The first time Mooseboy ever shot a deer, it was with my Marlin 336. He was shooting out the front window of plywood box blind (a real box, too! It was a packing crate) I was trying to spot him out the right side window. The shot was heavily angled to my side. In those days, Mooseboy was quick to excite and not as amenable to instruction. I had just said something like, "Okay get your gun off safe--"
BLAM!
It felt like the world had caved in. I had planned on drawing back a bit before he shot, but I caught the blast with the side of my head through just a thin wall of plywood. My head was about 18 inches away from the muzzle.
Don't ever think "It's just a 30-30."
One other related thing: I shoot a 44 Mag load that uses H110. Out of my Ruger Super Blackhawk it is a "Muffs-n-plugs" situation. The first time I set one off at the range, the Safety Office ran over; he thought I'd blown up the gun. Out of a Ruger carbine, it's quite reasonable. The same is true with my 357 Mag deer load. Out of my old-model Blackhawk, YIKES!!! Out of the Marlin 1894 carbine, it's much quieter.
