Home Forums Lever Action Central Lever Actions - General Lever Gun - .357 or 30-30?

Time to decide 357 or 30-30. I know the differences and both have advantages. I already reload for both and have ammo, brass, bullets, powder, etc. for each. Here's what I'm seeing:

30-30:
plus side: easier to find, cheaper, many marlins can be easily scoped, better range. Overall, a better deer and medium range varmint gun.

.357:
Plus side: posible CAS in the future, some states that are "shotgun only" deer states are legalizing pistol caliber carbines for deer hunting (hopefully Iowa will be one in the future), more "fun factor" while plinking.

I had myself talked into a .357. I had a Win 1894 Trapper in 30-30 that I wished I had never sold. It had a Williams Receiver sight that I liked and will more than likely go with the same on my next Lever gun. But never the less, I did sell it and kinda have that "been there, done that" feeling so I thought I'd go with the .357 this time. Like I said, I liked the receiver sight (looks, plinking) but for hunting I prefer a low power scope. I thought of doing CAS and been to a couple matches. And there is the possibility of "home state" rifle hunting in the future. The 30-30 will never be legal for deer here in Iowa. The 30-30 would be a better hunting gun if/when I decide to go out of state for deer hunting and is also a better coyote gun do to the extra range (although I already have a 22-250 for coyote I could still see a Lever Gun being fun to take on occasion).

I may never do CAS, Iowa may never legalize .357 carbines for deer so the 30-30 makes a lot of sense. But then, I'd have to kick my own Butt if I bought the 30-30 then decided to do CAS or Iowa opened up the deer hunting.

Enough incoherant rambling, what in the world to do?

CB

Get the .357; it'll be a fun plinker in the least, and you already want one bad enough to kick yourself for selling the one you had.

.30-30s, are EASY to come by, and always will be.

Somebody has to say it.Get both but I gotta admit my .357 is more fun than my 30-30.

That extra barrel length going from a handgun to a rifle really ups the velocity in a .357 with the right powders, even pushing a heavier bullet

If you have the coins for a CAS type rifle like a Trails End, Rossi 1892 or Marlin 1894, go for the .357. As noted above, you can always find a nice used .30-30 for $150 to $250.

I have a Win 94 Trails End and will also buy a Marlin Cowbow II with the long barrel and a tang peep sight first chance I get.

Marlin 94 .357

Marlin 357, I can damn near carry this 16 1/4" barreled 1894 in my pocket.

I had an old 30-30 as a "project" that never got started.. so I sold it and I immediately regretted it.

Now I do want a .357 - just makes sense since I have some .357 revolvers.

My only question is whether it will eat .38s too, if any .357 lever guns take the .38s better than others, or some partiicular .38 if any that just is better - if any of them are sutiable at all

Yeah I got a "few" extra boxes of .38 sitting around

I guess I do want a 30-30 too but this time, I will go with a working model that doesn't need any work.

The above pictured Marlin digests 38 specials just fine.

The 357 is a miserable deer killer unless you use head or neck shots, but a 22 L.R. will do the same under those circumstances.. IMO, the 30-30 is by far the best option if you intend to hunt big game.

Can one not use a 30-30 in CAS???

I think the 357 is a bit better than miserable at killing deer. I'd still rather have a 30/30 for a dedicated deer killer (between the two) but wouldn't want to be a deer if I had a 357 in my hands.

"Miserable" might be a bit extreme don't ya think? I can handload loads that will come very close to factory 30/30 balistics. They just lose thier poop a little faster. Plenty more power than the "front stuffers" of old (that have killed every game animal in North America) for that matter. I've seen what happens when a deer gets a 357 from my 4" Ruger. I don't lose anything from a 18' or 20 barrel do I?

The only time a 30/30 is legal for CAS is long range shoots. Only one club here in Iowa is set up for those. You can't use them for thier more common "multi gun" stages.

CB

Could you be more specific about what "close to factory 30/30 (sic) balistics" means?

I don't know, but I've seen a few deer die to a 160gr cast bullet doing 1200fps and they weren't CNS hits.

I have a Marlin 1894-C .357 Mag. which would be one of the last guns I'd ever part with. Great "camp" or just "grab & go anywhere" carbine. (Also handy for home or farm/ranch defense.) Always accurate, dependable, and FUN to shoot.

I also much like my Marlin 336, 30-30. But if I were making the choice you're making for the reasons you mention ... I would be trying to choose between buying:

~ A Marlin 1894, chambered in .38 Spl./.357 Mag.
~ Or ...
~ A Marlin 336, chambered in >>>.35 Remington <<<.

However "YOU" decide ... You really can't go wrong. It's not an "either / or" decision. It should be just a ...

"Which one should I buy FIRST ???"

I've killed enough deer, bear and Lion with a 357 to not like it much..I would much rather be shooting a 41 or 44 magnum..No handgun cartridge kills as well as a 30-30 however...As to killing deer, just because one has killed them with something does not mean they are suitable..I have killed a lot of Lions and bear with a 22 pistol and we always shoot lions in the heart with a 22 so they will die in the tree and not get knocked out of the tree by a big gun, only to kill a dog before they die.

Why did I just buy a Marlin 336 in 30-30? $170 out the door. I can load it down to 110 gr. for small game. Would I rather have a .357 mag? Yes, but, I'll likely not find one for less than $300 used.

So a 30/30 'kills' better than a 454 or a 500 S&W?

Shoot a lion in the neck with a .30-30 and he won't be killing any dogs either, for sure.