30-30 Get's no respect!

[Deaf Smith]

had a guy tell me just yesterday that a 30-30 wouldn't go through a car windshield

Yea, just like a AK 7.62x39 would. After all, the AK round puts out a 122 gr bullet at a true 2300 from a 16 inch barrel. The 30/30 'only' gets a 150 at that same velocity.

And we all know an AK will bouce right off a windshield, right?

 

[Fat White Boy]

I forgot to add- My .30-30 is a bolt action Savage Model 340. I reload for it so I use .308 spitzer bullets. My favorite load for it is a 110gr bullet that goes down range at 2500fps. Pretty quick for a clunker...

 

[obxned]

Because a Rolex and a Ferarri are cooler than a Timex and 5-year-old pick-up truck. Flash is always cooler than stustance.

 

[James R. Burke]

In my area the good old 30-30 probably has taken more game than anything out there. Not saying there are not better or just has good of calibers. Everyone likes a certain caliber, look, style, etc. But like any rifle if used correctly it will handle anything were I live, and I still see it being use alot. There is no doubt you need certaing calibers for differnt game, but the 30-30 is a good round, and will be around for along time to come.

 

[RedneckFur]

I just picked up another 336CS for myself yesterday, and my SO picked up a new in box 336W.

The 30-30 is alive and well at my house.

 

[Grainraiser]

The first rifle I purchased was a Savage 7mm Remington. My next two rifles were a couple of Marlin 336's in 30/30. Best Hog guns I have ever used.

 

[N.H. Yankee]

I use my 30-30 to shoot mice in the cellar, since its a 30-30 it usually takes 5 or 6 shots to drop them. I was a 30-06 shooter for years, then the 308, then the 280, then the 270. Now its my Marlin 336 30-30 for deer period, drops them just as well as the above mentioned calibers!

I bet all the N.H. whitetails that dressed out over 150lbs to 175lbs, were aware they couldn't be killed by my 30-30. I reload the Speer 130gr flatnose with WW748 and they chrono at 2575fps average. Devastating on deer, flat shooting, and I get 1 1/2 inch's or under for 5 shots at 100 yards grouping.

I think some of the bad publicity comes from weak factory ammo with poor performing bullets. I've seen deer shot with a 7mm Remington mag that were hard to recover, or not recovered because the bullet wasn't of right design for a whitetail. Just a pencil hole in and out, and little to no blood trail to follow, the 30-30 was basically designed for deer and most are light and fast handling. A hard gun to beat, especially for the New England woods.

 

[Abel]

I think some of the bad publicity comes from weak factory ammo with poor performing bullets.

I have heard about this weak factory ammo. It must have been around during the 90's. All reports that I have heard are that if your particular rifle can shoot the cheap Federal stuff from Wally World, go for it. The bullets perform as advertised. I have personally used the Remington Cor-Lokt and Winchester Power Point factory ammo with great results. So, maybe some of these weak factory load issues were worked out prior to my ownership of 30-30 and 35 caliber carbines.

 

[mavracer]

Whenever I see threads like these I harken back to stories my father told me.
Dad was born in '29 as such was a prime teen hunter shortly after ww2.One of his stories was of a hunter/guide from Rifle,Colorado.As the stories go this gentleman was in his late 50's or early 60's and had fed his family for years on Mule Deer and Elk.His armorment a Winchester '94 30/30 no scope and no leverevolutions, just a masterful hunter who would get the shot he wanted and then make it.

 

[Wrothgar]

I like my Win Model 94 AE XTR just fine and would feel comfortable taking just about any deer.

I think its just fine to not have a scope. I feel better hunting without it (feels more sporting).

 

[James R. Burke]

Also I believe the 35 calibers are very good. Will do the job on anything around my neck of the woods, but you dont see many people with them.

 

[Dougw47]

30-30's

I noticed on the web that Winchester and assoc's admit to selling over 7 million Model 94's the vast majority in 30-30 we know.

Marlin just gave away their 5 Millionth, I think I read...

12 million rifles must be doing something right and I bet they have taken the most venison of any game rifles.

As the first, most popular smokeless powder round, almost everything else out there has been measured and judged against the 30-30...benchmark as it was, so that it anything was bigger or smaller as long as it was faster, had to be better than the beloved 30-30.

It is what it is, a good cartridge with some limitations. I like it.

 

[Grainraiser]

As soon as I find a Winchester 30/30 for a good price I will buy it to complete my collection. The only question regarding 30/30's is should you get a Marlin or a Winchester for your first one

 

[Abel]

I love the Marlin for a couple of reasons. First, the solid top/side eject is better for mounting a scope. And second, the bolt comes out easily, which is great for manually bore sighting and cleaning.

 

[Lavid2002]

30-30 is garbage

lol jk

 

[TMackey]

The only question regarding 30/30's is should you get a Marlin or a Winchester for your first one

Doesn't matter as long as you end up with both.

 

[StainlessButcher]

This is a topic near and dear to my heart. I'm a huge fan of any .30 caliber rifle, but the 30-30 was the first rifle I ever took on a deer hunt. Admittedly, I didn't shoot a deer with it, it was still my first hunt. I own a 1955 Winchester model 94 that I would guesstimate to be in about 85% of perfect condition. It's been in my family since I was a wee young un, and it was the rifle I took on that first hunt. To date, some 40 years later, I still have not taken a deer with it, but not for lack of trying. Seems the deer only come out where I can see them when I've got my -06 instead of the winchester. Next year, I'll be taking both, and my wife will be taking her Mosin Nagant (yeah, it's a .30 cal too) Hopefully we'll fill the freezer.

Butch.

 

[ropencut]

I have a model 94 I bought at the horse sale at Lubbock TX. about 20 yrs ago. I've shot it more than anything I own except my .22's. I get along real well as long as I havent been reading about how terrible a round the 30-30 is, and start holding high. If I just lay my front sight on my target and sqeeze off it hits where I' m aiming( amazing how that works).

 

[Maromero]

Winchester 94T. It's a grownups version of the bb Red Ryder What else can I say.

 

[HighStrung]

N.H. Yankee Quote~"I use my 30-30 to shoot mice in the cellar, since its a 30-30 it usually takes 5 or 6 shots to drop them".

I seriously just spit pepsi all over my computer. That 5th or 6th shot must've got a vital. Great post.

I've just learned that I'm inheriting at Win 94 in 30-30, don't know anything about it yet but very excited to find out. Dad says it from back in the 50's so I'm anxious to get the numbers on it and do a little research. It's said to be in perfect order, just hasn't fired in a long time. It was regularly taken out for cleaning, just not for shooting. In Indiana we're still not able to use high powered rifles for deer so this will make a fun/sentimental peice for my collection.