It really all comes down between personal preference. The 30-30 is a great gun, and is the first gun that I hunted with in Pennsylvania. After that, I used a 30-06 for a few years, and then bought a .260 Remington. Since you aren't shooting very far, I would recommend using something like a 243, 260, 7mm .08, or 270. There really isn't much need for you to go to a 30 caliber, unless you want to shoot further.

I know a lot of people that hunt with 243's because of the light recoil and weight of the rifle. Personally, that is what I think may be best for you. It has plenty of knock down power for any whitetail, and is extremely accurate.