The ole .30-30???
 

Last year I bought a used Marlin 360cc .30-30 from a friend. I didn't "need" it, nor was it on my wish list, but it was in great shape and he only wanted $100. I shot a box of ammo with it (iron sights) and it was accurate for a .30-30. I recently put a scope on it, but haven't sighted it in. Bottom line is, Its just not a goto gun. I have a Ruger 10/22rifle, 22/45 pistol(.22)and .22-250 for small game and predators. I use a .30-06 and .300WSM for big game hunting. When hunting in close cover, I shoot a 12ga or use my .44mag handgun. My sons (8 & 11) have a .243 and .308 for deer hunting. I'm realizing now the only reason I bought the .30-30 was for the Nostagia.I will say its fun to shoot. My son is considering using it this year instead of his single action .243. But honestly, the .243 will out perform it in accuracy and energy.

Do any of you (with multiple guns) use your .30-30 for a specific game animal where you'd consider it your "goto" gun?

I don't have much experience with the 30-30. 20 years ago, I shot a possum with one, but thats it. How effective is it on medium to big game?

Thanks

RE: The ole .30-30???
 

A 30-30 has probally taken as many deer as any caliber. With the new ammo, lever revelotion, I belive its called it should be even better. I have taken some deer with a 30-30 and had good luck with them. It's not my goto gun either. But it might be handly to have around to bet the brush,use on a rainy dayor keep as a truck gun.

RE: The ole .30-30???
 

i kinda know what you mean. i bought a 30-30 on sale at k-mart then sold it . i missed it so much that i got another one. i just like the different action on it compared to a bolt action and the compact-ness of it. mine was very accurate out to about 70 yards then it got squirrely. the new hornady pointed lever revolution ammo is supposed to stretch the range out to 200 yards and then some. since i have several different hunting guns what i do ismake a choice that year to shoot certain ones in the hunting season. this way a gun doesnt sit for years and its fun and a challenge each year.the 30-30 will be fine for deer and bear.

RE: The ole .30-30???
 

I was thinking about using it on hogs, but concerned it won't pass through the shoulder plate.

RE: The ole .30-30???
 

For $100 I would have bought it as well...Put it up, you'll have grandkids one day...

Nothing wrong with a 30-30 and deer, I've seen several killed with it...If it were me, I'd leave the scope off, put a sling in it and have it for a scout/carry gun when you are in the woods trimming shooting lanes, planting food plots, etc...A light lever action is mighty handy and you can leave a cartridge out of the chamber for safety and jack one in if needed for other varmits...

Plus, you have a good backup rifle for those days its pouring and you don't want to take your nice bolt action out and get it wet...

RE: The ole .30-30???
 

Just use it as a back up. I use mine while driving, and while still hunting in thick woods. IF you are able to pick up deer quickly through a scope in thick stuff, leave the scope on. if not, just use the open sights. I just use a 4x on mine. I have killed.....around seven or eight deer with it maybe. from 20ft. Out to 110 yards. Great gun. Hold on to it. sometime you will need it, and then you'll be glad you have it.

RE: The ole .30-30???
 

I have killed numerous deer and hogs with a 30-30, and at ranges from 0-150 yards, it will do anything my 270 or 308 will do. My preferred shot placement on hogs whether shooting a 30-30 or 9.3x62 is to aim for the head. I have never had to track a hog after a head shot.

Someone mentioned Hornady LeverEvolution ammo, and it is the best 30-30 ammo that I have ever used. My body count so far is 4 deer and 5 hogs.

I killed this boar at 150 yards with a single LeverEv to the head.

RE: The ole .30-30???
 

I used nothing but the 30-30 for 7yrs(75-82) in Northern Mn, iron sight's only,my shots were all under 150yrds but you cant beat it for heavy cover,also I know afew guys that hunt Elk and Moosewith thiers,but again they get up close and personal with them.....Even tho I have a -06 if I decide to gun hunt deer(archery last 24yrs)again I would go to the 30-30 for deer andas for Elk,Moose and maybe Bearit would be the 06.

RE: The ole .30-30???
 

Everyone needs to have a 30-30. Its a rifle I usually always carry in my truck. Good rifle that throws a hunk of lead aucuractely up to 100 yrds without a scope. Its a very reliable rifle that can take a beating as opposed to your numero uno rifle.

Bobby

RE: The ole .30-30???
 

i have a single shot 30-30 and a bolt andthats all i've used for big game so far and i've taken 5 deer and a moose with them. Most of the deer just hunched up and ran no more than 50 yrds. One dropped:)

RE: The ole .30-30???
 

Retrieverman,

You must love that 30-30 to put a zeiss conquest on it!!!

RE: The ole .30-30???
 

I'm just the opposite as for as the go to gun. If it was a matter of I need one gun out of the gun cabinets to put meat in the freezer, I would reach for my Marlin. After growing up shooting Daisy BB guns, it is the most natural shooting gun I have ever handled. And as for killing capability, refer to the moose mentioned above along with probably every other North American big game animal. For close to medium range it is a perfect combination of thirty caliber and speed. The bullets do not blow apart on any hit. We get a lot of boar hunters that are amazed when their 270.s and such deflect, blow apart, or just fail to penetrate a shield on a big boar and the old 30-30 punches right through. It is just one of those calibers that work.

RE: The ole .30-30???
 

I agree with drs, if I had to pick one gun it would be my .30-.30. My grandpa has pictures of his dads .30-.30 but somewhere along the line it disappeared, I wish I had it. It had an octagon barrel, super long. My grandpa said it held 11 shells. I do love my winchester .30-.30 though!

RE: The ole .30-30???
 

I hunted with a 30-30 for years because it was all I have but this year I got a 270 but I still pull out the old 30-30 just for a chang. To be honest I prefer the way the 30-30 feels when I am carring it. The Hornady ammo is incrediable in it as well. Take it into the woods one time and see how you feel about it.

RE: The ole .30-30???
 

I have used a 30.30 boltsavage supersporter for my entier hunting career. We reload our own amo and it has amazing accuracy and little drop in range.I've sighted in at 200yds(decent distance in WI) for hunting the openings but have brought it in to 100yds since I have been hunting the hardwoods and pines more. It was my grandfathers gun and has great sentimental value but is also an outstanding weapon. I hunt whitetails with it and it has gone though small trees to get the job done (not on purposs!):)It is an old gun and wellmade. You can see photos of it on my photobucket page http://i253.photobucket.com/albums/h...efirebreak.jpg

RE: The ole .30-30???
 

I am not 100% sure, but I believe that particular gun is a one of a kind. So, yes, I am quite proud of it.

RE: The ole .30-30???
 

After reading all your posts, I believe I'll make the .30-30, my goto to gun for the2008 deer season and at least take my firstdeer of the seasonwith it.

RE: The ole .30-30???
 

great idea!

RE: The ole .30-30???
 

Not crazy about the .30-30. But that's just me.

RE: The ole .30-30???
 

My first rifle bought at Kmart when they were still a real store.I was a die hard bow hunter then but bought it as a "Blue Light Special".Best rifle I have ever owned.It's gone over to my Grandson now,love him but sure hated to see it go.I think I killed more deer with it than my LONG RANGE 30-06.I just had to get closer with the 30-30.

RE: The ole .30-30???
 

This statement requires justification.

RE: The ole .30-30???
 

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

RE: The ole .30-30???
 

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

RE: The ole .30-30???
 

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.

RE: The ole .30-30???
 

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.

RE: The ole .30-30???
 

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

RE: The ole .30-30???
 

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.

RE: The ole .30-30???
 

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...

RE: The ole .30-30???
 

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.

RE: The ole .30-30???
 

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

RE: The ole .30-30???
 

we often use the 30-30 as a back up gun,and it has come in handy many times,is good for both moose and deer,prefer to keep the shot inside 150 yards.

RE: The ole .30-30???
 

The rifle of choice in Nove scotia for years was always the 94 win, my dad baged many with one. We hunted the thick forests and long shots were not an issue. A good close in weapon,I have made a 2" group @ 100 yds, iron sights, but that front sight looks like 18" wide. Try a peep sight for a good woods rifle. I only had to make 2 shot out to 75 to 125 yards, most deer I see are 20 to 40 yds away. My best shot was with my 06 165 btsp 30 06 from the shoulder at a buck facing me. Took him in the chest with a heart shot, no trailing that one!

RE: The ole .30-30???
 

I hunted with a .30-30 several seasons growing up. I spend most of my time still hunting, making small man drives, and taking stands in big woods as well as farm land. No gun can compare to a pump .30-06 in my opinion. I can handle it extremely fast and accurately. It blows the 30-30 away as far as power and versatility. From running deer at 10 - 100 yards to broadside shots at 300, it will take down whitetails, bear, turkeys, coyotes, and foxes to name a few. The .30-30 will too no doubt, I just prefer my pump .30-06 with a 3-9 X 40 Leupold.

RE: The ole .30-30???
 

That is a perfect combination. I have a Zeiss on my .450 Marlin I set up for hog hunting. On my 30/30 Ihave a old Bushnell that has been on there since my dad put it on in the late 50's.

RE: The ole .30-30???
 

Ol J C Higgins, side eject

RE: The ole .30-30???
 

I can empathize with isatarak....
I'm not crazy about it either.
I guess if you live back east/south where there is no horizon and you are just hunting deer then it ought to work.

Out West for where and what I hunt, it is pretty anemic.
I've got my dad's 30-30 in the back of the gun safe, clear in the back.... last weapon of choice.

RE: The ole .30-30???
 

Don't use a 30-30, never will, I prefer to use higher performance cartridges.

RE: The ole .30-30???
 

I love my old Marlin .30-30 and will never get rid of it. I still use it in the heavy brush and thickets since it has open sights.

For longer shots (and everything else the open sighted .30-30 can't do) I use my Savage .308 rifle with scope.

Two different rifles, two different styles of hunting. The best of both worlds! [8D]

RE: The ole .30-30???
 

I would like a definition of "higher performance cartridges".

RE: The ole .30-30???
 

I would part with every gun I own before I part with my Marlin 30-30. It has been years since its taken a deer, but it is still my favorite hands down. All because my dad gave it to be then I was 14.