Just for thought "the 30/30"

V

VTR996

New member
I hear guys talk about the 30/30 not being enough gun for them and such...well me and a buddy went shooting the other day and I drug out my hand me down 94 30/30..We were shooting mostly pistols..357,.38,.45,and 22's.I have a metal target made of 1/2" thick galvanized steel we were shooting at,the spinner type.I load some pretty powerful loads in my blackhawk and redhawk,they would splatter and make a little indention on the steel..this is at a 50yd distance..Well just for giggles I tried it w/the 30/30 and I was impressed.It left about a 3/16" deep crater in the steel with a 150gr soft point bullet.

I'm not saying the 30/30 is the most powerful but it is no weakling either.
 
30/30 has fed many a family over the years. In the hands of a hunter it will do the job. Pass on the less than ideal shots and take the more sure ones.

Lincoln Town Car or Dodge Colt......either will get you there.

Sam
 
There is a weird myth around that almost any handgun is more powerful than a rifle. Every time someone comes out with a hot new handgun round, some idiot gun writer will tout it as more powerful than .30-30, .30-'06, .375 Weatherby, .600 Express, or whatever. This is all silly. With very few exceptions, the cartridges commonly considered rifle cartridges have simply more of everything than handgun rounds, whether fired from a handgun or a rifle.

The .30-30 is a perfectly fine rifle for light game (read: deer) at reasonable ranges.

Jim
 
A buddy of mine has a Marlin 336 30.30 that I've been trying to beg, borrow, steal, buy, trade for, for over a year. He won't let it go. The darn thing will group 3 shots, inside an inch (two usually touching) at 100 yards from the bench. Damn I want that rifle!!! And he's probably got a 50 dollar Bushnell scope on it.
 
It is amusing to see how "aroused" (searching for a better word but my mind is blank) :p some guys get when they get a 454 or other big honkin handgun. The same guys would sniff at a lowly 30/30 which is only about 3X as effective as their massive "hogleg."

Must be the pheromones related to 2400 and large chunks of lead?
 
The last mule deer I killed with my Win. 94 .30-30 (pre '64), was at about 95 yards, using open sights, with factory Rem. 170 gr. JSP ammo. One shot and the buck buckled over. On the off side of the deer was a hole not quite the size of a tennis ball.

I have a good friend who, along with his wife, does a great deal of back country hiking, camping, exploring, etc. He is never without his Win. Trapper, in .30-30. Easy to pack, lightweight, and always there. Good for whatever might come along, such as two legged predators.

Just as with a good .22 rifle and handgun, I'd not be without my .30-30.
 
.30-30 is good for deer and hogs. It's quite similar to 7.62x39. It's not really underpowered for hunting in NA unless you are going against elk, moose, or bear... and even then, you only need to step up to .30-06.

And, as to handguns being more powerful than rifles:

Your average "anemic" .223/5.56 NATO has muzzle energy of 1200 ft/lbs at the muzzle out of a 20" barrel.

.44 Mag only gets up to around 950 ft/lbs, and you're not going to hit anything easily past 75, 100 yards.
 
Vtr996

Be careful shooting steel targets at such a close range. My buddy got hit with a ricochet from a 30 .06 rifle in the leg very close to the Femoral artery. It is still in him. He lucked ouch, I mean out

That being said, The 30 30 has killed many a deer. I dont think you would have a problem out to 100-150 yds, But I would prefer more weapon if you are shooting further.
 
30/30

I like a good 30-30 for a lot of my shooting, as it will do the job when handled correctly and loaded correctly, . It is a lot more capable than most people think. I cast 170 gr. bullets for my 30-30s and they will load right up to factory ballistics with out leading or lossing accuracy. My sons and I can regularly ring the 300yd. gong with them with open sights. Thats to far for a hunting shot, but easy enough to do for fun. I think that every American should own at least 1 30-30 and a good handgun. Its the code of the West isn't it?
 
Its highly likely that more n. american game has fallen to the 30-30 than any other ctg out there.

30-06 being a close second.
 
It is amusing to see how "aroused" (searching for a better word but my mind is blank) some guys get when they get a 454 or other big honkin handgun. The same guys would sniff at a lowly 30/30 which is only about 3X as effective as their massive "hogleg."
Click to expand...

454 Casull 335gr HardCast 1600fps for 1905 ft/lbs in a 7.5" barrel

30-30 Winchester 170 grain jacketed 2200 fps for 1827 ft/lbs in a 20" barrel

Ok, the bullet is 2X as heavy, is much wider, and produces more energy. This is all in a barrel that is 12.5" shorter than the 30-30. Put them in equal length barrels and the .454 absolutely KILLS the 30-30.

The .454 is certainly a better large game round. Energy isn't everything. The 30-30 is a very good round for whitetail deer. The .454 is a very good round for anything on this continent.

Kilgor
 
Jim Keenan makes an excellent point. The .30-30 is, in fact, several times more powerful than standard handgun cartridges and just as powerful as the .454 Casull, as I've pointed out several times. That from one of the "weaker" rifle cartridges. There's no contest between rifles and handguns, but some people will simply not be convinced.
 
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