Was this rifle ever produced as a carbine (20") with the hooded front sight, or were they all 24", open-sighted guns?? I've been looking high , low and in between for an XTR Waters carbine. I've only been able to locate 2 XTR's and they've both been the long barrel.

The answer to your question. Yes, they made a 20 inch carbine barrel in 7-30 Waters. Barrel reads Win 94 AE. AE stands for angle eject.

I own one and wished I would have bought two when I had the chance. I have harvested many nice deer with it. Gun just flat out shoots. If you find one try XMR 4064 for bullet weights of 120 to 140 grains.

Good luck. Hope you find one.

7-30 Waters

7-30 waters
I have a 20" barreled carbine in 7-30,what a nice rifle. I had a 24" rifle but like the carbine better. I have been using Rel15, and IMR4064. Have you used these powders? Did you find a big difference using the XmR4064? I was dissapointed to learn that hornady stopped making their 139grnFP. Have you tried the speer 130FP? Sorry so many questions but I never find anyone talking about the levers only the contenders.

7-30 & Marlinshooter.........

Just wanting to make sure.......both you fellows' carbines are XTR's?? Checkered with the higher grade walnut? Thanks.

Strut10
My carbine is not the xtr. I don't know if any of the 7-30 carbines were xtr's. Are you looking to buy a carbine or rifle? I've seen more rifles than carbines for sale.

I'm collecting.......or accumulating.........a group of N.I.B. XTR 94's. All the ones I have so far are carbines. So I would like to add the Waters as a carbine, as well. But I can't prove that an XTR Waters carbine was ever manufactured. I've only ever run across 2 XTR Waters and they were both rifles. I'll add a rifle to my group if that's all there is. I'm just trying to figure out if I'm chasing a ghost or not.

Strut: To my knowledge Winchester never produced a carbine 7-30 Waters in an XTR version. Mine is a plain stock and forearm.

Marlinshooter: Yes I tried RL 15 along with IMR 4320, H414, and a couple of other I can't remember. XMR 4064 just happen to catch my eye for some reason. I tend to favor slower burning powders.

XMR 4064 has become my powder of choice for the 7-30 Waters. I get low extreme spreads, good velocity and excellent accuracy. Up until a month ago I also had a T/C Contender pistol barrel in a 7-30 Waters. Traded it for a 12" 357 Mag barrel and had it rechambered to a 357 Rem. Maximum for silhouette shooting.

The answer to your second question is yes I have shot the Speer 130 gr. Flat Point. Good bullet. I did however lay in a supply of 5 boxes of Hornady 139 FP's. I also like the Nosler 120 boat tail FP. I bought 8 boxes of the original 100 count boxes when a local gun shop was going out of business. Paid $8/box. Now the 50 count boxes are about $15/box. I think I have enough bullets to last me till the cows come home.

If you still are looking for 139 FP's try www.3lees.com and ask the owner if he can still get them. This is were I bought mine last January. I think Hornady still has some in the warehouse. Call them and see. Gene Critel, owner of 3 Lee's Inc sold me mine for around $12/box.

Was the 7-30 part of the "Big Bore" family of model 94's with the reinforced side walls or was it the same as the 30-30 models? How is the case different from the 7mm STE?
Brian

It was in the "standard" action, not the Big Bore. Case is from .30-30 NOT .307 Winchester as in the STE. Pre-dates the STE. Usable in the Contender where the STE is not (without loading down).