7-30 Waters in Winchester AE. Buy or pass?

[Newtosavage]

Came across one rifle today that I've always had my eye on - a minty Win 94 AE in the rare 7-30 Waters caliber. It was in great shape. They were asking $600 and I believe the rifle is worth that, but I'm not sure I'll use it enough to justify buying it.

Thoughts?

 

[ApacheCoTodd]

While one side of me says; How much does one really gain when still limited to tube mag loadings.

The other side says: What about Leverevolution?

Then when one side says: What about ammo availability?

The other says: Fine excuse to tool-up for reloading.

Then, yet another side says: What about lack of collectibility of post-64 Wiinchesters?

Part chimes in with: Rare calibers have their own following.

Too, there's this - from a guy who does not like Winchester lever-guns - AEs have consistently impressed me with their quality, scope mountability and low price due to being eschewed by *collectors*.

Sure, it's a bit schizophrenic but, there you have it.

Todd.

 

[PapaG]

I have a 94 AE and am impressed with many aspects. Mine is a 30-30. I'd love to play with a 7-30 but can't think I'd pay 600. Mine was 98% and it was $400 out the door. I might offer $450 but not $600. Mine has nice Walnut and I added a receiver sight.

 

[troy fairweather]

What's the barrel length, think the 7-30 need a 24'' to get velocity. The 7mm fan in me does not care tho.

 

[243winxb]

Hornady ammo is $1.50 a shot. 30-30 is around 50 cents each.

 

[Ohen Cepel]

If you reload its a great option. I really like the round as a Contender pistol choice. I would look on Gunbroker to get an idea of market on them. Not a common option.

 

[LoonWulf]

hornday has a ftx 120gr bullet for them, and you could always load 120 nbts one in the pipe and one in the mag.

Personally IF i had the money that would be coming home with me.

 

[ApacheCoTodd]

hornday has a ftx 120gr bullet for them, and you could always load 120 nbts one in the pipe and one in the mag.

Personally IF i had the money that would be coming home with me.

Yup. the money's about right.

Comping it against the bottom of the price chart - all other things being equal - it is WELL worth the price bump over a bottom-tier .30-30. Those are almost everywhere.

That is IF you really want a 7-.30... And there's nothing at all wrong with that.

I had a few guys fighting over a .44 AE gun a couple of weeks ago. AEs are the big buyers' secret in 94's these days.

Todd.

 

[earlthegoat2]

Yep, AEs are always on my radar. Still looking for that Timber Carbine in 444.

I love odd caliber lever guns and would do everything in my power to get it for a fair price. 600 is a fair price. They are going for between 600-750 for bottom tier examples GB completed.

 

[Slamfire]

Came across one rifle today that I've always had my eye on - a minty Win 94 AE in the rare 7-30 Waters caliber. It was in great shape. They were asking $600 and I believe the rifle is worth that, but I'm not sure I'll use it enough to justify buying it.

Thoughts?

I would not pay a premium for the caliber. I searched to find if the 94 AE was drilled and tapped for scope mounts, if it was not, I would not bother even thinking about buying it.

I would agree with this quote

7-30 Waters

Unfortunately, regardless of whether the trajectory is superior or inferior to the parent .30-30, the 7-30 Waters is a low powdered cartridge. In the Winchester M94, the 7-30 Waters must be loaded with flat point bullets yet in the T.C.C single shot rifle, even if using pointed bullets, the 7-30 is not a great deal better with regard to extended range killing performance.

I would like to add that going from 30 caliber to 7mm will not make a 1894 lever action any more accurate, if they have any accuracy at all. So the round, in a lever action, is in the same basic class as the 30-30, and will not be particularly more accurate at range, in a lever action.

 

[WestKentucky]

BUY

limited production run gun, well known maker, well known model, and the caliber is a great one.

 

[Newtosavage]

hornday has a ftx 120gr bullet for them, and you could always load 120 nbts one in the pipe and one in the mag.

Personally IF i had the money that would be coming home with me.

I just discovered when I got home that Hornady makes a 120 FTX bullet in 7mm. I had no idea. If I had known that in the store, I think that gun would have come home with me.

 

[Varminterror]

What a fun deer and pig smoker that would make. I don’t even like Win 94’s, but that one would have to come home with me. I’d take on temporary debt for it.

 

[Newtosavage]

Ugh, you guys are killin' me. LOL It was a beautiful rifle. I just couldn't quite decide which gun in my safe I would give up to get it, so it stayed on the rack (for now). I know, most of you would say "get a bigger gun safe" but I just hate to see guns gather dust. If I'm not using them, I'd rather they go to someone who will.

I guess my last 94 AE (in 30-30) has me gun shy. I had high hopes for it, but alas it had an awful trigger and it didn't do anything for me that my old pre-64 Winchester 30-30 didn't already do. So I'm wondering where this one might fit. Not sure I'd give up my Howa Alpine 7mm-08 for it, and that's my current Whitetail gun. My Howa Mini 7.62x39 in my current pig gun, and that's not going anywhere.

 

[troy fairweather]

I've thought about making a die to form the tip on sp bullets, there seems to be enough lead there to form a round nose. Should still shoot good enough for a lever action.

 

[LoonWulf]

This one would be for days you Want to carry a lever gun!

 

[ApacheCoTodd]

I would not pay a premium for the caliber. I searched to find if the 94 AE was drilled and tapped for scope mounts, if it was not, I would not bother even thinking about buying it.

Seems you don't know AEs then.

AEs are all drilled & tapped for scopes.... Kinda the point of the Angle Eject.

As to the *premium*. Every caliber that is not .30-30 goes for a premium to one degree or another.

Todd.

 

[cfullgraf]

I shot 7mm International Rimmed in the unlimited category of IHMSA silhouettes back in the 1980's. I still have the Contender barrel.

The 7mm Int Rimmed is similar to the 7-30 Walters. It is a good, budget priced cartridge from a 14" Contender to get into Unlimited class.

The 7-30 Walters should do well from a lever action. Cases are easy to make. Run 30-30 cases through a sizing die, trim if necessary, then fire form in your 7-30 Walters chamber. For 7mm Int Rimmed, we just used the standard loads for fire forming. I do not see why you could not do the same with 7-30 Walters.

When I was competing in IHMSA handgun silhouette competition, I used pulled 7mm military bullets with great success. But FMJ bullets may not be suitablle for hunting situations. There are lots of good 7mm hunting bullets on the marker these days, just be cautious of the needs of tubular magazines.

If you do not reload, factory ammunition may not be readily available but I have not looked into the situation. Since I reload, component availability is not really an issue for me.

 

[Newtosavage]

This one would be for days you Want to carry a lever gun!

Yea, but I still have my beloved old pre-64 Win 30-30 for those days.

 

[Slamfire]

Seems you don't know AEs then.

True, don't have an AE. While it makes sense that an AE would be drilled and tapped for a scope, that does not mean they all have to be. Sometimes buyers want something that looks Old West, and that means buck horn sights only. When reproduction Win M1895's were new, they were not drilled and tapped for receiver sights or scope mounts, and that, plus the weight of the things, is why I did not buy one. The heck with Old West sights. The heck with the 1895 box magazine which made the rifle impossible to hold at the center of balance with one hand. But, while I can still, sort of, use rifle iron sights, I consider them obsolescent for hunting, and, target shooting.

 

[earlthegoat2]

Taking on more lever guns is great fun when the 30-30s are ignored.

Kind of like taking on more rifles is fun when you ignore all bolt actions and ARs. Haha.

 

[CraigC]

I would've been all over it. Especially if it was a 24" model.

My 1895 carries just fine with my middle finger right in the crook in front of the magazine.

 

[Poper]

While one side of me says; How much does one really gain when still limited to tube mag loadings.

The other side says: What about Leverevolution?

Then when one side says: What about ammo availability?

The other says: Fine excuse to tool-up for reloading.

Then, yet another side says: What about lack of collectibility of post-64 Wiinchesters?

Part chimes in with: Rare calibers have their own following.

Too, there's this - from a guy who does not like Winchester lever-guns - AEs have consistently impressed me with their quality, scope mountability and low price due to being eschewed by *collectors*.

Sure, it's a bit schizophrenic but, there you have it.

Todd.

Yup.
To all the above.

 

[Steve in PA]

The 7-30 Waters is a great cartridge. I have a 14" T/C Contender that I load with Nosler 120gr BT or Hornady 139gr SST and they've both dropped deer in their tracks.

I'd get one in a lever action if I found deal.

 

[Varminterror]

Dammit... my FIL gave my wife his ‘70s era 336 a couple of years ago, I’ve been considering doing a rebuild to make it something I’d love using from year to year. I had planned on a receiver peep and a bunch of WWG components inside, keep it relatively classic, as her dad hunted with it (my failing eyesight throws a monkey in that wrench)....

But this thread has me thinking - ya know he kept it in that suede bag all of those years and the barrel is pretty significantly speckled... I could easily justify rebarreling to 7-30 Improved, and of course, something like that would warrant a scope instead of irons...

So many rifles, so little time...