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I have no experience with them. I’ve been aware they existed. For Winchester 94 design rifles, they seem very high performers with the .307 basically being a rimmed version of the .308 Winchers and the .356 basically being a rimmed version of the .358 Winchester. I’ve heard the the .358 will chamber in the .356, however it is strongly advised to not fire the .358 in the .356 given the .358 is loaded to higher pressure.
I don’t recall these rifles/cartridges talked about here. Do members here have them, hunt with them, collect them, handload for them? A check on ammoseek.com revealed that ammo that, to a limited extent ammo is available – .307 for $100 a box and .356 for $180 a box.
Rifles in both cartridges are readily available on gunbroker. In fact, a case colored Winchester custom shop rifle might catch the attention of a post-63 collector:
Online
Steve,
I too have been aware of these two calibers, and have no experience with them, first hand. I looked at the Gun broker add, and I have to say, I don’t care for that rifle, at all. A good article, or add to show what you’re talking about, but, I could never see myself pursuing that rifle. Just my Opinion, on that particular Rifle. As far as the calibers go, my .375 Winchester will do all I need it to, compared to the .356! I have several .308, caliber rifles that I wouldn’t even consider the .307! Again, my opinion!
I’m glad you ring it up, as I don’t remember a lot of conversation here about them, either.
Anthony
Tony –
I can’t say I cared for the rifle either. However, it was neat to see the custom shop paperwork with Mr. Pardee’s signature! Down the line, that’s going to be very helpful.
I happen to have both, along with the 7-30 Waters and the 375. I’ve reloaded and shot them but not recently- never hunted with any of them although that was the intent, many years ago. All are the Angle Eject receiver.
Technically, the glass is always full; half liquid, half air....
WACA #10293
rwsem said
I happen to have both, along with the 7-30 Waters and the 375. I’ve reloaded and shot them but not recently- never hunted with any of them although that was the intent, many years ago. All are the Angle Eject receiver.
7-30 Waters – now there’s a cartridge I haven’t thought about in a long time. Post-63 collecting has been more on my mind of late. Not that I plan to start, but it is interesting to think about. I was thinking about scarcity (and corresponding collectability) of cartridge offerings. Obviously the pre-64 M70’s are a good examples with .300 Savage, .35 Remington and so on being very illustrative. With post-63 Winchesters (including the M94’s) some chamberings are surely less common than others.
That’s one ugly rifle, and what’s the deal, they can’t show a complete shot of the entire rifle?
Steven Gabrielli said
That’s one ugly rifle, and what’s the deal, they can’t show a complete shot of the entire rifle?
Steve –
I agree as from what I can see, it is an ugly rifle – at least measured by my tastes (which is for vintage rifles). It would have been nice to see a shot of the entire rifle. For a “custom shop rifle” I am not impressed with the wood to metal fit. Particularly where the buttstock meets the receiver on the left side.
We often think about the vintage lever rifles we see with special order features as reflecting a time from very long ago when Winchester accommodated such requests. I think it is cool that as late as 1989, a customer contacted the Winchester custom shop and special-ordered a lever action rifle – with case colored receiver, finger lever, forend cap, 3/4 magazine, special long forend design, semi-fancy walnut, drilled and tapped for receiver sight and 20 inch barrel. I wonder when the last time was the custom shop shipped out a lever rifle built to customer specifications?
I would have enjoyed seeing the invoice with the pricing. It would be very interesting to see the breakdown of the cost of each special order feature.
November 7, 2015
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Steve-
I’ve studied both cartridges since they were introduced but never owned either. My interest was mainly because I had a 375 Big Bore and these cartridges were developed as an extension of that project. I think both cartridges were great ideas that never caught on. I’ve considered scooping a 94 in .356 off the used gun rack but I don’t know how to address the brass situation. At the time I was thinking about the 356 as a hunting rifle but for my way of thinking the 375 Winchester picks up where the 32 SPECIAL leaves off.
I have no interest in the linked rifle, I wasn’t going to mention the poor wood fit but I’ve seen better work on a standard production rifle of that era. I can certainly understand why someone closed the box and put it away.
Mike
Agreed. That rifle is the very definition of “underwhelming.” And to think someone spent big money to have it “Custom Builted” !!!
And the cheesy Williams sight makes me want to gag. Just my humble opinion, of course.
BRP
Mike –
You took the high road by not mentioning the poor wood fit. I very much enjoyed your post as you mentioned the, .32 SPECIAL 
I think the .307 and .356 are impressive lever gun cartridges. I previously had a BLR in .308 and one in .358. They were fine rifles with very slick and smooth actions, easily scoped and I could use any bullet I wanted. I would not choose a 94 in .307 or .356 over the BLR’s. And of course, brass for reloading is much easier.
BRP –
I too, gagged over the Williams receiver sight. Despite our criticism of cosmetic aspects of the rifle, perhaps it was a fine hunting rifle for the original purchaser. The rifle shows some use – in fact – what looks like a bit of freckling on the rear of the left side of the receiver as a screw driver has been in some of those screws.
But yes, it was disappointing performance by the custom gun shop. I wonder what Mr. Pardee’s honest opinion was of it?
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