[DRT]

Hello all! I've been absent from the board for some time now and am glad to be back!

I just returned from hunting deer (CA A zone) and got tired of carrying my Remington 700 VS with 4.5-14 scope over the 600 acre ranch I had access to.

I have a Winchester 94AE carbine (16"). If I put a scope on it (1-4), what sort of accuracy can I expect out to 200 yards? The rifle is like new, I've fired about 40-60 rounds through it and am not sure if ever had anything fired when I bought it used (looked like it was a brand new rifle).

Should I expect significantly better accuracy if I had a 20" barrel?

Anyhow, thanks for any input.

 

[MPC in Ohio]

Buy or reload some different loads and then fire then at 200 yards to see what preforms the best. Shoot off-hand or a bench , a half inch group will kill a deer as well as a 9 inch group just shoot as you would as if hunting. Mike

 

[George Foster]

If you reload I think you can expect about 1" accuracy or close to it for 3 shot groups at 100yds. A friend had a Savage 340 that I reloaded for and I was amazed at the accuracy. I believe the 30-30 is an inherent accurate cartridge.

 

[llg]

paper plate with a few half moons for the scope

Never a fan of shooting rainbow style bullets. Glasses saved me from several cuts over the eye from scopes and recoil, and that was with factory loads. Reloads might have been better.

 

[Kentucky Fisherman]

Buy or reload some different loads and then fire then at 200 yards to see what preforms the best. Shoot off-hand or a bench , a half inch group will kill a deer as well as a 9 inch group just shoot as you would as if hunting. Mike

+1

Some centerfire rifles can be as picky as a .22LR in terms of preferring certain weights and brands of bullets over others. If you truly think your shots may be out to 200 yards, give the LeverRevolution rubber-tip rounds a good evaluation. If you the rifle can hold a 6-inch three-shot group at 200 yards, that's plenty good for whitetail hunting IMHO. Also, don't forget that a distant shot likely means you have a little more time to find a limb or tree trunk to use as a rest, which makes a huge difference.

 

[TinMan]

I have a 24" octagon barreled M94 rifle with Lyman peeps on it. Benched, I can keep 1.5" for 5 shots at 100yds, but that is about my limits for any rifle with peeps on it. My rifle likes 170gr bullets better than 150gr.

 

[mrmurl]

+1

Some centerfire rifles can be as picky as a .22LR in terms of preferring certain weights and brands of bullets over others. If you truly think your shots may be out to 200 yards, give the LeverRevolution rubber-tip rounds a good evaluation. If you the rifle can hold a 6-inch three-shot group at 200 yards, that's plenty good for whitetail hunting IMHO. Also, don't forget that a distant shot likely means you have a little more time to find a limb or tree trunk to use as a rest, which makes a huge difference.

I have to concur with KF. The LeveRevolution ammo does a bunch better in any 30-30 that I have used it in. Shoots much flatter and faster then almost any other load for that rifle. I have used them in a 14" Contender barrel and had good accuracy. I admit I have not killed anything with that load but it sures shoots better then any other factory load I have tried.

 

[JC in Calif]

Some data:

http://www.rifleshootermag.com/ammo/ammunition_7_high_performance_loads_for_the_30-30_030811/

 

[dk17hmr]

My brother 336 with hand loads and a 4x scope has produced several 1.5" groups from the bench at 100. It's an older rifle and I can't remember if we were using 150s or 170s.

My 336 is a newer cross bolt safety rifle, with a peep sight will shoot soft ball size groups at 100 with 175gr cast bullets. I also have a red dot on it and most use it for blasting steel at close range.

 

[DRT]

Thanks all! I really don’t have time to reload... although with the law in CA regarding lead free ammo, I might have to in order to find something. I’ll look into the levelution ammo since it’s 1 of 2 which is lead free.

 

[Trapper6L]

Back in the 70's I was hunting a ranch out of Carte Valley Texas which is northeast of Del Rio. The country was extreme as most 4x4's were worthless. We were hunting on 19,000 acres. A guy shows up as a newby hunter from Fredricksburg Texas. That's hill country for those that don't know. Shots in the hill country are short- 50-150 yds. At Carte Valley, the closest shot might be 300 yds with the norm being 500+yds. This guy shows up with a Remington bolt action 30-30 with a 4 power scope. Needless to say we all kinda had our comments about him not bringing near enough gun to the hunt. The next morning when we all came in from the AM hunt, he had a nice 7 point buck in the back of his truck. That got our attention. After lunch we did our usual go behind the camp house and shoot at the range we had. He sat down and promptly put 3 shots into a nice cloverleaf at 200 yds. That evening he shot his second buck and that was the end of his season. I've never discounted a 30-30 since. Like my stepdad always said " a gun is only as good as the shooter".

 

[nhoj-008]

I've got a Winchester 94 in 30-30 with a Williams rear peep. Shoots pretty consistent 3 inch groups at 100. With cheap factory ammo. Only took it out to 200 yards once. Rang 12 inch steel every time. Not sure on groups. I'm plenty happy with it.

 

[Paul Workman]

I have a 24" octagon barreled M94 rifle with Lyman peeps on it. Benched, I can keep 1.5" for 5 shots at 100yds, but that is about my limits for any rifle with peeps on it. My rifle likes 170gr bullets better than 150gr.

Yup! I've loaded for a friend's Win 94, and it preferred the 170gn bullets by far.

He is an "iron sights" fan , but then a scope on a lever 94 amounts to an off-set rig, so I can understand his preference - especially on a 200 yard deer rifle.

That said, I've read some articles where the 30-30 case with its long neck has been used for BR competition. My take-away from that is the case has some inherent accuracy potential in a good gun.

I recently acquired a beautiful pre-64 Win 94 in 30-30 at a good price. I bought it with the idea of using it as trading fodder - maybe for a Henry Golden Boy in 45/70? IKD. (I just like BIG BORE RIFLES, I guess!)

 

[TinMan]

Paul, try it before you get rid of it. Also, anything that is a real Winchester has gone up significantly since the closing of the Connecticut plant.

My Uncle had a 1950's M94 in 32 Special, and it shot great, for open sights. Both it and my Uncle are long gone (mid 1980's). When he died, both the M94 and his S&W M15 mysteriously disappeared with his girlfriend. Fortunately, I do have his Win M62 pump 22lr and his S&W M18 Combat Masterpiece.