ORIGINAL: Slamfire
You can actually get an honest 300 fps more from this cartridge than from the .30-30. I'd go so far as to say every .30-30 wishes it was a .307. I have an idea the reason it didn't sell was the weight and balance of the Big Bore 94. It is a real clunk.
Don't quote me on it, but I think it was about 1984-1986 or so when Winchester brought
out the 307Win., and the 356Win. Both were, more or less, rimmed versions of the 308Win. cartridge. The 356 proved to be the more popular of the two, but it didn't really catch on too well either.
Slamfire, I agree, the Win. Big Bore94 wasn't much IMO, but for a short time I believe
Marlin chambered both of these in their lever actions also. I know they did in the 356, and these command a pretty good price today - if you can find one.
I thought both the 307 & 356 would catch on, and gradually replace the 30-30 and 35Rem., but it didn't happen. Those who used the 30-30 and 35's seemed content with what they had, I guess, for woods hunting. The rest were well into bolt action carbines,
or looking for more power - magnums, etc.
I would have loved to have had one of the Marlin 336 rifles in 356Win., but then in the early 90's I came across my Ruger 77RLS carbine in 358Win., and so gave up on looking for a 356.
It's a shame as for close to medium range use both the 307 & 356 provide a good deal
more power than the 30/30 or 35Rem.