Bert H. said
Pictures of subject rifle…  positively a cut down barrel, and a modified butt stock & butt plate.

  

Bert,

Thank you for posting the pics, and…oh…a modified butt plate and stock?

Bert H. said

timberwolf said

clarence said

timberwolf said

He cautioned me regarding the use of modern ammunition, given the lighter impact by the firing pin strike required for primer ignition.

  

I would distrust the judgement of any “expert” who uttered such an arrant piece of nonsense.  He knows nothing about the subject.

Bert’s email add is listed.

  

He is an armourer that has, after several tours serving as an armourer for the US Military in Afghanistan, returned upon the abandonment of our Afghanistan involvement. He may not be an “expert” as you put it wrt Winchesters, but he was very familiar with the floating firing pin, and as a legitimate armourer, I value his counsel, but…welcome input from Winchester “experts”.

So…in your judgement, should there be no concern wrt accidental/unintended discharges regarding the use of modern ammunition in this rifle?

  

Correct, there is no concern or danger of accidental/unintended discharges with respect to the use of modern 30-30 ammunition.  Your armorer needs to better educate himself with respect to the older style firearms and how to properly use them.  Specifically, if you carry a Model 1894 with a live round in the chamber, the hammer should always be in the half (safety) cock position, and only be place at the full cock position when you are ready to fire it.  The other option is to leave the chamber empty until you are ready to fire it.  When hunting (in the field), I personally leave the hammer in the half (safety) cock position.  If I am at the range, the chamber stays empty until I am ready to fire the rifle.

Bert

  

Thanks! I had pretty much supposed that the rifle with a live round in the chamber should be carried in the 1/2 cock condition, and appreciate your confirmation of that.