Just purchased an 1895 30-40

[BwanaDave]

After almost a decade of looking I just purchased a Win 1895 30-40. It is an original that appears to have been refinished years ago and the butt was cut down to get rid of the cresent butt plate and install a pad. This required ugly spacers. Since it has lost its collector value I got a relatively good deal. I am going to restock it with upgraded wood and a shotgun butt. I can get a so so stock from Precision but I would like something nicer. I have used Treebone before and I have been happy with the results, any other suggestions?

I am also looking for 30-40 reloading recipies.

It is going to be a long few days waiting for my UPS package to arrive.

Dave

[Mike D.]

UPS?! I hope it's well packaged. Those gorillas have nearly destroyed long guns shipped to me.

[O.S.O.K.]

Congrats!

Post some pics when you get a chance.

I got my 95 30US the same way - at a gun show the guy that had it apparently was tired of people looking at it and not buying. It's been buffed and refinished and looks like the barrel was lopped off a bit. Bore is strong but frosted. Well, he knocked some $$ off of the asking price and I came home with it.

Ended up "fire lapping" the bore - it would shoot OK - like 4", 100 yard groups but it would very quickly foul up and groups would begin to open. After the fire lapping, it now shoots sub 2" and you can get 3 or 4 groups out of it before it starts to open up - 220 grain Hornady round noses. Plenty good for what I want to do with it.

I've found that it shoots cast bullets all day with equal accuracy, so that's pretty much what it gets - 200 grain Lyman's with gas checks at about 1850-1900 fps. Good for any hunting I'd ever want to do with it.

It now sports one of the repro Lyman aperture sights - Mike you just got one of them too right?

[BwanaDave]

Thanks. I will post some pics when it gets here if I can figure out how to. I am planning on hunting with it too. I don't know what it is but my hunting desire has been getting more and more retro. When I dream of some hunt it isn't wth one of my scoped rifles. I have been talking with a friend about doing a hunt next year, me with the 95 and he with his dad's Krag.

Dave

[Pathfinder09]

OSOK,

Very nice rifle!

[O.S.O.K.]

Thanks - I see gunsnet is down again - two redex boxes..... they'll come back when they quit messing with the server I guess...

[Sixgun]

My original '95 in 30-30 loves cast but............................as every '95 in 30-40 I have measured, the groove diameters are fat--.310--.311, so........I size mine at .312.

24 grains of 5744 behind either the 215 Lyman 311284 gc or Saeco's 175 grain "tapered" bullet sends 'em out at (don't have my notes handy) 1800 fps. I'm with OSOK as thats plenty fast enough for me. Mine has the standard Lyman "Climbin' Lyman" and will shoot these cast with precision out to the 500 meter ram.

Funny thing though, as I have two of these rifles that are only a thousand apart in serial numbers, neither one shoots jacketed as well as the cast. I even tried Sierra's .311 bullet designed for the 303 British. Best is about 5-6" at 100. Cast will drill 'em into 3"--easily, all day. Oh well, as I like to shoot at least a hundred when I take it out, I'm glad the cast does do better.

Its the one on the bottom.---------Sixgun

[GEOFF]

Sixgun,

Looks like you've got your bases WELL COVERED!!! As usual, beautiful guns and great display, I like the old cartridge boxes!

Geoff

[Sixgun]

Sixgun,

Looks like you've got your bases WELL COVERED!!! As usual, beautiful guns and great display, I like the old cartridge boxes!

Geoff

Thanks Geoff,
But remember, I have been at this for a lifetime, long before the "levergun revolution" began. Got my first 1894, chanbered in 38-55 in 1973 when I was 19. Many more have passed through my hands over the years.---------------Sixgun

[BwanaDave]

Thanks for the info, those are beauties. I was looking for several years and then all Winchester prices shot up with the closing. I started looking at the 80s Brownings and then I found the one I am waiting on. Is there anyone around dealing in original parts?

Dave