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Very Hot Topic (More than 25 Replies) Stevens 28-30-120 (Stumpy) is Range Ready (Read 12688 times)
Mountaineer
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Re: Stevens 28-30-120 (Stumpy) is Range Ready
Reply #30 - Jul 19th, 2025 at 8:32am
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Hello Waterman,

Thanks for the reply, have you ever tried black powder as propellant? Are you using std small rifle primers or magnum?
Attached is a picture of the first cartridge I made, used 223 brass, shortened and made the ID uniform for soldering a brass tube into it. Enlarged rim is made from a brass ring the rim of the cartridge as well as the ID of the ring ar threaded M9x0,5 and solderd after assembly.
« Last Edit: Jul 19th, 2025 at 8:53am by Mountaineer »  
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waterman
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Re: Stevens 28-30-120 (Stumpy) is Range Ready
Reply #31 - Jul 19th, 2025 at 3:51pm
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Mountaineer wrote on Jul 19th, 2025 at 8:32am:
Hello Waterman,

Thanks for the reply, have you ever tried black powder as propellant? Are you using std small rifle primers or magnum?
Attached is a picture of the first cartridge I made, used 223 brass, shortened and made the ID uniform for soldering a brass tube into it. Enlarged rim is made from a brass ring the rim of the cartridge as well as the ID of the ring ar threaded M9x0,5 and solderd after assembly.


Sorry, Mountaineer, but mine is a Stevens Model 47 on a 44 action.  Mainspring is too wimpy to set off any sort of rifle primers.  It's pistol primers or a wall hanger.  

Hark back to the period 1895 to 1900 when the 28-30 and those long .25s (.25-21 and .25-25) first appeared.  Good quality black powder was still made, but was just then being replaced by smokeless.  After 1897, King's SemiSmokeless was commercially available and was setting all the accuracy records for the smaller caliber centerfires and for .22 rimfires.  Those long straight cases were made for King's SemiSmokeless, not for black.  Light loads of 4227 will duplicate the ballistics of the day.

King's SemiSmokeless made it possible to shoot a 50-shot indoor match with .22 rimfires without cleaning the rifle.  It didn't foul the bore like black did, and it gave tack-driving accuracy.  But it was dangerous to make (required nitroglycerine) and had a bad rep for causing accidents at the loading bench.

If UMC loaded those long skinny cases with black, it is because Peters had a monopoly on loading with King's SemiSmokeless.  I know that most of the surviving original cases are UMC, but I think they were sold as new unprimed empties.  I'm very doubtful about an Fg load being a factory original.  COTW is not infallible.
« Last Edit: Jul 19th, 2025 at 4:03pm by waterman »  
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Re: Stevens 28-30-120 (Stumpy) is Range Ready
Reply #32 - Jul 19th, 2025 at 4:51pm
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I’ll add my 2 cents. Several years ago, I had Paul Shuttleworth barrel an 044 1/2 action and chamber it for 28-30-120. He donated some wood. I had Jerry Barnett cut a mold for me. From the first, it shoots great, 11gr IMR4227, Bertram brass, Federal small rifle primer, & 131gr cast 20 to 1.
Mike
« Last Edit: Jul 19th, 2025 at 10:07pm by yamoon »  
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Re: Stevens 28-30-120 (Stumpy) is Range Ready
Reply #33 - Jul 19th, 2025 at 4:51pm
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I own two .28-30 Stevens rifles. I use RMC turned brass along with a few original UMC cases. I use the UMC brass in one rifle and the RMC cases in the other. I've never shot black powder out of mine,just around 12 grains of 4227 with the 285221 120 grain bullet. I recently pulled the bullet on a factory loaded UMC 28-30 round,it had very coarse black powder in it,likely 1F.
  
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Just Jim
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Re: Stevens 28-30-120 (Stumpy) is Range Ready
Reply #34 - Jul 19th, 2025 at 6:46pm
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(You need to Login or Register to view media files and links) (You need to Login or Register to view media files and links) by (You need to Login or Register to view media files and links), on Flickr

Kindly add me to the "Friends of the .28-30 club."  Wink

I purchased a late 1882 Maynard a few years back. The barrel wore an "S" lever and a forend, so I suspect it was originally for a No. 16. It had been a .25-20 SS (I think), but a legend stamped on the top flat of the breech says, "Rebored and re-rifled by the Stevens A&T Co." 

It's in .28-30 with a fine bore. I had Accurate cut a mold for me, and SBoomer here was kind enough to trade me a few cases. I just recently began shooting it, and I think it's going to shoot well. 

I mounted an MVA "B" scope to it, and have it rough zeroed at 100. My five good cases are reloaded, and I will get to try for a group when the rain stops. I'm loading 2.5 grains 4227 under enough 3F black to set the bullets properly in the case. 

I didn't want to drill into that legend on the breech, and as the barrel had a dovetail cut there (probably from a Malcolm or similar mount), I milled a piece which fills the dovetail and allows me to drill and tap into it rather than the barrel. 

Regardless, that .28 Stevens is certainly a pleasant cartridge to shoot!
  
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Re: Stevens 28-30-120 (Stumpy) is Range Ready
Reply #35 - Jul 19th, 2025 at 9:31pm
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Mines all cased up and waiting to go to Wilton for a match tomorrow. It's a double set trigger High wall, dont know who built it but its a nice job.I breech seat with RMC cases, 11 gr 2400. small pistol primers and the Saeco tapered bullet, does fine on metallic silhouettes, never put it on paper.
  
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Re: Stevens 28-30-120 (Stumpy) is Range Ready
Reply #36 - Jul 20th, 2025 at 11:53am
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Here's mine along with some cases I made as mentioned back in reply #4.  I haven't tried any duplex loads but 1F and 2F weren't favorable in any of my trials.  Pushing a pill from a Hoch 128gr nose pour with 3N37 VV around 1280fps gave me some very accurate results.  More trials yet to come before the next match.

I'm turning into a big fan of this cartridge.

GT
  
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Re: Stevens 28-30-120 (Stumpy) is Range Ready
Reply #37 - Jul 20th, 2025 at 1:26pm
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Greg,
Are these from the 30-06 brass?   
  
Robert Warren
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Re: Stevens 28-30-120 (Stumpy) is Range Ready
Reply #38 - Jul 20th, 2025 at 1:29pm
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Greg, 
Another question. 

With all your machining experience and equipment, have you ever tried turning brass?
Bob
  
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Re: Stevens 28-30-120 (Stumpy) is Range Ready
Reply #39 - Jul 20th, 2025 at 2:24pm
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Here's my Schoyen barreled Ballard in 28-30.  Shoots as good as it looks.  I'm going to have it on my table in KC next weekend.  I have a decent pile of brass and I think its all UMC.
Phil
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Re: Stevens 28-30-120 (Stumpy) is Range Ready
Reply #40 - Jul 20th, 2025 at 4:26pm
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bobw wrote on Jul 20th, 2025 at 1:26pm:
Greg,
Are these from the 30-06 brass?  


Bob, yes they are.  I'm working on an article about making these for the Journal.  Laurie asked if I'd do this and include lots of pictures as a tutorial...  Grin  We'll see how I do.

I have turned brass, even wrote a couple of programs for one of my machines, made a few 25-21SS but using the correct brass matters, in the trades it's called cartridge brass, C260 and $120 will get you about 9' of 3/8" diameter stock.  I feel it's far more labor intensive to make than my swaging and nibbing processes.
GT
  
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Re: Stevens 28-30-120 (Stumpy) is Range Ready
Reply #41 - Jul 21st, 2025 at 11:43am
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Greg,
The brass is one of the reasons for asking the question.  I’ve looked for the 260 brass, didn’t know about the pricing but did find it hard to come by in a usable size.  So I also gave up on the idea of making my own.
Bob
  
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Re: Stevens 28-30-120 (Stumpy) is Range Ready
Reply #42 - Jul 22nd, 2025 at 7:03am
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Is there any information on the number and width of the lands in a 28-30 Stevens rifle? I have read that they are fairly small? Is this correct? Attached a picture of the muzzle of the rifle I am looking at
  
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Re: Stevens 28-30-120 (Stumpy) is Range Ready
Reply #43 - Aug 3rd, 2025 at 9:22am
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pmcfall wrote on Jul 20th, 2025 at 2:24pm:
Here's my Schoyen barreled Ballard in 28-30.  Shoots as good as it looks.  I'm going to have it on my table in KC next weekend.  I have a decent pile of brass and I think its all UMC.
Phil
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Wish I could make it to KC.  Nice rifle!!!
« Last Edit: Aug 3rd, 2025 at 9:42am by Shanghai Jack »  
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Re: Stevens 28-30-120 (Stumpy) is Range Ready
Reply #44 - Aug 6th, 2025 at 1:09pm
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It's too bad this case has slipped into obsolescence as it is a fascinating cartridge. I mean it's just sexy like a rocket.

Rick
  
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