Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Deer Hunting .30-30

Exactamundo!!!!


Ingwe

Youper:

I've only taken one deer with my Marlin 336, 30-30. That was about ten years ago when I went on a whitetail hunt in Mississippi.

When I was very young and he was very old, my grandfather told me some of his experiences when he was young. He started shooting an old Winchester '76, 45-70 as a teenager. He said that when he first shot a 30-30 with modern smokeless powder, he thought that it just about defied gravity because the trajectory was so flat. When he fought in WWI, he was issued a Springfield 30-06 and he said that the range was twice as far using the '06 and he was amazed again.

One could make a strong argument for stating that the 30-30 caliber has taken more big game animals than any other because for fifty years it was the caliber of choice for blue collar hunters all over the country. And in the late '30s there was a vigorous debate between proponents of the 30-30 and 30-06.

The debate was pretty much put to rest by the M1 Garand (30-06), which was issued to servicemen during WWII. So hunting changed after WWII and most big game hunters started using calibers with more aerodynamic bullets, higher muzzle velocities, flatter trajectories, longer range and more hitting power.

To some degree, the debate has rekindled with the introduction of 30-30 Leverevolution ammo using bullets with pointed rubber tips that exhibit better aerodynamics. But even with that improvement, the 30-30 can't perform as well as more modern 30 caliber ammunition and probably never will.

I own rifles in several calibers as I suspect you do also. The Lever action 30-30 looks great hanging in a rifle rack on the wall. But I use a 30-06 for big game hunting in Colorado. However as you suggest, a lever action 30-30 is hard to beat for a 200 yard gun.

KC

I love my Marlin 336 in 30-30, have taken several does with it, 2008 was my latest. It's deadly accurate with almost any round I chamber in it. I mostly bow hunt now, but just yesterday I realized I'v never taken a buck with my Marlin, so that is the goal for next season.

This has been a great thread to read!

While I would love to have a model 54 Winchester in 30/30,
I do have 3 of them in lever action..

a Model 94 that my step dad bought at the Alconbury Rod and Gun Club just before we left England in June 1966... killed my first deer with it at Ft Bragg in 1967. Still have it and will pass it on to my son who is now 15.

a Marlin that is stainless and wood, when they originally made a limited run of them.

and also when they were still cheap, a Model 94 Legacy with a 26 inch barrel, was nostalgic for me to pick up one with a long barrel., I actually don't like the 20 inch barrel on the other two.. 24 inch would be more to my liking...

I have had it on my agenda to get an New England single shot in 30/30 for a long time. I actually like to load up 110 grain RN's at about 2700 or so fps, to take out an shoot some varmints with it.

Last time in Montana shooting prairie dogs with my buddy out of Billings, I took the 30/30 and a 100 rounds of the 110 gr Handloads.. problem was, I got to shoot about 10 shots with it..

my buddy and his son were fighting over it to shoot the remaining 90 rounds at prairie dogs...

Seafire,
You wouldn't happen to recall what that 110 grain load was? I've been messing around w. light bullets in the .30-30 using some of Paco's data, would be interested in what you found worked. Thanks. Sounds like a good time.

Ella

Last deer I killed with a 30/30 was 1982 - Remington 788. The deer ran the farthest of any I've ever shot. No blood, hair or tissue for for about 100 yds. or so. I figured I simply missed it and returned to my stand and continued to hunt.

As we were leaving I searched one more time and found a few drops of blood several yds beyond where I had previously stopped searching. Across a fence and about another 30-40 yds beyond, found the deer laying head down hill on a small knoll in a uncut soybean field.

Even with the heart, a lung, and liver being penetrated, apparently, my bullet failed to expand. Entrance/exit holes (L/shoulder-RT/rear rib cage) were both the same .30 cal. size. The bullet was a Silver Tip but don't recall now whether a 150 or 170 gr. Body cavity was absolutely full of blood.

Ella,

I have all sorts of loads I use for that combo, depending on velocity desired etc at the time.

one can use Rl 7 ( a favorite for accuracy) from 22 to 34 grains is what I play with.. at 34 grains, in mine I am about 3000 fps with the 110 grainers.

Sr 4759 is also a fun load, as it has reduced recoil, kids love it. 15 to 20 grains usually works out fine. that maxes out in the 2600 fps range.

30 grains of 4198....

as always, work up from a lower point.

for 50 yds or so, a case full of Trail Boss with give you the MV of a 22 LR, but with a 110 grain 30 caliber bullet.

Cast bullet loads also with a 115 grain cast bullet from Laser Cast is also a fun afternoon shooting economically, using Unique.
Laser Casts web site has some useful load data for that kind of plinking.

if you single shot a Model 94 or Marlin 336, the 110 grain V Max or the 110 Sierra HP will also make a fun varminter, especially on prairie dogs.

Load it with the new 150 gr TSX bucket mouth and you will be happily surprised on how well it kills.

(same bullet is also fun on Yotes from a 300 Magnum...PETA would not approve.)

I got one for my boy. I loaded the 150 grain Speer to 2250 fps out of a 20" barrel. At 12 years old he plugged one at 50 yards behind the shoulder and their was lung tissue strewn all over the brush on the other side. Then at 13 years old, he shot one from a tree stand with my coaching at 250 yard DRT.

I have been very impressed with the 150 Speer.

Anyone else have any particular 30-30 loads they dote on?

1987 for deer
2002 for antelope.

Good thread!

I only hunted once with a .30-30 on my first dear hunt at 14. I got my chance at a small 2x2 across a canyon, probably 150 yards away. I was pretty clueless about ballistics and how much bullets drop at different distances. I couldn't believe shot after shot were all hitting down by his feet. I had never fired a gun farther than 100 yards at the range or at probably 35 to 50 yards in the woods plinking at cans. I fired all 5 rounds from the magazine and had nothing to show for it but an exasperated father. The young buck lived and learned (and so did an ignorant young hunter).

Seafire, thanks for the pointers. I have some 4759 around somewhere, might have to try that out. I've used heavier lasercast bullets at slow speeds--the 170 grainers, no gas check--they've been working well w. under 7 grains of 2400 for under 100 yard plinking. 700x also works well. I just love doodling around w. a lever in this caliber. Light loads are just a hoot.

On the thread's general topic, my most recent hunting w. the .30-30 was earlier last month in N Georgia, took a couple of very tasty piglets from a litter I happened on by accident, Winchester power points over RL-15 I believe. Through the heart, flop. The rifle is a bubba-ed up Glenfield w. a truckbed liner painted stock and a Williams peep sight and Marble sourdough front sight. It has one of those after market flopless triggers on it and is a joy to take with.

Killed my first Deer with a Savage 219 30-30,and a bunch more after that with the same rifle. I have a model 94 30-30 that is a 1947 model that has had 10 rounds thru it. It was my FIL's. I bought it 35 or forty years ago from him and have never put a shell in it. I just don't care for them.(94 Winchester,s that is)
The 30-30 for short range work is fine.

I never shot a 30-30 for blood. (A crime, isn't it)

I started with a Savage 99 in 308 and never looked back.

BMT

The last deer I shot with the 30/30 was in 2005.
I was shooting my dad's 1956 vintage 94.
The deer ran out of the really thick under brush to my right and slightly behind me.
She was running at full speed in full bound and didn't see me.
I heard her coming and was "at the ready" when she came busting out of the cover.
I had to shoot in self defense at almost muzzle contact distance or she would have landed on top me.
After the shot their was blood on the rifle barrel believe it or not.
Eric

Well eric what about the deer

The doe field dressed was about 150 lbs.
She dropped about 5 feet away from me.

Shot my first deer this past season with my 336

I'm either putting a scope on it, or maybe using my SKS next year. I'm also buying a 338 ME with tax returns

Is it wrong to go through life without owning at least one 30-30?

Well I guess not, but it doesn't hurt to have one. I'm down to one now.