This statement requires justification.

Allen,
I have several guns, and my 30-30 is my "go to" gun. The main reason is simply because I'm hunting in the woods most of the time. I don't know what kind of country you hunt, but if you hunt the woods I don't know a better gun. The Marlin that I have is a great gun in the tree stand, and I have killed most of my deer with it. It is just a gun I have a lot of confidence in. There are occasions that call for my .270, but most of the time I am up a tree in the woods.

I read another post where you hunted Colorado. If I hunted in open country I probably would use the .270 more often. As far as a "go to" gun goes, it usually depends what kind of country you hunt, or where you are from.

C. Davis

If it were legal I would use a 30-30 over a 12 ga any day of the week, so for a close up (and farther) gun that would be my go to gun.

Paul

I have 2 deer rifles, a scoped bolt action and a 336 with peep sight. I use the 30-30 for still hunting heavy cover, making drives, exceptionally crappy weather, and as a back-up gun if my other rifle fails or turns up missing. I've killed some nice deer with my 30 and I have a lot of confidence in it, but it's not my "go to" gun.

C. Davis,

I live in North Carolina and hunt heremost of the time. Most of my shots are limited to 100 yards or less. We do have a few powerlines and cut-overs on our lease where my larger calibers come in handy.

Allen,
Sounds a lot like my situation. A good number of the deer I have killed with the Marlin were within bow range. My biggest buck was shot at 12 yards away with the 30-30.He never knew where I was.I love being on well traveled trails in the woods up a tree. In that situation, the 30-30 is the perfect gun. IMO. I sometimes sit on a pipeline with the .270, but I would rather be in the woods.
Here is my 12 yard 10 point.
C. Davis

I have the same gun A11en. I probably trust this gun more than any of my others deer guns.Granted it doesn't have the range of some (which is why I bought my .280) but like I said earlier I have complete confidence in it. It's killed a ton of deer in its life and will contine to.

You spoke of your son using a .243, that's interesting because when I was young my dad had a friend that wanted to give me a .243 and my dad and I both decided to keep the 30-30 instead of .243. I still would probably make that decision today.

You have a good one there. Take it out a time or two I bet you'll be surprised by the performace of it.

To me there isn't one better for the Brush, Palmetto's or under 150ydsthan a .30-30 for hog hunting...I own three, a Marlin 336c .30-30for field shooting, a Winchester (No Cross Bolt) 94 .30-30for brush and a Savage 24V .30-30 ( .30-30/3" 20ga W/#2 Buck) for thick palmetto's. Soon afterthe pic's were taken, I have removed the scopes off the Win and Savage...

I can't see myself being without a 30/30. I have several other rifles but the Marlin feels the best to me. Rarely I may hunt an area where I may get a shot at 200 yds or better and then I would go with the 270 or 06.
And I havn't even tried the new Hornaday Ballistics. I gave my son a Marlin 336 for christmas and fitted it with scope with peep sights. I personally don't care for the peep sight and for myself I have one scoped and another unscoped. I carry the unscoped with me most every time I go into the swamp and have killed many deer with it just shooting offhand. No other rifle I own feels as balanced and shoulders as well as the Marlin.

I have a 7mag, 243 and 30-30. The 30 is the gun i use the most. The strange thing is that I have only killed bucks with it. Even the "doe" i killed with it was a buck with both of it's antlers broken off at the base. 4 bucks no doe. For some reason the boys seem to show up while i'm carrying the 30-30.

I also have switched to the Hornady Leverevolutions. Great results so far