Author Topic: What good is a 30-30?  (Read 7886 times)

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Offline navylawdog

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Re: What good is a 30-30?
« Reply #30 on: May 18, 2007, 10:22:09 AM »
Azmark,

I guess all of these posts leads to another question....What isn't a 30-30 good for? ;)

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Offline SHOOTALL

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Re: What good is a 30-30?
« Reply #31 on: May 18, 2007, 10:40:14 AM »
Shooting small birds on the wing ,  I shot a turkey on the wing with a 7x30 waters which is close so I see no reason a 30/30 won't do as well ! Not good for weight lifting its kinda light , most are to short to use as a boat paddle ! man this is hard , they are as useful as a shirt pocket ! guess thats why they sell so many !
If ya can see it ya can hit it !

Offline wcf3030

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Re: What good is a 30-30?
« Reply #32 on: May 18, 2007, 11:00:51 AM »
A scope on a 94 is like a roof rack on a corvette just looks out of place ! and can't do anything for the handling !

While not a 94, I like my setup.
Great small game rifle.
Use the scope when I'm in the Deer blind.
When I'm tracking whitetails or pigs it slips off and goes in the leather case I made for it and the XS sights take over.

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Offline teddy12b

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Re: What good is a 30-30?
« Reply #33 on: May 19, 2007, 04:32:05 AM »
Shootall,
    As far as having to re-zero my scope everytime I take it off and put it back on, yeah I do.  As with any kind of scope mounts when you put it on the rail you will feel that the scope can move a little front and back until you tighten up the mounts.  When I put my scope back on teh rifle I always slide the scope & mounts to the back part of the "slop" so it's that much more consistant when I put it back on.  I've experimented with it a little bit taking it off and putting it back on and it almost always brings it back to reasonably close zero.  At the worst your shots might group an inch off at 100 yards without rezeroing the scope.  I havea similar setup on a flatop AR and it's the same thing.

Offline wcf3030

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Re: What good is a 30-30?
« Reply #34 on: May 19, 2007, 04:35:05 AM »
I've found that the XS scope mount and the leupold quick disconnects work like a charm on my Marlin, but seem to shake loose on the 308 BAR.
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Offline wyldkat

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Re: What good is a 30-30?
« Reply #35 on: June 15, 2007, 01:44:17 PM »
My first rifle that was purchased just for me was a 30-30.  We had to have about 3 inches taken off the stock to make it fit my arms.  I used it every year until it was stolen 7 yrs ago.  I got a good 15+ yrs out of that gun.  The last few years I was using a Marlin and I didnt care for it.  The 30.06 was too heavy for me.  I finally got another 30-30 and my shots are right back on target.  I have taken down deer at easily 200 yards and with one shot.  I don't want any other gun except a 30-30. 

Offline Cottonwood

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Re: What good is a 30-30?
« Reply #36 on: June 25, 2007, 02:49:21 AM »
My son and I both have 30-30 lever guns, neither are scoped because we hunt the woods with them... but where I am going the cover can be lush, green and pure jungle in most hunting places on any of the islands of Hawaii.  The 30-30 is the only cartridge I will need to hunt over there, heck it really was the only cartridge that I needed here in Montana as well.

The 30-30 has dispatch everything from Trophy Whitetail and Mulie deer, Elk, Moose and many tough bears.

I guess you might say the 30-30 is no good for those who think they need a faster bigger cartridge that may or may not be belted etc...

Mt3030 knew his stuff, God Rest His Soul, he will be missed around here and I think all his postings should be archived for those to go back and read when they feel a need to.

JMHO

Offline SHOOTALL

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Re: What good is a 30-30?
« Reply #37 on: June 25, 2007, 03:27:11 AM »
even the "big " rounds have a range that they are useful !
the 30/30 range is just shorter ! take a 300 win. mag. towards the far end of its range you could over lay the 30/30 !
the reality of the 30/30 is you have to hunt closer ! I know the bigger is better crowd is steaming that the mag. has more power , no doubt ! but if you can kill at 500 yds and the 30/30 has the same energy you have at 500 yards all the 30/30 hunter has to do is stalk closer ( be a better hunter ) , this seems to be missed by the bigger is better crowd !
and as far as up close , its the shot placement that counts , the extra power is nice , insurance if you will and i would opt. for it myself but the 30/30 has no doubt been there done that many times !
ya got to wonder how many old 44-40 hunters said the same thing about the 44-40 when the 30/30 came out !
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Offline Oldtimer

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Re: What good is a 30-30?
« Reply #38 on: June 26, 2007, 04:37:31 AM »
Shootall,
You got that right.  I use my Model 92 in 44-40 early season and feel like I've pulled out the big gun when I get out my Model 94. Love them both and wouldn't give either one up.

Offline SHOOTALL

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Re: What good is a 30-30?
« Reply #39 on: June 26, 2007, 04:54:10 AM »
Funny ain't it , same guy hunts with a handgun and B P feels a 30/30 won't work , guess that's advertising at its best !
hope the deer around hear don't see the adds or over hear the mag. shooters talk ,
If ya can see it ya can hit it !

Offline T.R.

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Re: What good is a 30-30?
« Reply #40 on: July 03, 2007, 02:08:15 PM »




This Glenfield 30-30 carbine and I have shared many memorable hunting adventures together.  30-30 is just right:  plenty of power out to about 175 yards or so but recoil is easy to master. Accuracy is amazing and predictable.

I don't see the need to trade for a bolt action magnum with plastic stock!

TR

Offline 1marty

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Re: What good is a 30-30?
« Reply #41 on: July 03, 2007, 02:53:11 PM »
Over 50 years ago my dad bought me my first deer rifle which is a Mod 94 in 30-30. Although I've bought many rifles through the years I still take the old rifle out every so often to hunt. Since I hunt in heavy woods and shots never exceed 75 yards it is a perfect rifle. I'd post pictures of the number of deer I shot with the 94 but I'm afraid I'd over load the web page.

Offline Cottonwood

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Re: What good is a 30-30?
« Reply #42 on: July 04, 2007, 02:53:22 AM »
I have but 4 hunting rifles now in my house.... actually 3 but I don't really include the 4th as a hunting rifle, but it would work no problem should I want to use a semi auto.

My rifle a Glenfield 30A 30-30 and my son's (he will will take this when he moves out) Marlin 336C 30-30.... the others oh a .243 Winchester bolt action which really is not a gun for the dark woods, and a SKS that my son bought me.

I've had the heavy bolt actions and sold them off simply because I don't need them where I hunt, and the 30-30 will handle virtually anything that walks on 4 legs here in Montana or the lower 48 states.  I've just gotten to where I am satisfied with what I now have, ain't looking for anything else as I just don't need it.  Do I want something else, sure, but I just don't need anything else.

Offline wncchester

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Re: What good is a 30-30?
« Reply #43 on: July 04, 2007, 11:49:45 AM »
I've just got to share this one with yawl.   

A few days ago I bumped into a younger buddy who is an avid white tail hunter.   I remember that he once said the .30-30 was no good for deer hunting.  He knew it for a fact because he had a hunting buddy who once shot a buck in the heart and they tracked it "a full mile' before it finally dropped.  Then, upon field dressing, they found it's heart was a "jellied pulp" but the deer hadn't dropped for a long time, thus the .30-30 is for sure insufficient! 

I'm an old guy, too old to argue with dummies, so I just smiled and nodded.  Guess any other round that jellied that deer's heart would have dropped him in his tracks but not the old .30-30!   OK, he's really a good guy, he believed his story and I like him but he reads far too many "gun" magazines! 
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Offline Guy Pike

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Re: What good is a 30-30?
« Reply #44 on: July 04, 2007, 01:50:28 PM »
What good is a 30-30? I ask myself,"What good is the individual wielding it?" In my opinion inanimate objects only become good or bad when a person decides what purpose to use the object for. That said, all the posts above ring very clear in my ears. Get a 30-30!
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Offline Keith L

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Re: What good is a 30-30?
« Reply #45 on: July 04, 2007, 03:47:10 PM »
What good is a 30-30? I ask myself,"What good is the individual wielding it?" In my opinion inanimate objects only become good or bad when a person decides what purpose to use the object for. That said, all the posts above ring very clear in my ears. Get a 30-30!

I have two of them thanks.  And may have more some day.  It is what I rifle hunt with for deer.
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Offline teddy12b

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Re: What good is a 30-30?
« Reply #46 on: July 05, 2007, 03:22:20 AM »
A 30-30 has it's own almost cult like following.  Kind of like Harley's.  Sure they're bigger and faster out there, but it just won't have that genuine feel to it. 

I have one that I've never even used on game, but I'm looking forward to it.  Someday I'll use it for deer, maybe even bear.

One of the reasons I got one is because I loved hearing my Grandpa tell the story about how he took a bull elk in Rifle Colorado with one shot.  All he could see was the head at about 100 yards and he waited but was never presented with a better shot.  He took his elk with an open sighted head shot at about 100 yards.  Then again my Grandpa grew up hunting and was a WWII Marine that was on Midway Island.  You just can't replace being a good hunter, and good shooter with any caliber.

Offline 30-30man

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Re: What good is a 30-30?
« Reply #47 on: July 05, 2007, 01:00:12 PM »
The 30-30 is about the best you can do for low recoil and accuracy in a short range high capacity rifle.  I have many friends with the 7mm Rem mag and the 300 WinMags, they laugh at my 30-30.  They call it a "woman's rifle" and such.  I get my laughs when they come over to my place and shoot.  Almost all of them have developed a bad flinch and can't hold five shots on a pie plate.  I have several Marlins and a couple of Winchesters in 30-30.  The Marlins are my favorites.  They are just more accurate, at least in the ones I own. You'd be hard pressed to find a better gun with the machine work and quality of a Marlin in the same price range.  IMany people do not believe how accurate the Marlins really are.  I've seen many and own one that can shoot under 1 inch at 100 yards.  I have two bolt guns that can not do that. 

Offline SHOOTALL

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Re: What good is a 30-30?
« Reply #48 on: July 06, 2007, 02:53:29 PM »
We need to stop all this praise , or the next time you go to buy a 30/30 it will cost as much as a slam/bang mag. !
most shooters are wrapped up in the bigger better thing and 30/30's are junk , and relative cheap for what you get !
lets not educate them and run the price up ! let it be our little secrete ! 
If ya can see it ya can hit it !

Offline Cottonwood

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Re: What good is a 30-30?
« Reply #49 on: July 06, 2007, 05:03:06 PM »
I know what you mean, those guy's think that deer are bullet proof and need a magnum to put them down with....  ::)



I ain't even begun to sing the 30-30's praises yet  ;D

Offline John Y Cannuck

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Re: What good is a 30-30?
« Reply #50 on: July 14, 2007, 03:22:51 AM »
what good is a 30-30?



Not much good at all  ::)
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Offline Cottonwood

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Re: What good is a 30-30?
« Reply #51 on: July 14, 2007, 04:14:58 AM »
John Y Cannuck

Do you have the story behind this pic, I had it once and have been searching for it.... it speaks reams for the the nay sayers.  I don't remember if he used a 150-gr or 170-gr but do remember that it was just plain jane factory jacketed soft round point load.

Thanks for posting the pic BTW.

Offline John Y Cannuck

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Re: What good is a 30-30?
« Reply #52 on: July 14, 2007, 05:55:14 AM »
The load in question was a hand-load, but not anything fancy. A Hornady 170 Fp loaded to around 2000fps if I remember right.
I was standing on the side of a ridge, overlooking a fairly steep drop. The leaves were not quite off the saplings yet so visibility wasn't great. I heard, and felt the moose coming at a trot behind me. He crossed about 70 yards to my right, going down the bank. my first glance told me this was a cow, and I actually looked back up the bank to see if a bull was following, when I caught the glimpse of horn as he went by. I turned, and fired at the only target I had at this point, his spine. Distance was about 75 to 80 yards. It actually paced out to around 90, but the ground is so rough I took a guess.
The shot missed the spine, traveled diagonally down across both lungs and stopped in the offside shoulder. Penetration about 17 inches. He dropped like he'd been pole axed. He was within sight, so I wandered over, rifle at the ready, but he was dead when I got there.
Dropped in a little hole, and that's why my pants are so bloody. I should have waited for the ATV to come and drag him up a bit.
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Offline Cabin4

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Re: What good is a 30-30?
« Reply #53 on: July 25, 2007, 09:06:12 AM »
The 30-30 is a great round, that's why Marlin and Win sold or sell so many.

It will kill anything North America has to offer (range limited depending on the animal). Griz may be stretch.... though

Ammo is cheap, plentiful and in good variety. Ammo keeps improving and thus improving its versatility up & down the game killing spectrum.

Mild recoil for the beginner, elders or someone who hates big recoil.

The guns are inexpensive which allows it to be mild on the budget. This allows many the opportunity to hunt/shoot who normally might not be able to afford it. And these are very good guns.... they are not garbage guns.. The more hunters & shooters that can enter our hobby, the better for all of us.

Whats not to like about the tried & true 30-30......

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Offline handirifle

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Re: What good is a 30-30?
« Reply #54 on: July 28, 2007, 06:35:18 AM »
I`ll bet those same "people" think the CAR is over-rated.

They are, I'd rather have a TRUCK ;D ;D
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Offline WyoStillhunter

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Re: What good is a 30-30?
« Reply #55 on: July 28, 2007, 06:51:38 AM »
This topic shows up regularly on all the forums and we still love to read the responses.

Like many of you I have leverguns and boltguns.  In fact I currently have two '06 and a .35 Whelen plus Marlins in 30-30, 35 Rem., and .444 Marlin.  As my eyes have aged I've put low-power scopes on all my rifles out of respect to the animals I pursue.

There are lots of reasons the 30-30 gets put down these days.  Here are a few that may not have been mentioned:

1.  Most people have enough money that they can pay more than a 30-30 costs.  Necessity does not steer buyers toward the 30-30 guns like it did when times were harder.

2.  Our culture thrives on excess.  Therefore, even if a 2WD truck will meet 99% of my needs I still want a 4WD.  If a 30-30 is adequate, then a 300WM is more desirable.

3.  Many so-called hunters spend only a weekend or two in the field each year.  The other 361 days they just daydream or don't even think about hunting.  The unrealized potential of powerful, long-range rifles with big scopes somehow makes the daydreams more exciting.

Let's face it, if you can hunt and shoot alot the reasons for wanting a super magnum dwindle rapidly because you learn they are not necessary.

  The 30-30 is on deck for this Fall as I have not hunted with this particular gun since I got it.  I've had other 30-30s in the past but they have been replaced by this classic rig from the past.  Here's a picture of my 30-30 followed by a better-than-average, but not unusual, target.

Revelation Model 200 (Western Auto Stores' house-brand Marlin 336) made in 1965 with Revelation 2.5X scope from the same era (exact date & mfg. unk.)

100 yds. benchrest, 3-shot group


I think it'll serve pretty well when the opportunity arises. ;)
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Offline handirifle

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Re: What good is a 30-30?
« Reply #56 on: July 29, 2007, 07:34:36 AM »
Stillhunter
You bring out some nice points.  Yes indeed 90% or more, of my hunting can be done from a 2WD, in fact I did it from my GMC Safari van (same as a Chevy Astro) for many years, but being shut out of the spots i wanted into because of snow or mud.  So I drive a 4WD truck now.

Much of what we do as hunters is "want" driven and not need, very true.  Were it not for our wants there'd be a lot less guns and ammo sold for sure.

Nice shooting, by the way, care to share loads?

I still have my Mossberg 500 12ga I got from Western Auto in 1976.  Traded in my Ruger Balckhawk 357 for it and a model 500 410ga pump for my wife , not so sure it was the best idea, but it's done.  I like the setup you have, that scope adjustment is very interesting as well.  Must have been a "special edition" with the gold accent?

I have a in 94 Trapper in 44 mag I want to try this year, with a Weaver K2.5 on it (the old eyes thing also), but the "want" for a 30-30 just stays in the back of my mind, the added range over the 44 mag is very appealing.  I have a Winchester Centenial '66 in 30-30 but am afraid to hunt with it, besides it's pretty long and frankly a bit cumbersome.

I have also a BB in 375 Win, but the range on it is somewhere between the 44 and 30-30 I believe, at least as far as trajectory goes, and it's not very well setup to scope so therin lies my delima.  it could be a LOT worse I know, but the 30-30 is king of levergun rounds in my book.

Get within 200yds and most anything will drop to the 170gr loads.

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Offline handirifle

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Re: What good is a 30-30?
« Reply #57 on: July 29, 2007, 07:49:17 AM »
what good is a 30-30?



Not much good at all  ::)

John, I don't blame you. If I saw a moose in a tree like that I'd shoot him too.
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Offline John Y Cannuck

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Re: What good is a 30-30?
« Reply #58 on: July 29, 2007, 02:04:02 PM »
I used a 44-40 to take a deer last year.
The muzzle velocity was 900fps. Deer fell to one shot.
Firing a 30-30 after using the 44WCF makes the 30WCF seem like a cannon.
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Offline John Y Cannuck

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Re: What good is a 30-30?
« Reply #59 on: July 29, 2007, 02:09:25 PM »
The 30-30 is a great round, that's why Marlin and Win sold or sell so many.

It will kill anything North America has to offer (range limited depending on the animal). Griz may be stretch.... though

Ammo is cheap, plentiful and in good variety. Ammo keeps improving and thus improving its versatility up & down the game killing spectrum.

Mild recoil for the beginner, elders or someone who hates big recoil.

The guns are inexpensive which allows it to be mild on the budget. This allows many the opportunity to hunt/shoot who normally might not be able to afford it. And these are very good guns.... they are not garbage guns.. The more hunters & shooters that can enter our hobby, the better for all of us.

Whats not to like about the tried & true 30-30......


The griz isn't as much as a stretch as you think. The 30-30 held the record griz for a good number of years. Might still hold it except that the shot blew the back of the skull away.
As I understand it it was a personal defense situation, and the range was very very short.

I would NOT recommend the 30-30 for a grizzly hunt under any circumstances. However, it can be done.
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