Preferred Barrel Length for 30-30 Lever-Action

[joed]

I have a Win 94 and Marlin 336C, both 20". They work fine for me but If I were a squirrel I'd give one of my nuts for a Trapper version. Problem is the price is pretty high.

 

[Pathfinder45]

Nice rifle, Salmoneye. That configuration, with the short magazine, is smilar to the Winchester model 55 I had. With it's 24" barrel, it also shot much better than I would have expected. The Winchester model 64 is also similar, but with a pistol-grip stock; reputedly, they also shoot quite well.

 

[Wyosmith]

I have a 24" Marlin with a pistol grip and a 1/2 magazine. If I ever re-barrel it I am going to install a 28" barrel.
Why?
Because I like the look of the long barrel, and I have a peep sight on the receiver so longer makes for a better sight radius.

It's a 30-30 so trying to "increase the ballistics" doesn't make any since to me. I use 170 grain bullets and if they go 2100 FPS they will do everything I ever need or want to do with a 30-30. So the long barrel has no function other then sight radius and looks.

But it's what I like.

 

[10-96]

I've got a Win 94 Canadian Centennial with a 26" octagon barrel. It's not as unwieldy as I thought it would be. Of course I've only plinked around with it on a range, but it's a joy to shoot with 125's or 165's.

 

[az_imuth]

I also own one of the Canadian Centennial rifles with the 26" octagon barrel. It shoots really well offhand for me, but it is quite a bit heavier than the 20" model I inherited from my Granddad. The Canadian is fun to shoot and I love the crescent butt stock and the longer sight radius. Couldn't really say which one I prefer, but I know the Canadian would have to go on down the road if I could only have one.

 

[Charlie98]

I think the 20" is probably the best combination of length and performance; if portability isn't a problem, the 24" makes more sense. One of my favorite firearms is a 16" barreled M1a (a Socom16) because of how it handles... so I can't discount the 16" .30-30, either. It really boils down to what you want to do with it, and what you expect from it.