A friend has one in excellent shape and his is the same way you describe. You have to hold the lever against the safety button. They are nice rifles.
For a 30-30 with a 4x scope I'd sight it in at the distance you plan to be able to get off the most shots. To me that scope would be perfect for 50-100 yard shots. Is the Tasco and older ***anese one or a newer China production one?