It didn't start to get underrated until after 1950. Prior to that it was very highly thought of.
In the 1960's - 1970's it was well thought of by hunters, but gun enthusiasts and those who write magazine articles began to look down their noses at the 30-30. By 1980, it was truly underrated..... which is a real shame. It is a great cartridge.
Now that I am older and much more skeptical, I realize that Gunwriters are shills for the industry, sock puppets really, and if they happen to have degree in French or Journalism, they are over educated for their jobs.
Their job is product promotion. Have no doubt that sales are tracked after each printed infomercial and only those which consistently push sales numbers get those all expense paid writer’s symposiums, plant tours, hunting trips, free equipment and future commissions.
If you look at it this way, then it makes sense that they would be pooh-poohing the 30-30 in the Weatherby era of ultra high velocity cartridges and until now. Their job is to push the new, new thing, and 30-30’s are not that at all.
The funny thing is, the “tactical” cartridges now on the market, the 6.8 the guns in 7.62 X39, which they are shilling, they are just at 30-30 performance levels.
Which all goes to prove that the only real qualification for a gun writer is a flexible large colon. One that the industry can stick its arm up, so they can flap the gunwriters jaw.
Within 200 yards the 30-30 is a fine cartridge. I would not attempt to shoot something over that range as that is a long shot for a 150 grain bullet at 2250 fps (out of my Marlin) but within reasonable trajectory distances, it will do the job.