My Dream Rifle

[jon f]

I would love a 30/30 with the Buffalo classic stock, a 26" barrel . A buckhorn rear and post front sight. A color case hardened action would complete the picture.
If I lived in the States I could easily put one together, But living down under this is impossible due to being excluded from the accessory barrel program.
Please someone at H&R introduce a little buffalo classic.

[stimpylu32]

I to love the 30-30 and this sounds like a sweeeet little rig , if you can talk H&R into it count me in for one  

[Cottonwood]

John F

Yep you are correct.... and it would be nice if they offered a 30-30 barrel a bit longer than 22"

Getting the Buffalo Classic receiver - buttstock would be the easy part.  Getting a barrel lug would also be easy.... now having a barrel made to your specs... also easy.

But it would be very cost preventive as you could purchase a 1895 Highwall design rifle probably in 30-30.

Hang in there.
Jon

[ONE HOLE 4570]

Sounds sweet, but prob wouldn't happen> even better in an octagone barrel or 1/2 octagon after the foreend

[Mac11700]

I've already made 1 dream rifle in an Ultra 338-06...it's shooting more accurate with each outing..



Although..I could dream of putting a real high dollar scope on it..and have Weing build one of their exibition grade stocks for it...it would be be even nicer than it is now..but I certainly wouldn't take it to the woods to hunt with...

My next dream rifle will be a 26" 270 Handi...and since I already have a sweet set of custom stocks from Gun Stocks Inc..not in use.. they most likely will go on it...and perhaps a high quality scope will find it's way home to be used...

Octagon barrels...ohhhh yeah...if I could have one of those would fit the bill...but I can't see how those would be available and still have a long 26" barrel I like so much...

Mac

[bajabill]

are you wanting a 26" bbl for the looks or performance?  I would think a 30-30 will have a hard time taking advantage of the length.  I do think the 22" bbl suffers in the looks department though, especially with a BC forend.

Mac, the 270 is a different story though.

[Mac11700]

baja:

I don't think so...I think with the right powders...one would be able to take advantage on reloads..and everything I have read and seen for the long barreled versions of the 30-30 had a definate velocity advantage..I had a 26" Winney XTR for awhile..and compared it to what I got out of my 22" Topper...all velocities were much higher with factory loads...from 150fps..to 190fps...while that may not seem like a-lot..it is enough of a boost to make it worthwhile..

Mac

[bajabill]

I will take your word on that, but did you then cut your 26" bbl down to 24, and then to 22" and repeat the measurements?  

My comments are qualitative only, I have never done the thorough study.  A 30-30 is on the low end of the capacity ranges for a 30 cal, it doesnt need the length because the expansion ratios are greater than most other common cartridges for which common powders are manufacuted and data supplied.  If a 30-30 merits a 26" barrel to burn the powder, we should be running 30 inches in 30-06s and yard sticks with the ultra mag.  Granted, I know someone does have one, that doesnt make it a good candidate to expect an average 40 fps/inch of additional barrel to it.

There are always exceptions or wild hairs, I dont like to count on them, rather, I would plan on the average and hope for better.

Now, the 243 and 25-06, those need some length.

[Mac11700]

Nope...never cut one down...didn't see the need...a 26" barrel will almost every time give a higher velocity than a 22" barrel....and that is what I am talking about..I've proved this so-many times I've lost count...now I know there is a point of diminishing returns..and from a practicle standpoint a 30" barrel isn't really needed..and in most cases be counter productive to velocity unless loaded specifically with powders that will burn completely in that lenght barrel...as do some of the bench rest barrels...I would also venture to say there are more hunting lenghts of 26" than 30" unless dealing with black powder rounds...and as Quickdtoo has already found out thru his limited chronograph testing on his BC barrel that with it's 32" barrel he isn't gaining a-lot more velocity with his 45-70.
 
In a Handi...the 26" barrel isn't really a handicap as to being able to hunt in close quarters..as say a bolt action with the same lenght barrel..and like I said..the extra velocity is a bonus.I have some older Winchester loading books...and the velocities that were considered the norm..where taken from 26" barrels for the 30-30..and this was because of the powders they used back then and thier advertizing stratagy..now the norm is to use a 24" barrel for the majority of rifles...the 30-30 included ...Today with some of the better formulated powders in use it isn't anything for them to get their advertized velocities with the shorter barrels and when used in the longer barrels..they do gain a healthy increase..so...it makes it a more viable solution(cost and time wise) to utilize a slightly longer barrel to gain an extra couple hundred feet per second...than to modify the gun and  parent case...as in doing a Ackley Improved,and the balance of the rifle is improved considerable in the process...albeit at a slight increase in weight..

40 fps gain..isn't that hard to accomplish with the right load combination in a longer barrel....handloaders do it all the time...some do it safely..others do it recklessly it depends on who's doing the reloading.....It's kind of funny...when a ammo manufacture does it...they call it a Lite Magnum load..of a Power Shock load...or Extendend range load...when handloaders do it..they call it dangerous...

Mac

[bajabill]

I dont know if you interpreted my "if - then" statement, since I did not insert the "then",   I meant that by comparison, if the 30-30 was a prime canditate to utilize the 26"barrel lenght, then the 30-06 should be a prime candidate to utilyze longer yet, and so on and so on up to the silliest magno bucket of powder behind a 30 cal bullet.  Im not proposing anyone use 30 inch barrels. I agree the 45-70 is not a good candidate to required the very long barrel with todays loading practices.

My comment about cutting the barrel is because that is the only way to remove variances of all things other than the barrel length itself from the statistical evaluation.  2 same make guns, equal barrel length, same box of ammo can result in 50-100 fps differences, not to mention each individual spread with no changes in test parameters.

I think we are not in dissagreement with the principles, and I am a proponent of HR/NEF standardizing at 24 inch barrels, and dropping the 22 altogether except for the rifles they want to for specialty puposes - light weight/ youth/etc.  THey look kind of squatty with a 22" barrel.

[Mac11700]

Yep...I did mis-interpete your meaning..and the 30-06 will show a definate improvement velocity wise with a 26" barrel....over the standard 22" barrel that most have.It seems the bullet manufactures  like the 24" norm over the 26" norm...at least for the bulk of people with the 22" barrels the velocities are a-lot closer to what they can actually achieve...but even the 30-06 will have diminishing returns if going over 28".....there have been several articles published on this and many other cartridges to show that fact.....it's nothing to get 3000fps with the right load out of a 24" 30-06....an additional 80-100 fps for the 26"  to me..just makes it better..without straining anything...and puts a different prospective on things..bump the bullet weight up to the fine 180 grainers..or higher...and now you going to have a advantage for heavier game..

I've thought about doing a 26" 30-06 Handi....and if I didn't have already have a fine 338-06...I might..but it's a bit close to what I already have...and so the 270...or even the 6.5-06 would serve me better..any rate..it will be in the 26" barrel...

Mac