***model 94. It really hurt my shoulder,***
I had one of those many years ago, a Canadian Centennial model. It really hurt my shoulder in 30-30, yet i can shoot all day with a regular old 30-30.
Yes I think it was the curved butt plate which caused the pain.
I have owned maybe 15 30-30 lever actions since 1974. None of them bothered me at all.
Oddly the best one I ever had was a post 64 with that crappy iron like receiver which had lost all it’s bluing. I got it from a pawn shop owner who was bringing 3 guns to get rid of at the show.
He let me have the Winchester, a rusty Moisin and a decent Revelation brand 20 gauge single shot. All for $90.
The Winchester (actually it was a Sears JC Higgins) had a really nice Redfield receiver sight with target knobs and a Sour dough front. Well the sights were probably worth more than the rifle.
Anyway that 30-30 turned out to be a jewel. The action was really slick and in every way, feeding, loading, ejecting etc. It was also more accurate than most 94s and by a good bit.
I really wish I had kept it as it was the perfect knock around gun. Ugly but good.