Usually when you read articles about the .30-30, you'll find either magnum lovers claiming it's worthless, or traditionalists singing it's praises. Even my speer reloading manual claims something along the lines of if the cartridges were judged based on their data alone, the .30-30 would merely be a fond memory, although they go on to refute that it has historically been used for everything up to buffalo and makes for a great woods/short range deer rifle.

As far as "common folk" opinions on it, here's my take on what most people will say bad about it.

Most people today feel that if they aren't shooting a cartridge that people think is good for half a mile on deer (usually LITERALLY a half mile), that it's not good enough, even if those same people can't hit the broad side of a barn past 150yrds with their magnum and never hunt over 150yrds anyway, at least they can say they're shooting a powerful round.

Other people claim it's inaccurate as all get out to the point it shouldn't be hunted, and there are some terribly inaccurate rifles out there in .30-30, but most of these people who talk from experience with them either don't shoot very well to begin with, or they shoot decent groups in a scoped .30-06 bolt gun at 100yrds, but when they get out a leveraction .30-30 with iron sights, they can't seem to get groups better than 8-10" at 100yrds, it isn't always the gun. For example, a buddy of mine bought a Marlin .30-30, scoped it with a 2-7x, took it to the range and sent bullets all over the page with it off steady stix, wanted to sell it really quick or take it back, I asked him to let me try, off hand I put 5 shots into a group you could cover with your palm at 100yrds-not on center, but they were well grouped, I adjusted and layed down prone, put 5 more into an inch and a half...told him it wasn't the gun as I handed it back to him. Not many people can just pick up a levergun and shoot it well if they've only ever shot a bolt gun, and a lot of people claim leverguns are terribly inaccurate just because they can't shoot them.

Another thing many people may claim the .30-30 is bad about is their own poor shooting, either they make poor shots with a "high power" or Magnum round and deer run off, "if a .300Deer-ripper-in-halfer Magnum can't knock a deer in the dirt with one shot at 250yrds, there's no way the measly .30-30 can handle deer past about 6 feet"...what they don't tell you is that they've got 8" groups at 100yrds and took a 250yrd shoot, got "lucky" and accidentally hit them in the hip and the deer ran off. Having extra powerful rounds does allow you a little extra play when it comes to precision, but it won't make up for awful shooting.

I've witnessed .30-30's take numerous buffalo, and a great number of deer, even one black bear...I've also seen a Marlin leveraction .30-30 throw 150grn factory winchesters into a half dollar group at 150yrds (with a 4-16x42mm glass). It's a great round, chambered in a levergun with a glass it makes for a lightweight full sized arm with a great handle, capable of taking deer in the brush and in the open fields.

If you go with one, practice before you play, it's a great round if you do your part, but shooting a levergun is a totally different animal, it takes a little getting used to, but the .30-30 really isn't that different from most centerfire high powered rounds, pretty much as far as you can shoot it well, it WILL kill deer.