I didn't get a pass-thru on the big buck pictured above either, but he only went 40yrds. If the bullet makes mush of the heart/lungs the deer won't go far. Tubular magazines require a flat nosed bullet, not good for long range, but great for dumping all their energy in the target.
I don't hesitate to take the 30-30 for big Canadian deer.

But why not carry a gun that will knock a deer down immediantly? And mine only ran about 40 yards when I killd it. The heart was split in half.

But, I mean, not every shot is going to be right in the heart. I'd rather have a gun that would MOST LIKELY knock the deer down almost anywhere i shot it.

I'm not trying to argue DSF, to each his own. Use whatever you're most comfortable with.
Personally I kinda expect to track a deer a short distance, but I don't own any of the big magnums, I take a .308 for moose, and thats what I'll use for my caribou hunt in 3 weeks.
Even if you don't want to hunt with one, low recoil lever guns are fun to shoot.

Well I've seen deer run off after shot with a .300 WM so the size doesn't really matter as far as knocking them down immediately. The main thing is too hit them right the first time. A lot of people shot a bigger gun than they can really handle andhave trouble shooting accurately.

Good point....

Another point is that the 30-30 lever guns are equally at home along side the big "ultramagnumthunderboomers" . See, the other guys at deer camp all have scoped bigger rifles. I just continue to keep on keepin' on with my Marlin 30-30, and it's cool. It works out great that way.... I stick to the heavy timber, brush, and thickets, while the guys go up on the ridges and overlooks and we push deer back and forth to each other.

Butch A.

With a vital shotfrom a magnum under 100 yards, deer tend to drop in their tracks, I have seen it countless times, and anyone who wants to talk about the 30-30 being a better rifle than a magnum can send a PM my way.

Ithink a 30-30 is better than a magnum in the woods when a magnum is not needed. Why do you want a long baralled cannon when a smooth easily handling rifle can do the job. The closest thing I own to a magnum is a .270 winchester, and I still prefer the 30-30 when I am fighting branches and brush to get to my stand in the woods. I have situations when the .270 is called for, but I never feel handicapped when I am in the woods with the Marlin.

I can't imagine a bullet failing at 30-30 velocities, but if by some chance you find one that does then try my favorite which is just the plain jane Winchester Power Point. I have never had a penetration problem on whitetails and all I have ever usedis the 150 gr. bullet.

C. Davis

I love my Marlin 336 30/30. It had a 4X scope on it when I got it for xmas at 15 yrs. old and this past year I took the scope off and had new open sites put back on. I never did like it with a scope on it since the gun is so short that it was hard to shoot free standing. With open sites though it feels right. Its amazing how accurate those things are with open sites. I am conteplating picking one up in .44 this next year.

I see what your saying, most people that have magnums can't even hit with them I've noticed.

I never said I didn't like the 30-30...I used my marlin all of last year...pretty much...

They are good guns..but personally I'd rather use a .270

My cousin has a 7 mag...i carried it around some of last year too..but i'd rather use the .270...so i know jsut b/c a gun has more power doesn't really mean its better...i was just giving my opinion.