought I'd like to a try and an easy swap back if I don't like it.

[Beerd]

What's wrong with just going to 356.

absolutely nothing.
..

[Ramjet-SS]

I would rather do it .338-30/30!

[quilbilly]

Sorry to steer this thread away, but I was toying the other day with the idea of the new Mossberg 464 lever guns as a platform for just such experiments. I've only handled them, but from what I've read, they seem to be good guns and can be had more reasonably than decent Marlins can anymore (the new productions ones I've seen are really dissapointing).

Another thought would be the Savage 340. Seems like they use the same barrel nut arrangement the 110 does, could a switch barrel bolt gun be a possibility?
I have certainly been happy with my 464 in the classic wood stock style.

[reed1911]

We make .35/30-30 if you need some factory to start with.