Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles 30-30 Recommendations?

Hi all. My dad seems to want a new 30-30. After seeing the recent thread on Remington's Marlins,I told him to stay away from the new Marlins. Which company seems to make the best 30-30 today?
Thanks
Scott

If it were me, I'd hawk the used guns in your local shops for the next two or three weeks. Look for an older marlin with the JM stamp and you should be good to go.

I agree with the previous poster. I would look for a good used Marlin.

I know a couple of guys that have been very pleased with the new Mossbergs...

What about the Henery's?

All 30-30's are cool! Kinda wanted a Ruger #1 in 30-30 but couldn't justify the expense.

DMc

Used preRemington Marlin. There is a dandy for sale here in the classifides.

This one. You live once....

Yeah, but you gotta eat every single day....

I'm also at the point where'd I'd need to buy a NEW safe.., BLEH!

DMc

I like the pre-safety M94's the best for levers. They aren't great if you need to mount optics a tang or receiver mounted peeps really improve accuracy. If you need optics find an old Marlin 336 the only one I owned was a .35 Rem, good shooting rifle. My most accurate .30-30 is a Rem M788, I know it isn't traditional but consistent sub .5" three shot groups @ 100 yards with Hornady Leverevolution ammo is pretty fun to shoot.

You could also go the single shot route and get a NEF/H&R or something more pricey like a TC Contender. I have a G2 Contender that is showing real promise.

Dale

If he insists on brand new in the box, I can't recommend one since I don't know all of the options. Slim pickins in the lever action department. Winchester is making a few more but only in a couple of special configurations and they are really spendy. That Ruger #1 30-30 is pretty neat but only for real #1 afficionados.

If he wants a quality .30-30 lever action, best bet is to peruse www.gunbroker.com or some other on-line auction site. There are lots and lots of excellent used Marlins for reasonable prices, especially the RC models, also a good selection of Winchesters. if you keep an eye out he could probably find one a few years old in almost new condition cheaper than a brand new Marlington and it would be twice the rifle.

FWIW, I looked for 3-4 months and finally found my 336 SC Sporting Carbine .30-30 on gunbroker, it was made in 1955 and rates at least 95%, probably better. It is as accurate as any lever action I've ever had (about 10 IIRC - Marlins and Winchesters combined) and the quality, fit, polish and finish is superior to most of the new Marlins I've seen in the last 20 years at least, maybe even 30. And the really nice part is that it was a good $200 cheaper than then-current retail prices.

Remlins are non-starters for me. I have a Winchester 1895 made in Japan, and I have to admit that it is a fine piece of work. However, unless Winchester started making a retro Model 88 in Japan, I have all of the Japanese levers that I want.

Now, if I absolutely had to have a NIB .30-.30 today, I might be tempted to try a Rossi stainless Rio Grande. The Rio Grandes that I have handled have had a fit and finish that was fair to good and cycled fairly well. But, I don�t know anymore about them. I still think a guy would be better off with a used Marlin with a tang serial number. CP.

The heyday/golden age of the .30-30 has since passed. The era of beanfield rifles, Super Mags, and Super short mags has really pushed the .30-30 levers off the front pages of most gun rags, and huntin shows. Does that mean that the venerable .30WCF is NOT a viable and potent deer round??? NOT by a long shot just the past week my 84 year old father took a nice 5 pt buck with a 1947 vintage Wincherst model 94 in .30-30. At about 60 yds that buck never knew what hit him, never took a step. If my dad were to put a notch on the stock for ever deer he has taken in the last 65 years the stock would be a pistol grip by now.

That being said, I would go the vintage route. Find an old Winchester, or Marlin, even a Remington 788 as someone else had mentioned would be very very cool. My personal ultimate .30-30?? a Marlin 336-ADL 24" barrel nice hand checkering. I would add either a Lyaman peep or a classy old Weaver. A nice little Marlin 336 SC as a companion piece for thick cover would be fun as well. for some reason the 2/3 length mags and the shape of the curved levers are SOOOOO sexy.

Classic '94 or 99. The #1 would be cool.

Won't touch a Marlin.

the rossi rio grande is a nice lever gun i like it much better than any of the remlins ive shot i have 3 lever action .30-30's one is a winny 94 16 inch barrel a '62 marlin 336 and a rossi rio grande its a lot better than the winny but still not as nice as my old marlin

If I were contemplating a new .30-30 today, I'd probably choose between one of the pistol gripped, walnut stocked Mossberg 464's and the Rossi Rio Grande. Ultimately, I'd likely not buy either and would look for a good used pre-safety Marlin or pre-'64 Winchester 94. I wouldn't even consider a new Remlin.

If he wants new have a look at the Mossberg, personally I wouldn't even waste my time loking at the Rossi, I'll NEVER! buy a Brazillin gun ever again!
If he really wants a GOOD rifle I also would look for a NICE vintage (pre CBS) Marlin, I was one of these guys that had to have a Winchester 94, an that was before they quit making them, it's been sent down the road and a Marlin has replaced it!

There is actually a VERY nice original Marlin 336 r.c. made in 1948 for sale here in tge classifieds. If i was looking for a 30-30 that's what id get. Even over a new one. I have the exact same one, made in 1948 also and even being 64 years old it works just as well, if not better than any new Remlin. Id have 100% confidence in buying a vintage Marlin and hunting hard with it.

Cory