30-30 Cal. too small?

S

sureshots

New member
Where has the 30-30 Cal. gone? The 30-30 Cal. throughout all the years has undisputedly been the most famous Cal. of all. Our ancestors fed thier families with these guns of old. Modern,so called experts snub their noses at this so called obsolete Cal. Gun makers pass this Cal. by when they bring out the new models. With all the improvments made in this Cart. (30-30cal) by Hornady and other Mgfs. why shouldn't the 30-30 Cal. still be one of the most popular Cal. for whitetail deer? Ever seen A Bolt Action 30-30 cal?
 
It's far from gone, it's just not the latest miracle cure-all caliber that the magazine writers are all drooling over. There are millions of .30-30's in gun safes and in the hands of deer hunters. It always has been and always will be. It's never going to be gone because it's a generation to generation thing. My family has had two deer calibers for as long as anyone can trace it--.30-06 and .30-30. That's an ingrained part of what deer hunting is to us. Neither one of them are headliners but both put deer down and they stay there, and have for a hundred years. A bullet doesn't stop working just because it goes out of style. It just may not be making headlines for new sales because there's so many out there that a lot of folks already have theirs and/or are buying them used.
 
Or inherit them. I too was brought up with the 30-30 and the .06 as the deer rifles in the house. Dad also competition shot locally, and the 30.06 did double duty there in a 1903 Sprg.

My little bro inherited the 30-30 Winchester 94. I got the 30.06 Sprg. I borrow my brothers Winchester most deer seasons. He has since bought a couple more, and the close brush northern NY offers for deer isn't so condusive to that long '03.
 
Experienced hunters usually consider the standard 150grn SP to be about a 150 to 200 yd max caliber. With the new Hornady LeverEvolution bullets, maximum range is extended out to about 250 yds. I sight mine in 3" high at about 120 yds. This puts me dead on at about 200 yds and about 3" low at 250 yds. That is plenty of range for 95% of all deer here in Florida.
 
Nuthin wrong with the 30/30 or any other 30 caliber. It sure isn't too small for medium sized game at appropriate distances.
 
+1 on above. The 30-30 is classic. It won't be leaving any time soon with the millions upon millions of rifles out there. I started with a borrowed 30-30 before being able to pony up the $ on a bolt .308.
 
Ever seen A Bolt Action 30-30 cal?
Click to expand...

I bought one fro my daughter, Rem 788
The rimmed case makes for difficult box magazine usage.
I was told to be extra careful when loading the magazine, not to get the rimmed cases out of alignment. I don't know where that originated but i think its more speculation than "Been th, done that"
There are just to many other good cartridges available to mess with the 30-30.
 
30-30

The 30-30 cartridge is probably one of the best there is for beginning hunter's. Can anybody think of any centerfire ammo that is cheaper to buy?? For practice?? Certainly a new hunter is not yet a reloader?? The recoil of the 30-30 is very manageable. The rimmed cartridge is probably the best type of cartridge for a single shot rifle. And certainly one of the greatest rifles of all times is a lever action Winchester or Marlin??

I know people who have hunted their entire life with the 30-30 cartridge in a fast handling, quick reloading, light weight, inexpensive lever action 30-30. It may not be a long range big booming magnum, but they call it hunting, not shooting. Tom.
 
For cheap practice, I think the edge goes to the .223, but I'll take a .308 bullet over a .224 bullet for everything but punching holes in paper.
 
Stevens30-30.jpg


This is an older Stevens in 30-30. Note the butter handle bolt and tasteful trigger guard. Savage version model 340 did not have these two features. Savage stopped production in mid-1980's due to slow sales. But they're very good rifles.

My favorite Savage 30-30 was the model 219 single shot with European styling. I had one rechambered to 30-30 PO Ackley Improved and replicated 150 grain 300 Savage ballistics with 130 grain pointed Speer bullet. It shot very impressive 200 yard groups.

30-30 carbines and rifles are here to stay. In 2008, two new models have dawned from Henry and Mossberg. Hunters have never had so many choices.

Improved ammo by Hornady has extended range and flattened trajectory for this older cartridge. Remington even offers managed recoil ammo for 30-30 which makes it a natural for new shooters to develope skills.

30-30 is keeper!

Jack
 
That is A really neat rifle. I like that Bolt. I have A new TC Icon with the Butterknife bolt. If I see right the safey is built in the trigger guard. I like this also. You know what they say,"A picture is worth A thousand words", thanks
 
Got a 30/30 in the safe now. Take it out ever deer season. But your question is almost like asking "Why don't they put fins on Cadillacs anymore?";)
 
The only reason I'm currently not hunting deer with my 30-30 is that the rules recently changed in the county I hunt to require that any Bucks shot have a minimum of 4 pts on at least one side. I'd rather have a scoped rifle if I need to count points and I refuse (and my father requested that I don't as well) to scope on the 30-30 that he handed down to me.

Mav
 
Last edited:
I actually started hunting deer more often with iron sighted 30-30s and .32 WCFs, more of a challenge than a scoped .270. I have to test my skills as a hunter and get closer with an iron sighted leveraction that I would with a scoped rifle. The 30-30 is coming for an elk hunt next fall, plenty of gun if the range is right. My ancestors did it, the cartride hasn't changed, it will still kill dear and elk deader than hell.
 
The 30-30 winchester is my all time favorite caliber. I never intend to be without one. If I had to give up all of my rifles the Marlin 336 would be a keeper. From white tail deer to black bear coyotes and everything between the 30-30 does the job.
If you cannot take deer with a 30-30 you need some hunting lessons. You simply do not need a magnum caliber rifle to take a deer or a black bear.
 
30/30's are great...they don't have the "sexy" apeal of a mega flat trajectory, but seriously, how many deer are REALLY shot over 200 yds anyway? yes there are some, but all in all, most are under 150...not saying it won't kill a deer farther...it will, you just have to know your gun.
 
.30-30

I think of the lever gun when 30-30 is mentioned.
I owned a bolt 30-30 once. I think it was a ted williams something or another.
I have a .30-30 contender that shoots great.
I had a bad experiance with a .30-30 lever gun and never bought one.
However I have a .35 remington lever gun that is awesome to 125 yards.
Deer act as if they have been hit with a sledge hammer.
 
The 30-30 isn't gone. It is just that we use them without having some silly sports writer along to write a story about them and make a buck. Mine kills hogs every chance they get, and they do it well.
 
I doubt the American deer hunter (Any american for that matter) will ever see the demise of the .30-30. I too think of the lever gun when thinking of that round. The only more reliable common hunting rifle than the Lever Gun is possibly a bolt action. My first 3 deer were shot with a model 94 Winchester and I wasn't even 13 yet!:D Head shot all three and than grampa goes and tells me of this magic spot called a "vital zone" and how he had intended to get my first deer head mounted.. than second... than third... than I missed out on hunting with him again and never did get a mount!:mad: I simply cannot think of a better round in a better gun for my southern brush filled woods for hunting deer. I would like to add a .30-06 for big hogs and deer at greater distance but picking from the available brands configurations and measurements is hard! Basically a levergun is a one size fits all shooter for typical 65-150 yard shots and NO GUN/RIFLE is as easy to point quickly or regain the target for second shot follow up if needed!
Brent
 
New models

The modern trend in rifles now days seems to be lite weight rifles. Most of the lever actions are usually A little on the heavy side. Don't you think if the gun companys offered the 30-30 cal in some of these light bolt actions they would be A hit? The low recoil of this cal. would be A nice match for one of these light weights.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top