The 30-30 for moose

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Gonewild

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Ive recently acquired a 30-30 i would like to use for moose hunting with the hornady 160 grain ftx leverevolution ammo. After a range test to confirm accuracy and drop out to 300 yards i was very surprised at how well this little marlin shoots. Just wondering from those who have used the 30-30 on moose how they liked it. Im going to be bear hunting over bait as well so figured i would just stick to one gun for the hunt. Is there any real drawback to the 30-30 besides its longer range capabilities?

Cheers
 
The 30-30 has killed plenty of moose in the last 100 years. It will likely continue to do so long after we are dead and gone. Distance and shot placement matters, should you be shooting at a moose at 450 yards with a 30-30 with a severe cross wind, uphill without a clear sight picture? probably not...but the 30-30 is more then capable at like 150-200 yards in what some would call "normal" conditions. I have personally seen a few moose killed with a 30-30 with iron sights at approx 100-150 yards, moose didnt go far and dropped dead. Be smart, use common sense, enjoy the outdoors!
 
A question that has been asked numerous times and has been kicked to death.

The simple answer is: yes, no, maybe, depends, possibly, perhaps, conceivably.
 
The ftx is quite soft, stay off big bone and youll be fine. I prefer 170 FP for the bigger stuff myself but have shot some deer with the 160 ftx and they worked fine. I had a box of the 140gr mono flex but havent shot anything with it yet.
 
Gonewild said:
Ive recently acquired a 30-30 i would like to use for moose hunting with the hornady 160 grain ftx leverevolution ammo. After a range test to confirm accuracy and drop out to 300 yards i was very surprised at how well this little marlin shoots. Just wondering from those who have used the 30-30 on moose how they liked it. Im going to be bear hunting over bait as well so figured i would just stick to one gun for the hunt. Is there any real drawback to the 30-30 besides its longer range capabilities?

Cheers
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Great, you did a "range test'' to confirm accuracy and trajectory.

Did you put together some media to confirm penetration and expansion of that excellent bullet out to 300 yds???

Just because a particular rifle will shoot moa groups out to and pas 300 yds doesn't mean the bullet it's propelling to those ranges will be an ethical choice.

I saw a Moose killed on the Prophet River that had been previously shot with a 30 cal bullet at long range, at least a year previously, likely more.

The bullet went through a rib and entered ONE lung, which was collapsed but the animal healed up and survived well enough to be fat and healthy when it was shot again a year or two later. No, the bullet couldn't be reloaded and shot again but when weighed it was just slightly under its original 180 grain weight.

This is a one off example that I was witness to and likely there are others.

Your 30-30 will do the job on Moose out to 200yds, RELIABLY, if you do your part.

People have killed Moose with 22LR bullets, but I sincerely doubt that you would try that.

I knew a young native fellow that used a 22 K Hornet for everything from Deer to Elk to Moose and Bears as well as the larger critters on his trap line.

He didn't worry about time of year or ### of the animal and mostly went for a small cow or calf etc and he stated his shots were almost all under 30 yards.

Was this ethical??? At those ranges, where shot placement was almost always just below or through the ear canal ???????? He kept every hide for a later sale as well.

Use your big head when taking your shot and don't get foolish and you will likely do well with that 30-30

By the way, Townsend Whelan loved the 30-30 cartridge in that rifle and at the time, thought it to be perfect for back country hunting.
 
30-30 is fine for moose in right bush and shorter shots. You caught consider better ammo, though that’s just my own personal opinion. I know guys that love that Hornady stuff.
 
From personal experience I know Winchester 170 grain Silvertips penetrate quite well on moose even breaking heavy bone. The 30/30 will kill reliably at moderate ranges.
 
My grandfather got 52 moose with his 30-30 rifle. Only one needed a second shot.

He was a good shot, shot them behind the ear and was usually fairly close.

But that was along time ago, when moose were easier to drop....
 
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Personally I don’t see any issues with a well placed shot most modern 30 caliber rounds are very capable of putting down any big game we have here in North America. As long as you know your range limits (which it sounds like you’ve got figured out no issue) then I think you’re ready to get out there to find yourself a moose!
 
therynb said:
Personally I don’t see any issues with a well placed shot most modern 30 caliber rounds are very capable of putting down any big game we have here in North America. As long as you know your range limits (which it sounds like you’ve got figured out no issue) then I think you’re ready to get out there to find yourself a moose!
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Thirty caliber, which thirty caliber are you referring to???? and at what ranges???
 
I own my Grandfather’s rust frosted M94 .30-30, likely my most treasured possession and I’ve flown with it lots in the north as a companion. It was his moose rifle, and a very successful one at that. I’m of the opinion average levels of field craft and marksmanship, and understanding of shot placement peaked closer to his era than ours. It is a marginal moose cartridge, make no bones about it. But in the right circumstances, it can be used to ethically take moose.
 
I used to hunt with an older gent who referred to the 30-30 as the "Sharp Stick". When asked why he called it that, he would reply that when you step out onto a large clearcut and there was a big moose or deer on the far side, you might as well be standing there holding a sharp stick. :)

I've bought a few 30-30s over the years but never did hunt with them coming to the conclusion that a handy 20" 308 or 30-06 760 is a lot more versatile.
 
Ganderite said:
But that was along time ago, when moose were easier to drop....
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Exactly.... Climate change has made their hide, flesh and bone so much tougher to penetrate. Good thing these days we are not limited to muzzle loaders they had back in the 1800's or other primative means and hunters had to rely on their skill to survive.
 
Just another point , do you have the ability to pass a shot that is marginal. An 06 or 308 might get inside but the 30-30 might not penetrate.
I’d restrict my shots to 200yds. There is little a hunter hates more is a wounded animal of even more a lost animal.
 
It might be co-incidence that the guy was using a 30-30 - he had shot an elk - says the hit was good - we found blood in the bush in the rain, like as if the thing coughed that up. I do not think I will ever forget his comment - that elk turned and went away from him after his shot - plenty of time for more shots - his comment - "What was I supposed to do, shoot it in the ass?" I would guess he was a deer only hunter, and was worried about "wrecking" meat - obviously did not know what a Texas Heart Shot was or why it works so well. Let alone his choice of cartridge for hunting elk in bush. We never did find that elk. I have never shot a moose - but I suspect with any game animal - if it does not fall down at your shot, fire again! He ended up to waste a LOT of elk meat with his decision.
 
SuperCub said:
I used to hunt with an older gent who referred to the 30-30 as the "Sharp Stick". When asked why he called it that, he would reply that when you step out onto a large clearcut and there was a big moose or deer on the far side, you might as well be standing there holding a sharp stick. :)
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The flip side to that though, is the guy who has a 300 super duper magnum, and is willing to chance that 600 yard shot, just because, even though he flinches like crazy and has never shot it past 100 yards when he initially sighted it in. Result.... wounded and lost animal.

I know what you're saying though, be frustrating on last day of a tough hunt and out steps the bull of your dreams at 250-300 yards, and you're holding a 30-30 instead of a 30-06.
 
SuperCub said:
I used to hunt with an older gent who referred to the 30-30 as the "Sharp Stick". When asked why he called it that, he would reply that when you step out onto a large clearcut and there was a big moose or deer on the far side, you might as well be standing there holding a sharp stick. :)

I've bought a few 30-30s over the years but never did hunt with them coming to the conclusion that a handy 20" 308 or 30-06 760 is a lot more versatile.
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Our older guide in Newfoundland referred to 308s as "walking guns", as in you'll be walking a long way to track whatever you shoot. I don't agree, but thought it was funny anyway.
 
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