I love my 30-30 Marlin and wouldn't trade if for anything. Its a quick action and a great shot. Hardly need the scope, the iron sights are great at 100yds. The gun is also fairly inexpensive to buy, and as was said, inexpensive to shoot compared to the .270. Its a shorter gun and easier to get through the thick brush. All around great weapon.

The 30-30 is a fun gun to shoot (aren't they all?). I once read that the 30-30 is refered to as a leg-breaker cartridge. Out at and beyond 150 yards people mis-judge the bullet drop and instead of hitting the deer in the shoulder they hit the leg. Or so the story goes.

You can also consider a peep sight. Williams makes some nice ones. Saves the expense ofa scope but better than iron sights.

+1 [8D]

I love my Marlin 30-30 and will never part with it. I use it with plain open sights, and keep it in close, in deep brush and heavy woods. For longer ranges, I have my new/used Savage .308 with a scope.

Butch A.

I started my deer hunting "career" 25 years ago with a 1960's model Marlin 336 30-30 and couldn't wait to get a "real" deer rifle, but after many years of being infected with Magnumitis, I have come back to a 30-30 as my primary deer caliber. I used to consider a 125 yard shot with a 30-30 a real "Hail Mary", but with the ballistics of the Hornady LeverEvolution ammo, a 200 yard shot should be easily do-able if the hunter does his part.

Here is a buck that I killed in 2006, and a hog that my son killed about a month ago.

Nice kills I hope to get some myself and thats cool your son hunts to thinks for the pic.

I love these opportunities to show pics of my 1st buck (there are lots of them) Heres a big Canadian buck (I'm about 180lbs, but don't come close to filling out the pumpkin suit) Iron sited win94 30-30 on a still hunt in thick bush.

tschaef
That is a heck of a first buck! What did that big boy weigh? I killed a 265# buck in Oklahoma in 2004, but yours looks much bigger. I also love the mass of the rack. Congrats!

Wow!! Great buck there tschaef. Now, is that the hole in the neckleft by your 30-30? I figure it is but also thought it might be a neck cut to drain the blood or something. If that's the 30-30 hole, it's freakin huge.
take care

My advice on the 30/30 Win.

1. Buy a MARLIN 336 CS; Marlin's are the very best. They even have stainless models available!
2. Buy a quality 3-9x40 scope (Nikon Monarch or Bushnell Elite)
3. Buy a quality scope mount (Leupold, Burris or Weaver)
4. AVOID see through scope rings; they sit the scope WAY TOO high and are NOT needed!
5. Buy some Winchester,Federal and Remington 150-170 grain bullets
6. Shoot the ammo "your" rifle shoots best
7. Sight-in to hit approximately 2" high @ 100 yards
8. Enjoy your new Marlin 336; it won't let you down, but it WILL put deer down!
9. Buya camera
10. Show us the deer you kill with your new rifle!!!!!!!!!

Here is a picture of mine. It was born in 1958(same year I was born). Boy the stories this rifle could tell. IMO scopes and lever's do not mix. Get a good peep site if you are concerned about better accuracy(like the one on my 9422). IMO young hunter's should learn how to shoot open sight's before they graduate to a scope. I see way too many hunter's who do not know how to shoot. They see the scope as a quick fix for their inabilty to shoot. Tom.