30-30 Get's no respect!

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Jack O'Conner

New member
Kforkybuck-1.jpg


This is my eldest daughter and a HUGE buck she took with my 30-30 Winchester carbine with angle-eject feature. The 150 grain Silver Tip SUPER X bullet did not bounce off at all. The animal became wobbily at the shot and toppled over after just a few steps. This buck weighed 262 lbs after field dressing which means it had a live weight over 300 lbs!

The "experts" recommend 25-06 as a minimum for hunting western mule deer. But apparently this buck did not read that article!

Jack
 
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Abel

New member
A buddy of mine hunts whitetail with a 300 WSM but won't shoot a deer past 100 yds, the sad part for him is that he didn't know any better but went off what the salesman told him.
Click to expand...

He could have saved a grip o' cash on ammo if he'd have bought a 30-30 lever action. 100 yards is like a hot knife through butter with a 30-30!
 
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hickstick_10

New member
I tried to hunt one year with my scoped 300 win mag (was my dads)

Imagine going through brush and walking carrying the firearm equivalent of a roadworkers stop sign, major pain in the a$$. Slow to the shoulder, slow to cycle, heavy.

Everyone should get the chance to try hunting with an old winchester 94 trapper, you dont even know its in your hand. Quick to the shoulder and damn near points itself.

I wish I bought a couple more of those rifles, there just a pleasure to shoot and hunt with.
 
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qwman68

Moderator
i have owned 2 30-30 rifles and have no problem with them.. they are good for killing deer at about 100 yards.. there are alot better calibers out there that will do that and then some. i just like em cause it makes me feel like THE DUKE..
 
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Dougw47

New member
30-30's and recoil...

Someone said a 30-30 rifle that was a lb heavier than a .308 would have more recoil...hmmmm.

Anyway, at 14...I shot my first 30-30 and thought it really kicked harder than a .303 Brit. Today, not so. I like my Winchester 94 and when I go out into the woods, it is easy to carry, fast to shoulder and quick on the target. Kills hogs like lightning as fast as I can pick one out.

Of course, the shots are 50-75 yards or so. I know people back East, that woods hunt, that never take a shot over that distance. They seem to swear by the lever action and 30-30 and 35 Rem cartridges. Different strokes, I guess.

I think I read Winchester made 7 million 94's...must have been pretty popular.
 
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9x19

New member
When my father in law passed away (his early 50s), I inherited his "Deer Rifle".

It shoots Remington factory 150 grain loads very well, and does even better (1.5" -2" @ 100 yards) with my own handloads (Hornady 130 SSP). It has accounted for a lot of deer, both with my F-I-L and for my son... he quit using it when he got his own rifle in .308. :D

Springfield 840 in .30/30 with Bushnell 1.5x - 4.5x 21mm
s8402.jpg
 
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.300 Weatherby Mag

New member
I fall under the "new generation" classification but I am better informed than most that think you need a boomer for whitetail... Not only did I acquire a 30-30 but I acquired a pre-64 model 94 manufactured in 1919 :D... Not all of us want black rifles that spit little bullets... Some of us want steel, wood and iron sights... There is just something sexy about a carbine style lever gun...
 
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jmr40

New member
Someone said a 30-30 rifle that was a lb heavier than a .308 would have more recoil...hmmmm.


I said the FELT recoil would be about the SAME. With the better designed stocks on bolt rifles and modern recoil pads vs the stocks with no pads on most leverguns you will find a 6 lb 308 to be a pretty soft shooting rig.
 
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Rob96

New member
How do you think I feel when I take my Marlin 1895GG in 45/70 out and my buddies look at my and say "How archaic", when they have their 300 Win Mags on their shoulders.:p
 
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youp

New member
Lots of deer have been hoodwinked into death by under this powered cartridge. I personally find them too light for deer. I cannot bring myself to hunt deer with anything less than my Great Uncles' 32 Winchester Special, model 94 of course.:rolleyes:

Now my middle son is a different story, he seems to think that his 3030 is completely capable for deer and even black bear. I try to convince him that he needs a more powerful round. Goofy, disrespectful Young'un he is, just points to the game pole, smiles and walks away.:confused:
 
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jhenry

New member
The last deer I took with a 30-30 (M94 with a Sourdough front sight and Williams peep) dropped like a rock. It would not have dropped any faster if it had been hit by space debris. That setup is easy to carry, light and fast to the shoulder. A great woods gun. In that area I would be hard pressed to find an open lane 100 yards long. Very hard pressed.
 
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rodwhaincamo

New member
The 30-30 definately has it's place. For me though, I don't care much for limiting my range to 150 yds when I can have a rifle of similar dimensions and weight that fire boattails which can double or triple my range. I've been strongly considering a 30-30 barrel for a Contender where I can utilize boattails and reach out to twice the standard loads' range, or even Ackley Improving to get an additional 50-100 yds.
 
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CajunBass

New member
I'm not a youngster, but I bought a deer rifle this year. A Marlin 336, in 30/30. After years of hunting with a 12 ga and buckshot, I thought a rifle that would reach out and hit/kill a deer at 100 yards WAS a super whizz bang magnum. :D
 
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Yellowfin

New member
Every time I pick up a Marlin .30/30, it feels like I'm holding an American flag. The stock might as well be printed with one.
 
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kkb

New member
mapsjanhere said:
... Since lever action for hunting went out of style with John Wayne movies, the cartridge went out of style. ...
Click to expand...
* Looks over at his Win '94 Trapper in .44 and Browning BLR in .308 *

Uh-oh. I'm gonna need a new gun. :p

I've not had the pleasure of the 30-30. Seems I bracketed it, I really don't have a need for it.
 
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aarondhgraham

New member
It's an odd thing,,,

I am a single-shot fieryarm lover,,,
Rifles and pistolas both.

I have two H&R rifles that I absolutely love to shoot.

Go to their website and you will see them,,,
in all of the most popular varmint and deer calibers,,,
You will also see one chambered for the venerable 30-30 cartridge.

I posted this before but I have a friend with one who hits tennis balls at 250 yards off of a bench,,,
Now he has spent a lot of time working up a good hand load for this particular rifle,,,
But I would think that H&R would not make a rifle for a obsolete round.
 
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James R. Burke

New member
Got one of my first deer with a 30-30 model 94. Were I live it is plenty of rifle for hunting here. Probable just about right. I think some folks just plain out forgot about them, like the new shooters and new rifles. Wish you could find them in more styles. A freind has a older bolt that dropped more deer than can be remembered. Like I said for here it is just about perfect for deer etc. I had the Marlin at one time and sold it stupid mistake needed the money at the time. I think some of your older proven calibers will always be here they no doubt proven themselves thru the test of time. But your correct you dont here them mentioned much anymore. But I will say when you do it is most the time good, and about good memories. It will always have my respect it has one of the most proven track records! Period.
 
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