I have hunted deer 40 years and never killed one with the 30-30, so this year I decided it was about time to try it. News flash: The "little" 30-30 kills deer just as dead as any other caliber. Duh! Maybe that's why folks still use it after all these years, and because of the light recoil and neat little carbines it comes in. Mine is a Marlin 336SC made in 1951. I hit one deer in the ribcage tight to the shoulder and it ran 50 yards and died. I hit two others in the shoulders and they both fell dead on the spot. Go figure! All bullets exited leaving good sized holes. My load consists of 170gr Hornady RNs over a good dose of H322. I still hold the distinction of never having killed a deer with a factory load - not one. All have been my handloads. Some things don't change.

How about you. Have you killed deer with a 30-30? How did it work for you? Let's hear some 30-30 hunting stories, please. Thanks.

Killed one with my 30/30 (my brothers now) several years ago (the first year Hornady had the Lever-evolution ammo - wanted to try it). Worked just fine, killed the deer like you would expect.

Kilt a dozen, or so deer with my old Model 94 30-30. Always used 170 grain Remington Core-Lokts. They never failed, though I moved on to rounds that had more range & optics that I could hunt closer to dark with after a few years.

Actually, I had more deer drop at the shot with that rifle than most of the other rifles that I have used since. (.270, 7 Mag., 25-284, .308) Most shots were tight to the shoulder about 1/3 of the way up. I think the round nose at that modest velocity may be a key there.

I killed a nice 170 lb 6pt with a broken left side on his horns useing my T/C Contender in 30-30AI last week. Running shot a 120 yards. He took a nose dive right there and never moved. I have also used the standard 30-30 in the contender successfully many times and I rarely have the bullet fail to exit. I have never used A lever gun in 30-30 but the cartridge has never failed me.

I don't know why everyone is surprised by 30-30, I wouldn't hesitate to use it on any animal in North America. That's not saying I would want to fend off a charging grizzly with it. But with proper bullet placement it is a hell of a caliber

The only time I have used a 30-30 has been via an Encore handgun. I've never had to reload after the shot...

George

used to hunt pennsy years ago and always used my 30-30,have a marlin 336,love that gun,easy to get ammo,killed afew with it,loaned it to my buddy,now having trouble getting it back cause he likes it so much,,lol

There is not a thing wrong with the 30-30 .In the North it should be use more plenty of power an in the woods or swamps its a hell of a killer

Shot a pile of deer over the years with a .30-30....it is what was claimed for it, an almost perfect short range ( under 200 yds) deer cartridge....

I have hunted with a bolt action savage 340 in .30-30 for a long time. I love the .30-30 on this platform (small bolt action carbine). It is nice to carry and shoots very well with almost no recoil. I have killed many deer with it over the years.

I pulled the same "stunt" this year! I had never hunted with the .30 WCF either. Seemed like a good year to do it, so I picked up a couple boxes of 170 grain Remington Corelokt Hollow Points, mounted an ancient Bushnell Banner in Talley lightweights on my little brother's Marlin 336, and hit the woods.

The first deer I hit at about 125 yards or so, and she looked like someone jerked the rug out from under her. I was amazed by the lack of noise at the shot, and the immediate reaction to the hit by the deer. I was also pleased by the lack of recoil.

The second deer was hit on the run at about 20 yards. Same deal, entrance through the ribcage on the left side, exit through the right shoulder. Deer rolled like a rabbit.

This weekend, I took my son hunting with me, and after he got an 8 point with his .257 Roberts, he wanted to trade rifles and hunt with the old .30-30. He shot a button buck through the neck at about 45 yards or so, and dropped it with no muss or fuss.

Overall, I am completely impressed with the deer killing abilities of the cartridge. It won't be the last year I take one deer hunting with me. (That is if I can pry it out of my son's hands.)

Sorry Guy's.....No pictures, No proof!

First deer ever killed with my 94 Winchester, bought new in 1978 and still have that rifle. 10 yd shot, deer ran 50 yds and died.

Have killed several deer with this rifle and other 30-30's. It just plain a$$ works....

the bull elk from my avatar fell to a marlin 336 30-30 at 50 yards, took one step and tipped over dead.
I get a kick out of anyone who says they can't kill. same goes for the 243, I've killed more critters with these two rifles than any other, and until the internet, I didn't know I was doing it wrong.

I killed my first deer (a LONG time ago) with a Winchester Model 94 and a neck shot dropped it in it's tracks. I hunted with that rifle for several years and took several deer with it before switching to a .30-06 for quite a few seasons but it doesn't put the deer down any quicker or harder from what I can tell.

Anyway, This year I've switched back to the good old .30-30 in a Marlin lever with a small 1x4.5 scope mounted on it since my eyes sure aren't as sharp as they were back in the the 70's.

I'm using the same Federal 150 grain loads I always used and I have complete confidence in the rifle/ammo combination and it's a heck of lot lighter than my old BAR too.

BR,

Great job! I think perhaps next year, I'm going to dig out my M-219 Sav in .30-30 A.I. and try to put it to use...

We'll see about this .30-30 thing....

GH

Grasshopper,

You really don't want to use that old thing - the Savage 219 I mean. It won't work because it doesn't have a magic lever on it. I'll be right over to take that old thing off your hands. It might make a decent tomatoe stake come spring.

I've taken a few deer with the good ol 30-30, but all my pics are not digital and I don't have a scanner. Mainly does anyhow.

I do however have a pic of last year's buck killed via 303 Sav, which is ballistically identical to a 30-30. In fact, I use 30-30 loading data.

Ooo, that's a sweet 99, Dog Hunter! I've had a few like that one, a couple 30-30s and a 303, and foolishly traded them away. Please keep me in mind if you ever decide to be rid of that one.

Killed by first deer with one in a Marlin 336 given to me for my 12th Christmas, still have the little gun and used to take it out a couple of days every season. Mounted a 2-1/2 Leupy on it last year in anticipation of using but stuck to the 7mm-08. May have to take it out this year.

They are great little guns that kill quick and easy on the shoulder. Load mine now with the 170 partition though in the past the Rem 170 Corelokts and Winchester 170 RN's have worked just as well.

My grandfather gave me a Winchester 1894, made in 1942, when I turned 12yrs old. I was born in 1942 so have always kept the gun. It has been a "safe queen" over the years, but I have recently loaded some of the new Hornady 160gr evolution (sp?) bullets and at the range it impressed me with its group. I will have to take that old rifle out this year for another adventure.

I've killed two with the mighty .30 WCF, both at shortish range.
First one with Imperial 170-grain factory ammo. The rifle was a vintage 1920 Model 1894 SRC my grandfather inherited when his youngest brother died in 1932. Shot was 15 yards facing me. The bullet entered between the chest and shoulder muscles and took out one lung and the heart. The doe did a 20-yard death dash and collapsed.
The other was shot with my 1958 Marlin 336A. The load was a 150 Speer FP over 36 grains of Reloder 15. She was broadside at 30 yards, maybe 40. Dropped to the shot, DRT, and didn't so much as kick.
Longest shot I've seen was in Alberta about 20 years ago. My buddy staked out a field, and I hung back in a clearing a ways away. I went out when I heard his rifle. He had shot a decent buck at 260-odd paces on level ground; we figured an honest 210 yards. Rifle was a Win 94 with a Williams 5D peep sight, using Remington 170-grain CoreLokt ammo.
My younger brother lives in Northwestern Ontario and has used our Grandfather's rifle (the one I borrowed to shoot the doe) to kill a whole slew of big deer and a couple of moose; until 5 years ago when he bought a Savage 110 in .30-06, it was his only centrefire.

Hunted with a 30-30 for several years, killed a few deer. My dad hunted with a 1954 Marlin 336RC and did very well with it. Got that one in the safe, almost took it out this year.

Did take out an old Savage 1899 in 303 Savage, like Dog Hunter says they are the same as a 30-30. This was loaded up with 150gr Hornady RN and H4895 and the little guy dropped like a rock.

I was kind of late to the game as far as using the .30-30 for deer. It wasn't that I didn't think it would work, just that my experiences led me to "better" rounds for the same job the .30-30 is so good at.

I grew up hunting in Deep East Texas where the woods were increadably thick and shots close. We mostly ran dogs in those days before the timber companies "raped" the land and opened things up. Shots were almost always 50 yards or less (100 yards was considered a loooooong shot) at fast moving targets. Shotguns with buckshot were the standard weapon of choice and the only rifles seen were mostly lever action carbines in .30-30.

I probably would have also started my rifle hunting career with a .30-30 except for one of my early mentors. A reclusive man who lived alone and hunted alone took a liking to me as a kid and taught me about still hunting, tree stands (unheard of in those days).....and "proper" deer rifles.

The first time I saw his personal rifle (he never used shotguns....said they wounded too many deer) I said something complementory about his .30-30 Winchester 94. You'd have thought I'd just cursed his mother!

He informed me that although the .30-30 "would" kill a deer...in a pinch....why would anyone use a "weaker" round like the .30-30 when you could get a much better round in the same rifle. His rifle, I learned, was the more powerful .32 Special!

He told me it hit harder, killed quicker and bled 'em out better than any .30-30. His motto was , "bigger is better' and said he'd shot a .35 if it came in the Model 94 (I learned later "his" dream was to find a .38-55 Model 94).

I was allowed to borrow that .32 Special to kill a few deer and when I bought my own carbine a few years later I naturally went with the .35 Remington (I chose the Marlin 336). I later switched to a Marlin 336 in .44 Magnum.

From my own use and seeing the results of others, I found my friend was right....bigger IS better. I agree that the .30-30 was effective on deer, but (even though ballistics "experts" say differently) there is a slight but definite edge as far as power and killing in the .32 Special....and the .35 Rem. and .44 Magnum are head and shoulders better at less than 100 yards.

I later moved on to "real" deer rifles (.30-06 and such) and used the brush carbines less. It was only when I found a Savage 99 chambered in .30-30 that I finally used the round on deer. I have killed a half-dozen with that rifle and, as my mentor said, it kills deer quite well.....just not as well as his old .32 Special.

The first rifle I ever bought was a 336c, for $159. I beat the crap out of the stock, and re-finished it a couple years ago:








I'm glad I never sold it, on the new ones the wood is nothing like the older ones.

Over the years the old .30-30 has been used on p.dogs,rockchucks, coyotes, mt.lion, antelope, whitetail and mule deer..most use a Marlin with a 24 in barrel and half mag.with 150 WW ammo..also used a 94 carbine some..for under 200 yards, i like it better than 243 cal. rifles...also used a 32 spl. some...my best animal with the Marlin was a nice 3x3 mulie with a 150 grain WW Silvertip..

The Marlins are sweet, and not particularly complex mechanically. I had an opportunity to buy a 336ADL made in the '50s in 35 Rem in like-new condition for $400 but declined. I regret that decision.

Is the 336ADL the one without the floorplate...?

Yeah, yeah...that's the one. No floorplate. Uh huh. :rolleyes:

I'll only point this one at myself, since I know that none here suffer under the same delusion.

I have hesitated so long to hunt with the old .30 WCF because deep down, everytime I go off into the woods with a rifle in my hand, I want to feel connected with the legendary riflemen this country has seen over the years. Daniel Boone, David Crockett, Billy Dixon, and Carlos Hathcock.

Now, in order to do that, you gotta be able to hit stuff far away. Am I right? Well, in my feeble mind, you can't perform the stuff of legends without the proper tools. Meaning, at least in my mind, that the .30 WCF was out.

So I hunted with lots of other stuff. Mostly "Modern" stuff, such as the .243, 257 Roberts, 7mm/08, .280, .308, and .30-06. I sprinkled in a .25-06, .270 and .270 WSM just to be able to say I was an equal opportunity shooter, but the truth is that I am an inveterate "experimenter". I like using different tools to do a job and see how each of them work. I found that all the cartridges mentioned above work in a ROUGHLY similar fashion.

But a nagging reality has bounced around in my head for all these years. Out of 40 or so deer I have taken, only one stands out as a shot I couldn't have realistically taken and made with the .30-30. I could have been kicked less, had my ears ring less, carried a lighter rifle and paid less for ammunition and components all this time.

I wouldn't take anything for the limited experiences I have gathered so far, but I have learned something this year that will definitely stay with me if I am fortunate enough to see future hunting seasons.

The old .30 WCF (or .30-30)is a very practical deer killing machine.

Have dispatched a few via the 30-30. Including my first buck five years ago. Its a great round that though not the most popular these day likely will never die.

just took a addax with mine. hornady lever ammo. in one side out the other. never took a step.

You know, since you mentioned it, I can only think of 2-3 antelope, an impala and 1 deer I could have not killed with a 30-30. Coyotes/fox excluded. There have been times a scope was needed (dawn/dusk) but as far as range goes very few critters I have killed couldn't have been killed by a 30-30. That doesn't mean I am about to go sell everything else but it is interesting.

I'm glad I'm not the only one. I'm not ready to give up my other stuff completely, but I did enjoy a show on the outdoor channel a week or so ago, where some dude bumped off a moose with a Marlin .30-30. Good show.

I'm not too good at taking pics, but these are the last 3 deer I shot. All were taken with a 30-30, shooting handloaded Hornady 160 gr Flextips.

My Marlin 30.30 is my favorite hunting rifle. It was made in 1953 and shoots great. I have neen using the new Leverevolution ammo since it came out and I continue to get great results with it. I can't imagine a better rifle for N.C. mountain whitetails than a levergun in 30.30. I will be toting one this Saturday!

Got both my 1st deer and elk with the 30-30's identical twin - the 32 Win Spcl in model 94. It was a pretty good little gun.

In any camp. Don,t mess with the man that ownes only one gun.

My first time hunting I used the ever classic pre-64 1894 Winchester in 30-30.

It was light to carry and the top eject was way cool. Maybe I should ask if I can shoot it again.

Though currently infatuated with the "little" 30-30, there will always be room in my meager battery for other rifles that work better at longer range. Current residents in that category include 6.5x55, 7x57, and my big rifles, the 30-06 and 45-70. I sold all my 30 caliber magnums. Don't need-'em. The ones leftover are my favorites after 40 years of "sorting." Funny how they are all military rounds. Must be some sort of Freudian thing.

Oldmanms2003,

Those are some buster bucks! Congrats on your success, and thanks for posting your pics.

I have others, but a Winchester M94 was my first centerfire, bought when I was 13, and is currently used to this day. It has accounted for many, many deer, and some hogs and bear, too.

I did change the sights, a Williams FP on the back and a Marbles fine bead front sight, partially to accommodate my eyesight (I still have 20/20 vision, it's just at 20 feet.), and to improve on the factory offering.

It has accounted for deer from powder burn to a lasered 236 yards.

I started out killing my first few deer with a 30/30 and then sold it and bought a 7mag. I still have the 7 mag and have since bought a marlin 30/30 and killed a few with it. Due to surgery this year, I will not be able to make it out in rifle country to use it. We always used the 150 grain offerings from Federal or Winchester. I topped the Marlin with a 2x7 and the thing is a lazer. Shoots honest 1" groups from a bench with Winchester 150's and can hold that to about 3.5" at 200. When stand hunting or doing deer drives in the thick stuff its a perfect gun. Short and fast with plenty of killing power. Not to mention the cool factor for killing stuff with a little ol 30/30 when so many guys think it can't be done. I am planning a daily backpack hunt to a place in northern michigan one of these seasons and the 30/30 will get the nod for sure. All shots will be short anyway and the short gun will pack well.

I'm back into them. I inherited my fathers. A 1940 something vintage Win 94. Presently working up a load and either 30 or 31 gr of 3031 looks very promising .I really wanted Sierra 170 gr FP, but Hornady was all I could find,but I am sure it will work admirably.
I'm seriously considering adding a pep sight,but this rifle is in very good condition factory original in every way and I hate to reduce the value by adding holes.Still I have been holding 3" groups at 75 yards with the factory sights and my 68 yr old eyes.
I have almost two boxes of 1950 vintage 150 gr Silver tips for it also.

Presently, I hunt the thick stuff with my 44 mag Marlin 94 and have successfully killed elk with it ,but the 30-30 will replace that.
Everyone should own a good 22, 30-30, and 30-06.

Yeah like others I shot my first deer w/ the M94 thuddy-thuddy my aunt & uncle bought me for my 16th bday. Like you, I've never killed big game w/ anything but a handload.

I also killed my first 'yote w/ that rifle. I don't hunt it as much as I should, as I've been intending to put a Williams FP set w/ high-vis front post on it for a long time and haven't gotten around to it. The Weaver K2.5x that I have on it now kinda ruins the handling, though it is fast and accurate out to 200 yards.

I run 150s (Hot Cors, Power Points, Interlocks, Core Lokts, whatever) and RL15 in mine.

Saddlesore,

Every 94 I have seen was factory-drilled for a peep sight. Are you sure yours is not? Look on the left side of the receiver. There should be two small screws, one on either side of a pin. Those are filler screws for the peep sight mounting holes. No? Maybe I'm thinking of Marlins? I don't know.

Not all 94's were drilled for a peep site. I have a 1950 model that is not drilled and tapped.

I used a 30-30 last year to hunt. It is a Model 64 from 1939. I could have killed a little buck with it. It was a perfect shot for the 30-30 at 105 yards but I left him to grow another year.

ain't got pics of the wifes buck with the 30-30 contender, and I'm only starting to use it again this fall...

But an 1892 in 32-20 works fine, so I doubt I'll have any issues with the 30-30, especially since the last thing I shot with it and killed was a Nilgai bull....

Oh yeah, so much for not hunting in blue huh?

1952 was either the first year Winchester drilled and tapped the receivers for a sight, or the last year they didn't. The memory is the first thing to go.

I went to the range with a buddy of mine- pretty big guy- and he shoots a .300 Win Mag.

After a few shots to sight in, he was done.


I shot a hundred or so 150gr FN bullets out of the 336 before I went over to the pistol range where he had migrated to.

Couple of weeks later, he missed a deer because of flinch.

I didn't.

Wow, that is very interesting to me. How much practice shooting is typical? I don't do a whole lot of practicing with my '06 aside from getting it sighted in. I practice with a .22

I shot my 30-30 this year, which was the first time in a few years. I forgot how much fun my 336 Texan is to shoot. I own rifles in a few other calibers, but I could easily get by with a 30-30 for all my hunting needs. I just won't tell the wife.

I had an interesting conversation with a gun shop owner I know. The 30-30 and 243 came up in conversation, with high remarks for both. A funny comment was made about the 30-30. The gun shop owners gunsmith used to say that "most people (the average hunter) are over-gunned if they carry anything more than a 30-30."

Dale

What can you tell me about your 32-20? I've got an old 1892 that I'm getting ready to shoot for the first time, lead bullets only most likely. I'd like to hear about your gun and load. Thanks!

You sir, have hunted.

Ive killed one doe with my 336 30-30 and Federal 170gr Powershoks. Ive been toting it around the last few days to fill a few doe tags i have left. Could have shot some last night but didnt want to mess anything up for my little sister who still has her buck tag. Ill kill at least one with it this year. I love packing it around. There is just something about a 336 and 30-30 that makes me smile. I love it

Some turn up their nose at a .30-30 because women and kids use them...it ain't manly enough for them. Or it doesn't say 'Magnum' on the headstamp. Or it won't shoot into the next zip code as flat as a laser.

And then there are some who use it because they choose to use it. And they usually get deer..but then, they'd get deer with most anything.

The old .30-30 has killed a passel of critters, from small to large, deer to griz. It'll still do the job if the user knows what he's about.

I carry one, for the same reason I sometimes carry a .45-70 or a 444...because it makes me happy!

The one criteria I was concerned about most with the 30-30 was penetration. I just am not happy if the bullet does not exit, and I prefer to aim at the shoulders for DRT results, so a cartridge/load has to have some penetrating ability to please me. My loads with the 170gr Hornadys all exited and the deer went plop. That pleases me.

Who told you a 30-30 wouldn't penetrate a deer? I've never seen a deer shot with a 30-30 ( probably a dz or so) that wasn't a pass thru.

Something to remember:
A 357 mag pistol with a 158 gr bullet ( mv of 1300fps) is noted for having pretty good penetration and I would guess that few of us would pass a shot at 2ft on a good deer and not expect it to kill it pretty easily with our favorite 357 revolver.
A 150 gr 30-30 bullet started at 2300fps has more speed at 400yds (about 1350fps) with a bullet of much greater sectional density than a 357 bullet does , yet people doubt the ability of a 30-30 to penetrate or kill at even 200 yds. Go figure.

Note velocity/ ballistics figures are pulled from speer manual.

Hey bangeye, remember the bad old days when all the magazine articles told us that at best a 30-30 was a 150 yd deer rifle and only then if you didn't have something better to use? Then along came the Contender pistol and they chambered it in 30-30 with 10 and 14" barrels and all of a sudden it was good deer cartridge to 200 yds? Allways gave me gas reading that. Magnum man

Nothing wrong with a thirty-thirty for deer. Has taken more deer than we can imagine. Granddads Pre 64 model 94 30-30 was the first rifle I ever carried deer hunting. After he died in 2008, I ended up with it. I never took a deer with it, but have thought about hunting with it to honor him, since he carried it years ago.

Lucked into a Savage 340, pre serial #'s, a few months ago.
Has the Weaver side scope mount and rings. The Weaver K3 was fogged. The sling on it appears to be 30-40 years old.

I'm taking it doe hunting this weekend.

30-30 works real well on animals larger than deer, too.

TR

Yes, as a matter of fact I sort of use the way a writer talks about the 30-30 to form an opinion of his "expertise" at shooting a rifle or a typewriter. When I start reading old saws like rainbow trajectory etc . That guys stock rating drops pretty quick in my book . I always contend that the difficulty to scope most 30-30's (win 94) is largely responsible for the knocks against it as a short range weapon. Take the scope off your30-06 and try a few shots at 300yds an see how those groups look for the average hunter. I've always said I would rather try and make a 200 yd shot with an open sighted 30-30 than a 300 yd shot with a 30-06. I have a beautiful 64A winchester but I don't shoot it much anymore as my old eyes just have a hard time with the open sights but it has nothing to do with the caliber.

i have lost count.

I, too, practice mostly with a .22LR these days. My CZ452 is much cheaper to feed a few thousand rounds through than my 30-30 or my .270 is.

maybe slightly. 22LR is climbing up in price and I'm getting better at cutting costs reloading.