30-30
 

Okay I have a 30-30 and was curious as to what everyone thought about this rifle. I would use this gun for deer, wild boar and small preadator shooting does it have enough knock down power for all above listed animals?

My father-in-law said I could borrow his 270, but I don't know if it is necessary and how it compares to my new 30-30 (which was a gift btw) A couple of my friends said I should forget the 30-30 and go get a 7mm mag so nothing runs away from me. Is the 7mm or 270 overkill? Help please

RE: 30-30
 

The .30-30 is a ballistically inferior cartridge when compared to the .270 or the 7mm Mag. BUT..... It has probably killed ten times as many deer as both of those cartridges combined. There is ABSOLUTELY NOTHING wrong with the .30-30 for the purposes you listed, as long as you recognize and respect the ballistic limitations of the cartridge. Try to keep your shots broadside, and preferably under 200 yards.

RE: 30-30
 

RE: Marlin Model 336W .30-30 Win

RE: 30-30
 

I started my first son out with a Marlin 30-30. It is an excellent bush gun but can not compare to with the ballistics of the .270 or the 7mm mag. The .270 and 7mm mag are different animals. The 30-30 will have no difficulty getting the job done but it all depends on the terrain you are hunting. If you are looking at 200 yard plus then the.270 would be the better choice. My preference and what I've hunted with for the last 20 years is the 7mm mag. I'm not saying that the 7mm mag is better than the .270 (I ownone also), just that it is my personal preference. The .270 is one of the most classic deer cal.

RE: 30-30
 

I have owned all three and DITTO ipscshooter

RE: 30-30
 

Thanks for the link Hog. I have been reading some stuff online and it is starting to make sense the 30-30 may be one of the best rounds for deer, hogs, etc.. The reasoning it is better than say a 30-06 or another high end caliber is due to it's energy is dispersed better. With the right load typically a heavier round (170 grain ) it moves a lot slower giving the round moretime to expand. Whereas, a larger round moves at a lot faster rate not giving it time to expand, and sometimes a clean through shot which can be bad. I gathered all that info from the internet, so I don't know how accurate it is, but is sounds right in theory anyway.

I do hunt in very thick woods S.E. Oklahoma and I need something that will knock a deer down quickly. Most deer tend to move at night, and it can be hard to follow a blood trail at night in the thick woods.

RE: 30-30
 

My first deer gun was a 30/30 and I never had one run farther than 20 yards. Of course, I never shot one over 100 yards either. I think the 30/30 is an incredible brush gun, just don't try and shoot 200 yards, place your shots well, and it will knock the animals down.

RE: 30-30
 

OK, now we're getting a little carried away... There are very few instances in which a .30-30 might be considered "better" than a .30-06. The only two things I can think of are (a) less recoil, and (b) generally smaller, handier rifles. Other than that, the .30-06 is, hands down, the better of the two rifles. The "moves slower giving more time to expand" is a rather weird notion, as it takes speed to make a bullet expand. Match your bullet to your target. i.e. Given the same cartridge use for each, you probably won't use the same construction of bullet for a Whitetail as you will for a Grizzly. On a whitetail, you want the bullet to go all the way through. If they're leaking blood out of both sides, you're going to have a better blood trail to follow. On my first whitetail, the deer turned slightly to his left, exactly at the moment I was squeezing the trigger. As a result, the bullet entered the front of the right hip, and lodged under the skin of the left front shoulder, quartering throug the vitals. The deer died within about 30 yards of where he was hit, but, because of where he was hit, and lack of an exit wound, he left no blood trail, we had aheckuva time finding him.

Knocking down a deer quickly is more a factor of where you hit them than what you hit them with. I've had EXACTLY the same knockdown vs. travel after the shot results with my .243 as I've had with my .30-06. Given a double lung shot, you should generally expect the deer to travel roughly 20-100 yards before it bleeds out. Sometimes they'll fall on the spot. Most of the time, they won't.

The way this last sentence reads, itsounds like you're planning to shoot at night. I think that's illegal everywhere...

RE: 30-30
 

Feed some HornadyLever Evelutions through it, you will be supprized at the old limit barriers that have blown away simply by makeing a pointed bullit work for the tube mag guns, I was pretty impressed, I have a 30-30 and a 35rem that I will probably take back out in the woods this year. They still dont match up to the .270, 06, 300wm, but will make a 200yd shot with ease.

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LOL thats the same thought I came too.

RE: 30-30
 

couldn't have said it better myself

RE: 30-30
 

I started out with a .270 win. and still love it to this day. But there is absolutely nothing wrong with a 30-30 win. I bought a 336w to back up my 7400 .270, and after packing both out to the woods with me last year, i have decided that from now on i'll leave the auto back at the cabin if i want to timber hunt. The 30-30 points so nice, and really can put the hammer down on a whitetail with proper shot placement. Head shot one at 142 yards with just factory Winchester 170's. Can't complain about the gun one bit.

RE: 30-30
 

No,I would not shoot at night!!!Most bucks in our area tend to be more active at sunset vs sunrise, so the chances of me hitting one as the sun is going down is more probable. Therefore, if he runs it could bea while before I find him (thick woods) which would thenbeat night.

A hunter who shot at a buck with us last year swore he hita deer (he was using a 270) we looked all over for a blood trail and could never find it. The guy is an amazing shot and was sure he hit the deer. But, if the blood trail was faint we could have easily missed it. This is why I really want a gun that has quick knock down power. However, I am starting to realize thatshot placement may be more of a factor than caliber.

RE: 30-30
 

Someone raised the issue of the new pointed nose 30-30 rounds. Is it safe to assume that they can make the 30-30 a 200+ yards gun. They have some camo and stainless steel Marlin Lever actions with 24 inch barrels out now that are sweet looking guns. But then again they are also putting them out now in a 308 round which I am not sure if the standard 308 or some hybrid version.

RE: 30-30
 

That is correct! Shot placement is the most important thing. You owe that animal that much at least.

RE: 30-30
 

I have two lever action 30-30's (1-winchester and 1-Marlin). Both have been very good. As others say, if you plan on under 200 yds. then it most certianly will do the trick.

RE: 30-30
 

The .308 Marlin is not the same as the .308 Win.

RE: 30-30
 

Yeah, "knockdown power" is kind of a misnomer. If you think about the physics... For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction... the bullet isn't really hitting the deer any harder than your gun is recoiling against your shoulder. The difference being that the bullet impact is more focused rather than spread by reason of the weight of the weapon, and the recoil is spread across the size of the butt. The actual "knockdown" is more a factor of shot location than the power of the bullet.

RE: 30-30
 

The .270 is definitely NOT overkill. The three most commonly used deer cartridges are the .270, .30-06, and the .308. And as others have said, the .30-30 has more than enough power to kill these animals. As for ballistics, the .270, .30-06 and .308 are better. Although, Hornady I believe, has made a "soft tip" ballistic tip round for lever action rifles. The .30-30 does not kick as much also as an added bonus. Over all, there is nothing wrong with the .30-30, but you'll get more range and power with your relatives .270.

RE: 30-30
 

Thanks!! That was a good explanation.

RE: 30-30
 

The problem is people get led into believing they NEED a .270 or 30-06 to hunt deer with. When in actuality they are a bit overkill. Unless you intend on shooting long distances or larger animals they just are not needed. The honest to god truth is deer just are not that tough. They have lots of stamina and can run pretty far if they want to, but they are not a tough animal. It doesn't take much to lethally wound one or put a bullet through one if you hit in the right spot.

People kill deer regularly with traditional and modern muzzle loaders, shotguns, and large bore handguns. Quite a few states will not allow anything else, I live in one of them. They work quite well on deer at average distances from 50-150 yards and many can be pushed to 200 yards or so if you have the skill and the gun is accurate enough. The power is there for sure to kill an animal built like a deer.

A 30-30 at the same distances is more than enough, as is a .243 and a 25-06. If you live in an area that has thick cover I really can't think of a better weapon than a 30-30 or a .44 magnum lever action carbine. Probably not the best weapon if you live out west or where longer shots will be likely. Like 200 + yards at larger animals like mule deer or elk or something. You could probably still do it if you were a good marksman though.

If I could use centerfires where I live there are two guns that would be on my short list to purchase. A nice bolt action .243 and a marlin 30-30 lever action. Heck I would even be happy with a .357 lever gun actually.

My opinions anyway.

Paul

RE: 30-30
 

By the way, read this study about dropping deer with a high powered rifle. Nothing guarantees dropping a deer where it stands. I have seen 20 ga slugs do it and 300 mags not do it. You are better off shooting a gun you enjoy and can shoot proficiently. There is a big difference in the handling and recoil of a 7mm mag and a 30-30. I wouldn't be shooting the former unless I really needed it.

If someone gave me a 30-30 as a gift I would feel inclined and proud to take a deer with it. It just wouldn't feel right leaving it behind and shooting someone elses rifle. That's me though.

South Carolina DNR Game Study
Good luck with what ever you decide to hunt with.
Paul

RE: 30-30
 

Paul: That's a really interesting article. I wish they could have done more with this part of the study:

With the small sample sizes among the various calibers, the statistics could be skewed by virtue of the hunters' shot selection (i.e. behind shoulder, through shoulder, etc.).

RE: 30-30
 

If you liked that read this one.


Shooting Holes in Wounding Theories
The mechanics of terminal ballistics

It is a bit long and technical in some places but pretty interesting on the whole.

Paul

RE: 30-30
 

yeah. i think it's a great rifle

RE: 30-30
 

\

I read the first study all the way through, it brought up a lot of good points in particularthat caliber isn't as important as we all thought. Shot placement is key, and a sure way to drop a deer in its tracks is to hit the spine. However, a well placed shot to the lung or heartwill only allow the avg deer to run at a max of somewhere around 50ish yards. Wow, I never realized how vital shot placement was. Ihave always been concerned about getting a cannon to knock them down with, turns out I was wrong (not the first time, ask my wife ;))

Now, the second study wasa little tootechnicalfor me. I am far from being a math genius and the data was jargon tome with the exceptionof a few things. I really appreciate you posting both studies, it really opened my eyes. I am gratefulfor my 30-30 and will proudly take a deer with that rifle.

RE: 30-30
 

That's the only rifle I use..I've never had a deer run past 3 yds after he's been hit. I lov emy 30-30 Marlin. The local range is only 50 yds and this baby has groups the size of a quarter.

RE: 30-30
 

Ask the non-believers if they will submit to this test..they take their favorite cartridge and you take your 30/30..since the 30/30 won't shoot 100 yards and will never kill anything, they give you the first shot in the dual...see how many will take you up on that bet...after all the 30/30 won't hit anything and it's not powerful enough, right!!!!

I saw this once ina bar when a couple of guys were busting on an ole' timer about his thirty thirty...NO ONE TOOK HIM UP ON THE OFFER..end of story!!

RE: 30-30
 

If we were to disect this thread and look at who loves the 30-30 and who has no time for it I'm sure we would see a pattern of where people are from.
I have an iron sighted Win94 30-30 that gets used just as often as my scoped stainless Tikka .308 bolt simply based on where I'm going.
In the bush = 30-30
Near water or power line = .308

I've posted this pic many times (lots of times on 30-30 argument threads), its a big Canadian deer (my 1st buck), and I wasn't sorry that I was carrying my lever gun.

RE: 30-30
 

Quote by Paul Mohr:

Very well said Paul! ;)

I have always used my Remington 30-06 to Deer Hunt with and have never lost a Deer when I shot it,I have been wanting to get me a smaller caliber gun for many years and finally bought a Browning .243 Bolt Action Rifle because I wanted a rifle with less recoil than the 30-06.I must say that I love shooting the .243 so much better and have shot better groups with it then the 30-06.I have been hunting with my .243 with the Hornady 100 grain bullets for the past 2 years and have shot several deers with it and have not lost any because of the smaller .243 caliber.Shot placement is a big factor in Harvesting a deer.I have several friends that hunt with a 30-30 and they simply love their gun because of the versatility of the 30-30 Rifle!

RE: 30-30
 

I haven't seen anyone on this thread "who has no time for" the .30-30. I think it's been pretty unanimous... Great deer rifle with a max effective range of about 200 yards.

RE: 30-30
 

Same switch I made. I used a Model 700 .30-06 on my first several deer hunts. Never really cared for the recoil... I got my son a Model 7 .243 Youth rifle for his 12th birthday, and I really liked his, so when Bass Pro had a sale on Model 700 .243's for $249, I got one for myself. The .243 is a pleasure to shoot, and the deer I've shot haven't run any farther after being shot with the .243 than they did with the .30-06. In fact, thinking back, they've probably run less after being hit with the .243 than with the '06... I've been using Remington Express 100 gr. PSP Core Lokt's.

RE: 30-30
 

Haven't used mine in a while, but I loved it when I was younger. I have a 30-30 Marlin lever action, and killed many deer with it. I tried not to shoot past 100-120 yds with it. I was very comfortableon a couple ofMaine and New York hunting trips(I shot my first Maine buck with it when I was 16...200lb 3 pointer), light weight, quick to the shoulder, and dead on at 100.

RE: 30-30
 

Great looking deer!!!! You guys have me convinced, I will stick with the 30-30 and the nice thing is I hunt in only the bush. I have had a few friends dog the 30-30, but they are just baised to their bigger calibers. I almost fell for the illusion that I needed a 7mm mag to bring a deer down, that is simply not true. I am going to work on my accuracy this weekend I just bought some Remington Corelokt 170 grain. :D

RE: 30-30
 

robbcayman,
Mine and my then 12 year old daughters first deerwerehad bythe business end of a Marlin 30-30. Hers was at 125 yards. mine at around 35-40.
Neither one of those deer liked being hit by it very much.

My 30-30- was my first gun and a gift also. It is my favorite gun. If i know i will not have a shot longer than 150 i will take my 30-30 or the muzzleloader every time.

Although I have a 7mmmag there is absolutly no need for it over the 30-30 under 150 -200 yards for a deer

RE: 30-30
 

i have a 30-30 and i love it. i think they are good enough to deer hunt with and have never had a deer to run far at all with it. they are a good short range brush gun