Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Ask The Gunwriters WHY 30-30 NOT 308 Win?

Yea, he was thinking about the 308 Marlin, that's it, the rotary magazine and clip mention is a dead give away.........

The 3030 in a lightweight lever is better for young hunters; a little less recoil in the same weight rifle and less muzzle blast. Ammunition is cheaper, and cast bullets work better in the 3030.

I see the original posts point; there are great lightweight bolt action carbines chambered for the 308, which I prefer over the 3030 levers, the 308 has superior ballistics, and the additional muzzle blast and recoil is not a great amount.

If I get a lever rifle it will be a pistol caliber or something like a 45-70.

I think that the 3030 may actually start to decline, and pistol calibers along with big thumpers will rule the levers. The 308 and 708 bolt carbines will also decrease the 3030 popularity.

Steelhead: I'm not particularly a lever afectionado, so don't keep up w/all current models. However NONE of us limit our selection of guns to current production, i.e. pre 64 M70s et.al.

308s can be had in Savage 99, Win88, + BLRs and maybe others??

I'm ENJOYING the different views, and even application. Log Cutter gives me a VIEW of 30-30 I would have NEVER envisioned.

NO, not the marlin, rotary mag AS OF Savage 99 <"reading is fundamental">

KEEP ON I'M LISTENING.

JWALL
___________________

Son I Don't Know You Well Enough To Miss You........Johnny Cash

I even run several levers in 300 Savage, which ain't as good as a 308 Win either apparently.

You can get 30/30 ammo at a gas station, it's inexpensive and they are nice carrying rifles that will kill stuff just fine in the ranges that a good percentage of stuff is killed.

The 308 Marlin Express was made more from the .300 Savage(47000 psi) than the 308 Winchester(62000 psi).

Who knows whats to come from Remington(bought out Marlin) as they dropped the 450 Marlin from there 2011 catalog and Hornady quit making 450 Marlin brass.

Not a good sign!!!!

Jayco

Scott,

What stock is that on the lever gun or is the wood coated with something?

Why the 30-30? Well, to begin with, there are millions of hunting rifles so chambered in this country. The combination works. The old adage "if it ain't broke, don't fix it." is sensible and true. Many guys don't see the need in buying another rifle chambered in a cartridge that is a bit better for shooting at longer distances than the one they already have. While those of us who can be described as rifle loonies willingly accept any reason to buy yet another rifle, many serious hunters don't buy into that mind set. They use what has worked well for them for many years, the classic 30-30 lever gun.

FWIW, I have several 30-30 lever action rifles but don't usually hunt with them. I simply prefer something else. That doesn't make me question another man's choice of rifle or cartridge.

Ready for it?

Ramline

Iam thinking taraus make it rossi is taraus now .Also maybe henry also in the 308 winchester

As only a slight tangent, I frequently observe that being the first kid on the block to own something new isn't always the best idea. Often, it's best to wait until something has proved itself for a while - like a few decades - before you jump on its bandwagon.

Owners of a WSSM, a 30 TC or a Remington ETronix rifle might agree.

There are very few rounds more proven than the 30-30. The 300 Savage and the 308 are almost 60 now, plenty time to know that neither one is going to fade away any time soon. Good choices.

In 60 years, ask about the 338 Federal or the 450 Marlin or any other of the wunderkind rounds that come out every third Thursday these days. I bet few will even remember them.

There is not a leveraction made today other than Browning and Rossi(based off the Winchester '92 action), that will handle a 62,000 MAP.

Jayco

I agree,Rocky.

If you remember back a couple years ago,Marlin was coming out with the 480Ruger and 475 Linebaugh in there '95 action levergun..Had them cataloged and everything,then just dropped both..Why,Pressure on that Marlin action was to much..

I only own the basic calibers and wound't even think of buying one of the new brain childs they seem to come out with every year.

Jayco

Why not?

..........The 30-30 has served its purpose well, given its limited capabilities for well over 100+ years. Sure it works, but only up to a point. Times change as well as cartridge development.

Given the longer ranged hunting styles of today, the 30-30 won`t be the first choice out of the gun safe for most.

It is, what it is. A short to moderate ranged brush and timber cartridge, which is chambered in a handy lever carbine.

JWall,

In all seriousness, I think a lot of us older hunters started with the .30-30... And, of course, there's the romance of the "Gun that won the west"... (Altho' we mostly know it was'nt a .30-30...)

A lot of us older phardts enjoy going back to what we started with... Perhaps as a way to visit our youth or just bring back old memories... Remembering younger days and simpler times...

As I surge into my 7th decade on this earth, I know that FOR ME HOW I take a game animal is more important than IF I take one or not. To put it another way...: The enjoyment is in the HUNT, not the RESULT.

To qualify the above: I have a trophy whitetail mount on the wall overlooking my shoulder as I write this. To add one or more will not mean a thing to anyone but me... In a few more years my daughter will have to clean out my home. Most of my possessions will end up given away or sold at a yard sale for a fraction of what I paid for them. There is really no need for more mounts to end up with that fate. Better I just use my time and resources to enjoy my life and a nice hunt here and there, and no need for anymore "trophys" ... Except in my memories...

GH

I can't answer for logcutter, but consider the WSSM rounds. Here you have rifles that are too short-actioned for almost any other round and have a breechface diameter unlike any other round. Guys who own them are faced - after only a very few years - with a disappearing brass supply and rifles that can't be converted to anything else.

Not to mention I picked up a nice 30/30 at a pawn shop recently for $199. Can't beat $199 for a ready to go deer/critter getter.

I did! I scored a beat-up Marlin 336 for $129 at a gunshop no less. That was smart. Gave it to my brother. Not so smart. Wish I still had it.

I bought one brand new for $159.

I have data from a guy that ran an experiment for Freedom Arms in loading the 454 Casull into a lever action..The Marlin '95 action was the first to go with a steady diet of 62,000 PSI in something around 20 shots fired,then next was the Winchester '94 with about 40 rounds fired..Both actions gave up the ghost..

One must also remember Winchester came out with the Big Bore version of the original '94 action which was alot stronger..Winchesters new Big Bore could handle the .307 Wiinchester(52,000) with ease..

Marlin then came out with the .307 Winchester in there '95 action(slightly stronger than the 336) and quickly took it off because it could not handle the pressure.

Jayco