How many of you will open your deer season with an open-sighted .30-30 lever rifle in hand. Shooting 170 gr. round-nose factory ammo?

RS

My boy is shooting one. Win 94 carbine with federal blue box 150’s.

No

Those bounce off deers

If I only have a 30 yard shot, yes. Any farther I bust out the 22 lr.

Other than a muzzle loader, I've never hunted with open sights. Although I have hunted this season with my venerable 'ol Marlin 336 with a Bushnell Elite 3200, 2-7. I love the 30-30 for SC deer!

Marlin 336 .30.30 has been perfect for my little Hill Country lease for the last 10 years or so. It wears a 2 x 4 Leupold. Have a Browning 92 .44mag that rides on the 4wheeler with me for working around lease.

Marlin 336 RC CAL 30-30 leverevolution ammo. Leup M8 3X . I'll take this at least a few times.
Or Marlin 336A Cal 30-30Win but it's been AI'ed Leup 2x7 ridin' on it. No blood on it yet. I might have to fix that this year. I've owned this rifle for 27 or 28 years.

I hunted opening day 2020 with a Winchester 94 NRA Commemorative rifle that my Uncle Hank left me, in memory of him. He was the one who got me into hunting. I put a Williams peep sight on the rear and a fiber optic front sight on it. I also have a scoped Marlin 336 30-30 and I hunt with both of them every year.

I won't be using a 30-30 for Wisconsin deer season opener, but will use one after I bag a buck. Two doe tags and to make it more challenging will use iron sights. Marlin 336C and green and yellow box Remington 170 gr Core-Lokts.

I began having trouble seeing the iron sights, but Eyeball told me to get some 150 cheaters. That worked.

Some time later, put a Williams on and that eliminated the cheaters.

Just put 1 of those Williams rec sights on my 94
Guess the rear barrel sight needs to come off now...mb

I’ll be using a 30-30 Win M64 with a Williams peep.

I'll be carrying my Glenfield Model 30 in 30-30 the second week of the PA season.

In my unit, 4C, Bear are concurrent with deer the first week and we got some BIG freakin' bears in PA.....The 760 Carbine in 30/06 gets the nod then.

You don't see a 64 in the deer woods very often, Nice.

Good looking outfit Zoner my Williams is the model without the external knows. Just the flush screw driver afjustments...mb

I have a 32-40 I’m gonna use if I get a close shot

Thank you. I could order this either way but this model was in stock.

I have poor eyesight but surprised at how well I could shoot it at 100. 2” group or maybe a bit less. Winchester 150 or core-lokt 170 didn’t matter. Same group size.

Thank you. I don’t know if I’ll have it out on opening day or not. Depends on the conditions I guess. But I do have a few areas I’ll be taking it if the right situation arises.

Don't own a 30-30 anymore but do own it's predecessor, 38-55. Marlin 336 with a Skinner Express peep that I've used on several deer. All I use in it is a home cast 250 gr large meplat bullet that really packs a punch.

Nope, I won’t be opening season with a 30-30 but every time I have it performed splendidly.
If all I had was a 30-30 it wouldn’t bother me much. Mostly woods hunt anyway and it’s does that better than my Swede, ought-six or 243.
The only thing I own that gives the 30-30 a run for it’s money in the woods is my 44 Handi-rifle.
Sixty yards is about as far as I can shoot where I hunt.

I will have two 3030 this year. my new custom ruger #1 and my older , as in 1910, savage 99. both make it fun to get after them again. sorry, my eyes demand a scope sight. going to use Bobby Tomek loading ideas using 125 gr nosler ab. it is just my idea of more better!

My wife’s grandfather recently gave all the boys some Winchesters he has had stashed away. I got a 1966 Gold Centennial that hasn’t been fired. I put a williams sight on it and plan on taking a deer with it this year. I really want to put a picture on his wall with a deer and that gun.

Just the other day at a gun store I haunt, guy next to me saw it first and asked to see it. A pre-safety Marlin 336 JM in 30-30 Win in strong 90% plus condition for $550. I was hoping he'd put it back in the rack.... nope!

30 WCF...not a lever though, just a M54 Winchester.






Also, not factory ammo but powder coated cast 180 grr RCBS FPs.

I've got a late season doe tag, private land. Seems like a perfect opportunity to put the 30-30 Glenfield to work. Old 3x Leupold and handloaded 150 grain Hornady round-nose bullets.



Guy

Using a nice 1940 Winchester M94 this year. Will be my stand rifle. No shots further than 80 yrds there. Picked up some Nosler 150gr ballistic tip ammo to try out in it.

My eyes don't allow iron sights any more, so I have this old Leupold M8-4x on my 336SC. It shoots 1.5" at 100 yards with 150 Power Points. I don't bother to reload for it, with that kind of accuracy. It's plenty good enough for any distance I'd use it.

I, personally, am not hunting with a 30-30, but honorable #1 granddaughter is.

Mooselette announced she wanted to take a deer back in July. I got the Marlin 336 refitted for her. It's the same rifle her father used 20 years ago to to take his first deer, and she's using ammo from the same batch I loaded for her uncle in 2009.

That rifle is awesome!

You are really doing kids a disservice having them shoot rifles squatted down that low.

nope still using just a single shot Ruger #1

You're probably right, but she was having trouble finding the target frame. I had to switch the bags around until she could see the target. She put two of them into the bull that were touching, so I'm not going to complain. This was probably her last trip to the bench before season, and may be her last season with the Marlin. There's a Savage 340 in 30-30 waiting for her; she just wasn't big enough for it this year.

this is how i solved my small 10 yr. old grandson`s stock length problem and recoil , he is now using my AR-15 223/556 with the button adjustable stock and the other great thing about a AR-15 is AR`s have a great safety for a kid to use safely. i wish you a great safe hunting season ,Pete53

Not I but I feel certain that should the wife venture out It'll be with her 336.

Haven't used 30-30 since the late 70's.

Tell us how you do it better.

Ghost ring aperture sights kerp old eyes in the iron sight game. Not a scope, but I can actually hit with them at reasonable ranges!

Thanks, tzone. This is the ammo I'll be using:

Haven’t hunted with mine but once in 30 years. Several years back I took it one afternoon and shot a bobcat but realized the old red field 30/30 view scope wasn’t cutting it anymore so I put it up. Bought a vx freedom 2-7 and put it on it with tally’s tonight. Looking forward to using it again.
Bobcat from a few years back with the redfield

Tonight after I got the 2-7 mounted. Factory 150 grain winchesters are ready to go.

[quote=msuhunter]Haven’t hunted with mine but once in 30 years. Several years back I took it one afternoon and shot a bobcat but realized the old red field 30/30 view scope wasn’t cutting it anymore so I put it up. Bought a vx freedom 2-7 and put it on it with tally’s tonight. Looking forward to using it again.
Bobcat from a few years back with the redfield

Tonight after I got the 2-7 mounted. Factory 150 grain winchesters are ready to go.
[/quote

Cool photo! If your going to throw that Redfield out let me know😁!

I’m planning on taking a Savage 99 and a Marlin 1893 for a walk this year during deer season…..we’ll see what happens??

PennDog

Yep.

Sweet rifle and nice shooting sqweeler! What load are you using there?

PennDog

Mild load. 22.5 gr 3031 170gr cast

my new ruger custom #1.

Both grandsons' will be carrying 30-30's I got on here. Marlin 336's. I will have my 35 Marlin out. Should get a few that week. We love the meat and also share with the older guy's that cannot get out but come over to camp to hang out and eat. First deer in will not last the week will be eaten. Best time of the year for me. Love it.

Just finished restocking a 1952 Marlin, (pawn shop find with a badly butchered stock). I'll probably end up with an old steel tubed 2.4.5x Weaver on it, because my old eyes don't work with irons any more, but it'll definitely get some woods time this season.

Have a range of ammo and bullets for mine but the main load I worked up uses a Barnes 150gn very open point at 2456fps.
Haven't used it yet but aligned it on a nice 8 point whitetail a couple of years back but declined the shot.

30-30, huh?

Challenge accepted!

I'll carry a '94 loaded with 195gr RCBS cast bullets sitting on top of a mashed case-full of IMR 4350. Gets about 2050 fps. This will be for elk in the timber while I help my daughter find her buck.

More upright. Putting the butt into your collar bone isn't a good way to go.

JM 336 will be first up to bat this year... 150 TSXs. Group right about an inch at 100 yards.

I will. 1964 Model 94 that shoots 170 Corelokts pretty well. It has peep sights. I’m looking for meat not antler.
Good luck and have fun! Tom

Well, if I couldn't use one of,
2 308s
2 30-06s,
2 7mags
And a few more,
And the scope broke on my 30-30 and no others could be obtained.

I might be rocking an open sighted 30-30.

But would rather use the scoped in-line.



Vision isn't great, too often a scope is required to sort out a shot in thick stuff.

Flintlock and revolvers are the only things I've ever hunted with irons.

In 1986 I bought a model 94AE Winchester I gave it to my dad and it sat in the gun closet. After he passed it sat in my gun cabinet for years. About 3 years ago I finally got around to scoping it with a 2.5 luepold ultra light. I then worked up a reasonable load with some Norma N=200 and a Sierra 170 grain fp. Yesterday we finally got out to stalk through the woodlot. It handy and a lot lighter then my 30-06. I think sometimes we just don't appreciate somethings until we're.older.

Just picked up my first 30/30 this year

A Model 54 in 30/30 is one of my few unicorn rifles on my want list. Getting too old to chase on anymore tho.
That or a Model 30S, in 30 Remington...

That's all ya really need...

I've got a lever action Marlin 336, that has had a 4 power Tasco on top of it since the early 80s.
Think I paid $29 for that scope and it still works just as fine and clear as when I bought it in MN... their Pronghorn model.

I've used a .30-30 almost every season since 1979. This year won't be any different.

I got around to getting my 30-30 out. Still works like it used to. Ended up sighting it in with 150 federal non typical factory ammo. 40 yards through the shoulder and stopped in the hide a few inches in front of the opposite hind quarter. He ran 20 yards and died. Not much for horns but he was old and a bigger deer for the pine cone for food area we are in. Bullet did some work.

Yes I carry a 30-30 every year so this year was no different. I have the Winchester and the Marlin variety

Msuhunter…..


That’s a freaking TOAD!

Merry Christmas!

Got to sit with this one a few times last week... but didn't get to drop the hammer. Sighted at 100 with 150 TSX.

I used to use iron sights nearly exclusively,
but anymore where I'm hunting one has to
try and evaluate the antlers of any buck to
determine legal width if possible, so most all
rifles I use are scoped.
Still using a 30/30 a good bit because it's a
good deer killer and not anemic like so many
today declare it to be

I used a 94AE Legacy with a 24" barrel, Williams FP sight, and 3/32" white bead opening day of the Michigan firearms season. I like to give that rifle the first chance.

I worked up a load for my old marlin this fall using the 160FTX. Hope to get her back out in the stand after I get back from the holidays.

I used to have a 94 ranger but wifey has claimed it

First deer I've killed with a .30-30. A few years back here in TX. Need to whack a pig with it now.
Bob

I use mine every year, don't always kill with it, as I bowhunt as well!

RGK - good looking rifle and a nice buck!

I used a Henry with a single handloaded 160 gr Hornady FTX bullet to drop this muley doe at 170 yards. The little 2.5x Leupold helped.



Regards, Guy

my open sighted or iron sighted rifle days are gone, but I did kill a buck earlier this season with my Marlin 336Y. 16 inch barrel with a low power variable scope.
It's a known killer with my hand loaded 170 grain rounds.

Another item on the plus side: you are doing well to ensure she is using a Bundeswehr jacket to do her sighting in!

Our old Marlin .30-30 gets the starting spot every season. My son took a nice 6 pointer on our first day out this year.

Sad to say I haven’t used mine in a while, but my walmart 336W I bought in college has dropped a great many Texas whitetails. Even when I was young iron sights didn’t work for me so put an old Burris 4x in it and it has never failed me. Speer 150 gr w/ IMR 3031.
If I ever get a mulie tag in our elk unit I will definitely bring it along for a timber day.

I've been gone a few months. Good to be back.

As for a .30x.30 used for deer, I'm no expert but I have an AE and I've got no objections to it and when I'm hunting I use mine at least once a year. With the Hornady 160 grain flex tips I feel good on shots out to 200, 250 yards with it.
If I'm hunting somewhere that the shots are going to be consistently longer yeah I'll take one of my longer legged guns. But I've got a 3x9x40 on it that's pretty clear so I'm pretty confident it'll do the job on most any deer sized animal inside 250 yards.

I took my Marlin 336 XLR 30/30 on a couple of hunts this year. Killed a nice doe with one shot at about 100 yards. Hornady 160 gr FTX.

Not a 30-30 but close.
I hunted with a pre-war Savage 99 R in .303.
I shot a nice 5X5 at about fifty yards.

I put a Williams aperture sight on it and it worked just fine.

One of my two favorite calibers to shoot