I've just bought a 1965 Winchester 94 30-30, equipped with a scope, to do some target shooting and deer hunting. It's an adjustable scope, 4x to 9x, and the seller, who inherited this gun from a deceased relative and had no use for it, seemed to think it had too much scope. That leads me to ask what kind of range I should expect. My experience so far with rifled weapons has been with iron sights, mostly on muzzleloaders and occasionally a Swedish Mauser carbine 6.5x55, with the emphasis being on getting close -- I'm originally a shotgunner and old habits are hard to break. How far out will these things reach with consistency, and does anyone have any research they could point me at for bullet weight, etc.? (I'm sticking to factory loads for now).

The goal here is meat on the table and clean kills. I know my limits, just looking for some help in knowing the limits of the weapon.

Thanks,

Bill Watson
Stroudsburg, Pa.

Can get some debate about effective range of a 30-30...but I'll stay with tradition and keep shots to 150yards.

The two major choices are 150gr. and 170gr. bullets....are some light 125's but haven't been real pleased with them. I'll take the 170's and be happy, but other people swear by 150's...guess the point is, it's hard to argue with a dead deer.

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Have a 30-30 that I've loaded out to various people..on top is a variable scope, simply because its the only "extra" scope I had at the time.

Got tired of people shooting farther away than they should (and missing or wounding), so I turned the scope down to 2.5X and GLUED it there...then blacked out the variable numbers. Cut down on some of the long range shelling.

for deer 150 yards is a good rule. If you know your rifle well and the shot is perfect out to 200 yards is my max. I made a clean shot on a muley 2 years ago at 200yards. I was laying prone and the deer was broadside and out in the open so if I needed I could get another 1 or 2 shots into the thing. It only took the 1 shot to do it.

I cannot make the same shot very well with the short barrel rifles, my 26" works well for 200 yards. A scope will help but does make some people feel more confident than they should be.

I use 170gr jacketed and 175gr cast/gas checked bullets in my rifle. I like the extra weight and they always group tighter than the faster 150gr for some reason.

The Winchester '94s effective range, is usually much better than my effective range. ;)

Thanks for the information. I'll invest a couple of boxes of ammunition this week exploring how it shoots and adjusting the scope to center at 100 yards. For me that's reaching out -- previously the goal has been to get close enough to throw the gun if necessary.... :-)
Took it out briefly today just to hear it go bang -- the public range I use was too crowded on a Sunday with all the weekend militia to make walking out to check groupings a smart or popular thing to do. Yeah, a spotting scope, I know.
Compared to the Mauser, this thing has very little kick. I'd gotten away from using the Mauser much because it slammed me around so badly I'd wince just getting it out of the gun safe. Things are looking up. Best investment I've made in years.

Bill Watson
Stroudsburg Pa.

Bill Watson
Stroudsburg Pa.

Greetings from SE PA!!!!

Bill, I have a Win '94 in .32 WS, and you are right, it's the best aquisition I have made in years. It is such a fun carbine to shoot compared to my .30-06! Although the '06 has it's advantages, to be sure.

I can't steer ya with respect to the optics - at this time, I see fine at 100 yards, and the PA woods being what they are, I don't think I will get a shot further than I can see.

Tell me about the Mauser. I am interested in one, but would like to know why it beat you up so much. Is it a light sporter or what?

I'm not sure why the Mauser pounds me. It's the Swedish Mauser carbine model, so it's small. Someone put a custom stock on it, which I understand is now regarded aesthetically as a horror. And it has Williams sights on it. I bought it back when I was a kid in the 60s, to go deer hunting in the Adirondacks while going to college at Syracuse -- it was cheap. It may be that I just don't fit the gun, that there's something about the mechanics that makes a tight fit against my chest difficult. Or maybe I'm just a wussy. :-)

Waffenfabrick
Mauser
Oberndorf a/n
1895
on the top of the chamber, with a number stamped in there also: 5674 The number 474 is stamped on the bolt. If that all signifies anything beyond Swedish Mauser carbine, somebody let me know. :-)

Bill Watson
Stroudsburg, Pa.

I am a little more than passingly interested in acquiring one of "Mitchell's Mausers" - the ones here: http://www.mitchellsales.com/rifles/hist_m48/index.htm

But I don't want to find out that it is going to beat me to death either. Hopefully, this is heavier than the model you have. But as I said, this is not a must have, I would just like one before they are gone.

Not being "wussy", stock fit really is more important than the formulated nubmers of recoil...a poor fitting stock will beat you.

Had to borrow a rifle for a hunt, and the only choices were (1) a beat to dirt full military 7.7mm Arisaka (in full miltary trim, including the bent wire bi-pod and anti-aircraft sights) or (2) a LEFT handed .257 WM (I'm a righty). This was the old exagerated "California" styled Weatherby in "Presentation" grade, so besides some engraving, the flips and curls of the stock were even more exagerated

Shooting the Weatherby left handed, the recoil wasn't bad for such a big case...but it took me forever to get it lined up, and even then my "stupid sided" eye didn't want to cooperate. Give me a full minute to get lined up, and I could shoot tiny groups. Right handed, I was faster, but the gun HURT...felt like a 10year old was slapping my face every time I fired...not conductive to good accuracy...wasn't the recoil, was the fit of that stock.

The old Arisaka didn't kick all that bad, even with the too-short stock and flat metal butt plate....I picked the Jap.

I hunt mulies with my 30-30 in western south Dakota. Most of my shots are made at about 125 yards or so. Send me your email and I'll send a photo of a big buck I nailed last November.

Here is my input for long shots past the so-called ideal effective range: Go for bone. Place your 170 softnose to strike the center of the shoulder at a broadside deer. Take your time, don't rush the shot. Take a steady rest using a boulder or whatever. Your bullet will expand a little better on bone at longer ranges. It's rare for me, but sometimes I'll take a buck at close to the 200 yard mark.
TR rushmoreman@rushmore.com

Bill,

The 30-30 is probably effective to 200yds. with a well placed hit on thin-skinned game up to mule deer size. As suggested, bullet performance may become inconsistent beyond that range unless good resistance, such as bone, is encountered.

In general, I believe that the 30-30 is good to go on deer-sized game out as far as YOU can put EVERY shot into an 8" group for ten shots in a row. And yes, you should let the barrel cool during a string that long. All the lever action carbines heat up and most will start to scatter shots after 3 - 5 rounds unless allowed to cool.

150 gr. or 170 gr., whichever your gun will group the best. All the major ammo companies have long ago worked out the kinks on bullet performance for factory loaded 30-30 ammo. Either bullet weight will do the job.

Your shotgun instincts will keep you out of trouble, no doubt.

Bill, like it has been said, the .30-30 is good out to 200 yards or so. That said I like them in close, very close. That is what hunting is all about to me. I have a 8x57 Mauser that will drop them at 300 yards, but I pass those shots up and work on getting the 50-100 yard shot. Most of the time I enjoy carring the .30-30 with open sights, and still hunting. I am a hunter that shoots, not a shooter that hunts.

Never used a scope, can't comment there.

Effective range of ANY rifle you hunt with is the distance you can consistantly keep your shots in a dinner plate sized area (usually 8" to 10") from field positions. Standing, prone, kneeling, sitting, tree stump, boulder, back pack, or whatever rest you can find.

Joe

Never used a scope, can't comment there.

Effective range of ANY rifle you hunt with is the distance you can consistantly keep your shots in a dinner plate sized area (usually 8" to 10") from field positions. Standing, prone, kneeling, sitting, tree stump, boulder, back pack, or whatever rest you can find.

Joe

With the addition of having "adaquate" power, I'll agree with Mr. Miller....after all, keeping a .22LR inside of a dinner plate at 200yards is possible, but it doesn't make it a deer rifle.

Hey Bill Watson

Your question about what power scope to use! Well I've found a straight 4x or 6x to be the best for PA hunting. The 4x being the better of the two.

Find one either in 32mm or 36mm diameter. Keep the mounts and rings as low as possible.

Ask your gun dealer to match rings to diameter of scope you choose.

I've taken deer out beyond 150 yards with open sights, and enjoy shooting open sights. Several of my WIN94's have scopes and others don't.

If I go on a hunt in unknown territory, I'll take along one with a scope and one with open sights.
This also allows me a backup gun in the same caliber, so additional cartridges need not be taken along.

The 150 grainers produce good results and will drop them deer on the spot most of the time. Try different brands and different weights until you can establish which are more accurate and which are more comfortable to shoot.

The 30-30 is a major part of gun history and a joy to carry on a hunt.

Good Hunting

I agreee with TR......."go for bone". I was taught from early on in my hunting career to aim for the front shoulder. You are gonna hit vital organs and take out the front legs to boot. Ive taken deer this way for the past 24 years! Its lethal and ethical. My experience has been that a soft nose bullet hitting bone will expand effectively and kill in one shot, regardless of the bullet (.308, .35 rem, .444, .45-70, 30-30). Also hunting in Northern Pa, Ive never had to take a shot beyond 100 yards. Most have been within 50.

Glad you are happy with your thutty thutty!

I'd echo that 200 yards, if you know the limitations of your gun, is about as far as the 30-30 is effective on game.

I have shot mine at the range, at paper, to 300yards, just to see the accuracy of the rifle. It did hit, but not with any promising consistancy!

As far as your gun, I'd highly recommend handloading and tailoring a cartridge to your needs. Being your is an older one, I'd also recommend that you stay closer to the 170 grain bullets. For some reason [and there was an OLDER thread about this somewhere] the older 94 tend to favor the heavier bullets.
I have worked out a 160 grain FNGC load using Marshall's bullet [ http://www.beartoothbullets.com/bulletselect/index.htm ] that works the limitations of my rilfes...A marlin 336 and a '68 win 94. Both rifles wear williams firesights, but the marlin does have a scope I could mount now and again....

The Marlin, actually a Foremost, made for JC Penney by Marlin, has a microgroove barrel and uses a different load than the old 94. Both give deadly accuracy in the wood of NY state and VT/NH out to say 75 unobstructed yards;
Which I'm sure is about all you get in PA too....inside that range, which my 94 has credit for 4-5 deer, they were dead on the ground with the Remington 170 loads.


Good luck with your endeavor, as please keep us advised as to how you make out!

It is not how far away you can make a hit with a bullet or cartridge ,it is what will the bullet do to the game when it hits the make with an accurate shot ! Will the bullet open up , or not have enough energy to do so and make a clean kill ! JAGG

150 yards is my confident range with the 30-30,for deer.

100 yards is my confident range for Elk with the 30-30
took 3 Elk with it before So many told me that the
lil 30-30 is to small to bring an Elk down.

I have alawys used 170 grn bullets. I reload now and
use hornady bullets.

And yes. a 170 grn bullet placed in a deers shoulder
at 150 yards or under will bring the deer down.