30 30 for deer
03-29-2004, 09:50 PM
#12
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location:
Posts: 22
RE: 30 30 for deer
Well you can bet that old "Charles Alsheimer" doesn't know squat about deer rifles. He should have been tagging along with me when I was 8 to 10 years old in south Texas. I had an old Savage 340 bolt action 30-30 with a cheap 4X scope, and I killed way too many whitetails than I can remember. I guess my Daddy forgot to tell me that the 30-30 was a terrible whitetail gun, and that I should keep my shots under 150 yards. The very first buck that I ever killed at 8 years old was shot at a hair over 160 yards. I hit him in the shoulder with a 170 grain Silvertip, and he hit the ground like a sack of dung. I never looked back after that day. I don't hunt with the 30-30 anymore, but it darn sure isn't because it isn't a good deer caliber. As a matter of fact, it's a phenomenal deer caliber. I would have closed the book the second that I read his take on the 30-30 or .35 Remington. History and several million dead deer tell us a much different story. Take what you read with a grain of salt, because the world is full of armchair experts.
03-30-2004, 04:03 AM
#13
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: dedham massachusetts USA
Posts: 1,361
RE: 30 30 for deer
like any other caliber out there. the 30-30win and the 35rem are " great " deer calibers when used in and under the distances they are used for.i owned a 30-30win and pushed it out past 150yds. to far for that round IMHO.
i personally think the 35rem is alot better round for whitetail deer and black bear. i have seen several taken by my buddy all dropped in there tracks except one. all that did drop in there tracks where not shot through their shoulders either.
i personally think the 35rem is alot better round for whitetail deer and black bear. i have seen several taken by my buddy all dropped in there tracks except one. all that did drop in there tracks where not shot through their shoulders either.
03-30-2004, 04:32 AM
#14
Giant Nontypical
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Port Neches, Texas
Posts: 5,514
RE: 30 30 for deer
Where shots will be 150 yards or less, then the 30-30 is a good choice. If I were out to buy one gun for all deer hunting, I would not settle for the limits of the 30-30. Anything from a .243 with good 100gr. bullets on up to, and including the magnums would be a better choice, especially at longer ranges.
Just because "most" shots will be at short to medium ranges, sooner or latter you will see that "buck of a lifetime" at 250+ yards! What then? Send a "hail Mary, and most likely go home kicking yourself for not having something that will reach out and get"em!
Just because "most" shots will be at short to medium ranges, sooner or latter you will see that "buck of a lifetime" at 250+ yards! What then? Send a "hail Mary, and most likely go home kicking yourself for not having something that will reach out and get"em!
03-30-2004, 07:24 AM
#15
Giant Nontypical
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Texas - BUT NOW in Madison County, NY
Posts: 6,270
RE: 30 30 for deer
ORIGINAL: juniorpc
Reading a Charles Alshiemer book and came to a section where he was talking about deer rifles and he stated that he felt the .30 .30 and I beleive the .35 remington cartridge wer poor choices deer. His argument being that they didn't produce enough energy.
Reading a Charles Alshiemer book and came to a section where he was talking about deer rifles and he stated that he felt the .30 .30 and I beleive the .35 remington cartridge wer poor choices deer. His argument being that they didn't produce enough energy.
03-30-2004, 10:02 AM
#16
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Gypsum KS USA
Posts: 1,289
RE: 30 30 for deer
Usually when you read articles about the .30-30, you'll find either magnum lovers claiming it's worthless, or traditionalists singing it's praises. Even my speer reloading manual claims something along the lines of if the cartridges were judged based on their data alone, the .30-30 would merely be a fond memory, although they go on to refute that it has historically been used for everything up to buffalo and makes for a great woods/short range deer rifle.
As far as "common folk" opinions on it, here's my take on what most people will say bad about it.
Most people today feel that if they aren't shooting a cartridge that people think is good for half a mile on deer (usually LITERALLY a half mile), that it's not good enough, even if those same people can't hit the broad side of a barn past 150yrds with their magnum and never hunt over 150yrds anyway, at least they can say they're shooting a powerful round.
Other people claim it's inaccurate as all get out to the point it shouldn't be hunted, and there are some terribly inaccurate rifles out there in .30-30, but most of these people who talk from experience with them either don't shoot very well to begin with, or they shoot decent groups in a scoped .30-06 bolt gun at 100yrds, but when they get out a leveraction .30-30 with iron sights, they can't seem to get groups better than 8-10" at 100yrds, it isn't always the gun. For example, a buddy of mine bought a Marlin .30-30, scoped it with a 2-7x, took it to the range and sent bullets all over the page with it off steady stix, wanted to sell it really quick or take it back, I asked him to let me try, off hand I put 5 shots into a group you could cover with your palm at 100yrds-not on center, but they were well grouped, I adjusted and layed down prone, put 5 more into an inch and a half...told him it wasn't the gun as I handed it back to him. Not many people can just pick up a levergun and shoot it well if they've only ever shot a bolt gun, and a lot of people claim leverguns are terribly inaccurate just because they can't shoot them.
Another thing many people may claim the .30-30 is bad about is their own poor shooting, either they make poor shots with a "high power" or Magnum round and deer run off, "if a .300Deer-ripper-in-halfer Magnum can't knock a deer in the dirt with one shot at 250yrds, there's no way the measly .30-30 can handle deer past about 6 feet"...what they don't tell you is that they've got 8" groups at 100yrds and took a 250yrd shoot, got "lucky" and accidentally hit them in the hip and the deer ran off. Having extra powerful rounds does allow you a little extra play when it comes to precision, but it won't make up for awful shooting.
I've witnessed .30-30's take numerous buffalo, and a great number of deer, even one black bear...I've also seen a Marlin leveraction .30-30 throw 150grn factory winchesters into a half dollar group at 150yrds (with a 4-16x42mm glass). It's a great round, chambered in a levergun with a glass it makes for a lightweight full sized arm with a great handle, capable of taking deer in the brush and in the open fields.
If you go with one, practice before you play, it's a great round if you do your part, but shooting a levergun is a totally different animal, it takes a little getting used to, but the .30-30 really isn't that different from most centerfire high powered rounds, pretty much as far as you can shoot it well, it WILL kill deer.
As far as "common folk" opinions on it, here's my take on what most people will say bad about it.
Most people today feel that if they aren't shooting a cartridge that people think is good for half a mile on deer (usually LITERALLY a half mile), that it's not good enough, even if those same people can't hit the broad side of a barn past 150yrds with their magnum and never hunt over 150yrds anyway, at least they can say they're shooting a powerful round.
Other people claim it's inaccurate as all get out to the point it shouldn't be hunted, and there are some terribly inaccurate rifles out there in .30-30, but most of these people who talk from experience with them either don't shoot very well to begin with, or they shoot decent groups in a scoped .30-06 bolt gun at 100yrds, but when they get out a leveraction .30-30 with iron sights, they can't seem to get groups better than 8-10" at 100yrds, it isn't always the gun. For example, a buddy of mine bought a Marlin .30-30, scoped it with a 2-7x, took it to the range and sent bullets all over the page with it off steady stix, wanted to sell it really quick or take it back, I asked him to let me try, off hand I put 5 shots into a group you could cover with your palm at 100yrds-not on center, but they were well grouped, I adjusted and layed down prone, put 5 more into an inch and a half...told him it wasn't the gun as I handed it back to him. Not many people can just pick up a levergun and shoot it well if they've only ever shot a bolt gun, and a lot of people claim leverguns are terribly inaccurate just because they can't shoot them.
Another thing many people may claim the .30-30 is bad about is their own poor shooting, either they make poor shots with a "high power" or Magnum round and deer run off, "if a .300Deer-ripper-in-halfer Magnum can't knock a deer in the dirt with one shot at 250yrds, there's no way the measly .30-30 can handle deer past about 6 feet"...what they don't tell you is that they've got 8" groups at 100yrds and took a 250yrd shoot, got "lucky" and accidentally hit them in the hip and the deer ran off. Having extra powerful rounds does allow you a little extra play when it comes to precision, but it won't make up for awful shooting.
I've witnessed .30-30's take numerous buffalo, and a great number of deer, even one black bear...I've also seen a Marlin leveraction .30-30 throw 150grn factory winchesters into a half dollar group at 150yrds (with a 4-16x42mm glass). It's a great round, chambered in a levergun with a glass it makes for a lightweight full sized arm with a great handle, capable of taking deer in the brush and in the open fields.
If you go with one, practice before you play, it's a great round if you do your part, but shooting a levergun is a totally different animal, it takes a little getting used to, but the .30-30 really isn't that different from most centerfire high powered rounds, pretty much as far as you can shoot it well, it WILL kill deer.
03-30-2004, 12:18 PM
#17
Fork Horn
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: Maine
Posts: 287
RE: 30 30 for deer
I have an old marlin 30-30 and think it's great under 100yrds. The only problem I have with it is the hammer. In cold rain or snow it can be hard to let the hammer back down after you have seen a deer and adrenaline has kick in. However the new ones have taken care of it with the new safetys. More deer have been killed here in Maine with a 30-30 than any other.
03-30-2004, 11:47 PM
#18
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: Baileysville, WV
Posts: 2,925
RE: 30 30 for deer
I have seen 3 deer shot with a 30/30....looked like they were bodyslammed. I was very impressed. The guy who said they were no good for deer is an idiot...lol. I have even considered buying one for the briar patch I hunt in the first week of rifle season here in WV. I dont think i could put my .270 down long enough for that though. I keep buying guns but they never seem to make it out in the wood swith me because I just always feel naked without my cannon....lol.
03-31-2004, 07:32 AM
#19
Typical Buck
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location:
Posts: 549
RE: 30 30 for deer
If most deer hunters are hunting patches or openings in heavly wooded areas the rarely see distances beyond 100 to 150yds why in the heck would they think they need a magnum rifle. This is one thing the magnum lovers can't dispute is the 30-30 has killed more deer than anything else on this continent. Tried, tested and proven. I wouldn't give it a secound thought.
For some deer hunters yardage does come into play and that's where the 30-30 gets left behind. I shoot a 300win for almost all my hunting. But when the snow coming down hard and I still want to hunt that day I'll saddle up the horse put the 30-30 in the scabbard and go do some tree hunting. There's something about slipin up on elk in the trees on horseback in the snow. And to the disbelief of magnum elk hunters the 30-30 knocks elk down too. I shoot a 300win because we do have alot of open country and sometimes longer shots. If I lived in a place like kentucky which I've personally hunted I would have no need of the 300win for deer.
For some deer hunters yardage does come into play and that's where the 30-30 gets left behind. I shoot a 300win for almost all my hunting. But when the snow coming down hard and I still want to hunt that day I'll saddle up the horse put the 30-30 in the scabbard and go do some tree hunting. There's something about slipin up on elk in the trees on horseback in the snow. And to the disbelief of magnum elk hunters the 30-30 knocks elk down too. I shoot a 300win because we do have alot of open country and sometimes longer shots. If I lived in a place like kentucky which I've personally hunted I would have no need of the 300win for deer.
03-31-2004, 11:59 AM
#20
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Paradise
Posts: 51
RE: 30 30 for deer
FYI: 8 years ago I shot a Buck at 10 yds broadside with my model 94 and the bullet bounced off his shoulder blade and came out 1/2" to the side of his anal hole. It took me about 5 hours to find him because nothin vital was hit but luckally did tear him up enough to end his agany. Hell, that close I should of just reached out and belted him with a log 
Needless to say, I came home from deer camp and sold the rifle a week later. I suppose it could happen with any gun but it did leave me with a bad taste. I think they should left with the cowboys.
CB
Needless to say, I came home from deer camp and sold the rifle a week later. I suppose it could happen with any gun but it did leave me with a bad taste. I think they should left with the cowboys.
CB