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I've shot a couple black bears with a .30-30 but that's it. In my two uses it had been perfectly fine. I'm curious when others have used a .30-30 and regretted the choice. What didn't it do well for its intended and reasonable use?


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For most things, within reasonable range, the regret would most likely be poor shot placement.

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Originally Posted by Fraser
I've shot a couple black bears with a .30-30 but that's it. In my two uses it had been perfectly fine. I'm curious when others have used a .30-30 and regretted the choice. What didn't it do well for its intended and reasonable use?
...........It would not be a poor choice as long as the user understands its limitations ahead of time, by as you put it,,, "its intended and reasonable use."


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Used one years ago, mostly for a B tag rifle, but it filled my A tag a couple times cause I was after a meat doe when an opportunity for a buck presented. I never shot at a game animal with a .30-30 past 200 yards, usually closer, and I thought it anchored deer very well. Within its range limitations I think the .30-30 is a good, reliable deer rpund.

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I have found it to more of a shooting lacking ability, which applies to all cartridges.

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It is a poor choice where I hunt. Lots of shots from 150 to 300 yards. I love the 30-30 and pack one when I don't really need to fill the freezer. I would have no issue killing anything as large as elk sub 150 yards with a 170 gr. bullet.

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Once, years ago. A nice deer stepped out at the edge of a field about 250 yards away, looking at my buddy and I waking back towards the truck. The rifle is a Winchester M94 and had OEM sights on it, which I felt were totally inadequate for that shot.

A Williams FP, Skinner post front, some 8 inch paper plates at 200 yards, and a couple hundred practice rounds from various field positions led to the demise of the next one that did that. 236 yards and a dead deer.

I had been hunting a thick patch of woods and was coming out near dusk, caught 5 deer feeding in the field.

I still prefer my .308 for that, though, but letting that first deer walk stung and I felt obligated to address the shortcoming.

Pigs and Bears have fallen to that rifle, too. I've never found it lacking within its effective range for the game I hunt.

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I've used it on deer, bear, and even moose. I've never regretted having it along

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I’ve killed a few deer with a 30-30 and my son a few more. Where I hunt in Michigan most shots are only about 50-60 yards away hunting deer runs around swamp edges and such. For that a 30-30 works about as well as anything and the deer shot have only run 10-40 yards with a good blood trail.

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I'll give ONLY 3 examples but have seen/experienced many others.

[Linked Image from i.imgur.com]

Here my R foot is against a 9 pt buck in a Regrowth C/O and shot from that stand. It was 10' to the floor. He was surrounded by sagegrass, bushes and Oak and Pine seedlings.
Lasered distance was 250+ yds steep down hill.


[Linked Image from i.imgur.com]

Last season these deer would have been in 30-30 range however look PAST them and you might as well throw a rock.
They were closer than any other deer seen.


AND here last season

[Linked Image from i.imgur.com]

The distance is not the issue. Find a Buck with irons. Make an ethical shot. BTW there are 6 in that view.

Need I say more?

Jerry

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For deer, the 150 is a better choice than the 170 as it tends to open up better. I think the guns have sold the cartridge. Who doesn't like a Win 94 or Marlin 336?

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Mine happens to shoot 170s much better than 150s, so that's what it is.

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I hunt on tree farms in the Pacific Northwest. You can look one direction and see prime 30-30 country then turn 180 degrees and need a sniper rifle. A scoped 308 or 30-06 is a far more versatile choice around here.


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Originally Posted by Brad
If Montana had a standing army, a 270 Win with Federal Blue Box 130's would be the standard issue.
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Originally Posted by okie john
I hunt on tree farms in the Pacific Northwest. You can look one direction and see prime 30-30 country then turn 180 degrees and need a sniper rifle. A scoped 308 or 30-06 is a far more versatile choice around here.


Okie John


I can’t tell you how many articles I’ve read by “gun writers” who claim you need a brush buster to hunt the PNW. And what you just described is exactly what I’ve experienced. Pretty easy to have a 300 yard shot present it’s self.

I’ve always wanted a 30-30 but I’ve never owned one. I doubt I’d ever use one to hunt with though because of what Okie John described.

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[quote=JBabcock][quote=okie john]I hunt on tree farms in the Pacific Northwest. You can look one direction and see prime 30-30 country then turn 180 degrees and need a sniper rifle. A scoped 308 or 30-06 is a far more versatile choice around here.


Okie John
——————————-

I can’t tell you how many articles I’ve read by “gun writers” who claim you need a brush buster to hunt the PNW. And what you just described is exactly what I’ve experienced. Pretty easy to have a 300 yard shot present it’s self.

I’ve always wanted a 30-30 but I’ve never owned one. I doubt I’d ever use one to hunt with though because of what Okie John described.

———————————

Yes, y’all got the picture.

A 270 or 7 Mag will kill just as well at 12’ (feet) as
a 30-30. *i have done that *

I have NOT owned a 30-30 since > 1974.

Never have thot I wanted another.

Jerry


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Originally Posted by Fraser
I'm curious when others have used a .30-30 and regretted the choice. What didn't it do well for its intended and reasonable use?


It is a bit of a circular question really: does the .30-30 reasonably suit the uses for which it is reasonably suited? How could the answer be anything other than yes?

It'd be more useful to ask "to what do you think the .30-30 is reasonably suited, based on your own experience? What didn't it seem to suit?"

FWIW I've found my .30-30 perfectly well suited to medium-size deer (fallow) and pigs at the sort of range I usually shoot them.

Like anything you need to use it within its capabilities. I don't criticise my bow for the fact that I want to be within 40 yards to make a killing shot with it, I just make sure I get close enough, and enjoy the challenge.

My own .30-30 was built at about the end of the 19th century. With a peep sight and a 26" barrel it is very accurate, and in decent light I can reach out to maybe 200 yards, which accounts for the great majority of my shots on deer and pigs. It does what it says on the tin.

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After reading the thread, I'll still buy into the supposed 'fact", that more deer have been killed with a 30/30, than any other cartridge...

Most of my hunting has always seemed to be within 30/30 ranges as I call it... I use the 30/30, as I love the round...

but then many of my handloads in other calibers I hunt with, are usually loaded to 30/30 to 300 Savage Speeds.. 200 to 250 yds or so...

99% of all game just about anywhere are taken within those ranges...

any cartridge has its limitations, its more about understanding those...

maybe over the recent years, people are finally being talked out of using 30/30s, just to sell newer guns and ammo, ammo certainly isn't available like it use to be.. but now even 30/06 isn't as available as it use to be.. now its the 6.5 I Need More that is filling the shelves each deer season...

but within its boundaries and 30/30 will work as well as it always has...


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Originally Posted by jwall
[quote=JBabcock][quote=okie john]I hunt on tree farms in the Pacific Northwest. You can look one direction and see prime 30-30 country then turn 180 degrees and need a sniper rifle. A scoped 308 or 30-06 is a far more versatile choice around here.


Okie John
——————————-

I can’t tell you how many articles I’ve read by “gun writers” who claim you need a brush buster to hunt the PNW. And what you just described is exactly what I’ve experienced. Pretty easy to have a 300 yard shot present it’s self.

I’ve always wanted a 30-30 but I’ve never owned one. I doubt I’d ever use one to hunt with though because of what Okie John described.

———————————

Yes, y’all got the picture.

A 270 or 7 Mag will kill just as well at 12’ (feet) as
a 30-30. *i have done that *

I have NOT owned a 30-30 since > 1974.

Never have thot I wanted another.

Jerry

Kind of what a bud said when I asked why he used a 264 Win Mag or 300 Ultra Mag the most when deer hunting.

He said they kill up close AND far out.


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Originally Posted by Ray_Herbert
I have found it to more of a shooting lacking ability, which applies to all cartridges.


Shooting ability has nothing to do with the obvious (to some) range limitations of certain cartridges, 30-30 included.

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Originally Posted by SuperCub
Originally Posted by Ray_Herbert
I have found it to more of a shooting lacking ability, which applies to all cartridges.


Shooting ability has nothing to do with the obvious (to some) range limitations of certain cartridges, 30-30 included.


Were you unable to understand this sentence?

"What didn't it do well for its intended and reasonable use?"



Perhaps you'd feel better if I also mentioned a person's hunting ability or lack of too.

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