Back in the late 1970,s I bought a 1965 Winchester 94. I cast for it a shoot it a bit. I then bought a 700 Remington 270 and the poor 30/30 just sat. My brother and I traded it back an forth till about 20 years ago my son wanted to hunt and I got it back! My son carried it one year but never got a shot.
Well it set in the safe and a few years ago I got a Lyman 331041 mold and a spark lit a small flame. The poor rifle hasn’t killed a thing in this century. So out it came from the safe. Loaded a few test rounds and off to the range. Just one small problem! I can hardly see the sights so I order a William,s peep sight. My patterns are now groups!
A few days back my Brother, a friend of his and I went on a pig shoot! The pigs where in a 1/4x1 mile pen of brush,swamp and woods. After about 2 1/2 hours of walking in 8” of snow we located some pigs.
I spotted the pig so I got first shot. The pig where 170 yards out moving and so I cut out in front of them and got to 60 yds. Shouldered the rifle and the front sight settled just behind the shoulder of a 200+lbs sow. Boom the pig hits the ground! Pigs scatter. I walk up to 25 yards and stop as the pigs are returning.
My Brother come up from behind me and stops beside me.
My brother is carried his 1949 Winchester 94 25/35 that was bought new by our Grandmother. As we stood there a nice big 200+ lbs sow came in! As we talk about how nice and fat she was. He said “ cover your ears! Crack and down the sow goes. The two pigs ended up laying back to back with their ears touching!
On the drive to my brothers house we figured that his rifle hasn’t killed anything since the early 60,s and was his first kill with it.
It was the first kill for my rifle since 1983 and the first for me with it!
The rifle loads where 30/30 311041 cast of WW+2%tin at 1850.
The 25/35 Hornady factory load.