Why do you like/dislike the 30/30? And more.
 

I am just wondering why it isso taboo nowdays to hunt deer with a 30/30? It is like the 30/30 is the gradeschool version of a true hunting rifle. I know that I started on one, shot my first two deer with one and even my first grouse lol. (actuallya funny story on that one). But once I got moved out of the house and on my own I ended up getting an .06 and now a .270. But now I find myself going back to the old lever action, not a 30/30 but rather a 44 Magnum levergun. My son has my old 336 Marlin 30/30 now and I am going to get a Winchester 94 in 30/30 just so that I can try the other version of the most popular hunting caliber. But tell me, why do you think that it is so taboo to use a 30/30?

RE: Why do you like/dislike the 30/30? And more.
 

Its not.just depends where you hunt.where I hunt a long gun is only good on post. you need a short rife to walk thru the buck brush,hence the 30-30......its also nice for heavy woods...there is more possitive things I could saybut I will leave it at that....

RE: Why do you like/dislike the 30/30? And more.
 

I think it is taboo, because, kids these days are all into reading magazines and watching the hunting shows on T.V., and all those people hunt with Super Duper magnums and calibers like that. And, monkey see, monkey do.

RE: Why do you like/dislike the 30/30? And more.
 

I personally, have nothing against the 30-30, I just don't own one because I do a lot of shooting in excess of 400 yards, and the 30-30 isn't a very good cartridge for that kinda shooting.

RE: Why do you like/dislike the 30/30? And more.
 

Didn't they come out with a new bullet for longer distance? Not 400 yrds but out to 200.

RE: Why do you like/dislike the 30/30? And more.
 

Yeah, but realistically, I wouldn't attempt any kinda long range shooting with it, it falls way too fast. I never said the 30-30 wasn't a good hunting round, because it is, but not for me.

RE: Why do you like/dislike the 30/30? And more.
 

The new Hornady ammo will make the lever guns pretty good out to 200 225 yards. Most deer are shot well within that range. The 30-30 doesn't get much attention anymore but there are countless thousands of them still in use and still getting the job done.

RE: Why do you like/dislike the 30/30? And more.
 

I would like to try one in a bolt rifle with a 22-24 in barrel.

RE: Why do you like/dislike the 30/30? And more.
 

Watch for a 788 Remington or a 340 Savage. These are bolt guns in 30-30. I still see quite a few 340 Savage rifles at gun shows pretty cheap. They are a litttle ugly but shoot pretty well. I had one in 30-30. 22 Hornet and 222.

RE: Why do you like/dislike the 30/30? And more.
 

The reason the guys on the hunting shows are using the big "super duper, better than anything else you could possibly get your hands on guns" is that these are the guns of the shows sponsors. Beretta isn't going to sponsor the show, Beretta Outdoors and the allow the hunter to use what he wants, he's going to have to use a beretta rifle, his camo hat is going to have to say Beretta on it, all comercials associated with the show are going to have to be about Beretta products or products in which the Beretta company holds stock in, and the same applies to all gun mfg's. It's all about the money, and not necessarily what makes good sence. I like to hunt with what I like to hunt with. I like the 30-30 and .35 Rem from Marlin for deer even though the people with enough money to produce their oun TV show to advance their products try to tell me otherwise and in a subtle way suggest that I'm not smart enough to choose. Those hunting shows, even though entertaining are nothing more than a huge commercial. Oh well I can't bitch, I like Beretta too...................Good Hunting

RE: Why do you like/dislike the 30/30? And more.
 

Like TUK101, I have gone back to my roots and taken my Marlin 30-30 back in the woods. I have hunted almost exclusively with it the last two years, and I have killed about 10 deer with it. I had a bad case of "magnumitis", but I have gotten tired of getting pounded by my guns. For where I hunt in Oklahoma and Texas, the 30-30 is really all that I need. My Marlin is a 336T with a straight grip stock topped with a Leupold Vari X II 3-9x40 scope. No Taboo Here!

RE: Why do you like/dislike the 30/30? And more.
 

I don't think its "taboo", it is just not as popular as it once was. There is a greater emphasis on taking game at distance these days than there was historically. One of the greatest follies hunter's make is the gross over-estimation of range. If you see a deer standing in a southern peanut field 225 yards away, it will really look like he is 350 (I've done it too, thats why I carry a rangefinder). The deer are small, people blow things out of proportion, and while I have personally taken deer out to 180 yards with my 30/30 Ackley, I don't have the option of shooting 300 yards ethically(and there is no such place I hunt that I can see 300 yards anyway...). If you were to poll the majority of rifle buyers, they will often think about how far they MIGHT have to shoot (or if you are a student of Freud, how far they WANT to shoot), rather than how close they will LIKELY BE shooting. Hence, magnumitis and the decline of the 30/30.

When the 30/30 was on its throne as the king of the deer rifles (and it is still a senior senator there), hunting was vital to the survival of the family unit. Money was scarce, hunting was for food. The 30/30 was cheap, available, and did exactly what the family unit needed it to do.

With a few exceptions, hunting in 2006 is not a means of survival, it is a means of recreation. While the meat we take is certainly a perk, it isn't the difference between a big meal and the soup kitchen. Those who hunt with a 30/30 ususally put an emphasis on getting close to game (the hunt) as opposed to shooting at the greatest possible distance to test their skill (emphasis on the kill). Also, travel is becoming a bigger part of the modern hunter's life. Myself, for example, while hunting deer domestically in SC, am going to Africa in June for larger plains game and leopard. Now I have several rifles, including a 30/30, but if a sportsman wanted one rifle to do a majority of his hunting with, he'd pick something other than the 30/30, just for the sake of versitility and availibility.

There are plenty of things right with the 30/30. But, as times and needs of hunter's change, so do what is popular and what is not. Lever rifles are not as popular as they used to be, nor are guns that can't shoot MOA at god awful distances.

RE: Why do you like/dislike the 30/30? And more.
 

I love the 30-30. in fact so much i just bought one for this season. to me, if you are hunting in heavy cover i would take one without a problem. I have a 7mm-08 and a 30.06 with scope for the field hunting. But we hunt in all kinds of conditions which warrant different guns. to me its like owning a pair of shoes. I don't wear tennis shoes to work.

the 30-30 is so nice and short, light and fast.

RE: Why do you like/dislike the 30/30? And more.
 

Yeah, I figured that most of the responses where going to involve all of the TV shows and commercials. After all, arent we just an extension of the corporate world that America is turning into? We cant think for ourselves anymore you know, we need an infomercial telling us what to and not to do. Not I, I fight that crap every day and try to think for myself. I like to kill my deer as humanely as possible and to me a 30/30 or my .270 do just that. At 30-75 yards the 30/30 makes just the right hole and doesnt ruin much meat, but the deer that I saw a 7mm mag take down at 50 yards had a nice small entry hole and a huge blown out exit wound that pretty much ruined both front quarters. But I dont want to turn this thread into a which is better thread, I just want more opinions on why people tend to almost laugh when you tell them that you hunt with a 30/30?

RE: Why do you like/dislike the 30/30? And more.
 

I love the 30-30 too! :D If I had to choose between my Marlin 30-30 and my Remington 870, I'd grab the Marlin first. It's just my go-to gun that I always grab. I have used the 870 with #00 Buck before, but there is just something magical about stalking the thick woods with a 30-30.

I got a small spike/3pt during Thanksgiving week with my 30-30 with open sights at 70-75 yards in the heavy woods and thickets. A 170gr Winchester Silvertip dropped the small buck like a ton of bricks! [8D]

Butch A.

RE: Why do you like/dislike the 30/30? And more.
 

I love my 30/30! One of my favorite guns - ever. My father has the Win 94 and I have a newer Marlin. It's a great gun for my area, we have a lot of thickets and draws where a shot at a deer will probably be less than 50 yards and possibly through a little cover (though I try to avoid shots like that). The 30/30 has more than enough take down power at that range and I haven't had to trail a deer more than 15ft since I started hunting. Whats not to love? Besides - John Wayne was able to knock an Indian off a horse at half mile from the hip with his old 94!

p.s. - not to mention that ammo for the 30/30 is dirt cheap too - can never wrong saving some money.

RE: Why do you like/dislike the 30/30? And more.
 

Nice bucks there retrieverman. Thats what I am talking about. The 30/30 gets the job done.

RE: Why do you like/dislike the 30/30? And more.
 

What I've heard fellas say is that they take their "super duper magnums" on hunts because they say it increases their odds of a kill.And I'll admit, I've fell victum to that same mind-set, lastfall I spent$485 on an elk tag and all of the rest of the moneyfor the tripand I grabbed my 300 win mag instead of my 30-30. Why? I guess I thought I didn't want to limit myself to 150ish yards.

I love my Winchester lever guns, and if I could hunt with a rifle here in Indiana, I do sincerely believe I'd carry my 30-30 or 44 mag 90% of the time.

Long range shooting is very challenging, but it really doesn't "trip my trigger" I usually go to Kentucky rifle hunting every year and next year my 300 will be left at home and I will only carry a unscoped lever gun.

IMOthat's huntin!

RE: Why do you like/dislike the 30/30? And more.
 

It is great to see all of the positive responses to the 30/30. I was starting to feel like I was the only one left who still liked/used the gun, or any levergun for that matter. Whats even better is that I dont believe that there are any negetive responses to this thread. I know that there are bound to be a few though.

RE: Why do you like/dislike the 30/30? And more.
 

Put me down as a .30-.30 fan, as I really like my Marlin 336. I did not use it this year, but plan to go back to it for a weekend hunt during rifle season next year. By the way I had very poor results trying the Hornady Leverevolution through my 336 this year. I was getting at least 14" of drop at 200 yards with the stuff. I believe it is because Hornady advertises trajectory out of a 24" barrel that is on the new Marlin XLR leverguns.

RE: Why do you like/dislike the 30/30? And more.
 

My father has a Winchester 30-30, and a marlin 30-30. I found the Marlin better. The remington had loading probs, and was less accurate using the exact same round!

RE: Why do you like/dislike the 30/30? And more.
 

I have heard that same thing before. It probably depends greatly on the rate of twist in the barrel as well as the length.

RE: Why do you like/dislike the 30/30? And more.
 

Ilikemy Winchester model 94 30-30 I have taken lot's of deer with it. It is sort of semi retired but still one of my favorites.

RE: Why do you like/dislike the 30/30? And more.
 

TUK is correct. The twist rate on the XLR guns is 1:12" and standard twist in 336 guns is 1:10". I have talked to several people that have had great accuracy out of standard guns with LeverEvolutions. I have had good, but not great, accuracy out of my 336T, but it has been good enough to down 4 deer. For me, their performance on game is worth staying with them.

RE: Why do you like/dislike the 30/30? And more.
 

Hey retrieverman....

Quick question - in those cool photos of you and your buck, does your 336T have see through scope rings? I'm just curious, what kind of setup you have.

I love my "plain jane" Marlin 30AS with theopen iron sights on it. But yet, I might consider looking at a small Bushnell 1.5-4.5 x 32 scope for it. I don't know... Maybe...

Butch A.

RE: Why do you like/dislike the 30/30? And more.
 

Butch
I used see thru mounts 25 years ago and hated them, so I set my 336T up with Talley rings that mount low. It makes for a better cheek to stock fit and gives the gun a more "compact" feel to me. Also, I don't have very good eye sight, so iron sights are pretty much worthless if I expect to hit anything.

RE: Why do you like/dislike the 30/30? And more.
 

I am going to be purchasing an iron rear sight for my 1894 44 Magnum after Xmas. Would like to get one sooner, but kids come first. Damn priorities lol.

RE: Why do you like/dislike the 30/30? And more.
 

I just mounted a 4x-32 Bushnell scope on my 30-30 and plan on sighting it in tomorrow. I was originally going to use see thru mounts but decided not to because the scope would be too high and i wouldn't use the iron sights with a scope on it. Can't wait to shoot my 30-30.

RE: Why do you like/dislike the 30/30? And more.
 

I was going state exactly the same but WIN70 beat me to it.
100% dead on this one .
I'm in south fl , and still use both my .35 rem and my m-94 in 30-30.
I see some hunters using a 300 Rem Ultra Mag on these little 90lb deer we have down here , over kill and loss of meat.
There countless new hotrod calibers out which like them or not are good shooters and good for the gun industry. I prefer some the older tried and true calibers that have stood the test of with commercial aspects of it .

RE: Why do you like/dislike the 30/30? And more.
 

LOL, I hunt for the meat and not bragging rights. Well, also for the experience of it and nowdays to hopefully teach my kids some good work ethics and kind of what the real things in life are. Life, death, the hunt, the kill, the reward. And that you dont kill what you cannot eat. I am not a trophy hunter, but dont get me wrong, if ole tirty pointer shows up his ass is mine lol. My 13 year old son got his first deer this year, using my .270. He would have been using the 30-30 but we where having a hard time sighting it in. Ended up having to file the rear sight down due to it shooting about 8 inches high at 50. Before I gave it to him for Xmas last year I took the scope off and had new open sights put back on it, well it shot straight, but very high. After missing 2 deer I finally let him use my old Remington mdl 710 .270 and whatta ya know, 1 shot and a kill. It kindof brought tears to my eyes to see him so happy lol.

RE: Why do you like/dislike the 30/30? And more.
 

Well lets face it.For about the same money as a new 336 you can buy a savage or winchester package gun at wally world that will give you more energy and more range than a 30/30.That being said I have an old 336 that 3 generations of my family have used to kill their first deer.It is light and quick handling and as accurate at 100yds as many out the box bolt rifles.I still pack it alot when hunting tight spots.

CB

RE: Why do you like/dislike the 30/30? And more.
 

The 30-30 offers nothing that similar cartridges like the .308 won't won't. The 30-30 is the equivelant of a Studebeger, people just use them because of tradition, and that isn't a bad thing.

RE: Why do you like/dislike the 30/30? And more.
 

Dislike.

If you live in the east or south where “deer is the game” and the woods offer 30 yard brush busting or tree stand squatting then I would imagine the 30-30 in a lever carbine would be good medicine as deer kill pretty easy..

Living out West where generally the ranges can be longish combined with the fact that I don’t hunt deer anymore (elk yes, deer no) the ole thutty thutty is just a little too pokey and whimpy for my hunting mission..

I’ve got a fair range of weaponry and the 30-30 is one them. It was the first center fire rifle I shot as a kid of about 10, it now sits in the far back corner of the safe and hasn’t been fired in 25 or so years. The 30-30 just doesn’t turn my crank at all. If I was going to specialize in Black Timber elk hunting, then I’d probably go for a Marlin Guide Gun in 45-70.

Whether a cartridge is or isn’t a magnum makes no difference to me, performance is what I am after. The last three additions to the family have been 416 Rigby, 458 Lott, and a 50 BMG…. not one of them a magnum. Magnum, not magnum, just words.

RE: Why do you like/dislike the 30/30? And more.
 

I agree.

RE: Why do you like/dislike the 30/30? And more.
 

Do you use those big dawgs to kill deer with? If you do, is there anything left to gut?

RE: Why do you like/dislike the 30/30? And more.
 

As mentioned above, I don't harvest deer anymore.

I have used the 416 Rigby and the 458 Lott on elk for grins....
The modest velocities (2400-2500) results in less blood shot meat than say a 270.

For all practical purposes, the 50 BMG is a target rifle not a hunting rifle.

RE: Why do you like/dislike the 30/30? And more.
 

Thats cool, I appreciate your comments. I know that there are technically better guns out there than a 30-30 to hunt deer with and that on paper some of them ballistically are far superior than a 30-30 cartridge. But the fact remains that a 30-30 is still more than capable of taking medium size game at reasonable distances and when set up in a lever action rifle there is not, imho any other gun more comforatable to carry in the woods. Now I personally have a 44 Magnum levergun that I am carrying in the woods nowdays and I gave my son my 336 30-30 but I am still using a lever action. More for of comfort than for killing power. I was packing a .270 but it is heavy and not real well balanced in the hand and where I hunt I need to be able to pull the gun up fast for a quick shot since it is heavy pine and brush that I hunt in. The lever gun is much better suited for that. Not to mention that the 44 Magnum doesnt kick but about half of what even the 30-30 does. Anyways, I am not down playing anybody's choice in firearm to hunt game with. I am just wanting to see what different peoples opinion is on why or why not they like or dislike the 30-30. So far it seems that most people like it, but it just isnt the best tool for the job for most.

RE: Why do you like/dislike the 30/30? And more.
 

I love my Marlin 30-30. I have yet to take a deer with it and my wife missed a chance last hunting season with it. Shot breathed on the scope while trying to spot the Deer. It fogged up on her, so I had to take the shot with my Rem. M700 .270
I hunt mainly with the .270 it was my first rifle. My dad a couple years later gave me the 30-30. Said would be a good woods gun for me.
But I mainly hunt fields and power lines where the shots will range from 100-175yards.
Main reason I dont hunt with the 30-30 is confidence. I lack it with it cause I have yet to kill a deer. Shot at one at 125 yards. and watch the bullet hit the dirt in front of the deer. I had it sighted in at 75yards. Bullet dropped to much for me. If I would have had it set to 100 I might would have got the deer. But cause of the miss. I hung it up. But love to take it and shot targets with it.
Last year since the wife wanted to hunt I moved in closer. Put my Stand within 75 yards of the corn pile. We saw the one deer. While she was with me. I usually went to another stand and took down a few. I just dont like being so close to the deer could be why I havent bought a bow yet.
But as far as the 30-30 being a hunting round. Close range anytime. Will use it next year. Found a nice spot in the woods with a 50 yard max shot. Will try to closer up hunting then.

RE: Why do you like/dislike the 30/30? And more.
 

The only thing I've ever used a .30/30 for was to shoot targets. I used a Model 94 Winchester, and fired just five rounds of 150-grain Remington factory ammo from a benchrest. Imagine my utter amazement when all five shots were in a 100-yard group of just exactly 1"! This was with the "issue" iron sights. Must have been a fluke.

I've NEVER hunted with a .30/30. But I was impressed by that little lever action's accuracy!

RE: Why do you like/dislike the 30/30? And more.
 

Don't buy a bow.
If you won't even bother to learn how to shoot with the arc of a 30/30, then you'll never have near enough patience for a bow.
Arrows are at least twice as heavy, six times slower, and have abunch more drag than those .30-30's.

Don't let the short range of bowhunting fool you either. There can be several inches of drop between 10 and 30 yards with an arrow. Oh, and you'll have to be fairly sneaky to routinely get deer within bow range anyway.

...and please DO bother to learn some basic ballistics before taking any weapon hunting. Lots of things can go wrong out there in the field,so you should always go as prepared and practiced as you can to keep the odds on your side. You don't have to become an expert with every gun and cartridge on the planet, just the gun/bullet combination you will use for hunting.

-Bulz