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Speaking of.30-30’s, someday the last elk will be killed with a .30-30. When will that be?


To put it another way, how many elk do you think were killed with .30-30’s last year?


Do you know anyone who killed an elk with a .30-30 last year?


How about in the last 5 years?


Ten?

My Uncle killed an elk with a 30-30 50 years ago. Other than that I don't know of one. I have carried a 30-30 for deer in the last few years with 170g NPT loaded just in case I came upon an elk.

What I want to know is how these elk are getting hold of a 30-30 in the first place.

I've been hunting over 40 years, and I have never seen a cervid possessing a firearm of any kind. Somebody must be pretty well cracked in the head for giving a rifle to a. . .



. . . oh, I get it. Nevermind.

I know of a Wyoming cowboy who killed his elk with his 30-30 last season, and I know a man and son who did it (again) in Idaho last season

Indigenous peoples killed big game with rocks and stone tipped spears, not always with great success and sometimes hazardous to the hunter.

Why would one use a spear or .30-30 for large game animals when far better implements are more effective and available? Asking for a friend….

yes my son shot a huge bull elk with his bow ,but i am still not using a 30-30 for deer or elk, i have better rifles and cartridges. as far as the cowboy who killed an elk with his 30-30 probably shot that elk by a hay stack out of the truck ? and this cowboy has all season to kill an elk from where he lives , most of us have a week or two hunt elk .

Seems the 30-30, is being sold short

I've found it does all that ever needs to be done to a deer at the ranges I normally shoot them.

I can be that friend !

a 30-30 leaves me stone cold .

Jerry

sometimes i need to make that one shot at 300 - 500 yards and it will be with my Ruger # 1 257 Weatherby mag. this cartridge with my handloads 30 feet or 500 yards it will get the job done on a good buck and i won`t have to follow a blood trail too far either or that buck might just drop right there dead, that`s why i no longer use a 30-30 . i still own my Win. lever 30 -30 and i also have bowhunted for now over 55 years so i know how to get close to deer and elk., so when i rifle hunt with my #1 i only shoot bigger bucks and that won`t be every year and to honest i have shot more big bucks with my bow in my lifetime.

Because a 30-30 just plain works. I've seen 30-06's not exit a deer, never seen a 30-30 not exit

The bullet construction works exceedingly well at 30-30 velocities

What bothers me are the ideas, not only of elk going extinct, but that the.30-30 will be the one to finish the job.

At the rate humans breed, Elk will be extinct in the wild within 200 years.

There will be no 30-30s or any guns by then as it will be a Solent green world.

Unless the Chinese perfect thier "kills all but Mongols" virus first.

A .30-30 is just a .30-06 startin' at b/t 200 and 250 yds, depending on the bullet shape.

Why wouldn't it work out to 150 yds.?




GR

I suspect because a lot of "modern: hunters haven't used it much--if at all.

When I take a walk with a receiver sighted .30-30, the rifle is is so easy to carry I can focus on the walk and not the rifle. It's as easy as carrying a stick; balances perfectly and fits well in the hand. And, I aint helpless.

I’d shoot any elk that walks the earth with a 30/30 and complete confidence out to 150 yards or so. Elk are made of blood and muscles just like everything else, put one in the pump house and get out your knife.

I’d guess you don’t hear about the elk killed with a 30/30 too often because the guy who uses one probably isn’t the type to post everything or even anything on a forum or other form of social media.

Maybe that guy with the .30-30 is a more skilled stalker and hunter than the guy in his Stika gear, Nightforce scope, and 6.8 Western. He didn't buy his skill.

Good point, TheKid. It does seem that for many in my area of the world, the scoped bolt action .243 or even a .223 has filled the niche of the carry everywhere, do everything utility rifle. More reach on coyotes and effective on deer. Know a few who use ARs in that role too. But for a walkabout, I sure like a little .30 WCF carbine with a receiver sight.