30-30 is it legal?

sleeper · April 8, 2007, 07:21 PM

want to buy a marlin 30-30 but i've heard that rimfires are illegal to hunt with here in texas.my question is is 30-30 an approved cartridge for deer???????

PTR 91 · April 8, 2007, 07:25 PM

30-30 isn't rimfire it's center fire.

Gbro · April 8, 2007, 07:27 PM

Hey sleeper;
How old are you?

30-30 is a very good Deer cartridge. One of the oldest still in use today.

sleeper · April 8, 2007, 07:28 PM

okay so its good to go...?

RedneckFur · April 8, 2007, 07:32 PM

30-30 is a centerfire, and it will kill any game in North America. Its one of the best deer cartriges out there.. possibly THE best. Happy Hunting

fisherman66 · April 8, 2007, 07:53 PM

Sleeper, have you had hunter's education yet? You will need that before you hunt.

http://www.hunter-ed.com/mktg/tx_1.htm

lockedcj7 · April 8, 2007, 07:55 PM

Quote:

Its one of the best deer cartriges out there.. possibly THE best

Well... I wouldn't go that far but I will grant that it's probably killed more deer in North America than any other cartridge. It's what I (and lots of others) started with. Modern metallurgy and powders have produced more capable cartridges since the 30-30 came out but it's all you need under 200 yds. With modern bullets and propellants, it's only gotten better.

To the OP: I think you are confusing the terms "rimmed" (which it is) and rim-fire (which it's not). Look at a 30-30 casing and you will see a definite 'rim' at the head. The primer is in the center of the head, making it a 'center-fire'. Rim-fire cartridges are fired when the firing pin strikes the rim itself as the primer compound is inside the casing rim. .22LR, .22WMR, .17HMR, and .17M2 are the only modern rim-fires I can think of. Larger caliber rim-fires were common toward the end of the 19th, and into the early 20th century but they are considered obsolete by most standards today.

Holman · April 8, 2007, 08:28 PM

The 30-30 is very well known and respected as a Deer stopper.

sleeper · April 8, 2007, 10:21 PM

okay i get the point but thats what happens when you listen to the guy behind the counter and trust that he knows what he's talking about it.it all started a week ago when i asked a salesman at a local gun shop about buying a 45-70 as my first hunting rifle he asked what i'd use it for with a smirk and i replied deer and hog since thats what we have in south texas and he nearly came over the counter saying in so many words you cant use that because it was a rimmed cartridge.today i came across a marlin 30-30 but when i saw the ammo i remembered what that guy said so thats where my dumb question came from .not so much was it a good deer round but a legal one to use based on my experience. thanx for all the clarification i knew that if i couldnt get the right answer here i couldnt get it anywhere.......

Desertfox · April 9, 2007, 06:15 AM

Sleeper, I shot my first rifle deer in Texas with a Marlin 30-30 at Caddo National Grasslands. That is just outside Bonham, TX. Way north of you. I checked it in at the park ranger's station as shot with a 30-30.
Good luck. I have taken numerous hogs with the same rifle. Silvertips work great on hogs.

lockedcj7 · April 9, 2007, 10:18 AM

Gunshop employees are hit-and-miss with their knowledge. Some are great, some are idiots. I saw one pull a bunch of Uncle Mike's holsters off the rack because Glock was listed as one of the guns it would fit. He insisted that you can only use a "Glock approved" holster with a Glock and that there must have been a mistake.

Don't ever accept one person's opinion as gospel. Ask around (like you did here) and look it up in the regs. I keep a copy with me when I'm hunting in case I need to look something up.

Art Eatman · April 9, 2007, 10:44 AM

Nowadays, seems like, too many of the guys behind the counter at a gunstore are no better than at a car parts store. It's just a job, just a paycheck--and not work they found because of their knowledge.

Art

bcarver · April 9, 2007, 01:44 PM

Rimfire are generally small rounds ... .22lr .22wmr .17wmr .17mach2 are the most popular.

Rimmed cartrigages are .30-30 and .45-70 and many others. They are mostly old/obsolete rounds from the blackpowder era. The .45-70 shot a .45 caliber round pushed by 70 grains of black powder. These old rounds did not have the pressure or velocity of modern rounds using smokeless powder. Some of the old guns cannot handle the pressure of modern ammunition.
The ammunition manufacturers make the ammo mild to prevent blowing up the old guns. Unless you reload you would do better with a more modern round. The .444Marlin and .450Marlin come in a lever action and would do well on hog or deer if the range is short.
I would consider a .270 Winchester or .280 Remington in a bolt action(both are based on the .30-06 case).
You could use 125grain bullets for deer and 180 for hogs.
It has been said that the .30-30 has killed more deer than anything else. This may be true and no deer or hog in Texas will survive being hit in the lungs with either(.45-70 or .30-30) but in 2007 there are better choices. (flatter shooting).

**JohnKSa** · April 9, 2007, 01:50 PM

Quote:

...i asked a salesman at a local gun shop about buying a 45-70 as my first hunting rifle he asked what i'd use it for with a smirk and i replied deer and hog since thats what we have in south texas and he nearly came over the counter saying in so many words you cant use that because it was a rimmed cartridge.

You GOTTA tell us where this happened. PLEEEASE?

sleeper · April 10, 2007, 03:49 AM

without hurting anyones feelings all i can say is that it is one of san antonio,tx 's gunstores i dont want to give this place a bad name as for the most part they have been okay to deal with...

Desertfox · April 10, 2007, 06:11 AM

This dude in San Antonio, at the gun store, has never been outside the city limits with a firearm in his hands. If you wanna know hunting stuff, stay away from city boys working in gun stores.
I second the notion from lockedcj7 to get numerous opinions on hunting stuff and I really, really, really, second the notion to check the hunting regulations before you ever do anything. Good friends sometimes miss regulation changes. Your actions are your responsibility.

lockedcj7 · April 10, 2007, 07:21 AM

To emphasize the point about regs...

I have a friend who works for the Dept. of Natural Resources in SC as a Heritage Preserve technician and deputy LEO. We had a rule for a long time that we couldn't hunt deer or turkey on Sunday in half the state. Someone took it to court and DNR changed the rule to allow deer hunting on Sunday across the state but not turkey

The next year, they changed the regs on turkey as well.

My buddy and I were discussing our plans for the weekend and I indicated that I was going to hunt turkeys Sun. evening and he balked. Long-story-short, I knew about the change before he did!

357shooter · April 10, 2007, 06:03 PM

When I bought my Marlin 30-30,I decided to scope it,so I headed down to the local sports store full wannabee sportsman who were not very knowledgable.That was a mistake, but hey,the scope was on sale.The young salesman asked me if I needed help,so I asked to see the scope.I then proceeded to ask him what the Eye relief was on this particular scope.He said,after a brief pause---- I don't know but let me check.He then proceeded to hold the scope up to his eye and with his index finger and thumb, proceeded to measure the distance. He then turned to me and showed me his fingers and said"about this much".

I finally came out of my stunned state and asked to see the actual specs on the scope.By the way I love my 30-30.

Rangefinder · April 10, 2007, 06:23 PM

Sleeper>> In the mean time, welcome to TFL. You'll learn more here in one day than you will in a week worth of camping out at the local gun store counter--guaranteed. As already said, the store employees are hit and miss--they're usually there for the sale and the paycheck (with some exception). We're all here because it's what we do. Enjoy, and happy shooting/hunting!

roy reali · April 11, 2007, 06:18 PM

A .30-30 is a useless cartridge for anything larger then chipmunks at any more then a dozen yards.

I really don't believe that, but I wanted to be the first to make that statement.

marlin · April 11, 2007, 06:28 PM

you don't know what your talking about i bet you never shot one. the catridge is a very good deer round i shot my first deer at 210 yrds and dropped a 120 pound doe if you were just joking then ok but if not i stand with my awnser which is true.

Travismaine · April 11, 2007, 10:02 PM

210 yards with a 30/30. You are either the best shot ever or very lucky. The 30/30 is a brush gun not a long range gun. I used to shoot everything from 100 yd to high power 1000 yard over those 20 plus years I have NEVER seen a 30/30 at any match.

fisherman66 · April 11, 2007, 10:19 PM

The 30/30 has a MPBR (+-3") of 211 yards and enough energy to make an ethical kill. It's not my first choice, but that's more of a matter of personal preference.

http://www.chuckhawks.com/30-30Win.htm

CarbineCaleb · April 12, 2007, 12:18 AM

Here's a nice article by the ever-colorful Jeff Quinn on the .30-30. As far as the 210 yard shot being impossible, Quinn took his new son-in-law hunting for his first time using a .30-30 loaded with Barnes-X bullets. The kid took two deer using a single shot for each, at 180 yards, with both shots completing penetrating the animals.

http://www.gunblast.com/30WCF.htm

Art Eatman · April 12, 2007, 10:42 AM

Hey, the .30-30 is plenty enough punch for deer on beyond 200 yards. The bum rap comes from the crappy as-issue sights the Model 94s usually come with. Next, of course, is the "less than flat" trajectory for those who can't estimate range.

A shooter who's learned his rifle and the trajectory of the cartridge, and who has put decent sights on it, isn't gonna have any trouble on Bambi to 200 yards and more.

Art

April 8, 2007, 07:21 PM	#1
sleeper Member Join Date: December 7, 2005 Location: texas Posts: 42	30-30 is it legal? want to buy a marlin 30-30 but i've heard that rimfires are illegal to hunt with here in texas.my question is is 30-30 an approved cartridge for deer???????

April 8, 2007, 07:27 PM	#3
Gbro Senior Member Join Date: February 20, 2005 Location: Minnesota Posts: 2,084	Hey sleeper; How old are you? 30-30 is a very good Deer cartridge. One of the oldest still in use today. __________________ Gbro CGVS For the message of the Cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, But to us who are being saved, It Is The Power Of God. 1Corinthians 1-18

April 8, 2007, 07:53 PM	#6
fisherman66 Senior Member Join Date: August 22, 2005 Location: The Woodlands TX Posts: 4,679	Sleeper, have you had hunter's education yet? You will need that before you hunt. http://www.hunter-ed.com/mktg/tx_1.htm __________________ la plus belle des ruses du diable est de vous persuader qu'il n'existe pas!

April 8, 2007, 08:28 PM	#8
Holman Senior Member Join Date: October 18, 2005 Location: Texas Posts: 283	The 30-30 is very well known and respected as a Deer stopper. __________________ "Democracy is two wolves and a lamb voting on what to have for dinner. Liberty is a well-armed lamb contesting the outcome." Holman

April 9, 2007, 06:15 AM	#10
Desertfox Senior Member Join Date: January 26, 2006 Location: Arkansas-Oklahoma Line Posts: 336	Sleeper, I shot my first rifle deer in Texas with a Marlin 30-30 at Caddo National Grasslands. That is just outside Bonham, TX. Way north of you. I checked it in at the park ranger's station as shot with a 30-30. Good luck. I have taken numerous hogs with the same rifle. Silvertips work great on hogs. __________________ Teach a kid to respect wildlife, then teach a kid to hunt and fish.

April 8, 2007, 07:25 PM	#2
PTR 91 Senior Member Join Date: April 7, 2007 Posts: 264	30-30 isn't rimfire it's center fire.

April 8, 2007, 07:28 PM	#4
sleeper Member Join Date: December 7, 2005 Location: texas Posts: 42	okay so its good to go...?

April 8, 2007, 07:32 PM	#5
RedneckFur Senior Member Join Date: January 14, 2007 Location: Central NC Posts: 1,424	30-30 is a centerfire, and it will kill any game in North America. Its one of the best deer cartriges out there.. possibly THE best. Happy Hunting

April 8, 2007, 10:21 PM	#9
sleeper Member Join Date: December 7, 2005 Location: texas Posts: 42	okay i get the point but thats what happens when you listen to the guy behind the counter and trust that he knows what he's talking about it.it all started a week ago when i asked a salesman at a local gun shop about buying a 45-70 as my first hunting rifle he asked what i'd use it for with a smirk and i replied deer and hog since thats what we have in south texas and he nearly came over the counter saying in so many words you cant use that because it was a rimmed cartridge.today i came across a marlin 30-30 but when i saw the ammo i remembered what that guy said so thats where my dumb question came from .not so much was it a good deer round but a legal one to use based on my experience. thanx for all the clarification i knew that if i couldnt get the right answer here i couldnt get it anywhere.......

April 9, 2007, 10:18 AM	#11
lockedcj7 Senior Member Join Date: February 15, 2007 Posts: 1,215	Gunshop employees are hit-and-miss with their knowledge. Some are great, some are idiots. I saw one pull a bunch of Uncle Mike's holsters off the rack because Glock was listed as one of the guns it would fit. He insisted that you can only use a "Glock approved" holster with a Glock and that there must have been a mistake. Don't ever accept one person's opinion as gospel. Ask around (like you did here) and look it up in the regs. I keep a copy with me when I'm hunting in case I need to look something up.

April 9, 2007, 10:44 AM	#12
Art Eatman Staff in Memoriam Join Date: November 13, 1998 Location: Terlingua, TX; Thomasville, GA Posts: 24,798	Nowadays, seems like, too many of the guys behind the counter at a gunstore are no better than at a car parts store. It's just a job, just a paycheck--and not work they found because of their knowledge. Art

April 9, 2007, 01:44 PM	#13
bcarver Senior Member Join Date: February 22, 2007 Location: Jackson,Mississippi Posts: 838	Rimmed or Rimfire Rimfire are generally small rounds ... .22lr .22wmr .17wmr .17mach2 are the most popular. Rimmed cartrigages are .30-30 and .45-70 and many others. They are mostly old/obsolete rounds from the blackpowder era. The .45-70 shot a .45 caliber round pushed by 70 grains of black powder. These old rounds did not have the pressure or velocity of modern rounds using smokeless powder. Some of the old guns cannot handle the pressure of modern ammunition. The ammunition manufacturers make the ammo mild to prevent blowing up the old guns. Unless you reload you would do better with a more modern round. The .444Marlin and .450Marlin come in a lever action and would do well on hog or deer if the range is short. I would consider a .270 Winchester or .280 Remington in a bolt action(both are based on the .30-06 case). You could use 125grain bullets for deer and 180 for hogs. It has been said that the .30-30 has killed more deer than anything else. This may be true and no deer or hog in Texas will survive being hit in the lungs with either(.45-70 or .30-30) but in 2007 there are better choices. (flatter shooting).

April 10, 2007, 03:49 AM	#15
sleeper Member Join Date: December 7, 2005 Location: texas Posts: 42	without hurting anyones feelings all i can say is that it is one of san antonio,tx 's gunstores i dont want to give this place a bad name as for the most part they have been okay to deal with...

April 10, 2007, 06:11 AM	#16
Desertfox Senior Member Join Date: January 26, 2006 Location: Arkansas-Oklahoma Line Posts: 336	This dude in San Antonio, at the gun store, has never been outside the city limits with a firearm in his hands. If you wanna know hunting stuff, stay away from city boys working in gun stores. I second the notion from lockedcj7 to get numerous opinions on hunting stuff and I really, really, really, second the notion to check the hunting regulations before you ever do anything. Good friends sometimes miss regulation changes. Your actions are your responsibility. __________________ Teach a kid to respect wildlife, then teach a kid to hunt and fish.

April 10, 2007, 07:21 AM	#17
lockedcj7 Senior Member Join Date: February 15, 2007 Posts: 1,215	To emphasize the point about regs... I have a friend who works for the Dept. of Natural Resources in SC as a Heritage Preserve technician and deputy LEO. We had a rule for a long time that we couldn't hunt deer or turkey on Sunday in half the state. Someone took it to court and DNR changed the rule to allow deer hunting on Sunday across the state but not turkey The next year, they changed the regs on turkey as well. My buddy and I were discussing our plans for the weekend and I indicated that I was going to hunt turkeys Sun. evening and he balked. Long-story-short, I knew about the change before he did!

April 10, 2007, 06:03 PM	#18
357shooter Senior Member Join Date: January 13, 2005 Location: upstate new york Posts: 111	When I bought my Marlin 30-30,I decided to scope it,so I headed down to the local sports store full wannabee sportsman who were not very knowledgable.That was a mistake, but hey,the scope was on sale.The young salesman asked me if I needed help,so I asked to see the scope.I then proceeded to ask him what the Eye relief was on this particular scope.He said,after a brief pause---- I don't know but let me check.He then proceeded to hold the scope up to his eye and with his index finger and thumb, proceeded to measure the distance. He then turned to me and showed me his fingers and said"about this much". I finally came out of my stunned state and asked to see the actual specs on the scope.By the way I love my 30-30. __________________ shooter....

April 10, 2007, 06:23 PM	#19
Rangefinder Senior Member Join Date: August 4, 2005 Posts: 2,017	Sleeper>> In the mean time, welcome to TFL. You'll learn more here in one day than you will in a week worth of camping out at the local gun store counter--guaranteed. As already said, the store employees are hit and miss--they're usually there for the sale and the paycheck (with some exception). We're all here because it's what we do. Enjoy, and happy shooting/hunting! __________________ "Why is is called Common Sense when it seems so few actually possess it?" Guns only have two enemies: Rust and Politicians.

April 11, 2007, 06:18 PM	#20
roy reali Senior Member Join Date: August 23, 2005 Posts: 3,248	Let Me Be First A .30-30 is a useless cartridge for anything larger then chipmunks at any more then a dozen yards. I really don't believe that, but I wanted to be the first to make that statement.

April 11, 2007, 06:28 PM	#21
marlin Member Join Date: April 10, 2007 Posts: 41	30-30 good caliber you don't know what your talking about i bet you never shot one. the catridge is a very good deer round i shot my first deer at 210 yrds and dropped a 120 pound doe if you were just joking then ok but if not i stand with my awnser which is true.

April 11, 2007, 10:02 PM	#22
Travismaine Senior Member Join Date: July 19, 2006 Posts: 147	210 yards with a 30/30. You are either the best shot ever or very lucky. The 30/30 is a brush gun not a long range gun. I used to shoot everything from 100 yd to high power 1000 yard over those 20 plus years I have NEVER seen a 30/30 at any match.

April 11, 2007, 10:19 PM	#23
fisherman66 Senior Member Join Date: August 22, 2005 Location: The Woodlands TX Posts: 4,679	The 30/30 has a MPBR (+-3") of 211 yards and enough energy to make an ethical kill. It's not my first choice, but that's more of a matter of personal preference. http://www.chuckhawks.com/30-30Win.htm __________________ la plus belle des ruses du diable est de vous persuader qu'il n'existe pas!

April 12, 2007, 12:18 AM	#24
CarbineCaleb Senior Member Join Date: May 27, 2004 Posts: 2,745	Obsolete cartridge? ;-) Here's a nice article by the ever-colorful Jeff Quinn on the .30-30. As far as the 210 yard shot being impossible, Quinn took his new son-in-law hunting for his first time using a .30-30 loaded with Barnes-X bullets. The kid took two deer using a single shot for each, at 180 yards, with both shots completing penetrating the animals. http://www.gunblast.com/30WCF.htm __________________ “Never express yourself more clearly than you are able to think.” Niels Bohr

April 12, 2007, 10:42 AM	#25
Art Eatman Staff in Memoriam Join Date: November 13, 1998 Location: Terlingua, TX; Thomasville, GA Posts: 24,798	Hey, the .30-30 is plenty enough punch for deer on beyond 200 yards. The bum rap comes from the crappy as-issue sights the Model 94s usually come with. Next, of course, is the "less than flat" trajectory for those who can't estimate range. A shooter who's learned his rifle and the trajectory of the cartridge, and who has put decent sights on it, isn't gonna have any trouble on Bambi to 200 yards and more. Art