Most accurate 30-30?

[Flatlandcoaxer86]

Ive been searching high and low for a model 94 30-30 with the 24" barrel and full length magazine. No reason in particular, I just like it. Most recently I decided to see what type of accuracy people are getting out of any 30-30. Winchester, marlin, or Henry. I'd seen very mixed results. Are any of these rifles near 1 moa accuracy with premium hunting rounds or hand loads?

 

[Greyfox]

About 40 years ago I made a trade for a minty 24" octagon/pistol grip Model 94 in 30-30(30WCF) made in the early 1900's. It would shoot 1MOA with Speer 150gr hand loads.
I regret selling it!
I still own a couple pre-64(50's vintage) Model 94's, both carbines/ 20" barrels. With factory ammo (150gr Remington CL) they have been pretty consistent 2MOA rifles.

 

[birddog 68]

With factory ammo (150gr Remington CL) they have been pretty consistent 2MOA rifles

Same here. I've had numerous model 94's and 336's through the years and 2MOA is what I would expect. For a 150 yard whitetail woods rifle that was accurate enough for me for years.(factory ammo)
I'm sure there's plenty of them that'll shoot close to 1MOA but I wouldn't expect it.

 

[mrbb]

my experience shooting a hundred or so different 30/30's(sighted in tons of them over the decades for customers )

IMO< , there like all rifles, some shoot better than others, and its NOT a brand deal or certain model
its more about how they were assembled and when parts were made on a production run, as in spec's shift a little from being fresh set up/dialed in to before they get far enough out of spec to re adjust, so things can can be any where in between, and remember all parts run this way in a mass produced production rifle, and parts can all be mixed together
so, some rifles will shoot very well, and some very BAD and every where in between
all you can do is, BUY, hope you get a good one and then play, what load, does it like best and see what you can make it do!

 

[Ark. Trapper]

MrBB's experience mirrors my own. I've sighted in dozens of em throughout the years and it's literally a shot in the dark as to which ones will shoot really good and which ones are just serviceable. Marlins have given the best overall results as a whole tho, in my experience. Some Winchesters shoot very well while others shoot very bad. Marlins seem to be more consistent. This is 4 shots from a Marlin I just cut down and re-finished. Lyman 31141 cast with benchmark powder at 100 yards. Not bad for a 16.5" lever gun wearing a 1.5x4 scope.

 

[Jester560]

I got 1 moa out of a 336 shooting g 150gr NBTs. Downside is you have a 2 shot gun with that loading g.

 

[cdherman]

I hand loaded for my Marlin 336 in the 80's, then stopped because the price of ammo was cheap and increase of accuracy was negligible. My Marlin, worn, but not neglected, shoots 1 MOA with pretty much whatever I feed it. With a scope and good rest of course.

I have enough boxes of $6.95 30-30 ammo to last a long time., It gets used for that rare push hunt or for someone requesting a lever action. My brother dropped it and the old 4x genuine Weaver scope was no more, so its open sights now.....

I have at least 200 rds empty brass, but no bullets or proper powder for it. Its a direct line to my earliest days of hunting though. Would never part with it. Shot a hole in the floor board of an IH Scout pickup. Learned to be more careful that day......

 

[Flatlandcoaxer86]

I got 1 moa out of a 336 shooting g 150gr NBTs. Downside is you have a 2 shot gun with that loading g.

Ive been very curious about the two shot spire point method. That sounds great if you can really improve accuracy

 

[Flatlandcoaxer86]

Thanks a lot for your input fellas. This is exactly the type of info I have been looking for. Im thinking of pulling the trigger on a henry even though.I really really really want a much more expensive Winchester.

 

[Koda_]

circa 1987 Marlin 336.
Still hunting with it this year, handload with a 143g Hammer Hunter.

 

[tim_w]

Ive been searching high and low for a model 94 30-30 with the 24" barrel and full length magazine. No reason in particular, I just like it. Most recently I decided to see what type of accuracy people are getting out of any 30-30. Winchester, marlin, or Henry. I'd seen very mixed results. Are any of these rifles near 1 moa accuracy with premium hunting rounds or hand loads?

I know of old marlins that with tweaking with factory barrels that went sub moa even sub ½ moa for 3@100. In fairness the latter was a very accomplished BR shooter that as well as the leveraction had used 30-30 chambered self built br rifle for score and group. He won and placed a lot with it. A slew of agg ribbons etc.

 

[tim_w]

Thought you might find this interesting in terms of LR shooting and the 30-30 Win94. Not to shaby eh!?! I have seen people miss way more using actual LR setups off a bipod.

 

[del2les]

Similar to others, I've found the Marlin 336's to be more consistent than the 94's, and with a few handloads, a few 336's have shot very well. When it comes to accuracy for a 30-30, my 2 Contenders, one rifle one 14 inch, really shine with good handlloads. Same with the 30-30AI in a 14".

 

[gunnut00]

Ive been very curious about the two shot spire point method. That sounds great if you can really improve accuracy

You load pointy bullets, but can't use the tube as you might chain-fire.
So you load one into the chamber and one into the tube but you get to use bullets with better BC.