Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles Gotta love the classics! The great 30-30

The boring ones are the true ones. The rare beauties are something else.

I don't know if we can get a little love for the .32 Special? In case we can't there's a 30-30 in the picture to the right of it.

I have my grandpas Marlin 30-30. Not sure what year, I’d guess it was made in the 50s. Had a scope on it when he gave it to me, but after he passed I took it off and just shot the iron sights for about 6 years, but then recently started struggling to make decent groups with the iron sights past 50 yards and put the scope back on. I’ve killed most of my deer with that gun.

I am late to the 30-30 crowd but not late for owning lever actions. Grew up with Savage 99s and owned several. 99-A 250-3000 is my favorite today. A couple of years ago a 1969 Marlin 336C 30-30 practically fell in my lap. It has been a lot of fun putting different sights on it and trying several factory ammo.

I bloodied it with this buck.







It is accurate, too.

Have a 94 30-30 and a 64 in 32 WS, both made in the early 1900s. Just had them out the other day, and they still shoot great.

In my what I could afford days I bought myself a brand new H&R Topper 158 30-30 with a 20ga barrel also. I remember taking it hunting with me and my friends making fun of it. What still is ingrained in my memory was the look on their faces when they came to pick me up at my stand with a nice 6 pt buck laying on the ground. One 170gr silver tip was all it took.

Now a days I occasionally carry a Glenfield 30A as I still get a joy of using it and taking game here and there.

Now that is danged cool!

Cool ..... Your Grandfather would like that.

Here's a pretty happy kid with a Win 94...

Down to a couple well used and well blooded 94's in 30-30 Win. Both post 64, top eject and no cross bolt safety. One wears an old Leupold Detacho mount and currently has a cheapo Simmons red dot sight on it, works like a charm! I've had Savage and Stevens bolt action 30-30's, a really old Marlin 30-30 with no rifling left and a bunch of other 94's, both pre and post 64. Where I do most of my deer hunting, central Wisconsin, the 30-30 is an excellent cartridge!







I don't load for the 30-30 anymore, the Federal stuff works great.

That pic is a classic in its own right... looks great on presentation on the leather background..
yeah, I know its a couch, but it still doesn't distract from the fact that is a cool pic of a great rifle in great shape.

The old 30/30 just works... a batch of years ago, there was a kid at my son's school who was handicapped,
and finally grandpa was old enough, he didn't move real well anymore either..

Grandpa wanted to give his grandson his old 30/30 he'd used for decades, but neither he nor his grandson
could shoot factory loads...his mom was an administrator at my son's school.. and Irish gal....

I loaded up some ammo for them that they could handle,,,, 10 grains of Unique with a 110 grain RN/SP.
Their hunting consisted of the grandson in his wheel chair with grandpa on grandpa's cabin porch, out in the woods.

both were able to drop a deer at 50 to 60 yds with that load...

it was the young boys first deer and grandpa's last....

I tell that story, because I'll admit, it makes me feel good to be a small part, of life in a family coming full circle
and an old 30/30 being part of it, just makes it better...

State of Utah used Mod 64s to execute Gary Gilmore, so you know they are effective, ha. My uncle had a Model 64 custom carbine in .219 Zipper! It went to one of his sons after he died, I lost track of it and them through the years.

I'm somewhat late to the .30-30 party.

I remember seeing Win 94 .30-30s in the Walgreens Christmas catalog, as a 14yo in 1970. Pining away.

Dad owned 1 rifle, a surplus Springfield. 30-06 and 1 shotgun, Rem 870 16ga. I still have them.

He said the .30-30 was a waste, get a .30-06 and never need anything else, be able to buy ammo, anywhere.

In college, 1975, I purchased a BL-22. Many rabbits, squirrels, frogs, cans and other vermin, have fallen before it. Still have it.

Was in the market for a .30-30 and discover, Browning has started making BL-92 .44mag. I had a Super Blackhawk, so it won out. It is awesome on deer, hogs, and Cowboy Action steel.

Through the years, looked at and passed on several .30-30s, but somehow, 3 more levers found their way home.

Finally, at 62 yo, I find a Marlin 336 Centennial 1870-1970, complete with the medallion in the stock, safe queen.

I find ally have a .30-30. Just finished loading some 115gr powder coated bullets. I will be at the range Wednesday.

Don't overlook the Hawk Precision 190gr but in .030 jacket. Buffalo Bores 30-30/190 is the .035 jacket. A bit too tough for deer. Look at H335 for that 190. I got 2100 easy with fine accuracy out of my last Marlin 336. It should be a "thumper deluxe". ha

My 30-30 story

http://dallas138.arvixeshared.com/~acfafish/forum/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=8626

Well I guess I don't know how to post a link on this forum. You can copy and paste if you like.
HD

Post 64. Shoots less than an inch at 50 with buckhorn and old eyes. Made a bad trade once and lost a 26 inch classic octagon, live and learn. Had one from the 20xs, one pre I gave away *!!! A 94 is something everyone should at least try.
I got a 70 336 in. 35, and am disappointed with the button rifling, short leade, and $35 buck ammo if you can find it (I do reload and have dies) 3030 costs all of $15 can't reload much cheaper than that with bullets costing so much now.
I have 2 grandsons so need pairs of everything to leave

Here's your link, below. To see how it is done, just click the 'Quote' button to quote this post.

http://dallas138.arvixeshared.com/~acfafish/forum/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=8626

The 'url' and /url' tagags between the '[' and ']' brackets are what is required.

I simply have never found anything I like better than a model 94.

I like the .30-30. A while back I picked up a used '94 SRC Trapper. Rear sight was broken ... didn't care, that short 16-1/4 inch barrel is helped a lot by a receiver sight. It's now set up exactly like the one I bought right after college was set up. I haven't had a chance to shoot it yet. Hopefully it shoots as well as the first. I paid too much for it but .. nostalgia. Yep. I guess I've hit that age.

Tom

Never owned one, doubt I ever will. I do like levers though. I have a well used 70s 39A and a 1972 9422. Just never saw the need for a 30-30.