I don,t think anyone here is recommending the 30-30 as the perfect all around deer gun. Yes I am one of the supporters of the 30-30 for deer who dares to use something else at times. Anyone who doubts that thousands of head have been killed by GOOD hunters using a 30-30 had better get some more school-housing. As I said earlier if you can,t shoot or can,t limit yourself to the range it was intended for then don,t use the damn thing . For anyone else it is a good deer hunting tool when used properly. There is nothing I would rather carry in the dense woods or heavy cedar cover than the light fast handling lever action 30-30. When hunting open country like our prarie deer hunting where the average shot is 175 -250 yards I use the 6.5 mauser or the 257 Roberts with 100 grain barnes X bullets.