35- 30/30 in a single shot timber gun

[35Whelen]

Gentlemen...I need your advise

A buddy of mine handed me a couple of boxes of 30/30 casings the other day for helping him get set up with a Ruger Hawkeye in 358 Win. shooting cast.

I got home and was toying with the the 30/30 cases when I got the idea to open the neck up using a 35 neck sizing die.....piece of cake with dry graphite and some #8 shot . Dipped the neck in, wiped off the outside and it sized like butter. I then seated a 240 grain Accurate molded boolit in it and I really like the looks of it. Imagine my surprise when I discovered it was probably one of the oldest Wildcats out there.

I was thinking of a timber gun or truck gun in a single shot, quick, handy and time for likely one round only. Pretty much exhausted a search for a Ruger No.3 up here in Canada.

Found a H&R Handi rifle in .357. Here is my thinking...those with a gunsmiths mind and skill please tell me if this could be done.

As the rifle is a .357 mag and all dimensions are undersized when comparing the 30/30 Win. Could one simply run a 30/30 reamer with a 357 pilot and make that rifle into a 35-30/30 ? Not sure what the rifling twist rate would be on the rifle as a 357, but I would like to be running 200-240 grain cast through it, wanting to hit about 1700-1800 fps

Or would I be better off having one rebored and chambered in the 35-/30/30 ?

Your thoughts and expertise are appreciated. I could be just satisfied with my 358, but this rimmed cartridge has struck me as very cool, easily extracted in a single shot and head spaces off the rim.

[runfiverun]

how fast/slow will a 357 push a 200gr boolit?
if your rifle will stabilize that now it will do it with more powder behind it.

[kenyerian]

Check the receiver frame on the H&R to see if it is an sb1 or an sb2. Sb1 are cast iron and should only be used for pistol calibers and shot guns. Sb2 frames are for center fire rifle calibers. all rifles made after 1987 came on SB2 frames, but they haven't made a factory SB2 357 or 44 mag rifle since 2007, all 357 and 44 mags have come on cast iron SB1 frames since 2008,

[outdoorfan]

Should easily get 1600 fps with a 200 grainer in a 357

[kenyerian]

Reaming the 357 magnum to a 357 Maximum is a very popular conversion and Starline has the brass right now.

[35Whelen]

Runfiverun....I don't have the rifle right now. I am looking at it. Appears that it is an SB2, I will have to contact the owner to see what production year it was. As the Handi Rifle is now discontinued, it might be a tough one to find.

[Outpost75]

My relined 1894 Winchester in .35/.30-30 has a 16" twist, same as a .35 Remington, and adequately stabilizes 255-260-grain plainbased bullets subsonic. You can attain 1850 fps with 200-grain cast bullets easily. Use starting load data for .35 Remington.

181344

[GhostHawk]

One thing to remember about a handi rifle. If you put one of those inexpensive allen ammo sleeves on your stock. With a little practice you can get pretty quick on reloads if needed.

I have been looking at a .35-30-30 but I have an old Win 94 pre 64 that I have been considering having rebored. Bore is pretty badly tapered from muzzle to breech with a bad tight spot at the rear sight. Does not shoot cast worth a tinkers !@#$.

And I have too much into it to want to sell it and inflict the problems on someone else.

From what I have read that rifle should cycle and shoot those well. Always too many toys and never enough cash to go around.

[leftiye]

For my money, unless you can get materially more speed than 2000 fps out of it, a 357 max would do that (200 grains). Much easier to rechamber.

[kungfustyle]

Better yet. Sell me the 357 and go to graybeards forum and buy a 30-30 or 357 max ready made gun and you will be up and running. Every 357 mag on that forum as been made into a 357 max. I know its their gun to do what they want but it just seems like more people mess around with a gun and then give it up for ????? Just because you can..... A 30-30 can easily be made into a 38-55 and ready made dies and brass for it exist. IMHO Good luck with what ever you decide.

[GhostHawk]

LOL well I am one of those guys on Graybeards, and yes I own a .357 MAG, and no I have not reamed it. And I have no intention to. The mag has more than enough IMO with a good load to shoot deer at reasonable distances.

On the other hand I am very seriously considering sending an older Win 94 pre 64 with a bad bore to be rebored into a 35-30-30. As it will cycle those with no issues.

If you want more oomph than a .357 go find a .444 in a handi rifle. All the oommph you can handle. Or a .45-70, same song, same dance.

But if you have a .30-30 that shoots I would just shoot it.
If it ain't broke don't fix it.

If starting from scratch there are many possibilities.

I would not rebore a rifle that shoots well.
But I have one that I have trouble getting on paper at 25 yards. Fired 10 shots, 3 hit.
Something is going to happen to that rifle. I don't believe in passing problems on to someone else. I bought it, it is my problem.

Yes I could go to .32-40 or .38-55 but brass is much harder to come by.

I already have some 400 rounds of .30-30 brass, some fired, some new.

[35Whelen]

Love the 35's and just have a thing for them. Most of my moulds are 35 cal.. I have a 45-70 and a 44 mag, but there is just something plain sexy about the heavy 35's. Thanks for all the comments so far I appreciate them a lot.

[Hamish]

Should easily get 1600 fps with a 200 grainer in a 357

I can get 1600 fps in a 12" .357 Contender with the 360-230 Thor,,,,,,,,:) I started sticking nickle cases at that point and backed down to 1450. With a 200 grain it ought to be easy and pretty comfortable.

[Mk42gunner]

As the rifle is a .357 mag and all dimensions are undersized when comparing the 30/30 Win. Could one simply run a 30/30 reamer with a 357 pilot and make that rifle into a 35-30/30 ? Not sure what the rifling twist rate would be on the rifle as a 357, but I would like to be running 200-240 grain cast through it, wanting to hit about 1700-1800 fps

You would need a dedicated .35/.30-30 chamber reamer, doing your way would produce a chamber with no neck at all. Your desired ballistics seem doable, at least with a 200 grain projectile, not too sure about the heavier ones.

From what I have read, the .35/.30-30 has slightly less potential than the .35 Remington, which may be damning with faint praise. I do know there are some threads in the lever gun section about this cartridge.

I don't know if any of the reamer rental places will rent to Canada or not.

One thing to keep in mind is that most wildcat chamberings lose resale value, no matter if it is a better round than the original one or not. I do like the idea of an H&R in .35/.30-30.

Robert

[BrentD]

What will you get from a 35-30-30 that a .38-55 won't do better? That would be my choice, though there is no dust on a plain ol' 30-30 either. All 3 make a deer, elk, whatever just as dead.

[35Whelen]

Thanks for all the responses fellas.......just spitballing at the moment. 38-55 certainly has an appeal as well. I can get brass easily here in Canada too. Now if I can just find the right single shot to put it all together. Ruger #3 would be first choice but they are nearly impossible to find.

[BrentD]

High walls are the ultimate in singles in my opinion.

38-55s are nice and straight and well suited for black powder. Just a thought....

[Texas by God]

The older H&R Toppers were offered in 30-30 (cast case hardened frame) so I think any reasonable 35-30 load would work fine in a newer New England frame regardless of SB designation. IMO. Best, Thomas.

[richhodg66]

I've often thought this would be a great conversion for a lever gun, just hate to change a vintage Marlin or Winchester.

Has anyone looked into doing this with the Mossberg 464 series of rifles? I like what I've seen of them.

[jhalcott]

My grand dad brought oneback fromeurope during WWII. I don"t know who made it but granpop shot a few deer with it in the field out side the back door. Very effective to a 7year old kid.