30-30 Cal. too small?

[T. O'Heir]

"...Ever seen a Bolt Action 30-30 cal?..." The Savage 340 came in .30-30. They dropped it after some corporate restructuring long ago. Should have bought the one I saw long ago given the reputation for tack driving accuracy that bolt action .30-30's have. Can't for the life of me remember why I didn't. Likely just young and stupid.
"....30-30 should not be used on California deer..." HAHAHAHA!!! While it's not the best cartridge, a 170 grain .30-30 will drop a big Canadian moose with no fuss. It'll drop a big elk too.

[roy reali]

California deer have access to BALCO products.

[Art Eatman]

IMO, a lot of the bum rap against the .30-30 is more from the sights on "as issue" lever actions. Rather difficult to aim accurately with them, compared to peep sights or scopes.

Another factor is the hype over "flat-shooting" modern or magnum cartridges. Add in "kill at 300 (or at 400) yards!" stuff. Most deer are killed inside 200 yards. But, hype over decades affects folks' opinions.

"Everybody knows..." is commonly wrong.

, Art

[Inspector3711]

I grew up borrowing grandpa's "meat gun". He had upgraded to a Remington pump in .30-06. I ended up using the old (early 1950's) Marlin 336C and every year we would site in. Every year they let me fire one shot at a target. Every year it was within an inch of the bull and some years inside it. Dad has the meat gun now (I hope I get it some day) and it's never felt the weight of a scope on it's back or been equipped with a sling. Not bad at 100 yds with open sites.
Grandpa took down more deer, antelope, elk and black bear with the old brushcutter than he ever did with the .30-06. Where did he hunt? Eastern Oregon, now famous for long shots with .270's and magnums. I think a 30-30 will kill a deer no matter where the deer may be. All you have to do is hit it in the right spot.

[trooper3385]

A couple of years ago, I bought a stainless steel Marlin 336 in a 30-30. I had model 94's before, but I always wanted a Marlin 30-30. When I saw the stainless steel 336, I thought it was pretty neat because you don't see those everyday. Anyway, I bought it and found a new stainless Nikon Prostaff scope on Ebay for about $50. With the new Hornandy ammo, it's now one of my most accurate guns that I have and I have quite a few guns. It shoots under well 1 in. at 100 yds. I've shot several large hogs, a couple of Javelinas and 2 does with it and it dropped then all on the spot.

[Tuckahoe]

Many have found that the Marlin 336 is very accurate. The new Hornady LE ammunition has moved the 30-30 out to a 300 yard hunter. My 30-06 is seeing less time in the woods these days.

[Holman]

When I go hunt there are several hunters that hunt with the 30-30. I think that in East Texas the 30-30 still is the favorite rifle choice for deer hunting. Most of the hunters there that I have talked to have at least one 30-30 in their gun collection. I bought a Marlin 336 with the factory scope on it, I need to go to the range and sight it in. A 100 yard zero will work fine in East Texas.

[qajaq59]

.30-30 should not be used on California deer. A much bigger cartridge is needed.

Yeah, but those California deer hold a condor in front of them. That's not fair.

[buzz_knox]

Yeah, but those California deer hold a condor in front of them. That's not fair.

I guess you could follow the Speed tactic, and shoot the hostage. Go for the golden wound by just winging them.

[ryalred]

I've killed more Whitetail deer with my 30-30 than all my other rifles combined. I have yet to loose a deer I've shot with my Marlin 30-30. At 100 yds and under it has ample power to take the Whitetail. With some of the new bullets it can be accurate well past 100 yds, although the energy drops off pretty quickly.

[Oberg]

last year the 30-30 was the number one selling round for deer hunting and has been for a very long time. I don't think it is going anywhere. and California deer? come on up in the north here we have alot bigger deer and the 30-30 is my favorite choice for a deer gun. and alot of the guys I hunt with think that also. Old calibers like the 30-30 and the 30-06 will never die and younger ones like the 270 and 308 will never either

[Hook686]

While the 30-30 is a fine cartridge and I do like the lever gun, I've grown partial to the Marlin 1894C (.357 magnum). Inside 125 yards, the Buffalo Bore 180 grain LFN pretty much matches the 30-30. At 7.5 pounds, it is not difficult to carry. Ammunition is similar in price to the .223 loads and it has the plus of also working in a revolver, or semiautomatic pistol.

[DMacLeod]

I only have 2 deer rifles left that I wanted to keep. One is a 742 in 30-06 and the other is a model 94 (pre 64). Over the years I've tried a few different rounds, 7mm-08,270,308. These were brought to camp along with my 06 and 30-30. (it's always nice to have an extra rifle incase something goes wrong)

The 30-30 has always done it for me especially in the 94. We don't have long shots with 200 yds being the outer stretch. 20 to 40 yds is more common and sometimes closer than that as it is pretty thick up there.

If a hunter knows his limitations the 30-30 is more than adequate.

[qajaq59]

Have you ever noticed that you rarely see a lever 30-30 at the range? Not until just before deer season anyway. Then they're all over the place.

[Pilot]

I actually reload for 30-30 and it was my standard deer rifle when I lived in PA. I don't use it much in Colorado, but I do take it to the range now and then. The Marlin 336 is quite accurate with my handloads and a great brush/Whitetail Deer combo.

[Jack O'Conner]

This photo shows what the 30-30 does best. That is, a deadly deer rifle that has moderate recoil, affordable ammo, easy to carry all day in rough country.

Jack

[Lawyer Daggit]

TV emphasis now is on M-16's rather than the lever action of western movie fame. This will accept sales in some quarters.

There are also literally millions of serviceable lever actions out there that are doing sterling duty every year. They are far from defunct.

[jlchucker]

Unless you're from California where the deer are too armor plated for a 30-30 to kill. I'd be curious as to what kind of California deer is too tough for a 30-30. Seems like the posts from every state in this thread so far indicate that the rest of the US has far more fragile deer.

[Nevertoomanyguns]

No its not to small, in fact its perfect for where I hunt. Its hard to get a shot further than 100 yards where I hunt, and the ole 30-30 fits the bill. Easy to carry all day. One shot on this guy he was 30 yards away, rattled him in from on the ground, DRT at the shot. 201 lbs dressed 11 pts. Speer 170 grain flat nose handloads and williams peep sight.

I'm sure the 30-30 will kill California bucks the 30-30 has been used here to take moose and many of our bucks push 300 lbs or more live weight and they fall to the 30-30.

[whitefish]

My dad passed down a 1954 Marlin 336C in 30-30 when I was a teenager and I will be using it to teach my son and daughter how to hunt. One day, its going to be passed down to them as well.

I also like the fact that I can find 30-30 ammunition absolutely everywhere and cheap.

I want to try and handload a stoughter bullet like the new 170 grain partition and try it for short range elk. Wayne Van Zwoll had an interesting article in my #6 Edition Nosler Reloading manual about big game hunting with the old thuddy thuddy.

[sureshots]

When the next deer season rolls around and I go to my gun safe. I'm going to reach right on past the 243,270,308,30-06 cal. rifles that I own and come out with my trusted Marlin 336, 30-30 Cal. rifle. If it was good enough for whitetail back than,its good enough now.

[publius]

I've got a 30-30 and it's a great gun. Usually use a scope equipped bolt gun though because I don't want to see the buck of a lifetime at 200 yds and be holding my "cool and nostalgic" 30-30.

[Doyle]

I've got a 30-30 and it's a great gun. Usually use a scope equipped bolt gun though because I don't want to see the buck of a lifetime at 200 yds and be holding my "cool and nostalgic" 30-30.

Switch to Hornady LeverEvolution ammo and you can take that shot. I sight mine 3" high at 115 yds (happens to be the lenght ouf our home-made range) and that puts me right on at 200 and about 3" low at about 230 yds. They leave the barrel just a little faster than a standard round-nosed bullet but they retain their speed MUCH better.

[Jack O'Conner]

This photo shows what a careful and patient hunter can accomplish. Clearly, neither the bull nor this hunter read current hunting magazines or they'd know that 30-30 bullets bounce off any animal larger than jack rabbits.

Jack

[humanitarian2112]

yes