Hooligan, to answer your question yes, you can do it. However keep the velocity down. Many long years ago I hunted the rain forest of extreme northwest California just out of the town of Rockport. Twenty-five to 35 yard shots were the rule and 50 yard long range. The only exceptions were the clear cuts. My rifle was seriously bubba'd 03 Springfield with an 18" barrel. Loads we used were the 150 (for a while) flat nose and 170 gr. flat nose bullets for the 30-30. Usually Sierra brand. I learned early on that they could be loaded down and would work beautifully, usually make one shot DRT kills on the spot. Sorry, no chronographs back in the late 1950's early 1960's but the bullets were shot in the 2400 to maybe 2500 FPS range tops. Deer if allowed to run off in that thick stuff after being shot were almost always lost.
Sad to say though, it seems bullet makers are dropping round nose bullets faster than greased lightning. One of my all time favorites is the 170 gr Sierra RN in 7MM. Sierra dropped it so far back that I don't remember when, Probably close to 25 years. Hornady I believe had dropped the 160 gr. 6.5 MM and 175 gr. 7MM bullets as well. Dunno if Sierra still sells the 180 gr. RN but that bullet was hell on some big Mule Deer in Nevada back in the mid 70's. I pushed those to an estimate 2600 FPS from a .308 and it smacked deer down hard.
If your bullets are for the 30-30, keep your velocity down to 2400 FPS and they'll work to 200 yards easy. I did catch a few of those California deer out in the clear cuts every once in a while.
Paul B.
Sad to say though, it seems bullet makers are dropping round nose bullets faster than greased lightning. One of my all time favorites is the 170 gr Sierra RN in 7MM. Sierra dropped it so far back that I don't remember when, Probably close to 25 years. Hornady I believe had dropped the 160 gr. 6.5 MM and 175 gr. 7MM bullets as well. Dunno if Sierra still sells the 180 gr. RN but that bullet was hell on some big Mule Deer in Nevada back in the mid 70's. I pushed those to an estimate 2600 FPS from a .308 and it smacked deer down hard.
If your bullets are for the 30-30, keep your velocity down to 2400 FPS and they'll work to 200 yards easy. I did catch a few of those California deer out in the clear cuts every once in a while.
Paul B.