NJ-Bowhunter

I'm looking to get either a lever action 30.30 or 30.06. Predominantly for deer hunting both in PA and some in Texas. I recently severely broke my right clavicle (collar bone) and am a bit concerned about recoil but still want to get a good all around rifle (sorry, not interested in the 7mm- too much bark)

statjunk

On the kick side these rifles are very different. Of course the heavier the gun the less kick but in general a 3006 has significantly more kick than a 30-30.

These are both popular guns I am sure you someone with each of these. Take some test shots.

Tom

Gundigest

I would get a .260 Rem or a 7x57 Mauser. The .260 shoots good and has very little recoil and will do a good job on deer out to 250 yards. A 30-30 is only a 150 yard gun. The 7x57 has less recoil and noise than a 30-06 and is comparible to a 7mm-08.

skeeter 7MM

Lever, deer hunting I would include the .308 in your list. Great deer round and the recoil will be less than the 06 due to the shorter/lighter design of a lever.

dead_eye

tough it out and get the 30-06 youre collar bone will heal and then it will be all good, but its up to u in the end buddy

Nomercy

Here's my big issue: the .30-30 can be had in classically styled, comfortable, handy leveraction rifles like the Winchester 94 and the Marlin 336...the .30-06 is only chambered in bastardizations of a wonderful design like the BLR, which is almost as heavy and poorly balanced as it is ugly. Not to mention the price difference.

Ok, if you could find an old Winchester 1895 in .30-06 and get it to feed properly, you'd have an outstanding rifle, but if you're going for a levergun, I'd say the .30-30.

As far as picking between the cartridges themselves goes, I've got a couple of each, I do most of my hunting with the .30-06, however, I'm leaning now more towards the new .30-30 Win Ranger Compact 94 that I bought this fall...incredibly HANDY gun, and every bit as effective...but that's comparing the rifles again.

If I were buying this rifle knowing I'd need to hunt at 250yrds all the time, I'd buy the .30-06. The .30-06 is typically around 50% stronger than the .30-30, which only really makes a difference at longer ranges. The .30-06 kicks a LOT harder than the .30-30 (but the .30-30's a pop gun), but it also has more energy at 300yrds than the .30-30 has at 100yrds...but then again, you might not need that much energy...heck, the .30-06 has more energy at 600yrds than a .357mag at the muzzle, and who REGULARLY hunts anything that far?

I'd personally buy the levergun in .30-30. I really don't believe in the BLR, it just defeats the purpose of buying a leveraction. Between the Marlin 336 and Winchester 94 in .30-30, you'd be very satisfied with either.

You might also consider one of the common lever cartridges like the .38-55, .444M, .450M, or .45-70. You'd also be well served with a .35Rem in a Marlin 336. I've handled and hunted all of these except the .35Rem, and I can tell you that once you've handled a good levergun, there's just no going back.

North Texan

I have a 30-30, and it'll kill deer just as dead as anything else. The area I hunt has very few places you can see far enough to even need a scope, much less a bigger gun. It might not work so well in other areas. The .270 seems to be a pretty popular round around here for most deer hunters. It works better for distance shots.

Where in Texas are you going to be hunting?

losthwy

I like the 30-06 but, there are other choices out there for deer hunting that has less recoil. Like the 243, and 25-06.

NJ-Bowhunter

Thanks for all of the helpful feedback/ info -- what a head scratcher! Now maybe I'll lean towards a 308 lever. Seems to be a fair compromise.

ButchA

.308 lever? Do they even make a lever action in that caliber?

I like what North Texan said.... I too have a Marlin 30-30 and love it. It goes anywhere and does anything - but out to about 150 yards max. The 30-30 is legendary and has been around since the stone age. [8D] You also have to consider the prices of ammo too. (i.e. the best bang for the buck in rifle, and the best bang for the buck in ammo).

Butch A.