first range time with model 94 winchester

On new years eve my uncle gave me a 1962 model 94 winchester 30-30. I cleaned it up and finally got to the range with it. Tested three different ammo varieties through it. Took a bit of getting used to with the williams peep sight on it.

After some practice i managed to average sub 2" groups with it with both 150gr remington core lokt's and 150gr winchester silvertip ballistic tips. the rem's hit right at poa, the winchester's were about 3" high at a hundered. the 170 grn winchester super x's were about 3" low and left at a hundred. average on them was about 2.5" i guess all about average all thing's considered. i have been happy so far, on one patern each i had both 150gr' types almost laced together.

At this point the gun seems to be about as accurate as it needs too be for a non scoped hunting rifle. I'm gonna try a few more varieties, See if it really stand outs emerge,if not, i can accept that, my eyes aren't more than 200yd good anyway.

Any suggestions for what i should try next. I've got a box of 170Gr core lokt's i haven't touched. I figured i'd run some hornady leverevolution's, and some maybe some of their round noses too.

Game wise It'll be NY and or PA white tail if anything in the foreseable future. i've got family and friends there that want to show me something bigger than the antlered dogs we call whitetail in south jersey.

With the top ejection, i've pretty much nixed the idea of a scope. At a hundred yards and a two inch bull's eye i can see it pretty clear, a three inch one i can see what portion i'm over with the front. I'm reasonably sure i can tighten the groups up some practice.

It certainly seemed to prefer the 150 gr. It has the 20" barrel, I'm guessing the lower velocity is a factor in the accuracy at the longer range.

Without ordering online i can get my hands on some hornady, and federal fusion's but i couldn't find the powershock's locally. I'll give them a try next time. i'm not really expecting a big difference in accuracy but you'll never know unless you try.

As far as taking it to the woods, that's what it was built to do. Before i got it, it sat in the corner of an old man's garage wrapped in an old shirt stacked behind lumber. Seems much more fitting, to take an old hunting rifle hunting.

Measured the paterns from the range a few weeks ago. out of the eight patterns i shot at a hundred yards my average was 2.38". The last three groups i shot i felt i was really getting a handle on it and getting accustomed to the sight picture and the results bore it out. My average on the last three was 1.4" and on or around the 3" bull the whole time.

I've picked up another box of the 150gr rem. core lokts, gonna try to track down some from fedral next. With any luck i'll be able to get back to the range sometime this month