WorldPax

So I am looking to purchase a Winchester Model 94 in 30-30. How much difference in performance do you think I'd lose between a 20" barrel vs. a 16" barrel?

Would it turn a 300yd gun into a 200yd gun, or more like 275?

I of course am trying to decide if the benefits of the shorter barrel offset any performance loss.

__________________
Pax
Tulsa, OK

Bud White

there was a very good article in either handloader or rifle this month where they talked about this exact thin using a 30-06 Phil sharp in the 40's started with a 30 inch barrel and cut ti down to 12 inches the results were surprising to say the least

WorldPax

Care to share, or are you going to make me drive through the ice and snow to B&N?

__________________
Pax
Tulsa, OK

Bud White

no way am i going to retype that article its worth the read its long but the drop off isnt as much as you think some barrels and calibers of other tests done in the article actually gained FPS

WorldPax

I'm sorry, I wasn't asking for a reprint, just your interpretation of the article as it applies to my question. So you think I'd be fine with the 16"?

__________________
Pax
Tulsa, OK

P95Carry

It's all trade-off!

I have a 20" Marlin 94 in .44 mag and a Win 94 in .357 - now, not comparing cals at all but - the Win is way more totable being shorter and so is more ''convenient''.

If 'thuddy-thuddy' - then I'd still probably if given choice, opt for the easier toting platform. While I have no comparitive data I am not going to fuss over relatively small ballistic changes.

Were we talking full length rifle - say something like a Mauser at 28" or so - then I'd certainly expect longer range performance from that with an 8mm - than out of a carbine length in same cal.

Back to totability - it's amazing how different those two levers of mine feel to carry - and can carry the Win all day and hardly notice.

__________________
Chris - P95
NRA Certified Instructor & NRA Life Member.

"To own a gun and assume that you are armed
is like owning a piano and assuming that you are a musician!."

If a BG dies as the result of pointing a gun at me, then he has merely succumbed to an occupational hazard of being a thug

Bud White

i dont see why not course im not a fan of the 30-30 and thing its being pushed to much at 200 yards but if your fine with it have at it

WorldPax

Bud- I agree completely. It's not a long range gun. That's ok though, because this weekend I came to the conclusion that I am not a long range shooter. If a deer is more than 100-200 yds away, it gets to live and I'm fine with that. I'd have had me a nice 8-pointer yesterday if I'd have had a more maneuverable gun. Watched him walk into the woods from the stand, no shot. Circled on him and flushed him out, he gave me a perfect shot, but I just couldn't freehand the rifle well enough to take the shot.

I know a lot of this is an experience thing, but it seems I'm a better stalker than shooter, so I am going to gear my hunting that way. My family are all stand hunters and will shoot long shots. I think I'm more of a close range type. So they can take all the stands on the south fork while I go crawling through the bush on the north.

__________________
Pax
Tulsa, OK

RSSZ

With the .30-30 velocities,you will lose about 20-30 fps per inch of bbl shortened.

To me the important thing to remember is with the 4 inches of bbl, you will also have to shorten the mag by 1 round.

This is why I say to go with the pistol calibers. Using open sights or a small(low powered) scope, the pistol calibers are right up their with the .30-30. This,as far as target "hitability".Especially at the shorter to med-short ranges where these rds were designed to "work" at. And they will hold 4-5 MORE rds in the mag.

A lever for me means, a 16" pistol caliber and the very best open sights you can get. (fiber optic ??) -------

Bud White

well for close range stalking switch to handgun hunting and take it to a whole nuther level