30-30 Marlin re-barreled to .375 Win - is it an easy swap?

[tygar]

Any of you lever experts out there have experience with doing a 30-30 to .375 Win swap?

Ran across a "JM" 30-30 that stock needs refinished & it's cheap so was thinking about a change in caliber.

I was thinking the feed tube should not be an issue & only a barrel swap would be needed.

So, let me know what you think. Any other ideas?

Thanks
Tom

[ReloaderFred]

You don't even need to swap barrels to change to .375 Winchester. You can send the rifle to Jesse Ocumpah:
http://www.35caliber.com/index.html and he'll do a beautiful job and have it back to you before you can blink an eye. Nothing else needs to be changed, other than reboring the existing barrel.

He did a beautiful job on my Marlin 336W and had it back to me within the week.

Hope this helps.

Fred

[tygar]

You don't even need to swap barrels to change to .375 Winchester. You can send the rifle to Jesse Ocumpah:
http://www.35caliber.com/index.html and he'll do a beautiful job and have it back to you before you can blink an eye. Nothing else needs to be changed, other than reboring the existing barrel.

He did a beautiful job on my Marlin 336W and had it back to me within the week.

Hope this helps.

Fred

Hi, thanks. I just looked at his site. Some interesting ideas.

I'll give him a call.

Thanks
Tom

[snaketail]

+1 for Jesse Ocumpah
I've seen his work and it is first class. It the way I'd go if I wanted a 38-55 or .375...
M

[tygar]

I just got a NIB Marlin 30-30 with laminated stock for $370.

I decided to re-barrel. That way I always have the orig. brl. & the cost is the same.

Now I need dies & either 375 brass or more 30-30 to FF.

Let you know how it goes.

[beagle]

Putting a .375 barrel on a M336 is pretty expensive. I did a .32-40 and a .25/35 several years back. You'll put about $500 into the project. Cost of barrel, fitting and chambering, re-bluing, dovetails for front and rear sights. Then, the bottom of the barrel has to have a flat milled on it in front of the receiver for magazine clearance. The rebarrel project is not as simple as it sounds. Probably cheaper to get it rebored./beagle

[TXGunNut]

+1 on the rebore and a caution on your choice of cartridge; find a supply of brass first. I have a 375 and feel fortunate to have a supply of proper headstamp brass from years ago. Today the 38-55 or other cartridges make more sense.

[tygar]

+1 on the rebore and a caution on your choice of cartridge; find a supply of brass first. I have a 375 and feel fortunate to have a supply of proper headstamp brass from years ago. Today the 38-55 or other cartridges make more sense.

I am still considering/reconsidering it. I will get a total cost to do it from my GS in the next day or 2. But, $s out of pocket will be 0 since I have a good credit for a Marlin 45-70 I gave him, so that's why I'm leaning that way.

Guess I better ensure I can get 375 brass but why can't I just fireform 30-30? It's the same, right?

I'm making this cause I got 2 375 molds that don't shoot in my H&Hs they are basically for 375 Win can't be havin that now, can we.lol

Any further ideas are appreciated.
thanks
Tom

[TXGunNut]

I've heard it both ways on the 30-30 brass but haven't tried it, can't say. I prefer properly headstamped brass, especially now that I have a 38-55 WCF and and a 375 Win. My 375 really likes the Lyman 375449, hope that's one that you have. Wish I could use the same mould in my 38-55 but I guess it's more fun to have lookalike cartridges with totally different loads. My 38-55 shoots a slowpoke BP load and my 375 is doing everything a 375 is supposed to do...375 doesn't get out much. ;-)
Idle molds are something to be avoided at all costs, no telling what they'll do if they get bored. Could have a bunch of little bators running around if you're not careful.

[tygar]

yep, lol

[dgslyr]

Guess I better ensure I can get 375 brass but why can't I just fireform 30-30? It's the same, right?

Tom

If you neck up 30/30 brass you will have a case that is shorter then the .375 Win.The ones I necked up and fire formed for my 38/55 are less then 2 inches long.And they will have much thinner case walls then the 375 Winchester.

[tygar]

Can you use 38-55 brass & trim to length?

[dgslyr]

Why not have the chamber cut that length to start with?
2.085 is what I heard Jesse Ocumpah cuts his to but don't know for sure.
The .375 Win is 2.020.
My Marlin Cowboy takes the original chamber length 2.129

[tygar]

Why not have the chamber cut that length to start with?
2.085 is what I heard Jesse Ocumpah cuts his to but don't know for sure.
The .375 Win is 2.020.
My Marlin Cowboy takes the original chamber length 2.129

I'm not sure what your saying. Just go ahead & chamber to the longest length, 2.129? So good to go with either?
Tom

[schutzen]

I would vote for a swap to .38-55. Marlin did my 336T .30-30 to .38-55 several years ago for $305. That included shipping back the replaced parts. I have found the .38-55 a great cartridge for hand loaders. I can go light for small game or heavy to stomp wild hogs and deer. Very versatile and ,for me, economical to shoot.

[tygar]

From what I gather, I could shoot both in the same gun if pressure was kept down for 38-55. Is that true, or is that only for fire forming?

[bigted]

first gotta figure out what the rifle will be used for. if hunting then the most snoose you can get safely is the 375 winchester ... however i can load my 38-55's to 1600 FPS very easilly and that my friend is no powder puff for anything i desire to sling my 275 grain flat nose's at.

target work will only require the speed to be in the 1300 FPS area so in that case the 38-55 will shine as well.

i really like my 38's and doubt that i could ever be as happy with a 375 winchester ... partly because of nostalga and also because it just works well for me in its whole range ... from lil 220's ahead of 10 grains Unique to the full power loads with my 275 grainers and IMR 3031.

just another thought as well ... if ever you think you will desire the use of blackpowder then for sure id recomend the 38-55 for the added length of the case so as to be able to stuff more blackpowder under your boolit of choice.

[beagle]

I've loaded and shot hundreds of fire formed .30/30 cases in the .375 Win. Yes, short but they do all right with cast loads. Just trim them to the same diameter. Pick up a hundred .375s for full bore hunting loads and fire form .30/30s for your cast practice loads./beagle

[Geezer in NH]

I made over 7 375 out of 20-20 Marlins a few years ago with barrels from Marlin supplied by Gun Parts corp. at $60 bucks a barrel. Sad those days are gone

[tygar]

Well, I went over to my GD friend & picked up my 30-30. Forget it was the laminated stock. Looks pretty good, well made, nice fit. Going to shoot it as 30-30. Probably shouldn't cause if it shoots good I may not want to make it a 375 & have to get another.

[TXGunNut]

Nothing wrong with a thutty-thutty, some parts of the country it's mandatory. ;-)