AzRednek Posted February 4, 2006 Report Share Posted February 4, 2006 Does anybody know a smith that will receive, ship, caliber stamp and convert a Marlin 30/30 to the AI version?? Not for me, looking for a hard-headed friend that doesn't use computers. He tried locally and his gunsmith wanted to charge for a new reamer. I had it done apx 30 years ago by the original Mr. Timney and best I recall there was a charge for reamer rental. A rental or some sort of fee for the reamer seems fair to me. At least in my opinion the end customer should not have to purchase the reamer. I don't know if my buddy is bored, just wanting to strike up a phone conversation on guns or really serious. This guy has more rifles than Carter has pills. I have a feeling he got caught up with Hornady's new lever action ammo and their advertising. My friend claimed the 30/30 AI can be safely loaded to near 308 velocities and if the new bullets are available to reloaders down range velocity might also be similiar. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doble Troble Posted February 4, 2006 Report Share Posted February 4, 2006 I don't have anything helpful to add, but according to Mr. Ackley's book its a highly recommended conversion - 150 gr bullets at 2700 fps. Sounds like a 308 to me. Looking forward to a report back on results. I'll admit I've been thinking about doing the number on my Win 94. If it just wasn't so damn accurate stock...awful unmodified trigger and all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
z1r Posted February 4, 2006 Report Share Posted February 4, 2006 There is no way you can get those velocities at pressures the Model 94 or 336's are designed to work at. Besides, With the new Hornady ammo SAFELY generating the velocities it does, why bother? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doble Troble Posted February 4, 2006 Report Share Posted February 4, 2006 Yes, even Ackley says the loads are "hot", but he also says they're safe, but he doesn't say what action they're safe in. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BobDole Posted February 4, 2006 Report Share Posted February 4, 2006 I have always heard that the pressure problem with the 30-30 was the case, the improved version is suposed to fix this but what good is it when you are execiding the pressures that gun was orgionally designed for? The gun will hold the pressure, and the load works well but it is like shooting +P loads out of a cheap revolver. The action is going to loosen up and get sloppy. From what i have read max loads for the improved are 48,000-50,000 CUP. Why not just sell the gun and get a .307 winchester seems like the safer way to go. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jimro Posted February 4, 2006 Report Share Posted February 4, 2006 You know I like the 30-30 AI, but realistically it is like all the Ackley Improvements, it really doesn't offer too much over the original. Dead is dead, and the 30-30 has taken a helluva lotta deer. If I wanted more oomph out of a lever gun I'd take the above advice and get a different levergun. An 1895 in 30-06 would be a winner if he can afford it. Jimro Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spiris Posted February 4, 2006 Report Share Posted February 4, 2006 Sound advice all! My thoughts are if you can not do it with the 30-30, the AI will not make the difference. Only if you want to nurture an AI, and to say you have one, would it be a consideration. If you need more power in a lever gun, think Browning. Spiris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
claytonfaulkner Posted February 4, 2006 Report Share Posted February 4, 2006 im kinda liking these new bullets... im hoping that marlin or some1 will come out with new bad ass cartridge (maby a 450 marlin knecked down to .35 or .30) and peopl will start buying lever actions again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AzRednek Posted February 5, 2006 Author Report Share Posted February 5, 2006 You know I like the 30-30 AI, but realistically it is like all the Ackley Improvements, it really doesn't offer too much over the original. Dead is dead, and the 30-30 has taken a helluva lotta deer. If I wanted more oomph out of a lever gun I'd take the above advice and get a different levergun. An 1895 in 30-06 would be a winner if he can afford it. Jimro My former now deceased father-in-law had a 1895 30/06 with less than a box of ammo through it. I tried everything imaginable to get him to sell it to me. I sent an email to his grandson that inherited it and he wouldn't answer me. I turn green with envy everytime I think about it. As I mentioned in the post my friend asking about the Ackley Improved surely doesn't need it, he has two gun vaults and likely has something more effective. I just offered to see if I could find a gunsmith. He is a hard-headed guy and if he gets the bug he will do it and probably never use it to hunt with. In a way I feel sorry for him getting dumped by his wife in his mid-50's, has trouble getting along with women and has been taken by some gold-diggers. I really think he just just have wanted to make some conversation and it is anybody's guess if he will really go through with it. So if anybody does know a smith that will do it long distance I'll pass it along to my friend. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AzRednek Posted February 5, 2006 Author Report Share Posted February 5, 2006 With the new Hornady ammo SAFELY generating the velocities it does, why bother? You hit the nail right on the head. One thing I learned after being somewhat in the retail gun business as a sideline in my now defunct uniform business, that gun purchasers are alot like automobile buyers. One might buy gun to make a statement or more simply put to have bragging and showing-off rights. Kind of like buying a Vette that wont get you there any faster legally than a VW Beetle. Common sense in buying a new automobile is rarely followed or we'd all being driving plain-jane white Fords and Chevys. I wonder how many 375 H&H's and 338 Win mags have been bought by somebody that actually needed it. There are not alot of Moose or Polar Bear hunters and most game downed in the USA with a 338 or 375 likely could have been as equally dispatched by a stock 30/30 or 270. No matter what kind of logic anybody could use in not getting it done when somebody says "I want it" I say let them feed our economy. I had two uniform customers, both correctional officers. After buying uniforms one guy started looking at some used guns saying he wanted something for his wife when he was working graveyard or a double shift. My former business partner a wimpy lib kept trying to sell him some of our new supposidly better than real Mace pepper spray and started making a case against guns in the home. I jumped in and suggested a used stainless Rossi 38 special snubby. The customer "nahh I'll teach her to use it", he said and bought a used Hawes single action 44 mag. His buddy a huge black guy kept shaking his head laughing out loud "hmmm just gotta have a cowboy magnum for the little wife". There wasn't any logical reason to buy the 44 mag for his wife but there was no way I was going to argue against making a sale. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
montea6b Posted February 5, 2006 Report Share Posted February 5, 2006 AzR, you may have already found this or other similar sites, but per your original question you can rent reamers. (30-30 AI is not in the MFRC Co-op) Here's a link for your friend if he is determined to go through with it: Reamer rentals Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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