Savage Model 842 30-30 Rifle

The 30-30 is a nice caliber rifle, although I do not happen to own one (yet).  My friend who came for the weekend brought his Savage, an old-timer, to sight in.  I love old-timers.  Bolt action with the magazine missing because he had loaned it to a brother-in-law, we shot a few groups with it.  After he felt fairly comfortable with it, I endeavored to shoot a very careful 3-shot group, which turned out to be low and under the target!  It was raining hard by then and we gave up rather than have me change my sight picture and try another one.  The gun shot very nicely, although it is old, rugged, and a little beat up. 

The weather stayed bad and we didn't get another chance to go out back with it, but we had as much fun as we could, and I derived pleasure from handling and shooting this old-timer. 

Winchester Model 94 Octogon Barrel 30-30

Winchester Model 94 Octogon Barrel 30-30

When we had a 100-yd session on the farm, my friend was most interested in sighting in his Winchester 1894 Octogon .30-.30 lever action, tube-feed rifle.  It is a real beauty.  The Model 94 is famous but this one is OLD!  We cleaned the bore and lubed all the moving parts before taking it out back.

He first shot a group of 3 and hit the 8-ring with one, signalling hopefulness for a good day.  This shot was only 2 minutes high and 2 minutes left!  He wasn't able to post a 3-shot group with all three hitting the target, and neither could I!  He hit one 8 minutes high and 3 to the right and another 8 minutes high and 5 to the right, but on different groups.  I tried a 3 shot group carefully aiming at the lower left corner, thinking the gun was shooting high and to the right, and none of mine hit the paper! 

I am sure that he wants to try and group this gun later in the summer, because it is his deer gun for brush areas, being shorter barrelled.  If he does, we will probably start at 50-yds and see just what the heck is going on, before moving it out with some sight adjustments.  It was real fun shooting a 30-cal lever action.  30-30 means, of course, .30 caliber and 30-grains of powder.  Don't know if that latter number is adhered to anymore with modern powders, of course, but it sure is a fun gun to shoot.