Borrowing a Winchester 30-30

ButchA · 11-21-2003, 02:27 PM

Question.... I am heading out tomorrow morning, and normally bring my Remington 870 12GA with #00 buck (or as I was planning, I was going to run slugs through it), but anyway, a buddy of mine here at work told me before lunchtime that if I wanted to - since it' s rifle season - I could borrow his Winchester 30-30 w/Simmons scope to go hunt with.

I have never shot a lever action Winchester 30-30 before. What do you think of them? I will try it tomorrow morning, but will also bring my trusty Remington 870 12GA w/ #00 Buck, as I' m used to that.

Thanks!

Butch

Danny45 · 11-21-2003, 02:42 PM

Well, first off, you need to spend some time with it and make sure it' s sighted in for you.

Other than that, they are great weapons and have probably killed more deer than any other cartridge/rifle combination out there (legally!!). They are good out to 150 yards (this can be stretched some) and have more than enough energy for the biggest whitetails within that range.

Oh, they don' t kick nearly as much as a 12 gauge w/ slugs.

Good luck.

Kodiakhuntmaster2 · 11-21-2003, 05:53 PM

In my younger years I killed the majority of my deer with a 30-30 marlin. Great little gun.

Some like them, others don' t. Personally I never had a deer do anything but drop on the spot when I shot them with my 30-30, of course that isn' t so much the gun or caliber as it was the acuracy of the shot. I always aimed for the shoulder. Most of my shots were about 45-75 yards.

The 12ga would be good too. Make sure you try those slugs out before you go hunting with them though.

Either one should work great provided you don' t streach the range too far.

Bloodnativ · 11-21-2003, 06:35 PM

Danny45 is right. I use this same gun (assuming it is the 94) and it is a very deadly gun out to about 150 yards or so. I would not advise you to hunt with a rifle that you don' t have any range time with. It probably is not sighted to you since no 2 people see the sights the same way. Stick with your 12ga. this time since that is what you' re used to and ask your buddy if you can borrow it to go to the range. Sight it in and shoot it first then hunt with it.

Vapodog · 11-21-2003, 08:23 PM

Don' t take that .30-30...it' s a terrible mistake.....you' ll probably have to own one after hunting with it.

Nomercy · 11-22-2003, 01:40 AM

You don' t drive from NY to SOCAL the first time you get in a car, so don' t go thinking you can just pick up any ol rifle and just go hunt it without sighting it in.

Once you' ve sighted it in, then it' s a fine choice for deer out to about 200yrds, I' ve never wanted a .30-30, being a .44mag and .45-70 fan, but there' s nothing bad I can say about it, in fact, it' s probably one of the most overachieving rounds out there. Maybe one of these days I' ll break down and buy one just to say I' ve got one finally.

TScottW99 · 11-22-2003, 04:26 AM

I love the ol' 30-30 and have taken a good many deer with one. I like the 150 grain Winchester Supreme power point plus in mine.

I agree with the others and think that you need to spend some range time with the gun before hunting though.

Frizzler.... Where are you????? Time to bash the ol 30-30 again

(just joking)

brush buster · 11-22-2003, 10:10 PM

VERY GOOD CHOICE IVE BEEN USING A WINCHESTER 32 SPECIAL FOR DEER IN THE BRUSHHY HUNTING S.W. ORYGUN BACKWOODS/NASTY FOREST AND I LOVE IT , WEIGHS 6 1/2 LBS AND I CAN HIT A SAUCER AT 100YDS BUCK HORN SITES THE 30-30 IS A GOOD CLOSE IN HUNTING RIFLE AND MAKE SURE TO GO SITE IT IN SO YOUR FAMILIAR WITH THE SCOPE AND " HUNT ON" ..