30-30 Stories

Don't have a personal story but I was told a neat one this summer.
My wife and I hauled our kids out for their first tenting trip at Eagle Lake. On the way out the kids were bagged from not sleeping well the night before [it was not very fun for any involved]..... anyway they were dragging behind pretty good.

A family came riding up behind us, Mom, Dad and three kids on horseback. We moved off the trail so not to spook the horses but when the guy saw the 1895 SRC on my pack he rode right over to have a look and we got to talking.

When he and his wife were first married they lived in Grande Cache. A friend was over one evening and the visit went late into the night. Apparentley the friend got him talked into going sheep hunting and they left at some insane time, 2:30 AM if memory serves.
Much to the horror of his wife of course they are gone for two days with no idea where he went. He took his old 30-30 Winchester and got himself within 100yds of a nice ram and be darned if he didn't shoot the thing.
Eventually he rode back into town, tired and I rekon pretty hungry. I don't know if he took anything more than his gun, tag and cowboy hat.

That may be the only 30-30 story I have ever heard. One day I hope to own one.

And if you're reading this Larry, thanks again for taking the kids for the horse back ride, they loved it!
 
Don't really have any 30-30 stories to tell until next week.

My dad is flying up Monday for caribou hunting and I'm pretty sure I'll take a 94 along and see if it works.
I think it might.:D
 
I said at the start that I was good for a couple of stories,so here goes another.
When I was a teenager, (yes, it's a long time ago, but I actually once was a teenager!) I had shot three deer, but all with my brothers 30-06. I was going on a moose hunt, as was my brother with the rifle, so I had to get one. I went to a neighbors and borrowed his 30-30 Winchester.
When I got home I looked through the barrel and it did not look good. I used my brothers cleaning rod and Hoppes #9, but the rags came out chewed up. The neighbor had also given me his supply of 30-30 ammo, about 8 shells, so I thought I should try one. It hit somewhere near where I aimed, so I thought that was OK for a moose. I think it was low, so I thought I would just hold a little high.
The brother with the 30-06 did not go, as it turned out, so I took his rifle and did get a bull moose.
I had been quite happy with the neighbor that he had loaned me his 30-30, without a question, so when I returned it I took him a nice moose roast. When he saw the roast he laughed and looked at his rifle. Then to my great astonishment, he said, "Not with that rifle did you get a moose. You can't hit anything with that rifle, ha, ha ha!"
The old rascal never gave me any warning about it, whatsoever, when he gave it to me.
 
30-30 is a very useful cartridge. Much maligned by the internet "experts", it is more capable than most of the people who carry it.

My 30-30 story. Two buddies and I were walking down a power line right of way. We came over a hill and saw a black bear feeding about 800 yds further down the line. One of the guys (carrying a M94 30-30) had a bear tag and decided to get closer through the bush. We sat and observed from the hilltop. 45 minutes later the bear suddenly became alarmed and rushed into the bush, probably it had gotten wind of us. A few seconds later we heard- bang bang bang - shots so close together we thought it must have come from an auto loader. We found the dead bear and our companion separated by 10 paces and 3 bullet holes in the bear. The bear had unintentionally ran right at him, and scared the scat out of both of them. First 2 bullets were at a moving target coming right at him, and 3rd was insurance. A good man with an open sighted 30-30 lever action can outshoot a bolt gun at close ranges any day.
 
I shot my first moose with my model 94 .30-30. I was walking out of my hunting area late in the afternoon in Elk Lake Ontario. A cow walked onto the sand road ahead of me at about 90 yards. She turned broadside and I shot her in the shoulder. She fell forward and died about 10 feet off of the road. If I had known then that a .30-30 could not kill a moose I would have NEVER tried that crazy ill advised shot.....(the bullets were Imperial 170 grain Sabre Tips with the plastic yellow tip remember?)

regards, Darryl
 
I missed my first deer with a 30-30.

When I was 16, my father and I were invited to hunt in Pennsylvania by one of the hunters he guided for caribou. It was only at the last minute that we learned that we couldn't hunt with semi-auto's there, so we ended up borrowing a couple of rifles from my uncle (also invited and was also on the same caribou hunt). I was handed a very plain model 94 with open sights. The rear sight had been opened up - like a half moon with a notch at 6 o'clock. I was told by my uncle "put fur in that half moon, and you'll have a dead deer".

Doe season opened on Monday back then. The kids had the day off from school and everyone referred to it as Mother's Day. Well, standing there in my tree stand, a dusting of snow on the ground, out trots the lead doe with about 7 more in tow. I had filled the magazine to capacity - I don't remember how many shells, but I remember it was a lot - and I cranked them off one after the other. She never changed her pace. My uncle, a few hundred yards away, got his crack at her and as if to make point, made a running neck shot and she dropped right there. I was fuming.

I know now that I must have shot way over her.

My father has since added a few 30-30's to his collection, one of which I have my eye on. It's a trapper with a colour case hardened receiver. I think about it often.
 
My first rifle and second gun only to a 12 gauge shotgun was a .30-30 lever action Marlin. (even before I had a .22!) I had nobody in my family to teach me how to shoot, I'm completely self taught. When I first saw my rifle I fell in love with it. In fact, it's safe to say I was drawn to it. When I started looking for a rifle I had no idea what I wanted or needed. Everyone told me to buy a .30-06, or a .270 or a 7mm mag, the list never ended. I looked at all the guns in all three shops that were in town, bolts, auto's, levers, you name it, I fondled it. But when I felt this little Marlin I was in love. I had no idea how to shoot it or even load it but I soon figured it out. I realized then it was much less powerful then any of the other rifles I was suggested to buy, but the first time I saw the little .30-30 cartridge figured it was plenty good enough. I was always a bowhunter, ever since my childhood and my first home made bow so this was a big step up for me. I took the rifle home, cleaned it, (the first time ever cleaning a real gun) and bought 1 box of ammo. The next day I went to the shooting range, I had always had my membership since they have an archery range in the same facility but had never set foot on the gun range. When I walked through the door, the feeling was almost surreal. The target backstops were all so far away, the distances were so far I never imagined they could be done. (The only time before I had shot a rifle was 2 shots at a jack in a friends .22 singleshot) I opened my new case, put up a target at the 25 yard mark and loaded the very first cartridge I ever loaded into a rifle. I cycled the action, settled down behind the sights, switched off the safety and proceeded to stare at the target. I was too chicken to pull the trigger! Finally I convinced myself I had to try it and jerked the trigger back. The rifle went off and boy did it kick! I confess it kind of hurt, but I liked it. I saw the sights were pretty good so I put up another target at the 100 yard mark and fired off the whole box. I loved everything about it. I liked how I could hit a target so far away with no effort. I liked the noise and the recoil. I liked the smell of the powder, I was hooked. After that, I put hundreds of rounds down range. It taught me how to breath, how to squeeze and how to ride with the recoil. I learned how my bullet dropped and how far I could shoot it. And I just had fun with it. Not long after my best friend bought his own first rifle, a sporterized .303 British. Essentually we had the same rifles. Both had open sights, both shot about the same and both were a pain in the ass to shoot to 300 yards, but we did. We were in it for the fun factor, even on the day a certain gentleman was there with his bench rifle, high powered scope, solid rest and handloaded ammo. We were standing on our side of the building shooting from a standing position at the 300 yard gongs. Everytime we hit it, we would let out war whoops of excitment! This guy says to us, "You think that's good? Watch this." He adjusted his scope, put his head down and knocked over 1, then 2, then 3 300 yard pigs. I have to admit from that day on I had a dislike for the 'snob' shooters. We were having fun and this guy deflated us, especially when him and his buddies laughed at us after that. We never stopped, and we kept having fun. But it was never as much fun after that.

Then time moved on. I started reading books and magazines that told me my rifle was junk and I need more power, a scope and controlled expansion bullets. I bought another rifle, a .270 and started shooting that. It went out of control from there. And now 10 years later I've gone through over 60 different guns, and not one has had the same magic as that first rifle. I will never forget how I felt when I first bought it, how it made me feel and the love I had that got me stared. And the truth is I wish I never read any of those books or magazines or listen to anybody else. I would be perfectly happy to this day with that same Marlin, still shooting it off hand at those 300 yard pigs and still having fun. The romance is gone now, but the joy is still there. Unfortunatly for me, the love like it was isn't. I still buy and sell looking for that perfect rifle that will bring back the fun factor but I know I'll never find it. And for what it's worth my friend still has that same .303. We mounted a scope on it, installed synthetic stocks and worked up an awesome handload. (3, 150 grain Hornady's into a cloverleaf off a rest at 100 yards) Yes it's updated, but it's still his first rifle, his only hunting rifle and he still has that love which I lost. I envy him for that.
 
Until last year the only thing I deer hunted with was my Dad's Winchester 1967 Centennial 20" octagon barrel with 1.5X4.5 scope. First season I did not see a deer. The next year I harvested two deer and have taken 7 deer with that rifle over 8 years. Everytime I carry that 30/30 I think of my dad and all the great times we had together. Now use a 270WSM but still love that old gun.
 
Originally Posted by jamiejaf
I shot a 30 30 through a 303 one day at the range through a friends gun. My buddy put both rifle cartridges in one reloading box. I reformed the case well. He now has two separate boxes for each type.The rifle was fine afterwards ...and i hit the bull.

303 Savage, or 303 British? There is quite a difference.

Ted

303 brit,#4 mk2 , it was my gun and i'm going frame the case for him as i still have it.
 
Just bought my first 30-30 today off of the EE. Hoping to take my first deer with it this year. Even though I'm young, I love that classic look and history. The 30-30 levergun is ingrained in the North American hunting image and I couldn't imagine taking my first with anything else.
 
I remember my dad buying his Pre64 94 when I was about six. It was a fantastic rifle, I always loved it. After he died I had to get one of my own so I got one out of the EE.

Haven't really hunted with it. That's the end of my awesome story.
 
Bought my first 1959 win94 30/30 of the EE also. The williams peep sight makes her a tack driver especially with Hornady's. Deer season starts soon here in NB so I may have a story soon. cheers
 
I've never ben much of a lever gun fan, but I have owned a few, and some have been chambered in 30-30. I've also owned 2 30-30 bolt actions, rifles I liked much more but in the end sold them since I didn't use them much.

However, I have managed to kill some animals with a 30-30, including black bear, mule deer and a coyote.

They all died. Like anything else, use your weapon within it's and your limitations, and it will do fine.
 
my dad hunted with a couple guys that ran into a grizzly bear the first guy shot the bear
the bear wheeled and charged down the slide they were hunting on the friend lower on the slide was in the path of the wounded bear (they didn't think the bear was charging him but he was just in the way) they guy lower on the slide fired at the bear with his 30-30 as the bear ran by when they found the dead bear later they found that the 30-30 had hit the bear right between the eyes and deflected of the bears skull tearing a crease in the hide right to the top of his head but didn't penetrate.
 
IMG_1945web.jpg


one shot. WMU 29.
They both belong to me now. And yes, I hung the rack in the living room, right over the sofa too.
 
My story. My second real gun was an ugly 30-30. I carried that gun on many hunts and never saw anything. After many frustrated hunts I gave up on the gun. I had better luck with others. My wife got her first mule deer doe tag and took my 30-30. The first field we went to had some does in it and she shot one dead. No bad luck for her. I hated that gun. Its now sold.
 
My 30-30 stories are pretty boring I guess. Its boring how consistently the old 3030 puts deer down. Just shot a nice meat buck yesterday with it. Was pleasantly suprised at the penetration. The shot broke the shoulder and still managed to exit just behind the opposite shoulder. I think alot of guys underestimate the 30-30 round.

I usually spend my off seasons reading hunting mags, scouring the internet, agonizing over the perfect load for my "better" boltguns, practising at long ranges just in case etc etc. But the reality is when hunting season comes around more often then not i usually end up shooting a deer in the bush or in a small clearcut at about 50-60 yards with my much abused old 3030... that gun just plain works. To be honest even though i buy and will continue to look for that 'perfect' hunting rifle. The very last gun i would give up would be my beater, minute of paper plate, win94.

Luke
 
Who makes a good 30-30 rifle other than marlin? I want something traditional without the side ejection like the marlin.

I'd like a trapper or longer with the old fashioned top ejection and everything else replica-original if possible.

Any suggestions?
 
Well, winchesters are a good start :p

If you like long octagonal barrels, they're available in 3030 for between $550 and $1000.

I love them... working on this one right now... it was in a bad place:
win94012.jpg
 
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