Is 30/30 a good caliber to hunt deer?

To the OP: I will give you the benefit of the doubt and assume that your question isn't intended as bait.... Yes, absolutely, the 30-30 is an excellent deer cartridge. Here's why: 1. It offers reduced recoil making it a joy to shoot (and become competent with).
2. Deer are thin-skinned critters. I have shot at least a dozen Whitetails with the 30-30 within 150 yards. All were pass-throughs. Most were "bang-flops" while the others required the expert tracking skill of a half- inebriated toddler.
3. Most 30-30's are lever actions. Even in my clumsy hands, I can fire and reacquire my target much quicker than I ever could with a bolt gun.
4. Reduced powder charges mean lower cost to either reload or buy factory new ammo.
5. You've headed out into the boonies and forgotten to bring your ammo. What caliber will most any hardware store or farm house have sitting on a shelf somewhere? (Hint: not 6.5 Swedish)
6. If shooting distance is really your thing, the Lever Evolution rounds will allow you to poke out to 300 yards- WITH PRACTICE!
7. "30-30" is just plain easier to say for folks with stutters.(Kidding, really!)
 
30-30, an excellent bush cal for deer hunting! I just happen to have one that I would sell to the OP: pre '64 Win 94 (1949) 30-30. I'm not far from the OP's location, there would no shipping charge and can be viewed before purchase. OP, PM me if you are interested.
 
slammer1 said:
To the OP: I will give you the benefit of the doubt and assume that your question isn't intended as bait.... Yes, absolutely, the 30-30 is an excellent deer cartridge. Here's why: 1. It offers reduced recoil making it a joy to shoot (and become competent with).
2. Deer are thin-skinned critters. I have shot at least a dozen Whitetails with the 30-30 within 150 yards. All were pass-throughs. Most were "bang-flops" while the others required the expert tracking skill of a half- inebriated toddler.
3. Most 30-30's are lever actions. Even in my clumsy hands, I can fire and reacquire my target much quicker than I ever could with a bolt gun.
4. Reduced powder charges mean lower cost to either reload or buy factory new ammo.
5. You've headed out into the boonies and forgotten to bring your ammo. What caliber will most any hardware store or farm house have sitting on a shelf somewhere? (Hint: not 6.5 Swedish)
6. If shooting distance is really your thing, the Lever Evolution rounds will allow you to poke out to 300 yards- WITH PRACTICE!
7. "30-30" is just plain easier to say for folks with stutters.(Kidding, really!)
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Thanks for the information.

And no this absolutely is not a "bait" question. Call me stupid but I have never had the opportunity to hunt Whitetails before and I don't know what works and doesn't, other than knowing NOT to use .22 or .177. I didn't want to get into a situation where the round is consistently only wounding the animal and have to deal with that in front of my son.
 
My Winchester has been religiously putting moose down for the last 80 years.

I can't see why it would be inadequate for deer. ;)

Only on caribou do I leave it home, with the air density below -30°C the bullet seems to just fall down and lose velocity way too close.
 
Superbrad said:
Pick any more modern round with a proper load for what you want to do with it.... .270 and above... Longer range, flatter trajectory, more knockdown power....
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I have 3 son's that hunt and knock down deer with: 243, 25-06 and 260. Nothing wrong with the 270 and up, but they are not a must!
 
Superbrad said:
Why is it that number of deer killed = best to 30-30 guys?.... the thing had been around since Christ was a cowboy.... of course it has killed the most....
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Because with the advent of all the new ammo, its numbers of kills continue to rise, meaning its a popular round that works.
 
I took my 5x5 opening day with my Marlin 336 with Leverevolution ammo. It dropped where it stood. You can easily shoot up to 200 yards.
 
Major Sights said:
Because with the advent of all the new ammo, its numbers of kills continue to rise, meaning its a popular round that works.
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There's new ammo for all of the other rounds also.....

A 30-30 will indeed kill a deer.....

You can cook with a woodstove but a propane stove is faster and more efficient.....

But I get you.... sometimes it's nice to cook on a woodstove.... but I wouldn't want to have to do it every day
 
target said:
Thanks for the information.

And no this absolutely is not a "bait" question. Call me stupid but I have never had the opportunity to hunt Whitetails before and I don't know what works and doesn't, other than knowing NOT to use .22 or .177. I didn't want to get into a situation where the round is consistently only wounding the animal and have to deal with that in front of my son.
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You Sir, should be commended. You have no fear of asking questions, you have values that help you make the right choices. Your son is a lucky kid as you will be passing on these values to him through hunting and real quality time spent together. :cheers:
 
A .30-30 will kill deer past 100 yards, if you can put it on target. A Marlin 336 in .30-30 would be an ideal bush gun. Open Saskatchewan prairie? Not so much.

Put the bullet in the chest (lungs, heart), just behind the shoulder, and 2/3 of the way down from the back. Dead every time.

23222d1245878982-deer-shoulder-shot-deer-anatomy.jpg
 
Grouse Man said:
A .30-30 will kill deer past 100 yards, if you can put it on target. A Marlin 336 in .30-30 would be an ideal bush gun. Open Saskatchewan prairie? Not so much.
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Yes. So many choices for so many situations. I have a 94 trapper with a 16" barrel and open sights. Tricky for long shots, but that's not what I use it for. It is very handy for still hunting in the thick crap and for pushing. I suppose I could fit a 3-9x40 on top and take longer shots - much to the chagrin of most people on here - but fortunately I have another rifle for that. If I didn't I would probably sell it and buy something more fitting.

And just to add some confusion, my first deer rifle was a Remington pump in 300 Savage. I found the pump much easier to operate during teenage, deer-induced adrenalin rushes.
 
The 30-30 has killed tons of deer, no doubt about it.

But there are many other calibers with better ballistics, manageable recoil, and widely available ammunition out there (.308, 25-06, 7mm-08 to name but a few) that will do what the 30-30 does (i.e. kill deer within limited range) but do it farther out and with more accuracy if you choose to take a difficult shot.

So, if you think about it, for the same amount of money you can buy a 30-30 or a more performant caliber. To me, it's a no brainer.
 
There is nothing as enjoyable as still hunting in the pines with an open sighted .30-30 (or any ole lever gun). How many of us grew up hunting deer with a .30-30? I had a pre-64 winchester as well as two Marlins. I loved the way the Winchester looked, but the Marlins were really the better guns. Both carry like axe handles and are fast to the shoulder. Get a .30-30 even if it is just to add to the collection.
 
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