A choice... get one in 30-30 or 45-70. Why?

Trick question.

Get both! Why is because!

Actually I would get the .30-30 just because I don't need the power of a .45-70.
Currently have a .275 Rigby and a .35 Whelen No. 1's

I’d get the .30-30. I had a 45/70 and used some ‘Ruger only’ loads in it and couldn’t stand that much fun. I’d also consider rechambering the .30-30 for .30-40 krag, just for S&G.

Old70

You hunting deer or buffalo?

I have the 45.70 and love it. Easily one of the best shooting rifles I have. Loves the Hornady Lever Revolution stuff.

I, too, have a 45-70 and am a fan. A 30-30 would be fun but not as much as a Krag … at least for me!

A short history. I had both! This was before I said I’d never sell any of my guns. It’s hard not to like both and obviously they have there pros and cons. Awfully tempting that 30-30 is.

why don`t you buy the 45-70 and let me buy the 30-30 ?

Personally I too would opt for the .30-30- much more economical and hell for versatile (especially if you also shoot home made ammo, especially cast bullets). Unless of course buffalo is on the menu like Dan said.

Ive never held a 30-30 one so I don't know how they balance but a 45/70 1S balances wonderfully, but so does my 1A in 30-06. Of the two id prob go for the 30-30 on since they aren't as easy to come by as the 45/70's

Deer, elk, & Black Bear. The 30-30 will handle that.

You can buy the 30-30 or the 45-70, just ship it to me within a week of purchase

Leaning to the 30-30.

.30-30 for sure.

Flatter trajectory with much lower recoil. If you load a .45-70 to same same velocities it freakin' kicks and you’d still not get the same trajectory.

Tons of bullets available, both flat/round nose made for .30-30 or any .30 caliber spitzer within reason.

Cheaper to shoot both for components or if not handloading it’s always among the cheapest factory ammo and available darn near everywhere.

Before animals got so tough the .30-30 was considered entirely adequate for darn near everything in the Western Hemisphere except maybe griz and some of them still got kilt with it. And that was with bullet designs we'd consider marginally effective.

Finally, a .30-30 single shot is just cool.

Agreed Jim. The 30-30 would do just fine. The 45-70 would be nice to have back but I’d probably rebarrel it if I got one again.

Have a couple of .30-30s and a .45-70. The 30s are more versatile in many ways and since I've moved in down the road from #1 guns, they are lighter and more handy in the woods...jacketed or cast makes no difference to my shoulder or the critters. They are good reliable guns. The .45-70 is on a Highwall action and weighs around 10# with a tang sight...saving the scope for gophers out west at long range. Shoots a 530 grain wad of lead with a duplex load of SR4759 and Swiss 1.5 close to MOA at 100 yds. One of my friends named it Thumper. I guess I could bark squirrels with it and mebbe head shoot turkeys.

I had a # 3 in 45-70. It was brutal with the Ruger only loads. Killed lots of hogs with it at the Ranch.

A 30-30 would be much more versatile IMO

A 30-40 Kraig would be the cat’s meow !

I really like #1s, but as of now I only own one of them. I have owned others in the past. I just love how the handle and look.
I re-barreled a few too, and one job I did that was a bit unique was to make a 7.62X54Russian. I used a Green Mountain blank and made the barrel, fit the extractor and installed a set of express sights before I re-mounted the rib for the scope rings. With Russian surplus ammo I could get about 2MOA from it, but with a good handload shooting a load of 4064 and a 180 grain Sierra that rifle would go about 3/4" at 100 yards. The Russian shell, loaded up in the #1 action is the full equal of the 30-06 but has a case that is superb in a Single Shot rifle or a Double.

The one I have now is extremely accurate and I have done nothing but a trigger job to it. It's a 9.3X74R and has become one of my very favorite hunting rifles.

I agree with chilnstructor, a 30-40 Krag would be very cool or for that matter a 303 Brit.

The 30-30 is also a very neat one to have, but for elk I would like to fire 180 to 220 grain bullets and do it a bit faster then I can get with a 30-30. Not that I would not hunt elk with a 30-30, but I want to be fairly close if I shot. I did that 2 times in the past, but never got a shot at an elk when I was hunting with my 30-30. if deer were what I was going to hunt with it I would prefer the 30-30 over the 45-70.

If I were offered a #1 in 30-30 or one in 45-70 and I could only choose one I might just go with the 30-30, but in the back of my mind I feel I might wish I'd taken the 45-70.


That's one of those questions that will "make your teeth itch".
Very unpleasant

3030 and never look back. it will get shot a bunch more as well.

.30/30 for me for certain, but I don't live in Idaho. Certainly it would handle anything to be found hereabouts easily, cheaply, and quietly. Since I already have a .308 and an '06, I'm good.

Hmmm... I chose 45-70:


Did I make a mistake?

I dunno why they just don't do a 1A w 22" bbl in .35 rem.

Because maybe three people would buy them.

The dandy little .338 Feds they made a few years back ended up as close-outs.

No I had that exact 45-70. Horrible I sold it. I might as well buy both now. The 30-30 would be sweet. Kicking out some pointed bullets would be a change.

The No.1 was horrible, or it was horrible that you sold it? Just took the blue No.1 to the range this week with some loads that shoot great out of the Marlin and stainless No.1 and wasn't too excited about the initial grup sizes (but I was shooting XS ghost rings and may not have had as consistent hold as I do with the red dot on the stainless one.). was shooting low, but I'm going to load some Rem JSP's, some 425 & 430gr thumpers from Beartooth & TrueShot and some "Kalifornistan legal" lead free .458cal copper buckets for it soon, so we'll see what it likes.

Horrible that I sold it. I’ve never been one of those who found the R#1 a really bad kicker, never understood that. I have one in 500 NE 3” with no modifications to the stock other than a decelerator on it.

Another vote for the .30-30

A .30-30 would be fun. A .30-40 would be funner.

My .45-70 is the funnest rifle I own. The only rifle I own that's lighter is my 1A 7x57, the .45-70 balances better than it does. Think of it as a quail gun for buffalo.

Paper patched some 270SAA's and loaded them on top of 15 grains of Trail Boss a while back. An absolute riot with very little recoil (but at 1200fps, it's still a killer).

That said, she do kick a bit with 400's at 1750. That's about my limit with it as far as "enjoyment". I've never seriously contemplated mashing the throttle to the floor and loading her up to the full 50KPSI.

I was looking at some new #1's the other day. One would think that now that they cost $1400.00, Ruger could finally afford to put a decent recoil pad on them.

"Ruger could finally afford to put a decent recoil pad on them."

Word I have is that when the military went from the old M-60 tank to the M1 Abrams, Ruger bought up all of the used rubber tread pads from the M-60's. They're still making recoil pads from that original purchase.....

Probability could rechamber the existing 30-30 to 30-40 krag? The Krag would be nice but the 30-30 has quite the minimalistic edge that the 30-40 exceeds.

Looks like the 30-30 is beating the 45-70 about 3/1 but yea probably should get the 45-70 as well!

Had a 30/30 sent to me for accurizing and I quite liked it. Shot 150's at 2600 fps and shot them well. I like the 45/70 too but I think I would go for the 30/30. GD

Smallfry,

You can pick up a 45-70 anytime, but there has only been one (or two?) runs of 30-30 made.


"I’ve never been one of those who found the R#1 a really bad kicker, never understood that. I have one in 500 NE 3” with no modifications to the stock other than a decelerator on it."

Regarding recoil and the No.1 in 45-70 with 'Ruger Only' loads (I.ve had a No.1 & No.3 in 45-70)... Your 500 NE did not weigh 7 - 71/4 pounds (prior to scoping). Even so, my hats off to you===> even though I've never shot the No.1 in 500 N.E. I am sure it would rock my world!

Jerry

Jerry I’ll probably pick up the 30-30. I miss mine. Regarding the 500 3”, it weighs 8 something. Recoil is brisk but not painful.

I own a Ruger #1 C in .45-70. That 26" tube with the Circassian Walnut furniture makes it an enjoyable rifle to own. Accurate as well!

.30-30 Ackley Improved.

The .45-70 CAN be loaded up to handle elk, moose, buffalo, or large bear. That doesn't mean you HAVE to load it like a Howitzer.

You CAN load it down, with 300 gr cast bullets and a case full of Trail Boss and shoot like a .30-30.

The .45-70 can do anything a .30-30 can do.
Doesn't work the other way.

Love the .30-30 in a fast, lever gun. .45-70 was built to be in a #1.

How about provide deer killing power with a flat trajectory and very modest recoil?

X2 - i may own some big heavy recoil rifles ,but my vote would be the same modest recoil - killing power- flat trajectory

Hard for me to go wrong on ether one. Short of getting both, I’ll prob get the 30-30 first.

No other gun I own gives me as much pleasure to carry as my #1 45-70.
I could carry it all day, with a second round between two fingers.
I load Speer 400FN's at 1920fps. Stout but not obnoxious.

have had several, regret getting rid of all of them! Most current mistake was letting go a 9.3x74R, what i WANT now is one of the 300H&H from Cabelas with iron sightys....send it off to Renner have him sleek it down into the Stalking rifle profile they should all have!

30-30 and 45-70 are both excellent cartridges and Ruger #1`s are a joy for many of us. now days the only deer rifle i use is my trusty old Ruger #1 257 Weatherby for the last 15 years .some of us just get attached to a certain deer rifle maybe it helps us remember the past hunts rather its good or bad ? well whatever it is i wish you all great - safe hunts this fall 2019,Pete53

It would be .30-30 for me, hands down. I'll take it a step further and opine for a .32-40, or better yet 8.15x46R.

I enjoy these topics. Most of us get to ‘think about’ our rifles more than we get to actually shoot them, and that’s quite alright.
When a second No.1A in 30/30 became available I bought it, too. A blue/walnut and same in stainless found a home here. I’ve enjoyed deer hunting with quite a few different cartridges. The 30/30s have done very well on medium size whitetail. It’s a natural for any single shot rifle - I enjoyed having a couple in Handi Rifles as well.
I don’t talk people into trying skydiving. I figure if they want to try it, they will. Same with rifle/cartridge combos, if you ask me I’ll tell you what I like and let you decide for yourself. BTW, I have a No.1 in 45/70 as well. How could anybody not want one!?
If only one? The 30/30 would probably be more fun and useful if you like to shoot a lot. Glad I didn’t have to choose! 😊

To me, 30-30 cries lever gun. I have 2 45-70s. One is a lever gun, Marlin 1895. The other is a single shot but not a No !. I had a No. 1 in 405 Winchester. Sweet! Gave in to my son in law. The only No. 1 that is not nice is the one you didn't buy. Very quality firearms.

No poor choice here. How about a No. 1 in 303 British?

Got the 45-70. Anyone know where the stainless 30-30 is?

I realize the question was 30-30 or 45-70....

I have both. But also have this 30-40:



So it is kinda hard to choose...so get multiples...

Yes, it’s in my safe. Sold the blue/walnut, keeping the stainless walnut. 😊

if you can only afford one Ruger #1 buy a 30-06 best all around cartridge ever made.

Nice wood for a black pad.

DF

I have a .30-40 #1, which was a Cabela's limited edition from 10-off years ago. It shoots well, and is gorgeous. The wood would not be out of place on a Purdey. In the #1, you can load it up to roughly the same power level as a .308, though brass is not that easy to find.

I also have a .45-70 #1

So the choice is easy, a .30-30...but it must have nice wood, and so far all the .30-30's I've seen have had plain wood.

If you load just get an 06 and tame the rounds.
Instant 30-30

I have a 26" Lipsey model 45/70. I sold my No1 in 30-06. The 45/70 for me, is a pure fun gun. Smile on my face gun. I guess, neither one saw or gets any 'serious' hunting time.

Can't argue with that. It's the only No.1 I have. It is blessed with great accuracy.