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.

Check out Buffalo Bore Ammo.They got .357 with the same energy as 30-30.

I have 2 Marlin .357's and several 30-30's and if strickly deer hunting I would probably take the 30-30. throw any other equation in and I would take the .357 as it is a better plinker, would probably be the gun I had with me when kickin around (I only carry a 30-30 when deer hunting) it work's for varmint's and will work for deer plus it is a blast to shoot! Mine is similar to Steely's but stainless and laminate.

Karl

My 94 Trapper .357 is just plain fun to shoot and my 13 year old has as much fun with it as I do. I dug a 158 gr. Gold Dot out of a stump and was quite impressed by the expansion, as unscientific as that is I think a deer inside 100 with it would be toast. I need to attach an XS ghost ring set but for now the Williams works just fine. It feeds .38 handloads very well making it real economical to shoot. As far as "social work" goes, I'd be comfortable with it in my hands in a scrape and figure it's one of the last types the Dems will ban. One of the last I'd part with!
Mike

Steelie, I love the pic with the Bruks and the Marlin!!

While I will say that the 357 is no match for the 30-30, the 357, if loaded properly, is far form a miserable or poor deer killer. While I have not personally killed any deer with a 357, my brother has killed 3 deer (2 bucks and a doe) with a 6� Colt Python, 1 was DTR the other two traveled less that 15-20 yards. I have seen deer run much further after being hit with rifle calibers. Shot placement is the key. Also, out of a 16� barrel, a 357 slug is moving 200 to 500 fps faster. If the same bullet from a 6� barrel will do the job, I would think an extra few hundred fps couldn�t hurt.

SPIT the differance and get a 44 ,mag lever action carbine, its a good deer killer, and fun to plink with and cast bullets are cheap/effective and easy to make, my B.I.L. uses a 357 carbine for deer and it works but its certainly not equal to the 44 mag and Ive found the 44 mag is just as effective as the 30/30 on deer


I like the 44 cowboy version the best, but theres versions with shorter barrels also

http://www.marlinfirearms.com/Firearms/Cowboy/1894_45Colt.asp

I've all 3, all Wins in our stable though, though have a couple of Marlin 336 carbines in .30-.30


the .44 mag is my favorite, 9 rounds, no need for extra shells, works pretty effectively, but it's sort of a safe queen as I want the scritches to be put on it by my oldest boy, got it for him, course his half pint brother sounded off and wanted to know where his rifle is so picked him up one in .357 it too is in really good shape but has the abomination cross bolt safety, which the .44 lacks.

I keep the .30-30 around for my use I guess, though I'd sure like to find another .44 that someone else has beat up a bit for an alternative knockaround gun.

I have owned and used both .357 as well as .30-30 lever guns. My Rossi M 92 in .357 is still killing a deer per year in the hands of my son's GF.
Of the two though, I would not hesitate to choose the .30-30 over the .357 Mag. If I HAD to choose a pistol caliber lever gun, it would be a .44 Mag, which is much closer in effectiveness to a .30-30 than the .357 is.
As to 'short and handy', my 336Y Spikehorn fits the bill easily with it's 16 inch barrel. MOA accurate as well.

I agree with teh 30-30 guys.

I also agree with the 357 guys.

Ammo will be available for eeach just about anywhere.

'Twere it me, I would go 44 mag -- as that is my daily carry handgun.

Long way of saying, buy whatever floats your boat.

BMT

BMT

The main events are done with pistol caliber lever action rifles, but there are side events that the .30-30 can be used in.

BTW - you've got a cool screen name! (6.0221415 � 10^23)

I have FULL confidence in my 158 JSP's at 2000-2050 to kill deer and would not hesitate to shoot something larger if that was what I had in hand and the range was decent.

Perhaps some 357 users have had marginal results depending on shot placement, bullet selection, AND whether it was in a handgun at reduced speeds over rifle ballistics.

If a deer is reasonably hit with the above load, I SERIOUSLY cannot imagine it going far if hit w/in 100-150 yds.

To the OP, I love my 357, it is a lot of fun to shoot, but a 30/30 just does not get my interest..... a personal preference.

...The old 30/30 is much the better big game choice. Yes, the 357 will take deer, which don't really require a 'golump' of power to kill, BUT between the 357 (borderline, short range only please, place your shots with ASSURED precision), and the 30/30, the 30/30 provides a better margin of wallop, and with proper loads can even take elk at thick woods ranges..Of course ALWAYS place shots through the vitals regardless of caliber choice...
.......I'm also in agreement with previous comments that the 44 Rem Mag is a better choice than the 357, if deer are the main target....I have a 357 H&R handi-gun chambered in 357 Remington "Maximum" (more punch than the standard 357 mag), which has a lighter recoil than the 30/30, but hits as hard at short range, and saw it's main use years ago tutoring my sons in thier first deer hunting forays.

Couple of notes...

I just bought a Marlin 357 with thoughts of having a very cheap to shoot, fun gun. It's all that. It says right on the barrel, 357 Magnum and 38 Special.

For a while, I thought perhaps I'd made a big mistake, because the one I got has the microgroove barrel. Apparently, microgroove barrels don't always mix well with lead alloy bullets. My first trip to the range with 158 lead SWCs on 38 cases was definitely disappointing. However, it shot sub 2" five-shot groups with 158 Speer hollow points. Hmmm... fun, but not cheap.

My next step was to load up a batch of 158 round nose copper plated bullets from Berry's. They aren't as cheap as simple cast, and they aren't as stout as jacketed, but with 38 +P loads, the result is something with .22 velocities that are fun to shoot. Haven't tested accuracy, but I expect that will be similar to the Speer hollow points.

Good news! Rocky steered me to this site:

extensive research on cast lead bullets, some in microgroove barrels

With 180 grain cast lead bullets at about 1200 FPS, the 357 Marlin seems to give very satisfactory results.

Bottom line: I really enjoy shooting mine. With +P 38 ammo, it's great fun. With a full-house jacketed bullet, it's probably an adequate deer rifle at 75 yards, and there is a solution for shooting cheap and accurate with cast bullets, even with the microgroove barrel. The 44 mag suggestion makes a lot of sense, but I'm not impressed by 45 LC (which nobody has actually suggested).

Mine is isn't a microgroove barrel and shoots cast very well. They do feed with 38 specials just fine. Fun little gun that will kill deer.