Model 94 sight picture

[VerneB]

I've recently inherited a Model 94 in 30-30 from my father's estate. It's probably close to 40 years old, but likely hasn't had more than a box or two of rounds through it.

I'm going to set the .308 aside for a while this fall and shoot a whitetail with the 30-30 for sentimental reasons and just because I can. Most deer where I live are shot at less than 100 yds and I suspect it will do the job nicely at those ranges.

Shotguns aside, I've done almost no open-sight shooting. The rifle has a blade front sight with a cylinder on top, meaning it appears to the shooter as a post with a bead on top. I'm going to take it to the range this weekend to make sure I know where it's going.

What sort of sight picture do I want? Top of the bead at the same level as the top of the rear sight, or bottom of the bead at the same level as the rear sight?

 

[Preacher]

I would use the center of the bead at the top of the rear site and go from there...
The 30-30 can and will git the job done for you...

 

[Greg110]

What shape is the rear sight please? U, V, or square notch. If U, then put the bottom of the bead against the bottom of the U and cover the target with the bead.

 

[1000yardstare]

An M94 that old should have 2 drilled and tapped holes in the upper left rear corner of the receiver. These are screw holes for a Williams receiver sight.

Brownells catalogue has an excellent section for receiver and front sights. Remove the factory rear sight and insert a Marbles blank into the vacant slot. Install the Williams receiver sight. Remove the "fine" aperture and shoot through the large aperture. M94 hunters were using "ghost rings" 60 years ago before the term was even invented.

Sight with the front bead smack dab on the centre of the target. This sighting method has made the ol` thutty thutty one of the most succesful deer cartridges in eastern North America.

 

[bheadboy]

Great deer gun, i have the same rig, i load the Sierra 125hp with imr3031 and they just drop, do runoffs

I agree, get a peep sight and center the point of impact with the front bead at 6:00 of the point of impact.

good hunting

Bob

 

[bozo699]

VerneB,
Everybody does things differently,With my eye's getting older I like to level the sights, Meaning I like the top of the front sight level with the top of the rear sight that way you can see it better in lower light and its always the same! If you try some methods like burying the front sight in the u part of rear sight ect. ect. it can vary, but level is level and always the same. The rear peap is obviously better if you don't mind changing it.
Wayne.

 

[VerneB]

Thanks, everyone. Much appreciated.

VerneB

 

[2506]

I agree with bozo699. I have used the old 30-30 Win to take a few deer. The 150 gr bullets work really well either Rem or Win for factory ammo. I like to sight in a rifle with open sights so with the front sight and back sight having equal height the point if impact looks like the bullet slid right off the top of the sights at my zero distance. I call it a tight 6 o'clock hold. With the 30-30 and 150 gr bullets sight in point of impact 1" high at 50 yards will put you about on the money at 100 yards. If you hand load you should load up some 125 Nosler ballistic tips to around 2500 fps and use the rifle as a 2 shot repeater and really thump a deer. Those 125 Ballistic tips are wicked deer killers. I am using them in my 30-30AI 14" Contender pistol at 2670 fps.

 

[VerneB]

Took it out to the range this afternoon and ran some rounds through it. The rear sight is 'U' shaped, and it turns out that the easiest and most natural hold for me is with the top of the bead even with the top of the 'U', and the bead and post centred in the gap.

I found a couple of boxes of old C.I.L. Imperial when we were sorting things out after my father passed away, and shot most of a box this afternoon. They were all over the place; a bit like shooting my 12 ga trap gun one pellet at a time. Groups at 100 yards were pretty much a foot. Maybe it's the age of the ammunition, maybe its consistency of manufacture then compared to now, but accuracy was truly, profoundly lousy. That ammunition has been around for quite a while; I think C.I.L.'s been out of the ammunition business for at least 30 years.

A new box of Federals made a huge difference. Off the bench, I'm at groups of something just over 2 inches at 60 yards and around 4 at 100; easily good enough to ruin Bambi's day. And not bad considering I can barely see a 4'' target at that distance.

And I think I'm going to enjoy the rifle. Never used one before, but it's wonderful to carry, comes up well, and feels natural. Very little recoil and intuitive to shoot. It's easy to see why Winchester sold so many of them.

Thanks again.

VerneB

 

[bozo699]

Your welcome VerneB, enjoy your father's old rifle,think of him as you squeeze off on that nice deer this fall,think of all the pleasure he got out of it and all the pleasure your going to get out of it Good luck.
Wayne.