I'd rather a kid have a lever than a semi-auto. If the kid is new to hunting, I'd almost guarantee that the old man will be there with him the entire time. And its pretty easy to practice some self restraint and only take the good shots.
Is 30/30 a good caliber to hunt deer?
- Thread starter target
- Start date
I'd rather a kid have a lever than a semi-auto. If the kid is new to hunting, I'd almost guarantee that the old man will be there with him the entire time. And its pretty easy to practice some self restraint and only take the good shots.
Brutus
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
I shot my deer at 250 yards with a Williams peep sighted Winchester 30-30 carbine that I inherited. One shot, and DRT with the 150 grain old style factory Winchester Silvertip with a very high initial sight in at the range, and lots of trigger time prior to the opening day of deer season. If anyone chooses not to believe me that's fine too.
So I myself think the OP will be fine at his previously stated self-imposed restriction of 100 yards.
We have no reason to not believe his own words and I wish him good hunting.
Cheers!
So I myself think the OP will be fine at his previously stated self-imposed restriction of 100 yards.
We have no reason to not believe his own words and I wish him good hunting.
Cheers!
tactical lever
CGN frequent flyer
- Location
- Fox Creek, Alberta
He'd be fine out to 150 even 200. In experienced hands even a little farther. You might be surprised to note that at 200 yards the Lever Evolution rounds duplicate what the original load had at the muzzle.
I feel a lever action is actually a safer action to use. Many bolt actions are hunted with a round in the chamber and the safety on, which is fine given proper muzzle control. But the lever with a round in the chamber does not need a separate safety. The hammer's position is a good tactile and visual indicator of your rifles state of battery. Something that's a little harder to tell with most bolt actions. If you hunt chamber empty, the lever's quicker into play.
Hopefully they will familiarize themselves with it before going hunting by burning a few boxes of shells. No matter the action, chambering a live round has to be done in a safe direction. I would not close the bolt on anything with my hunting partner in front of the muzzle. I have never fired a shot by action of working the lever. If I do, well that's not such a big deal as it's in a safe direction.
I do not consider myself overly gifted, but it was not too much trouble to master the lever. A little shooting beforehand which everyone should do with their big game rifles to begin with will get him (or them) up to speed. Everyone starts somewhere.
For me, I did never think of the round as outdated and was not my first choice for a 1st deer rifle for myself, and the lever wasn't my first rifle. I really do get a kick out of them though, and still appreciate the handling and shooting of a 30-30 lever.
A 30-30 in the hands of a youngster that isn't afraid and flinching is better than any magnum that scares the crap out of him. A really bad shot with a magnum is worse than a marginal shot with a 30-30. And let's give the kid some credit...I think most of us did alright.
tactical lever
CGN frequent flyer
- Location
- Fox Creek, Alberta
Aww yes, sacasticricular humor.
Only at it's best.
Humor is humor.
Thanks for it tactical lever.
I was just having a discussion with a fellow hunter who also
wishes to lower his fps as he did the blew the animal to pieces
thing.
Turdy-turdy is a good deer round with in it's reach.
I do like my new to me Marling 336 in this chambering.
Dang accurate rifle with the 2x7x33 perched on top of it.
Thanks for that. What's also nice is being able to eat most of the deer!
Wounding has got nothing to do with cartridges. It DOES have to do with shot placement and to a lesser degree, bullet construction.
Can you explain this one? I'll admit I'm lost on this statement.
Brutus
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
Superbrad, I'll put forth you are skating on thin ice here friend!
I find these words surprizing from some-one who sometimes uses stick & string for a tool of harvest.
I'm pretty sure the lawmakers in the UK had similar poor opinions of archery gear, just before they banned it's use for deer hunting somewhere around 1980 or so.
I find these words surprizing from some-one who sometimes uses stick & string for a tool of harvest.
I'm pretty sure the lawmakers in the UK had similar poor opinions of archery gear, just before they banned it's use for deer hunting somewhere around 1980 or so.
Wounding does not have to do with cartridges... I agree... it does have to do with shot placement.... that being said, there are many more moderm cartridges that are more forgiving for shot placement than a 30-30... and, in my opinion, this makes them a better choice for a new hunter....
Now, as far as safety... how do you uncock the hammer on a lever action?.... you pull the trigger when not intending to fire the rifle....
Superbrad, I'll put forth you are skating on thin ice here friend!
I find these words surprizing from some-one who sometimes uses stick & string for a tool of harvest.
I'm pretty sure the lawmakers in the UK had similar poor opinions of archery gear, just before they banned it's use for deer hunting somewhere around 1980 or so.
Yes... I understand your perspective.... but I practice constantly with my bow.... at least 3 times a week... sometimes 4-5 hours at time.... I highly doubt the OP and his son will have that kind of commitment to a 30-30.... but I could be wrong....
The fact is that some of the things said by tacticallever I agree with.... these young folks run into these forums and read online and think because chuck hawks says a 30-30 is only -2" at 200 yards they should aim 2" high so they can easily make the shot....
There is a lot more to hunting than shooting and I hate the thought of wounded game because some new hunter tried a shot he thought he could make... remember what it was like when that first deer walked in front of you?
Brutus
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
You constantly practice with your bow, excellent!
Now what prevents the OP and his son from doing the same as yourself with his tool of harvest?
Target says he will limit his shots to 100 yards or less. We have no reason to assume otherwise. And I also will give him the courtesy of being an able supervisor and limiting his son to the same margins, with rifle in hand.
No-one in his right mind wishes to purposely wound game, and it doesn't matter what you have in your hands for the deed as long as you feel capable within your own specific boundaries. (of course legal too)
The young man has to start somewhere in his hunting experiences right?
I can't think of a better teacher than his own father myself.
Personally I see the OP as a person merely and rightfully seeking advice because he feels he needs to.
I wish him and his son, all the best in thier hunting endevours.
Cheers!
A shot in the vitals means a dead animal. A shot in the guts or other non-vital extremity is a wounded animal no matter what the cartridge. The area where a cartridge becomes "more forgiving" is very small and not even worth considering. One could argue that on a bad shot, the deer has a better chance to recover should it get away. And that, my friend, is just about as pertinent as your argument.
I don't drop the hammer on any lever I own, I merely engage the cross-bolt safety.
Brutus... you have a reasonable and logical way about you that I like... as someone new to this site I respect that...
I still think a 30-30 is a poor starter rifle based on all of the better options available out there....
Deer have little to no chance to recover on MOST bad shots.... and the shock ability of a round adds to it's ability to down an animal... a .30-06 for example has 1/3 greater muzzle velocity than a .30-30...
So you mean to tell me your lever actions are sitting in your safe as we speak with a cocked hammer?
Brutus
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
Yes, we all are entitled to our own opinions.
We can be civil about it too, just like now.
Have a good one!
Of course not. I dropped the hammer on them when I unloaded them last. Are we talking about dropping the hammer when the gun is empty, or when the gun is loaded while hunting?
So you stuck your hand in the trigger guard and pulled the trigger when you had no intention of discharging the firearm.... and when you emptied that tube mag (assuming you aren't shooting a BLR) you are 100% sure all of the rounds came out?.... crossbolt safety?... you obviously don't own an older 1894....
And you obviously don't own anything with exposed hammers.
If touching a trigger on an empty gun terrifies you, I suggest you go back to bow hunting.
Say, what if you were hunting with a single-shot shotgun, pulled the hammer back when you spotted your quarry, and then decided not to shoot? How about a 1911 style pistol? How do you get the hammer down when you are done clearing the gun? Or would you just put it in the safe with the hammer cocked?
I think you are now arguing just for the sake of arguing. If that's the best you can do, I don't think I will respond any further. Have a nice day.
If touching a trigger on an empty gun terrifies you, I suggest you go back to bow hunting.
Say, what if you were hunting with a single-shot shotgun, pulled the hammer back when you spotted your quarry, and then decided not to shoot? How about a 1911 style pistol? How do you get the hammer down when you are done clearing the gun? Or would you just put it in the safe with the hammer cocked?
I think you are now arguing just for the sake of arguing. If that's the best you can do, I don't think I will respond any further. Have a nice day.
And you obviously don't own anything with exposed hammers.
If touching a trigger on an empty gun terrifies you, I suggest you go back to bow hunting.
Say, what if you were hunting with a single-shot shotgun, pulled the hammer back when you spotted your quarry, and then decided not to shoot? How about a 1911 style pistol? How do you get the hammer down when you are done clearing the gun? Or would you just put it in the safe with the hammer cocked?
I think you are now arguing just for the sake of arguing. If that's the best you can do, I don't think I will respond any further. Have a nice day.
first of all, I NEVER leave a round in my 1911...lol... I grew up on a cooey single shot shotgun and was taught if I had to release the hammer after cocking to take a grouse or rabbit to keep it pointed as if I was going to take the shot... and unlike the lever... I only had 1 round to worry about firing... not a tube full...
Look... I am not looking to argue.... I understand your arguments... but you are an experienced firearm owner.... as am I .... that being said, take a look at your lever action... do you really think it is a good "first rifle" based on design?
