Status
Not open for further replies.

RocknRoll

Member
Joined
Apr 22, 2011
Messages
64
I hope someone can assist me in my travels here. I recently picked up a Winchester Trapper, 16" barrel. 30-30 caliber. Couldn't wait to get it to the range. Got there ! Couldn't hit a full size piece of poster board at 20 yards. Had to get within about 8 yards to hit the paper. NOTHING BUT KEYHOLES ! My first thought was different twist rate wont stabilize the 120 gr. bullets I was shooting. So when checking the twist rates I discovered that this trapper has a different twist rate than normally found in Winchester 30-30 rifles. It was 1/16 twist. Then I noticed that pushing a 30 cal patched cleaning rod thru the barrel was MUCH easier on the Trapper than it was on a full length Winchester 30-30. BIG difference. So I took an oversized cast 30-30 bullet (.310) and dropped it into the barrel on the Trapper and it fell thru the bore like water. Popped right out the breech and rolled onto the floor. There is NO QUESTION that this is NOT a 30-30 bore. BUT ! the barrel says VERY clearly that this is a 30-30. I am wondering if anyone has ever encountered a 32 Winchester Special miss marked as a 30-30. I have never even heard of this happening. This rifle looks to have about 98% factory original finish and shows little sign of use besides scuff marks. I seriously doubt it is a re bore. My local gun store guru says it's marked 30-30 DO NOT put anything else in it besides that. I agree, but this aint no 30-30. Any thoughts out there ?
 
Strange thangs happen. Back when Marlin started making the 1894 in 45 Colt, a good friend of mine got one and headed to the range with a few boxes of ammo. He couldn’t hit paper at 25 yards. At 10 yards he was able to get a few rounds on paper, but they were all over the place. One look down the bore and the mystery was solved. The rifle had a smooth bore. That’s right, not one hint of rifling in the bore. Marlin was contacted and they replaced the rifle.
From what you have stated, I assume your rifle is used. There is very little chance that Winchester will do anything, but it would not hurt to give them a call.
I have a Chinese Hanyang 88 chambered in 8mm Mauser. If you drop a 8mm bullet down the muzzle it will rattle all the way down to the chamber. The funny thing is, the barrel has great rifling in the bore.
 
It would be neat if it was a Thirty Two Special. You might need different ammunition, but that would be fun.

If the human at the Local Gun Establishment was told your tale, bullets falling freely through the bore and all and his response was as such above, a Guru-atop-the-mount he is not.

Conversly, if the cartridge wouldn't chamber fully would he have told you to pound it in to fit?
I hope not...

Humans are fallible. Whether the chamber or the stamp, something is amiss.

I hope it's a Thirty Two that was hardly ever used for the lack of accuracy and sat in a safe, only to be rediscovered and treated properly by an actual rifleman.
It may not be what you had intended to get, but it just may be a diamond...

Keep us posted, rock on.
 
There are some circles in which it is not unheard of to rebore .30-30 levergun barrels to a larger caliber and ream a new chamber. Usually this is done to fit the owners most-favoritist cast-boolit (sp!), and I would expect any smith with the necessary equipment to re-stamp the barrel.

Another possibility is a .35 Rem barrel (commonly 1:16 twist!) getting swapped into the .30-30 reaming line. . . the reamer pilot would be floating and the chamber completely ovaloid, but it's possible.
 
Thanx for all the input ! 35 Remington would be REALLY cool, but I'm guessing 32 Special. Got a few days of "Way too busy" in front of me. But I'll get this slugged and get back. Sounds like the best plan. a 32 should mic at .321 ? Anyone know for sure if that is correct ? Next question, if it chambers a 32 Special, and the bullet will fit in the muzzle, safe to try a shot ? What other caliber could it be besides 32 ?
 
Pictures!

Pictures of the gun and the markings on the barrel would help to determine if this is a factory original gun or a replacement barrel.

To rebore the barrel is a lot of skilled work and I would expect a gunsmith doing the work would xxxx the original caliber on the barrel and stamp the new one.

What does the fired brass look like? The case mouths should be expanded and probably cracked from a oversize chamber. Measuring the case mouth should give you a clue to the bore size. Pictures of the brass will help.

As commented only a chamber case and slugging the barrel will tell you the real cartridge.
 
Last edited:
Thanx for all the input ! 35 Remington would be REALLY cool, but I'm guessing 32 Special. Got a few days of "Way too busy" in front of me. But I'll get this slugged and get back. Sounds like the best plan. a 32 should mic at .321 ? Anyone know for sure if that is correct ? Next question, if it chambers a 32 Special, and the bullet will fit in the muzzle, safe to try a shot ? What other caliber could it be besides 32 ?

I think a rebore to 32 special is probably the most likely explanation. You really should take a chamber cast and measure to be sure.
 
Pull the wood from the whole gun, and look to see if it's been marked with a different caliber somewhere that is not visible. Certain folks like to have this done to maintain the "authenticity" of their gun being marked with the original caliber. I think it's a bad idea, but it certainly has been done.
 
If you used a .310 cast bullet as a check, did you cast it yourself?
If so, cast another of pure lead, stand it on end and tap it "semi"-smartly with a hammer to expand its diameter slighty. (Better yet use/expand a 32cal RB. But I digress . . . )
Clean the bore/lube the bullet w/ good (RCBS/Lyman etc) case sizing lube and drive it down the muzzle out the breech.

What's the groove diameter ?
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top