New Winchester 94 Carbine

[Carlsen Highway]

I posted the other week about how I couldn't find a Winchester 94 and I was thinking about a Marlin....some wise men counseled me to bide my time, advice which I followed, and now my patience (and their wisdom) has borne fruit.

I had the good luck to finally find another worthy Winchester 94 in .30-30 at the local gunshop - at the same time I had some money, so I jumped on it and struck a deal and took it home.
I have set to pulling all my .30/30 reloading stuff out...the rifle is in excellent condition - nothing special just a 1979 standard carbine, but I am pleased to have it. I have been without one for two years after I gave last one to my father as a retirement present. I have payed too much money for it probably, but even the prices of normal uncollectable ones are going up since 2006 I have observed. I care not one whit for the money; I have a new Winchester and am happy.




I have been playing with loading some 170 grain bullets, thinking that the 170 might be betterer. I don't believe I have ever shot any deer (red deer) with a 170 grain bullet, I have only shot them with 150 grain bullets (either Power Points or the Privi Partisan/PPU as far as I remember.) The bullets never exited, but the deer all died in front of me.
Is the performance of a 170 grain significantly different?

[kaschi]

You were wise to wait for a 94! If I had to make the choice between it and a 336, the 94 would be the one to go for. Good luck and enjoy it.

[JerryB]

Glad to hear you got the Winchester!!!!!!!!!!

[stubbicatt]

Neat rifle. Somewhere on the net, and I am so sorry I don't remember, there was a fellow who served as a game hunter professional guide type. He had compiled statistics on the effect of 30-30 bullets on game. There was a lot of information in his posting. The gist of it was that the 150 Winchester "power point" I think it is called, was most effective. But he said that a newer bullet, the black coated Winchester in 150 grains was really good too, though he didn't have as much data on it as the other bullets as it was new.

Surprised me. I always thought the 170 would be better, but I guess the 150 gets the nod.

Hope this helps some.

[Carlsen Highway]

As a matter of fact, I have three boxes of 150 power points lying around here somewhere....but the idea of the 170 seems 20 grains better....I read a post from an Australian guy who used the .30-30 a lot on wild pigs and he said the 150 killed better in his opinion.

[Griff]

I conducted a study back in 1974, with my then nearly new Winchester mdl 64A in .30-30. My rifle was more accurate with 150s vs the 170s. So I hunted with that. I haven't met a deer or coyote yet, that walked away from an encounter with one. I've had them jump and run short distances, but never more'n my meager tracking skills require.

But, none have been as big as a RedDeer.

Lots of fellers say the 170s are more accurate in their rifles.

[J Miller]

The accuracy issue boils down to rifle / ammo preference. Some will like the 150 better in one brand, and the 170 better from another brand. Others, well they're all different.
Most will not care what you feed them.
Every 94 Win I've owned and shot on targets (except the last one) have been good for 1.5" to 3" groups consistently at 100 yds with everything I've fed them.

To me the 150 gr vs 170 grs choice depends on the game animal I'd be hunting.

Otherwise I just use the 150gr primarily or 170gr if that's what I have. No biggie.

Oh, and wasn't the one with all the data on bullet performance 86er? He's another AWOL forum member.

Joe

[missionary5155]

Greetings
Well done on the waiting patiently. That is a nice looking 94 !
The post 63 Winchesters are good rifles and will serve you well till you retire one fine day. Probably long after that. The nice part is most collectors have little interest in them so they are still much more affordable.
Mike in Peru

[Pete44ru]

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+1 - That Winchester's in GREAT shape, and is worth whatever you paid for it !


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[Pisgah]

In my experience -- at least 100 deer with the .30-30 over 50 years -- the 150s tend to give a bit more dramatic dead-right-there results, but the 170s kill just as well with noticeably more penetration from any angle and a great blood trail for the times a deer may make it a few yards from where he's hit. My choice of which to use depends solely on the rifle and which load I know it shoots most accurately. When I hit where I want to hit either bullet does the job just fine.