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Old March 9, 2012, 01:54 PM   #3
cje1980
Senior Member
 
Join Date: November 15, 2004
Location: Colorado
Posts: 1,412
Wyosmith, what you said makes no sense at all. Ballistics can be measured and are NOT opinion. The 44 Magnum is NOT ballistically superior to the 30-30. It just isn't. While I agree that there are some loadings in 44 Magnum that can be superior in penetration to the 30-30 that is merely because they are a Hard Cast load that don't expand.

Some people have this idea that bullet weight is everything. For the most part its about sectional density. A 30-30 fired from a rifle will do more damage than a 44 Magnum fired out of a revolver. Sure a 300 gr HC load from a 44 Magnum will probably penetrate better than a soft point 170 gr 30-30 load but the 30-30 will provide a better wound channel. With good shot placement we're splitting hairs here. Both will do the job if they hit their intended target. I don't know that the classic 30-30 170 gr hunting rounds have ever found to be lacking in penetration.

For the most part though, in the scenario that the OP is talkinga bout I would have to go with the 44 Magnum revolver. Why? Because you are more likely to have a handgun on you at the time than a rifle. And if I'm using a rifle for defense I would probably have something else anyway. Like you said, its much easier to fire a handgun from awkward positions than a rifle. I don't think that the 44 Magnum is more lethal than a 30-30 though.
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