24hourcampfire.com
24hourcampfire.com
Previous Thread
Next Thread
Print Thread
Hop To
Page 3 of 6 1 2 3 4 5 6
Joined: Dec 2015
Posts: 8,179
P
Campfire Outfitter
Offline
Campfire Outfitter
P
Joined: Dec 2015
Posts: 8,179
QUESTION ?so your hunting with your lever 30-30 for deer and you happen to see a very nice buck but this buck is 250 - 300 yards away and there is no way to get any closer to this buck . will you pass or shoot ? most hunters will take a shot or two and most of the time with a 30-30 the buck will be missed or is wounded and probably lost. but for a HUNTER or myself with a bi-pod which i use all the time i take the one shot with my magnum or even a 30-06 or a 257 Roberts and kill the buck . so truthfully why would most hunters buy and use a 30-30 just to claim your the great white hunter ? We should all want a good clean kill with one shot ? i have a new lever in a Browning BLR 6.5 Creedmoor that` s even a much better cartridge than any 30-30 lever,plus this BLR has a clip/magazine for cartridges so the end of the bullets don`t get bent up either like a tube fed lever rifle .SO THINK ABOUT THIS ?


LIFE NRA , we vote Red up here, Norseman
BP-B2

Joined: Dec 2010
Posts: 19,158
B
Campfire Ranger
Offline
Campfire Ranger
B
Joined: Dec 2010
Posts: 19,158
Originally Posted by pete53
QUESTION ?so your hunting with your lever 30-30 for deer and you happen to see a very nice buck but this buck is 250 - 300 yards away and there is no way to get any closer to this buck . will you pass or shoot ? most hunters will take a shot or two and most of the time with a 30-30 the buck will be missed or is wounded and probably lost. but for a HUNTER or myself with a bi-pod which i use all the time i take the one shot with my magnum or even a 30-06 or a 257 Roberts and kill the buck . so truthfully why would most hunters buy and use a 30-30 just to claim your the great white hunter ? We should all want a good clean kill with one shot ? i have a new lever in a Browning BLR 6.5 Creedmoor that` s even a much better cartridge than any 30-30 lever,plus this BLR has a clip/magazine for cartridges so the end of the bullets don`t get bent up either like a tube fed lever rifle .SO THINK ABOUT THIS ?
Hunting in a forest with no fields or power line cuts you are extremely unlikely to see anything 250 yards away. Years ago when I hunted farm land I killed several deer at ranges between 200 and 250 yards with my .30-30 and one at just over 300. One shot apiece and yes I had a witness to the 300 yard kill. It was the only centerfire rifle I had at the time and I learned to make it work. Schlep that magnum rifle around the state forest here and the only thing you'll accomplish over someone armed with a .30-30 is ruining more venison. His deer will be every bit as dead as yours.

Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 2,129
3
Campfire Regular
Offline
Campfire Regular
3
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 2,129
Pete53, on a hunt where getting a deer was the main goal, see your point. But many times my reason for going out is to spend an enjoyable day in the country, and if I miss an opportunity because my rifle isn't up to the job, I'm ok with that. I've passed up deer I could have easily taken as well as deer a little out of range for that reason. I'm not talking about an expensive hunt, but a Saturday to get out in the hills 1/2 hour away and coulee walk. Might bring a deer home, might not......objective is to get away from this phone and my computer. And an open sighted carbine is perfect for that.

Last edited by 300_savage; 05/06/21.
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 30,811
J
Campfire 'Bwana
Offline
Campfire 'Bwana
J
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 30,811
Originally Posted by pete53
QUESTION ?so your hunting with your lever 30-30 for deer and you happen to see a very nice buck but this buck is 250 - 300 yards away and there is no way to get any closer to this buck . will you pass or shoot ? most hunters will take a shot or two and most of the time with a 30-30 the buck will be missed or is wounded and probably lost. but for a HUNTER or myself with a bi-pod which i use all the time i take the one shot with my magnum or even a 30-06 or a 257 Roberts and kill the buck . so truthfully why would most hunters buy and use a 30-30 just to claim your the great white hunter ? We should all want a good clean kill with one shot ? i have a new lever in a Browning BLR 6.5 Creedmoor that` s even a much better cartridge than any 30-30 lever,plus this BLR has a clip/magazine for cartridges so the end of the bullets don`t get bent up either like a tube fed lever rifle .SO THINK ABOUT THIS ?



A 30-30 is most definitely ballistically capable of taking a deer at 200 to 300 yards



I got banned on another web site for a debate that happened on this site. That's a first
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 38,724
Campfire 'Bwana
Offline
Campfire 'Bwana
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 38,724
Originally Posted by pete53
QUESTION ?so your hunting with your lever 30-30 for deer and you happen to see a very nice buck but this buck is 250 - 300 yards away and there is no way to get any closer to this buck . will you pass or shoot ? most hunters will take a shot or two and most of the time with a 30-30 the buck will be missed or is wounded and probably lost. but for a HUNTER or myself with a bi-pod which i use all the time i take the one shot with my magnum or even a 30-06 or a 257 Roberts and kill the buck . so truthfully why would most hunters buy and use a 30-30 just to claim your the great white hunter ? We should all want a good clean kill with one shot ? i have a new lever in a Browning BLR 6.5 Creedmoor that` s even a much better cartridge than any 30-30 lever,plus this BLR has a clip/magazine for cartridges so the end of the bullets don`t get bent up either like a tube fed lever rifle .SO THINK ABOUT THIS ?


What if you see a very nice buck that is 100 to 150 yards beyond the comfort level that you have with your new Browning?


Not a real member - just an ordinary guy who appreciates being able to hang around and say something once in awhile.

Happily Trapped In the Past (Thanks, Joe)

Not only a less than minimally educated person, but stupid and out of touch as well.
IC B2

Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 30,811
J
Campfire 'Bwana
Offline
Campfire 'Bwana
J
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 30,811
Originally Posted by 5sdad
Originally Posted by pete53
QUESTION ?so your hunting with your lever 30-30 for deer and you happen to see a very nice buck but this buck is 250 - 300 yards away and there is no way to get any closer to this buck . will you pass or shoot ? most hunters will take a shot or two and most of the time with a 30-30 the buck will be missed or is wounded and probably lost. but for a HUNTER or myself with a bi-pod which i use all the time i take the one shot with my magnum or even a 30-06 or a 257 Roberts and kill the buck . so truthfully why would most hunters buy and use a 30-30 just to claim your the great white hunter ? We should all want a good clean kill with one shot ? i have a new lever in a Browning BLR 6.5 Creedmoor that` s even a much better cartridge than any 30-30 lever,plus this BLR has a clip/magazine for cartridges so the end of the bullets don`t get bent up either like a tube fed lever rifle .SO THINK ABOUT THIS ?


What if you see a very nice buck that is 100 to 150 yards beyond the comfort level that you have with your new Browning?


Touche'



Last edited by jwp475; 05/06/21.


I got banned on another web site for a debate that happened on this site. That's a first
Joined: Dec 2016
Posts: 3,721
R
Campfire Tracker
Online Content
Campfire Tracker
R
Joined: Dec 2016
Posts: 3,721
JMHO- if I don't have enough personal discipline and
morals of an ethical hunter that I can't pass on an
obvious marginal shot whether it be a furry 4 footed
animal, or a fowl of whatever kind, well I probably
don't belong in the field
Who all tries 90 yard waterfowl shots ?
60 yard quail ?
If you let a big gobbler walk is life over and done with ?

Joined: May 2005
Posts: 7,045
A
Campfire Tracker
Offline
Campfire Tracker
A
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 7,045
Funny how the scope twidlers don't buy in on a thread like this.

We drown hours a week with 500-1000 yard expertise and choke on a deer at past 200 with a 30/30. I load Barnes 150gn cave points in mine and it is fine for its intended purpose in the lower 48. Never was intended for a Rocky Mountain cross valley shot so what's the issue here?


When truth is ignored, it does not change an untruth from remaining a lie.
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 1,256
W
Campfire Regular
Offline
Campfire Regular
W
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 1,256
Quote
I've killed enough deer with enough different cartridges to know this much is fact. If you have trouble killing deer at woods ranges with a .30-30, it ain't the cartridges fault.


I can kill a deer with a 22. But is it the best tool for the job? Nope. Neither is the 30-30. It's a pretty anemic, unremarkable round that was surpassed long ago by calibers that don't kick any worse and kill much better. People used to drive Model T cars and they were quite the cats meow back in their day. But thankfully there are better options now.

My advice to anyone trying a 30-30 in the thick briar country here in Alabama is bring a good flashlight, some good briar britches and a machete. LOL!

Joined: Dec 2010
Posts: 19,158
B
Campfire Ranger
Offline
Campfire Ranger
B
Joined: Dec 2010
Posts: 19,158
Originally Posted by Willto
Quote
I've killed enough deer with enough different cartridges to know this much is fact. If you have trouble killing deer at woods ranges with a .30-30, it ain't the cartridges fault.


I can kill a deer with a 22. But is it the best tool for the job? Nope. Neither is the 30-30. It's a pretty anemic, unremarkable round that was surpassed long ago by calibers that don't kick any worse and kill much better. People used to drive Model T cars and they were quite the cats meow back in their day. But thankfully there are better options now.

My advice to anyone trying a 30-30 in the thick briar country here in Alabama is bring a good flashlight, some good briar britches and a machete. LOL!
LMAO. Anybody who can't kill deer very thoroughly dead quickly and dependably with a .30-30 either needs shooting lessons or deer anatomy lessons, one or the other. The .30-30 works about as well as anything at shorter woods ranges. Oh and BTW, I have killed numerous deer with .22LR and .22 mag. and trust me a .30-30 allows a much broader range of bullet placement options/angles than either.

IC B3

Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 30,811
J
Campfire 'Bwana
Offline
Campfire 'Bwana
J
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 30,811
Originally Posted by Blackheart
Originally Posted by Willto
Quote
I've killed enough deer with enough different cartridges to know this much is fact. If you have trouble killing deer at woods ranges with a .30-30, it ain't the cartridges fault.


I can kill a deer with a 22. But is it the best tool for the job? Nope. Neither is the 30-30. It's a pretty anemic, unremarkable round that was surpassed long ago by calibers that don't kick any worse and kill much better. People used to drive Model T cars and they were quite the cats meow back in their day. But thankfully there are better options now.

My advice to anyone trying a 30-30 in the thick briar country here in Alabama is bring a good flashlight, some good briar britches and a machete. LOL!
LMAO. Anybody who can't kill deer very thoroughly dead quickly and dependably with a .30-30 either needs shooting lessons or deer anatomy lessons, one or the other. The .30-30 works about as well as anything at shorter woods ranges. Oh and BTW, I have killed numerous deer with .22LR and .22 mag. and trust me a .30-30 allows a much broader range of bullet placement options/angles on deer than either.


A 30/30 blows large wound channels through deer and kills them grave yard dead



I got banned on another web site for a debate that happened on this site. That's a first
Joined: Dec 2015
Posts: 8,179
P
Campfire Outfitter
Offline
Campfire Outfitter
P
Joined: Dec 2015
Posts: 8,179


I can kill a deer with a 22. But is it the best tool for the job? Nope. Neither is the 30-30. It's a pretty anemic, unremarkable round that was surpassed long ago by calibers that don't kick any worse and kill much better. People used to drive Model T cars and they were quite the cats meow back in their day. But thankfully there are better options now.

My advice to anyone trying a 30-30 in the thick briar country here in Alabama is bring a good flashlight, some good briar britches and a machete. LOL! [/quote]

^^^ THIS ^^^

AGREED where i hunt in a wet cold Tamarack swamp bring your flashlight ,muck boots , machete and hand warmers if you hunt with a 30-30.


LIFE NRA , we vote Red up here, Norseman
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 30,811
J
Campfire 'Bwana
Offline
Campfire 'Bwana
J
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 30,811
Originally Posted by pete53


I can kill a deer with a 22. But is it the best tool for the job? Nope. Neither is the 30-30. It's a pretty anemic, unremarkable round that was surpassed long ago by calibers that don't kick any worse and kill much better. People used to drive Model T cars and they were quite the cats meow back in their day. But thankfully there are better options now.

My advice to anyone trying a 30-30 in the thick briar country here in Alabama is bring a good flashlight, some good briar britches and a machete. LOL!


^^^ THIS ^^^

AGREED where i hunt in a wet cold Tamarack swamp bring your flashlight ,muck boots , machete and hand warmers if you hunt with a 30-30.[/quote]

Never ever had a problem dropping a deer with a 30/30



I got banned on another web site for a debate that happened on this site. That's a first
Joined: Dec 2010
Posts: 19,158
B
Campfire Ranger
Offline
Campfire Ranger
B
Joined: Dec 2010
Posts: 19,158
[quote/] where i hunt in a wet cold Tamarack swamp bring your flashlight ,muck boots , machete and hand warmers if you hunt with a 30-30.[/quote]


Gosh I killed a huge 9 point buck way back in a hemlock swamp with a .30-30 in 2011 and didn't need a machete or hand warmers. In fact, he never got out of my sight after a hard angling shot that entered the flank forward of the hind quarters, went through guts, liver, lungs and broke the off shoulder. Dragged him out of there by hand too. Had him done in a European mount that hangs in my living room now.

Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 12,273
Campfire Outfitter
Offline
Campfire Outfitter
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 12,273
Originally Posted by jwp475


A 30/30 blows large wound channels through deer and kills them grave yard dead




Yes and no.

Yes, it can blow large wound channels.

No. It doesn't necessarily kill them straight off.

Don't get me wrong. I'm not going to say a 30-30 is ineffective, but I did have an experience where I shot a small doe from a treestand with a Marlin 336. I put multiple shots into her while she just stood there. The end result was watching her walk off with a softball-sized hole in her chest and an 8 foot spurter coming out of her. She wandered about 40 yards, and finally keeled over.

The details are here: Ode to a 30-30 PT III

Another thing I will say is that 30-30 used to be the chambering of choice in my part of the world. Our camp is in SW Bracken County KY, in ZONE 1. We have unlimited antlerless deer permits. It is an opportunity-rich environment. The number of shot strings on the Rifle Opener is phenomenal-- 3/minute on a good one. Back 20 years ago the vast majority of neighbors shot 30-30 and you would hear multiple shots coming from the same place as somebody unloaded their mag at a deer. Over 20 years, those guys have retired from hunting or moved on. The weapon of choice nowadays is 30-06 and 308 and you seldom hear more than 2 shots coming from the same direction at once. Hunter numbers have gone down over the years. Harvest numbers have gone up.

Does that mean that 30-30 was ineffective? No. Did it mean all my neighbors were booger-eating morons? No. What I will say about these 30-30 arguments is that too often I hear pronouncements about 30-30's and various other over-discussed topics, and the guys poo-pooing a perfectly legitimate position come off sounding rather isolated and close-minded.

I've experimented with a bunch of deer rifles and chamberings over the years. Some have been spectacularly good. I'd say my latest, experiment, the 7mm08 was a hands-down winner. Others, like the 44 Mag, have been about what you'd expect. If you look in my reloading log, you'll probably find more experimental 30-30 loads than any other. Yes, I've taken deer with it, but I always found it a little wanting, and I have always figured I could do better.

Am I going to give up on 30-30? No, I'll keep at it. I dig my 30-30 rifles, and want to succeed with them. However, I had to finally admit that there were going to be better chamberings for me.


Genesis 9:2-4 Ministries Lighthearted Confessions of a Cervid Serial Killer
Joined: Dec 2010
Posts: 19,158
B
Campfire Ranger
Offline
Campfire Ranger
B
Joined: Dec 2010
Posts: 19,158
Originally Posted by shaman
Originally Posted by jwp475


A 30/30 blows large wound channels through deer and kills them grave yard dead




Yes and no.

Yes, it can blow large wound channels.

No. It doesn't necessarily kill them straight off.

Don't get me wrong. I'm not going to say a 30-30 is ineffective, but I did have an experience where I shot a small doe from a treestand with a Marlin 336. I put multiple shots into her while she just stood there. The end result was watching her walk off with a softball-sized hole in her chest and an 8 foot spurter coming out of her. She wandered about 40 yards, and finally keeled over.

The details are here: Ode to a 30-30 PT III

Another thing I will say is that 30-30 used to be the chambering of choice in my part of the world. Our camp is in SW Bracken County KY, in ZONE 1. We have unlimited antlerless deer permits. It is an opportunity-rich environment. The number of shot strings on the Rifle Opener is phenomenal-- 3/minute on a good one. Back 20 years ago the vast majority of neighbors shot 30-30 and you would hear multiple shots coming from the same place as somebody unloaded their mag at a deer. Over 20 years, those guys have retired from hunting or moved on. The weapon of choice nowadays is 30-06 and 308 and you seldom hear more than 2 shots coming from the same direction at once. Hunter numbers have gone down over the years. Harvest numbers have gone up.

Does that mean that 30-30 was ineffective? No. Did it mean all my neighbors were booger-eating morons? No. What I will say about these 30-30 arguments is that too often I hear pronouncements about 30-30's and various other over-discussed topics, and the guys poo-pooing a perfectly legitimate position come off sounding rather isolated and close-minded.

I've experimented with a bunch of deer rifles and chamberings over the years. Some have been spectacularly good. I'd say my latest, experiment, the 7mm08 was a hands-down winner. Others, like the 44 Mag, have been about what you'd expect. If you look in my reloading log, you'll probably find more experimental 30-30 loads than any other. Yes, I've taken deer with it, but I always found it a little wanting, and I have always figured I could do better.

Am I going to give up on 30-30? No, I'll keep at it. I dig my 30-30 rifles, and want to succeed with them. However, I had to finally admit that there were going to be better chamberings for me.



Those kinds of things can happen occasionally with any cartridge. Chances are that doe would have died just as quickly and gone no further if you'd have stopped shooting after the first shot. She was dead on her feet and just didn't know it. I had a similar experience many years ago with 12 gauge foster slugs. Pumped 4 of them through the lungs of a young buck from 30 yards before he finally figured out he was in a bad spot, trotted off 40 yards and keeled over. Another time I put a 12 gauge foster slug through both lungs of a broadside doe and watched her run 250 yards across a field before she went down. That's the farthest I've ever had a lung shot deer go with any cartridge. Do you suppose that means 12 gauge slugs aren't good deer killers at close range ? I have also used many different cartridges to kill deer over the last 44 years including .22LR, .22 mag., 5mm Remington rimfire mag., .222, .223, .22-250, .243, 6.5 Creedmoor, 7x57 mm Mauser, .30-30, .308, .30-06, .357 mag., .35 Rem., .44 mag., 20 gauge and 12 gauge slugs and I can't say any have really been more effective at woods ranges than the .30-30. Just last season I had a doe run 50-60 yards after taking a 150 gr. Federal Fusion bullet from my .30-06 through the lungs. I've had many others do the same with everything from .222 on up. The year before I shot a middling sized 7 point buck through both shoulders with one of those same bullets out of my .30-06 and recovered it from under the hide on the far side. That buck dropped instantly, just as it would have with the same shot placement from my .30-30 but I'm quite sure a 170 grain bullet out of my .30-30 would have exited as it has numerous times on even bigger bucks in the past. I am every bit as confident of making meat going into the woods with my .30-30 during deer season as I am with any other rifle in my safe. It has worked and worked well too many times in the past for me to feel any differently.

Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 12,273
Campfire Outfitter
Offline
Campfire Outfitter
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 12,273
Originally Posted by Blackheart
[Those kinds of things can happen occasionally with any cartridge. Chances are that doe would have died just as quickly and gone no further if you'd have stopped shooting after the first shot. She was dead on her feet and just didn't know it. I had a similar experience many years ago with 12 gauge foster slugs. Pumped 4 of them through the lungs of a young buck from 30 yards before he finally figured out he was in a bad spot, trotted off 40 yards and keeled over. Another time I put a 12 gauge foster slug through both lungs of a broadside doe and watched her run 250 yards across a field before she went down. That's the farthest I've ever had a lung shot deer go with any cartridge. Do you suppose that means 12 gauge slugs aren't good deer killers at close range ? I have also used many different cartridges to kill deer over the last 44 years including .22LR, .22 mag., 5mm Remington rimfire mag., .222, .223, .243, 6.5 Creedmoor, 7x57 mm Mauser, .30-30, .308, .30-06, .357 mag., .35 Rem., .44 mag., 20 gauge and 12 gauge slugs and I can't say any have really been more effective at woods ranges than the .30-30. Just last season I had a doe run 50-60 yards after taking a 150 gr. Federal Fusion bullet from my .30-06 through the lungs. I've had many others do the same with everything from .222 on up. The year before I shot a middling sized 7 point buck through both shoulders with one of those same bullets out of my .30-06 and recovered it from under the hide on the far side. That buck dropped instantly, just as it would have with the same shot placement from my .30-30 but I'm quite sure a 170 grain bullet out of my .30-30 would have exited as it has numerous times on even bigger bucks in the past. I am every bit as confident of making meat going into the woods with my .30-30 during deer season as I am with any other rifle in my safe. It has worked and worked well too many times in the past for me to feel any differently.


I'd be the first to say that inside 50 yards, just about anything will work on a whitetail-- give or take.

We're pretty well in agreement. My point was that 30-30 is not always dead-nuts certain proposition, and it isn't necessarily the hunter's fault.


Genesis 9:2-4 Ministries Lighthearted Confessions of a Cervid Serial Killer
Joined: Dec 2010
Posts: 19,158
B
Campfire Ranger
Offline
Campfire Ranger
B
Joined: Dec 2010
Posts: 19,158
Originally Posted by shaman
Originally Posted by Blackheart
[Those kinds of things can happen occasionally with any cartridge. Chances are that doe would have died just as quickly and gone no further if you'd have stopped shooting after the first shot. She was dead on her feet and just didn't know it. I had a similar experience many years ago with 12 gauge foster slugs. Pumped 4 of them through the lungs of a young buck from 30 yards before he finally figured out he was in a bad spot, trotted off 40 yards and keeled over. Another time I put a 12 gauge foster slug through both lungs of a broadside doe and watched her run 250 yards across a field before she went down. That's the farthest I've ever had a lung shot deer go with any cartridge. Do you suppose that means 12 gauge slugs aren't good deer killers at close range ? I have also used many different cartridges to kill deer over the last 44 years including .22LR, .22 mag., 5mm Remington rimfire mag., .222, .223, .22-250, .243, 6.5 Creedmoor, 7x57 mm Mauser, .30-30, .308, .30-06, .357 mag., .35 Rem., .44 mag., 20 gauge and 12 gauge slugs and I can't say any have really been more effective at woods ranges than the .30-30. Just last season I had a doe run 50-60 yards after taking a 150 gr. Federal Fusion bullet from my .30-06 through the lungs. I've had many others do the same with everything from .222 on up. The year before I shot a middling sized 7 point buck through both shoulders with one of those same bullets out of my .30-06 and recovered it from under the hide on the far side. That buck dropped instantly, just as it would have with the same shot placement from my .30-30 but I'm quite sure a 170 grain bullet out of my .30-30 would have exited as it has numerous times on even bigger bucks in the past. I am every bit as confident of making meat going into the woods with my .30-30 during deer season as I am with any other rifle in my safe. It has worked and worked well too many times in the past for me to feel any differently.


I'd be the first to say that inside 50 yards, just about anything will work on a whitetail-- give or take.

We're pretty well in agreement. My point was that 30-30 is not always dead-nuts certain proposition, and it isn't necessarily the hunter's fault.



The only cartridge I ever used that put every single deer I ever shot with it down instantly was the .22LR and that's only because every one was head shot.

Joined: May 2004
Posts: 1,256
W
Campfire Regular
Offline
Campfire Regular
W
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 1,256
Quote
Yes, I've taken deer with it, but I always found it a little wanting, and I have always figured I could do better.


You can do better. And the 7mm-08 you mentioned is a fine replacement. Vastly superior to the 30-30 with little if any increase in recoil. I have one as well and it's about perfect for deer hunting in Alabama.

Quote
LMAO. Anybody who can't kill deer very thoroughly dead quickly and dependably with a .30-30 either needs shooting lessons or deer anatomy lessons, one or the other. T


Odd that all the deer I shot with a 30-30 had a hole tight behind their shoulders when I found them. Always thought that was a perfectly fine place to hit a deer but apparently you know some secret place to shoot them that we newbies that have only been doing this for 45 years or more are unaware of.

Also odd that the deer I shoot with a 7mm-08, 25-06, 45-70 or a 30-06 tend to go one direction.....straight down. Weird track record with those calibers considering that I can't shoot for chit and apparently don't know where a deer's vitals are. LOL!

The last straw for me with a 30-30 was the day I shot a big doe while sitting over a green patch. She was one of 7 feeding in the patch. 70 yards broadside.. Put the crosshairs right in the crease behind her shoulder BLAM! Every deer in the patch hauled ass except the one I shot. She just stood there looking around like , "What was that" but showing no sign of being hit. So I jacked another round in the chamber and settled the crosshairs tight behind the shoulder again. Blam! This time she took off and ran straight out of the back of the patch. I gathered up my gear and climbed down from my treestand. Out in the middle of the patch where she had been standing...no blood. Followed her path from there to where she ran out of the back of the patch (about 40 yards). No blood. In the thicket behind the patch was a virtual maze of deer trails. Finally found her by just systematically following every trail. Finally about 50 yards out one of them I found a little blood and then found her about 20 yards farther on past that one patch of blood. She had two holes tight behind her right shouler you could have covered with a 50 cent piece. The exit holes on the other side were no bigger than the entrance holes. What little blood she had put on the ground back up the trail appeared to have been blown out her nose after her lungs finally filled up with blood. A less experienced or lazy hunter might well have thought he missed and not kept looking. I knew there was no way she wasn't hit however. If this were an isolated incident I would treat it as such. But this was the third hunt in which deer ran farther than normal without leaving much if any blood to follow. Hell, the deer I have shot with my compound bow typically only run 40 to 60 yards and leave a way better blood trail than the dirty thirty.

Now I'm not saying that the 30-30 is worthless. If you had a sick or crippled dog youn needed to put down then I'm sure it would do fine for that so long as you aim for the head. LOL!

Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 19,059
Campfire Ranger
Offline
Campfire Ranger
Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 19,059
Originally Posted by Willto
Quote
Yes, I've taken deer with it, but I always found it a little wanting, and I have always figured I could do better.


You can do better. And the 7mm-08 you mentioned is a fine replacement. Vastly superior to the 30-30 with little if any increase in recoil. I have one as well and it's about perfect for deer hunting in Alabama.

Quote
LMAO. Anybody who can't kill deer very thoroughly dead quickly and dependably with a .30-30 either needs shooting lessons or deer anatomy lessons, one or the other. T


Odd that all the deer I shot with a 30-30 had a hole tight behind their shoulders when I found them. Always thought that was a perfectly fine place to hit a deer but apparently you know some secret place to shoot them that we newbies that have only been doing this for 45 years or more are unaware of.

Also odd that the deer I shoot with a 7mm-08, 25-06, 45-70 or a 30-06 tend to go one direction.....straight down. Weird track record with those calibers considering that I can't shoot for chit and apparently don't know where a deer's vitals are. LOL!

The last straw for me with a 30-30 was the day I shot a big doe while sitting over a green patch. She was one of 7 feeding in the patch. 70 yards broadside.. Put the crosshairs right in the crease behind her shoulder BLAM! Every deer in the patch hauled ass except the one I shot. She just stood there looking around like , "What was that" but showing no sign of being hit. So I jacked another round in the chamber and settled the crosshairs tight behind the shoulder again. Blam! This time she took off and ran straight out of the back of the patch. I gathered up my gear and climbed down from my treestand. Out in the middle of the patch where she had been standing...no blood. Followed her path from there to where she ran out of the back of the patch (about 40 yards). No blood. In the thicket behind the patch was a virtual maze of deer trails. Finally found her by just systematically following every trail. Finally about 50 yards out one of them I found a little blood and then found her about 20 yards farther on past that one patch of blood. She had two holes tight behind her right shouler you could have covered with a 50 cent piece. The exit holes on the other side were no bigger than the entrance holes. What little blood she had put on the ground back up the trail appeared to have been blown out her nose after her lungs finally filled up with blood. A less experienced or lazy hunter might well have thought he missed and not kept looking. I knew there was no way she wasn't hit however. If this were an isolated incident I would treat it as such. But this was the third hunt in which deer ran farther than normal without leaving much if any blood to follow. Hell, the deer I have shot with my compound bow typically only run 40 to 60 yards and leave a way better blood trail than the dirty thirty.

Now I'm not saying that the 30-30 is worthless. If you had a sick or crippled dog youn needed to put down then I'm sure it would do fine for that so long as you aim for the head. LOL!

Had the same thing happen using a .308. Maybe it was because they both had Winchester in the name. smile miles


Look out for number 1, don't step in number 2.
Page 3 of 6 1 2 3 4 5 6

Moderated by  RickBin 

Link Copied to Clipboard
YB23

Who's Online Now
506 members (007FJ, 10gaugeman, 17CalFan, 160user, 10ring1, 1lesfox, 47 invisible), 2,242 guests, and 1,018 robots.
Key: Admin, Global Mod, Mod
Forum Statistics
Forums81
Topics1,187,596
Posts18,398,171
Members73,815
Most Online11,491
Jul 7th, 2023


 







Fish & Game Departments | Solunar Tables | Mission Statement | Privacy Policy | Contact Us | DMCA
Hunting | Fishing | Camping | Backpacking | Reloading | Campfire Forums | Gear Shop
Copyright © 2000-2024 24hourcampfire.com, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Powered by UBB.threads™ PHP Forum Software 7.7.5
(Release build 20201027)
Responsive Width:

PHP: 7.3.33 Page Time: 0.155s Queries: 15 (0.003s) Memory: 0.9282 MB (Peak: 1.1380 MB) Data Comp: Zlib Server Time: 2024-03-28 12:22:38 UTC
Valid HTML 5 and Valid CSS