30-30 at 250yds

6.5x55swm

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so on paper hornady leverevolution drops 13" at 300 yds and still maintain 1000lbs of energy so a hunter should be able to take deer at 300 yds, is this realistic or a bunch of bs
 
so on paper hornady leverevolution drops 13" at 300 yds and still maintain 1000lbs of energy so a hunter should be able to take deer at 300 yds, is this realistic or a bunch of bs

If your gun is accurate enough, sure.

My experience with Leverevoultion is that it shoots dramatically different then more traditonal 3030 loads. My 3030s have to be sighted in for one or the other, as they impact 4-5" differently at 100m. I cant switch between LE and other styles of ammunition.
 
Well, your going to have a scope on said rifle to be able to see said deer at 300+/- yrds.
Ad that then brings into question are most guns over scoped (from another thread on cgn.)
My .02...if I am hunting deer where 200yrd shots are the norm I am not going to be shooting deer with a 30-30 Winchester.
I will be using something more suitable, not saying you can or can not.
Your hunt your choice to make.
Rob
 
i have a mossberg 464 which is not scoped yet but have a 3-9 redfield that doesn't have a home yet, i love walking with this rifle. My other choice is a Ruger M77 Mark II in 270 win with zeiss glass but too heavy to walk with
 
That data is out of a long 24” barrel.

If you’re shooting a model 94, you’re looking at typical max accuracy of 3-4 moa. Add at least one moa for variations in the field when hunting. So at 300 yards, you’re looking at a 15” spread IF you do everything right, including estimating correct holdover on a deer of unknown size.

Also, consider your ability to estimate range. Out there, the bullets going to drop about 2” or so every 10 yards. So if your distance estimate is off by 30 yards, expect at least another 6” added to your circle. A circle now much bigger than the deer’s vitals.

In short, there’s better choices out there.
 
With open sights I'm done at 150 yds. I might plink away at the range at longer targets, but not at game. Moose provide a bigger target so you could probably stretch that, but I'm not picking a .30-30 for moose when I have better choices.
 
I shoot a No.1 .30/30 with 150 NBT's over LVR powder... This ain't your grandpa's .30-30... I have shot it at the range out to 300 yards... It is hunting accurate to that range... but I have much better rifles for 300 yards.
 
I recently shot a Marlin 30/30 , with iron sights and factory ammunition and had no trouble shooting 2 inch groups at 100 yd. I was able to hit the 300 meter pigs at the silhouette range. With a 2.5 power scope and leverevolution ammunition, it is a usable 300 yd rifle but not ideal.
When I was young and could see sights, I shot a 2 1/2 inch, five-shot, group with a model 94 carbine at 200 yards. This group was fired with 170 Silvertips from the prone position. Lyman peep sight, bead front.
If one is well practiced with the rifle, used to shooting out to 300 yds, and has a scope on the rifle, a 30/30 is a viable 300 yard rifle. If one is not well practiced, no rifle is a viable 300 yd rifle.
If a person can consistently put shots into a six inch circle, centered on the point of aim, then he and his rifle are suitable for big game at that distance and from the position from which the shots are fired. So, if the guy can hit that six inch circle, at 300 yards, from a rest, he and his rifle are viable at 300 yd, from a rest. There is no doubt in my mind the 30/30, with modern ammo, is capable of 300 yard deer, from a ballistics standpoint. The ability to deliver the bullet is entirely up to the shooter.
 
22 November 2005 I dropped with one 150 grain Silvertip a nice buck Cold Lake Petroleum Oilfields. Paced off at 260 yards afterwards. No wind to speak of.
I practiced all summer weekends on steel gongs out to 200. Firesite front bead and Williams FP rear sight. 1956 Winchester 94 of course 30-30.

I had three inch high sight in at 100. The buck was facing 7/8s on to me. I held its white throat patch and I knew bullet drop would hit the chest. DRT. No second shot required. One staggering step it immediately fell.
My eye sight was much better at the time.
 
Best answer is always try a box at 300 and look at your score. All in a 7-8” plate? Can you do it every time in the field. I’ve sold my 30-30s as I need a scope, but at 300 yds. I think you will too.
 
Killing a deer in field conditions is significantly different from "ringing a steel plate."

Too many people do a direct correlation from range results to field results with regard to shot placement... That practice will surely result in wounded (and perhaps unrecoverable) game over time. Always best to leave a health margin for error when heading afield... A .30-30 @ 300 yards is not enough margin, IMO, if there are other available options.
 
Firesite optical bead is about one third smaller than the factory front bead sight. It helps. Slip a blanking spacer into the original spot for the rear sight. Then mount your favorite peep sight. Range time is mandatory pre season. Varmint hunting is huge bonus.
Just saying...

Edit: myself I was huge into archery and pistol shooting at this time. Airforce was also ensuring we had C7A1 range time for a short few years in case of deployment.
My my times have changed !!
 
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Killing a deer in field conditions is significantly different from "ringing a steel plate."

Too many people do a direct correlation from range results to field results with regard to shot placement... That practice will surely result in wounded (and perhaps unrecoverable) game over time. Always best to leave a health margin for error when heading afield... A .30-30 @ 300 yards is not enough margin, IMO, if there are other available options.

YUP..paper and steel are different then field hunting conditions
Some don't think so..
 
A little on the light side for me, I'd be worried about bullet performance with energy and velocity in free fall. Not much margin for error, however, it sounds feasible.

This seems like a case of "we thought too much about if we could, we never stopped to think if we should"
 
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