.30-30 or .45-70?

THe .30-30 has far more utility

THe .45-70 is an awesome cartridge, but not as much of a 'do everything' kind of truck gun that a .30-30 would be.
 
If you reload, then 45-70 is a lot more friendly than the 30/30. Case life is awesome, and you can go from accurate recoilless 100yd loads to wall crushers. I ditched my 30/30s and shoot four different 45-70s now.
 
I've thought about picking up a Marlin .45-70 for years but just when I'm on the edge of jumping into the pool I wonder, "why?". One answer is "because I can and I want to" and if you just want to own a thumper you can't do better than .45-70. As a practical matter there are better rounds for almost every hunting/self-defense function.

If you want a lever then go with the .44Mag as suggested above to shoot lower cost than the .45-70. I've got 3 of them, all Marlins, and they digest Specials or Mag which is good enough for deer and black bear and hogs. Unless you are concerned about brown/grizzly bear the .44Mag has all the power you need. The .30-30 is a great deer round and the 336 has got to be one of America's most common rifles. And .308 is probably the most versatile round of all -- you can download for lower recoil or upload to take anything in the Lower 48, flat trajectory, longer effective distance for ethical hunting than the .45-70.
 
The two calibers are so radically different I don't see how they can compete for the same job. I have 2 rifles in 30-30 and 2 in 45/70 and they do not compare at all.

The 45/70 will kick harder...a lot harder. Ammo will cost more...a lot more. Reloading helps a lot but still more costly than the 30-30. For most general purpose shooting/hunting I would recommend the 30-30. The 45/70 is sort of a special purpose caliber.

My 2 cents...
 
If you reload, then 45-70 is a lot more friendly than the 30/30.
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Not to your wallet, unless you are casting your own bullets from free lead....... even then, you'd get a lot more shooting done with the same pound of lead shooting the .30/30.
 
Just what is that?
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All those versions of lever actions chambered in .30-30 have a base no frills version do they not?

Or was it the phrase "off the rack" that gave you pause? That means ready made, or common stock on hand. As opposed to custom or special order goods.
 
I already have a .30-06 for hunting and I doubt either would replace it except maybe in dense brush (but that is uncommon where I hunt in NM) I really just want a lever gun because they are awesome. For me recoil is not an issue and with either I will handload at least most of my ammunition. I am torn between the practicality of the .30-30 and the sheer awesomeness of the .45-70.
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1 awesome +1 awesome = 47-70!
Cast your own, load your own, and have double awesome fun making big holes in things.:D
 
I had a Marlin 45-70 for a while. I even killed one deer with it using a reduced 300gr load going about 1600fps. Worked just fine. I didn't shoot the gun much so I sold it. I still have two 30-30s. One Marlin and one Winchester. I prefer that round. Thats what I would recommend getting if it were for myself.

I have over a thousand pieces of brass. lots of jacketed bullets and a new bullet mould I need to put to work. The suggestion of a 44 mag is a good one. I have one of those and also a 357 mag both from Marlin. The 357 is my favorite firearm.

If I were to get another big bore it would be a Marlin made 444 with the 1/20 twist and Ballard rifling. But I really don't see that happening any time soon.
 
Like keg said buy both and you wount regret it ;) or take what you would of spent on a 336 and a 1895 and go buy a BLR in 308 :eek: and you'll be set...but really!! I would buy the 30 and if you like it save up and add the 45-70 then when you get tired of that add a 1894 44mg to your collection then look for a 38/357 while you enjoy the 3 you have then after you have the 38/357 might as well add a lever action 22lr or mag....it doent stop:D.
 
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