30-30 Question for deer
 

I will be going on Michigans anual sept-28-29 youth hunt...And it appears as though i am going to use the good ole 30-30 Winchester model 94....Is this gun suitable for deer? I will most likely be purchasing 170gr bullets over the 150gr what do y'all think? Thanks in advance -Jon

" My Name is Bocephus"

RE: 30-30 Question for deer
 

Sure it's suitable. It's probably killed more deer than any other caliber. It's not my gun of choice (just personal preferences), but I'd feel perfectly comfortable with the 150 or 170 grain bullets.

RE: 30-30 Question for deer
 

It may have killed more deer than any other cartridge, but many a deer has been wounded and lost to the "good ol' 30-30" too. It should be acceptable if ranges are kept within 150 yards. Personally I would choose something with a bit better range and knockdown power.

RE: 30-30 Question for deer
 

Well, i dont really have acess to any other gun.... Im only 15 and cant afford to get Grandpa to get me a cannon. I can hit paper at 100yds effectivly, most of the shots this early will be only 30-50yds anyways...I hope it will put em down efficiently as theres a good chance i see a nice buck or doe...

" My Name is Bocephus"

RE: 30-30 Question for deer
 

Within that range should be fine.

RE: 30-30 Question for deer
 

Again, I agree with Frizzllr 100%!!
With practice the 30-30 is acceptable, as long as you don't try to stretch the range much more than 100 yards. 150 tops!

RE: 30-30 Question for deer
 

3030 is good for deer. You also might want to look into the 150 over the 170 grain. I found the 150's seen to shot flatter.

Guns cause crime, like flies cause garbage.

RE: 30-30 Question for deer
 

Jag, what do you mean with pratice the 30-30 is acceptable. DUH! You need to pratice with any gun.

Guns cause crime, like flies cause garbage.

RE: 30-30 Question for deer
 

I've missed opportunities because I had my stainless synthetic scoped bolt action cannon when I should have been carrying my model 94 30-30. The 30-30 is the perfect deer rifle for certain conditions, and not even suitable for others. If your out in the prairies or hills where long shots are the norm you'll have a handicap with that gun, if your in thick bush comprised of guts and ridges you have the ideal gun, especially if your used to it and can get a good group out to 100yrds.

"guns aren't for killing people, guns are for killing dangerous and delicious animals"
- Homer Simpson

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RE: 30-30 Question for deer
 

DUH!
Make that with plenty of practice! The 30-30 is not a beginners gun!

RE: 30-30 Question for deer
 

<BLOCKQUOTE id=quote<font size=1 face='Verdana, Arial, Helvetica' id=quote>quote:<hr height=1 noshade id=quote> I can hit paper at 100yds effectivly, most of the shots this early will be only 30-50yds anyways<hr height=1 noshade id=quote></BLOCKQUOTE id=quote></font id=quote><font face='Verdana, Arial, Helvetica' size=2 id=quote>

The 94 should be the perfect rifle for this range.

Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms... who's bringing the chips?

RE: 30-30 Question for deer
 

The 30-30 Win is a great first gun. That’s what my daughter picked out as her first rifle and yes, she knows how to work the safety. No problem at all.

Hornet Man


Hornet Man

RE: 30-30 Question for deer
 

if you can hit i you'll drop but of course that goes for anything

propmahn
you can never have too many guns

RE: 30-30 Question for deer
 

In my opinion Frizzler's comment just shows his lack of experience hunting with a 30-30. What is this 150 yard crap? The cartridge has more energy at 200 yards than the 44 mag has at the muzzle. Shoot as far as you can make good hits with the sighting equipment you have. As far as bullet weights go use what the rifle is already sighted in for. I can't say there is any difference in killing power between the two bullet weights. My 30-30 is sighted in for the 150 grain bullets, the Winchester PP to be exact. I have never recovered a bullet in a deer with this load and exit holes of 2 inches or better are common.

RE: 30-30 Question for deer
 

The gun is very good for deer with either bullet.
Remember safty first and GOOD LUCK on your hunt.

GTK

RE: 30-30 Question for deer
 

rickt300, lack of experience? Hardly.

RE: 30-30 Question for deer
 

Maybe just lack of knowledge.

Guns cause crime, like flies cause garbage.

RE: 30-30 Question for deer
 

I think the limiting factor mostly is the drop, when you get out past about 150 yds.... If I had a good scoped 30-30, and had spent adequate time with it at the range, I wouldn't feel undergunned for probably 95% of ALL deer hunting situations.... so, Bocephus... if you can keep all your shots inside 4-6&quot; at 100yds, then you will kill your deer... as long as you remain calm, and squeeze the trigger. I personally think you have a DANDY rifle to hunt deer with. Use whichever bullet weight groups best in your rifle... the deer won't be able to tell the difference out to 100 or 150yds.... and no matter what anyone else tries to tell you, 150yds is a pretty long shot. You have to know your limitations, and the limitations of your rifle.. and it sounds like you do. Good luck with your hunt.

&quot;Progress, far from consisting in change, depends on retentiveness..those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.&quot; Santayana

RE: 30-30 Question for deer
 

....and, trust me... Frizzellr is lacking in neither experience or knowledge... I've read too many of his posts to think otherwise.

&quot;Progress, far from consisting in change, depends on retentiveness..those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.&quot; Santayana

RE: 30-30 Question for deer
 

I ment to say lack of knowledge on the 30-30. Didn't mean it as an insult.

Guns cause crime, like flies cause garbage.

RE: 30-30 Question for deer
 

If you hit a whitetail in the rump with a 90mm he'll most likely run off. I think shot placement is far more important than caliber selection. As I said earlier, a 30-30 isn't my choice but I'd have no problem hunting whitetails with one or knock someone else that does.

RE: 30-30 Question for deer
 

RICKT 300 you hit the nail on the head.

I haveshot deer from a 223 to a 338um.

they all go down if you hit them right.

I load for a guy with a 30-30 with 170 nosler flat
and it will take a deer down at 100 yard in its tracks

the reason all them deer get away is the hunter DID NOT KNOW HIS GUN..


In my opinion Frizzler's comment just shows his lack of experience hunting with a 30-30. What is this 150 yard crap? The cartridge has more energy at 200 yards than the 44 mag has at the muzzle. Shoot as far as you can make good hits with the sighting equipment you have. As far as bullet weights go use what the rifle is already sighted in for. I can't say there is any difference in killing power between the two bullet weights. My 30-30 is sighted in for the 150 grain bullets, the Winchester PP to be exact. I have never recovered a bullet in a deer with this load and exit holes of 2 inches or better are common.
[/quote]

RE: 30-30 Question for deer
 

rickt300, how does 20 years strike you for experience with the 30-30? Also, why would you even bring up the 44 Rem Mag? But since you did, maybe you should go back and do some more research before you put your foot in your mouth again. From a rifle the 44 Mag has 1650 ft-lbs at the muzzle and the 30-30 has a mere 850 at 200 yards. The 44 Mag is a 100 yard gun and the 30-30 is and will always be a 150 yarder.

muzzy 125, do you think admitting to shooting deer with a varmint cartridge really improves your credibility?

RE: 30-30 Question for deer
 

oh frizz. there you go again.

the 223 was my first two years hunting. that was all
my dad had to give me.

and to this day, if that was all I had, you better bet it
would do the job.
in your 20 years how many deer did you get???
just becouse you have been hunting for a time
does not mean anything.
if you shoot 1000 round a year then that is saying something.

RE: 30-30 Question for deer
 

...well, to add some more fuel to this fire... and, keep in mind this is just my opinion..... I firmly believe the 223 can kill deer..if the shot is perfectly placed, and the range is close enough. I also believe that if any ONE little thing goes wrong, you've wounded a deer so it can go off and die a lingering, painful death... you just don't have that problem with a 30-30. It has been perfected to do basically just one thing....kill deer. Its bullets have been designed and refined to mushroom dependably at 30-30 velocities, and the rifles have been made with carryability in mind. Out to 100yds, there is probably not a better deer cartridge in existance..anywhere.. Some are perhaps equal, but NONE better. Over 100yds, I believe it surrenders its &quot;best&quot; status, but it is still very good. Beyond 150-165 yds I believe it is beginning to fall into the not quite so good category. ..but it's still 10 times the deer rifle a 223 is. That's the way I see it...

&quot;Progress, far from consisting in change, depends on retentiveness..those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.&quot; Santayana

RE: 30-30 Question for deer
 

Well I've taken a least a dozen deer with an ol' 94 30-30 and never tracked a one. They all tasted quite delicous <img src=icon_smile_big.gif border=0 align=middle> The 30-30 is a great deer gun in my country. I wouldn't want one out west but i'm not hunting out west so no worries. Where I usually hunt you are lucky to get a shot past 70 yards and my 150grain Winchesters have never let me down. As with ALL guns practice is important. You need to feel comfortable with what ever you take in the woods even if it's a .500ultrashortsuperdupermagnum.

Tick a Liberal Off, Buy a Hand Gun!
http://tscott.fws1.com

ONE NATION UNDER GOD!

RE: 30-30 Question for deer
 

Yes, the 30-30 will be more than attiquite to take any deer in Michigan, make sure you place your shot well in the heart or lungs.

KEEP HUNTING THE GREAT OUTDOORS & GOD ALIVE, PASS IT ON!

RE: 30-30 Question for deer
 

Well Frizzler I guess I didn't put the word pistol after the 44 mag statement, excuse me. Question though if you had such a poor opinion of the 30-30 why did you use it for 20 years?
The 30-30 in a Marlin with a 2.5 power scope was my first deer rifle and that was around 32 years ago, I still have it. Sighted in 3 inches high at a hundred yards is 3 inches low at 200. This rifle has killed many deer out to 250 yards and these are mule deer,some big ones. This round will generally give complete penetration and break bone while doing it to this range though past 200 yards expansion is not so great. The rifle has also killed two elk, one of which was 200 yards out by friends who borrowed it as for elk I like my 30-06. Don't forget the the 30-30 was a long range sensation when first introduced and just because we have the fat sevens now does not mean the old rounds are less effective.

RE: 30-30 Question for deer
 

I'm to a point with frizzellr on this one because of my limited experience with the cartridge. I had a Win 94 Carbine in 30-30 that wasn't accurate enough to shoot much over 150 yards. I never reloaded for this rifle, but I tried 4 different factory loads and could never get better than pie plate accuracy with the rifle at 100 yards. Maybe the rifle was subpar in quality, but it left such a bad taste in my mouth that I ended up selling it as it had the worst accuracy of any rifle I have ever owned. I even have a flintlock rifle I shoot roundballs through that is much more accurate and predictable than that 94. Marlins may be better guns and capable of making longer range shots, or it might happen that the 94 I had was a lemon, but just from my limited experince, I wouldn't have taken a shot over 100 yards with that gun.

Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms... who's bringing the chips?

RE: 30-30 Question for deer
 

No doubt about it the 30-30 has been around for a long time and has taken it's share of game. I personally like something with a little more oomph, I think it's a good choice for a younger or smaller person because of the light recoil. As far as taking deer with a 223, two of guys in my hunting party hunt with 22's, one a 222 and the other a 22-250, the know the gun and the limitations like the back of their hands. They feel that when hunting with the small boys that the neck shot is best. Funny thing though, even though the standard rote is &quot;bigger is better&quot; they fill their tags every year.

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RE: 30-30 Question for deer
 

DeerHunter,
Congratulations on your new rifle.You made a great choice.The 30/30 is one of the best Whitetail cartridges that is avilable here in the USA.
The choice between the 150 grain and the 170 grain bullet is similar to your choice between a Redhead and a Blonde.My favorite is the 170.
Ignore anyone who implies that you need more practice with your 30/30 then you would need with a heavier gun.If you ever get the need for more speed,you will need just as much pracice with that gun also.
As far as the limit of extreme range of your ne rifle,it is determined by you,yourself.The cartridge will kill a Whitetail at 200 yards,but at longer ranges,you have to be an exceptional shot.
I made an instant kill at 100 yards,and I witnessed my Buddy make one at 125 yards.That is MY limit with this cartridge,and I suggest that you keep within that range,until you are sure that you can do better.
I hunted for 50 years with various &quot;bolt guns&quot;,and the 30/30 is doing just as well as any of them.(so far).
Good luck,
Frank

RE: 30-30 Question for deer
 

Any deer that ever got within 200 yards of my youngest son and his 30-30 was as good as on the table. However most people can,t shoot like he does, me included so keep the shots to 100-125 yards. What makes me mad is that he does not ever practice. He has been shooting like that since I got him his first BB gun. He can shoot a shotgun really well also and he has had no practice with those. I quess he just has the eye for shooting. Hard to explaine.