bullfrog99
New member
has anyone taken deer with the .30 carbine round, I know it isn't the best for the job but i'm interested if it could be done if it needed to be(shtf)
.30 carbine for deer?
- Thread starter bullfrog99
- Start date
Edward429451
Moderator
We just covered the 30 carbines stopping power in another thread. In its 110 gr loading, its about twice as powerful as a 110 gr 357 mag.
A buddy of mine has taken too numerous to count deer with a 22 mag, so I think the 30 carbine would have zero problems there. I think it would be wise to stick with head shots though.
A buddy of mine has taken too numerous to count deer with a 22 mag, so I think the 30 carbine would have zero problems there. I think it would be wise to stick with head shots though.
Ok, what about the .30 & feral hog?
I've been invited back to Texas to do some hog erradication and would like to take my son along (14yrs). Not enough rifles to go around and he shoots the carbine pretty good.
I figure if you're carrying a 30 round mag you can pump enough rounds to take one out. Not that I believe in "spray & pray" but the .30's knockdown power is lacking.
I've been invited back to Texas to do some hog erradication and would like to take my son along (14yrs). Not enough rifles to go around and he shoots the carbine pretty good.
I figure if you're carrying a 30 round mag you can pump enough rounds to take one out. Not that I believe in "spray & pray" but the .30's knockdown power is lacking.
Art Eatman
Staff in Memoriam
A serious problem is the ball ammo. How far is that hog gonna run before he dies? About the only point of aim on a hog, for the Carbine, is the eye or the earhole.
Buy the kid a good used 94 or some such thing! Or most any 7mm military rifle. Get him enough ammo to practice with. Put on a buttpad, if necessary.
I weighed 120 pounds when I got my first '06, just for a reference point; dunno how big is your youngun.
In general, I wouldn't use a Carbine on any serious game animal, even with handloaded soft points. They're okay for coyotes on down.
$0.02, Art
Buy the kid a good used 94 or some such thing! Or most any 7mm military rifle. Get him enough ammo to practice with. Put on a buttpad, if necessary.
I weighed 120 pounds when I got my first '06, just for a reference point; dunno how big is your youngun.
In general, I wouldn't use a Carbine on any serious game animal, even with handloaded soft points. They're okay for coyotes on down.
$0.02, Art
The .30'll kill deer, but they don't run at you with 4" tusks & try to rip out your (son's) belly. A 150lb deer is one thing - a 400lb feral hog is a whole 'nother deal.
A 110 expanding point bullet of any caliber isn't really designed/constructed to break big bones & penetrate deeply into anything's vitals.
Far as "the .30's got 2X umph than does the .357 mag" - if I was to hunt deer with a .357, I'd use a big, heavy bullet. No comparison between the two.
Not being snotty, but how stern of mettle is your son made that he will stand fast & "pump enough rounds out?"
Personally, I wouldn't used the "l'il .30" for deer. It'll do it, but I wouldn't.
Frankly, do your son (& by extension yourself) a big favor & get him his own rifle in a suitable caliber for the intended use/game.
A 110 expanding point bullet of any caliber isn't really designed/constructed to break big bones & penetrate deeply into anything's vitals.
Far as "the .30's got 2X umph than does the .357 mag" - if I was to hunt deer with a .357, I'd use a big, heavy bullet. No comparison between the two.
Not being snotty, but how stern of mettle is your son made that he will stand fast & "pump enough rounds out?"
Personally, I wouldn't used the "l'il .30" for deer. It'll do it, but I wouldn't.
Frankly, do your son (& by extension yourself) a big favor & get him his own rifle in a suitable caliber for the intended use/game.
P
PreserveFreedom
Guest
You probably could do it, but why take the chance? Id go with a 7.62x39mm SP at the very least. Keep it humane.
Mike Irwin
Staff
Actually, for hunting, I'd say that the .30 Carbine has a lot LESS going for it, as in less bullet weight, fewer bullet choices, less bullet penetration.
Energy isn't the determining factor. It's just a handy guidestick, but as with any other guide stick, it can be deceiving.
Energy isn't the determining factor. It's just a handy guidestick, but as with any other guide stick, it can be deceiving.
I do have serious reservations about using the .30 on hogs, just wondering if anyone else had tried it. If & when we go I'll find him something to use. Last trip I took out two with a .41 mag, taking rifles next time to increase range - could've had more hogs if I'd had one the first time.
Johnny Guest
Moderator in Memoriam
SK: There's Just Something Special - - -
- - - About a kid using his (her) own gun on game. I second Art's and the others' urging about picking up an inexpensive military rifle, or a .30-30, for the hunt.
And, if that is not possible, pariah's suggestion is a good one. A bird gun with slugs is far better hawg medicine than the .30 USC.
When my sons were young enough to need my input, I wouldn't have risked either of them with the .30 carbine against the big porkers. Javelina, probably yes, but not the big ferals or crossbred Europeans. Costs a lot to raise a kid to be a good hunting companion--I didn't want to risk my investment!
As to bullfrog's original question: Most people don't consider the .30 USC a sporting proposition on whitetail deer. CAN be done, of course, but there are so many limitations as to take away many of the opportunities on a hunt. Kinda like using a .32-20. Or a rimfire, which is still legal in some states.
Best,
Johnny
- - - About a kid using his (her) own gun on game. I second Art's and the others' urging about picking up an inexpensive military rifle, or a .30-30, for the hunt.
And, if that is not possible, pariah's suggestion is a good one. A bird gun with slugs is far better hawg medicine than the .30 USC.
When my sons were young enough to need my input, I wouldn't have risked either of them with the .30 carbine against the big porkers. Javelina, probably yes, but not the big ferals or crossbred Europeans. Costs a lot to raise a kid to be a good hunting companion--I didn't want to risk my investment!
As to bullfrog's original question: Most people don't consider the .30 USC a sporting proposition on whitetail deer. CAN be done, of course, but there are so many limitations as to take away many of the opportunities on a hunt. Kinda like using a .32-20. Or a rimfire, which is still legal in some states.
Best,
Johnny
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!
I have been deer hunting since I was 17 years old. I am 57 now. DAMN that's a HALF CENTURY! Must be getting old
! I have seen one deer shot with a .30 Carbine. A friend of mine's wife used one exclusively, with the 110 grain Soft point commercial ammo to hunt with. The one deer she shot, she hit at about 30 yards square in the side........a perfect lung shot. We tracked it (by much more luck than sense) from near the main gate at Angloa (Louisiana State Prison) through the river bottom swamps all the way to Tunica Landing a little over a mile away. Like I said.......luck........not sense. Just before we got to Tunica landing another shot rang out. We got to the kill a few mins. later. A friend of ours was on stand near the landing saw the deer in the woods and dropped it. One shot in the ear from a .270. He said it was moving slowly and a little strangely. When he found out the story he wanted to give the deer to Diane because it was her first. She struck a deal with him and gave him a hindquarter. When we cleaned it we found that the bullet had gone through both lungs, and yes, it was hemmoraging through the mouth. but not as much as we thought it would have. The bullet did not exit. It was not mushroomed. The deer would have died..............eventually. It was hit square in the lungs but the bullet missed the big arteries. the reason I say the tracking was more luck than sense was due to the fact that there was not much blood at all to follow. About the only good thing I can say is there was sure no meat damage! One entry hole right between the ribs. Bullet on the hide on the off side. I just can't recommend one from what I saw..........of course as I said, I only saw one. Oh by the way it was a doe (legal because Diane had a tag) that weighed maybe 120# at the most live weight.
I have been deer hunting since I was 17 years old. I am 57 now. DAMN that's a HALF CENTURY! Must be getting old
! I have seen one deer shot with a .30 Carbine. A friend of mine's wife used one exclusively, with the 110 grain Soft point commercial ammo to hunt with. The one deer she shot, she hit at about 30 yards square in the side........a perfect lung shot. We tracked it (by much more luck than sense) from near the main gate at Angloa (Louisiana State Prison) through the river bottom swamps all the way to Tunica Landing a little over a mile away. Like I said.......luck........not sense. Just before we got to Tunica landing another shot rang out. We got to the kill a few mins. later. A friend of ours was on stand near the landing saw the deer in the woods and dropped it. One shot in the ear from a .270. He said it was moving slowly and a little strangely. When he found out the story he wanted to give the deer to Diane because it was her first. She struck a deal with him and gave him a hindquarter. When we cleaned it we found that the bullet had gone through both lungs, and yes, it was hemmoraging through the mouth. but not as much as we thought it would have. The bullet did not exit. It was not mushroomed. The deer would have died..............eventually. It was hit square in the lungs but the bullet missed the big arteries. the reason I say the tracking was more luck than sense was due to the fact that there was not much blood at all to follow. About the only good thing I can say is there was sure no meat damage! One entry hole right between the ribs. Bullet on the hide on the off side. I just can't recommend one from what I saw..........of course as I said, I only saw one. Oh by the way it was a doe (legal because Diane had a tag) that weighed maybe 120# at the most live weight.I have killed 4 deer with the carbine loaded with the hornady 100 gr plinker slug. It killed all 4 with one shot to the neck in the brush. They did not seem to hit the ground any slower then the ones I have shot with the 11mm mauser or 45-70. At 100yds use a 06 but at 30 feet in the brush the carbine with a expanding load is better. I think a carbine would be a good rifle for a person that hunts deer and does not do the deer at 400yds good thing I have a target rife bit. Also its nice to have some meat left on the deer too. If a person can not kill a deer within 100yds with a carbine they probably should take up paintball and quit reading gun rags. Or spend some time at the range burning up some ammo.
Art Eatman
Staff in Memoriam
Radom, I understand your point, but not everybody has thick-cover country in which to hunt. To judge other folks' styles of hunting by your own is not exactly the height of wisdom.
Further, a neck shot or a heart/lung shot on a deer with a .30-'06 does not waste one bit of meat I'd ever plan on carrying home.
I bring this up mostly because in my home territory, I call it luck to even see a deer inside of 200 yards. When your first chance of a shot at Ol' Bucky is out around 200 yards--or more--and he's in overdrive, you better have your act together and you had better be using some halfway serious artillery.
And I've hunted the swamps of Blountstown, Florida, with a .22 Magnum...
, Art
Further, a neck shot or a heart/lung shot on a deer with a .30-'06 does not waste one bit of meat I'd ever plan on carrying home.
I bring this up mostly because in my home territory, I call it luck to even see a deer inside of 200 yards. When your first chance of a shot at Ol' Bucky is out around 200 yards--or more--and he's in overdrive, you better have your act together and you had better be using some halfway serious artillery.
And I've hunted the swamps of Blountstown, Florida, with a .22 Magnum...
, ArtEdward429451
Moderator
If you're going to buy the boy his own rifle, might I suggest the Remington 700 ADL Synthetic Youth in 308 Win.?
I dont know what it is about the 30-30, but to me its annoyingly loud and also has more perceived recoil than a short barreled 308.
I got my 14 yr old the Remington, and its been absolutely awesome, he got a 5 pt bull elk with it last year, Iron sights, 75 yards. Perfectly through the shoulder, one shot. Its just as light and handy as a 30-30, less noise, more power, more range, better selection of bullets, and about the same price as a new 30-30.
Just my .02 cents worth. Whatever you choose, Happy Shooting.
I dont know what it is about the 30-30, but to me its annoyingly loud and also has more perceived recoil than a short barreled 308.
I got my 14 yr old the Remington, and its been absolutely awesome, he got a 5 pt bull elk with it last year, Iron sights, 75 yards. Perfectly through the shoulder, one shot. Its just as light and handy as a 30-30, less noise, more power, more range, better selection of bullets, and about the same price as a new 30-30.
Just my .02 cents worth. Whatever you choose, Happy Shooting.
bullfrog99
New member
any other sucess stories of taking deer sized game with the ol .30 carbine?
Art Eatman
Staff in Memoriam
B. 99, Phil Sharpe details a deer hunt in Germany in 1945. Guys started in on a small deer with GI ammo in their carbines. 63--yeah, 63--bullet holes later, that sucker was plumb dead.
Okay?
Art
Okay?
Art
Edward429451
Moderator
What, no headshots?
(Hey, wheres the little head-shot happy face thats supposed to be in the lineup of smilies?)
(Hey, wheres the little head-shot happy face thats supposed to be in the lineup of smilies?)
Mannlicher
New member
.30 carbine is not legal to use for deer in Florida, and rightly so.