Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire Never had a 30-30, if I want to try one, which maker is the one to try

Uh oh.

I don't see the point of a 30-30 if you are going to scope it. If I want to shoot something with a scope, I'll choose a different caliber and platform.

So, with that said, go with a Winchester. The great thing about a Winchester is that they fill almost any price range. The post 64s are ugly and all of them have spotted receivers where the bluing went away, but they work, stamped lifters and all. You can get one for 250$ and throw it under the seat of your truck forever and not feel bad. Or you can buy a pre 64 for more and have a nice rifle.

If you really have to scope one, you can find lots of angle ejects for 300$ to 400$ in pawn shops.

The Marlin 336 can be very accurate as long as the magazine tube is not tied to the barrel too tightly. It's not hard at all to get one to print 5 shots in 1 1/2" or sometimes under. The best ones I've owned would put 10 shots in that group, and produce some three or four shot groups that would embarrass a lot of bolt actions. The most accurate 336's are the models without the forward barrel band, those with just a forend cap. But even barrel band models can be fixed, it just takes a little sandpaper.

Savage 99's are nice rifles. I've only owned a couple but they look a bit odd with a scope - it sticks out way high over the buttstock. That's just my opinion, someone else might not care.

As much as I prefer the 336 over a 94, nothing handles as well as an original configuration Model 94. They can be easily "accurized" the same way as a Marlin and will shoot surprisingly well.

But either way, IMHO a .30-30 just screams lever action. In one of the reloading manual's intros to the .30-30 it said that the cartridge has survived not so much for its ballistics but for the plethora of lightweight, fast handling lever action carbines it comes in. I'd agree with that sentiment.

Skip the scope or shoot something else.

Marlin 1893-



Staggs Bilt lever action over under 30-30-20 "single shot"-





Button mag 16" Winchester 94-

You just hadda' bring up the .303 didn't ya? I've got dies and a stockpile of .303 brass just waiting for the day when I stumble across a good hunter grade .303 Savage.

For some reason that caliber has always grabbed my attention but I'll probably have to wait until after Christmas since I've already bought 2 model 99's this month.

With a low mounted scope on exposed hammer Marlin and Winchester lever actions you'll likely be needing a hammer extension (if it doesn't already have one).

http://www.opticsplanet.com/uncle-mike-s-hammer-extensions-for-a-better-grip.html

Yep, its been a while.

I'll get the beer.

I used to say that too when I was young and my eyes worked fine as issued.

[quote=Fireball2]Skip the scope or shoot something else.



I don't want to shoot something else.

I would just about 100 percent guarantee that your eyes are not worse than mine. But with glasses or contacts I can shoot a peep fine. I even have an astigmatism.

for the love of all things Holy, shoot what you want.

This shouldn't even be an issue.

can't you see that we had a near collision with hot chamber versus cold chamber?

Then go small, like this Leupold 2.5X-

Have glasses and a peep on a .250-3000. I can use it when the light is good.

That would be fine if 99% of the deer I've killed hadn't shown up at first light or very late in the evening.

If a peep works for you in low light that's great but they don't work for me anymore.

I think the Win 94,AE is nicer handling gun if you need to put a scope on it ,which I certainly understand with my old eyes.

Most of these young guys I on here don't understand that. Peeps work for awhile,but then you will have problems in low light as your eyes get older. BTDT ( Remember the miss I had with the Peeps on my ML out at Bonnie?)

I never warmed up to the 336, but the older Marlin 94's are about identical to the Win 94's except for the side ejection.
Of course it would be almost sacrilegious to D&T an old Marlin or Win. for a scope, so stick to the newer ones. I also never liked the fat forearms on the newer Marlins.

Be aware that you will need to put a shorter scope on those small levers as the scope base holes are pretty close together and I had a hard time stabilizing a full size scope on them. Lot of compacts on the market though

I hear ya. My levers have compact scopes in 1-4X or 2-7X except for the .218 Bee and one .300 that have 3-9X.

2-5X sounds perfect.

Of course it doesn't work as well in low light as a scope. Who said it did? A scope is a superior sighting system in all ways as a 30-06 is superior to a 30-30 in all ways.

Anyone using a 30-30 is already compromising to a degree. If a deer shows up before daylight or after sundown, you will have trouble with peeps unless he is close. But, hey, if one shows himself at 35 yards when I'm shooting my longbow, he is going to get to walk as well.

If simply killing deer is the point, I would never compromise with anything less than my Forbes in 7mm-08. It is lighter than the 30-30 and almost as handy, shoots a better round, and is well scoped.

Finally, a sensible post!

And sometimes you are just willing to compromise. If they win, they win.

This was 15 minutes before sunrise, though I didn't use the aperture. I just put it on the rifle to see if the screws would fit. Used the open sights it came with. Rifle is a 30/30.

Don't forget the lowly Savage 340....

Like the 99, you can use pointy bullets an it will probably be cheaper if you can find one...

Spotshooter,

Peep sights work good for older eyes, especially with a fiber optic front sight. (HINT!) And they don't wreck the looks and handling of a classic lever rifle.

If you have to have a scope, the Marlin is the way too go, otherwise a pre-64 Winchester is IT. (in my opinion)

Virgil B.