30-30 vs 44 mag Lever action rifle

Ardent said:
I’m always taking the rifle when it’s offered, but the real question in my opinion is over a wide range spread not a fixed point close up. All around, real world versatility.

Or against a Model 70 Featherweight .270 or .308 the same weight as the .44… we’re not limited to the choice of .44 of .30-30. ;)
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Agreed but... I don't wanna 'give up' my Taylors & Co 16" stainless takedown lever in 44Mag, which matches with my stainless 4.2" Ruger RedHawk in 44Mag... Even though my Pedersoli Boarbuster Shadow in 45-70 has way more horsepower...

And by "I don't wanna", I'm saying it like a petulant child... In the end, I know you're right but the 44Mag rifle & revolver combo is so damn appealing.

Oh, and 30-30 all the way OP.

Laugh2
 
I prefer the 44 mag with XTP's. I have only taken one buck with the 44 and many with the 30-30.
Why ? more frontal area on the bullet creates larger entrance and possible exit hole for blood trail, (if required).
 
MiG25 said:
The energy ultimately comes from the powder, explain how 22 grains of powder has more power than 32 grains of powder.

The 30-30 with 170gr bullets and the 44 RM with 180 grain bullets (in a rifle) have a very similar muzzle velocity, from there on out the 30-30 has an advantage that increases with every yard.

I'll take a 170 grainer at 2200fps over a 240 grainer at 1600fps any day.
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Well, I know the OP was asking which was preferable in a lever action, however I handload for my 44mag in a single shot and my loads give me 1900fps with a 265gr Hornady FTX. So not your grandad’s 44, obviously. I’ll take this anyday over a 30-30.
 
MajorMalcontent said:
Well, I know the OP was asking which was preferable in a lever action, however I handload for my 44mag in a single shot and my loads give me 1900fps with a 265gr Hornady FTX. So not your grandad’s 44, obviously. I’ll take this anyday over a 30-30.
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Nice, with that sort of reloading I bet you could take the 30-30 to 3000 fps with the 130 grain Speer.
 
MajorMalcontent said:
Well, I know the OP was asking which was preferable in a lever action, however I handload for my 44mag in a single shot and my loads give me 1900fps with a 265gr Hornady FTX. So not your grandad’s 44, obviously. I’ll take this anyday over a 30-30.
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Whats the charge and how high over book max is it? haha
 
One could swap the 44 magnum out for a 454 casull and even things up a smidge.
2200fps from 240gr factory ammo, and 300gr factory ammo tickling 2000 fps isn't too shabby from a lever gun that holds 8-9 in the tube.
I'd probably still pick the 30-30 for nostalgia, but the casull is an intriguing little beast.
 
MiG25 said:
Nice, with that sort of reloading I bet you could take the 30-30 to 3000 fps with the 130 grain Speer.
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Cute.

The reason I load my 44 like this is not for bragging rights. It’s because I want to use Hornady’s 265gr and it needs more velocity than pistol bullets to expand. And yes, I’m well aware of the 444 Marlin; I had one for quite a few years. Same with 45-70.
My rifle is a single shot with a very long throat and I load the bullets way out which gives me a couple grains more powder capacity. Can’t and would not try to replicate a load like that in a lever.
If I had a 30-30 in a single shot I might well be able to get 3000fps out of 130gr; don’t know and am not interested in trying. I prefer the 44 over the 30-30. I always have the option of using factory 44mag ammo in a pinch in this rifle if I need to.
Back in the day my dad and I used to load 500gr Hornady RNs designed for the 458 really hot (and long) in our Ruger single shots. I recorded 2005fps out of my Ruger #3 ��

The biggest problem with loading the 44mag hot is that your only option is using pistol primers, which are thinner than rifle primers.
These show how far out I load my stuff, 265FTX left, (now obsolete) 265FP on the right, both just off the lands.
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At any rate, apologies for derailing the topic but just had to respond to the snark.
 
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Unholysavage said:
One could swap the 44 magnum out for a 454 casull and even things up a smidge.
2200fps from 240gr factory ammo, and 300gr factory ammo tickling 2000 fps isn't too shabby from a lever gun that holds 8-9 in the tube.
I'd probably still pick the 30-30 for nostalgia, but the casull is an intriguing little beast.
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Good points. Unfortunately it’d be a challenge finding components here in Canada if you want to handload. Otherwise, a great combo in my mind.
 
If it’s an only one choice, 30-30. It’s is simply superior in every way. It can load down, load up and give up to 300y or good range with the right bullets/zero option. The 44 mag can’t do enough of those responsibly for my liking.

Ammo choice is beyond superior, you won’t buy 44 mag at the northern convenience stores, but nearly every place in North America that sells cartridges will have 30-30 or it’s components on the shelve.
 
Well, it would be cool if we could carry revolvers for hunting to to have both a pistol and rifle in the same caliber, but I would still chose the .30-30 for hunting. A compromise at best with the .44.
 
Meroh said:
Well, it would be cool if we could carry revolvers for hunting to to have both a pistol and rifle in the same caliber, but I would still chose the .30-30 for hunting. A compromise at best with the .44.
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Agree 100% re the 44 being a compromise. I went that route for my own reasons, one of the main ones being that I wanted a short, light, potent bad weather gun that I’d never expect to have to reach out to 250-300 yards. I have other rifles for that. I believe the OP’s original proposition was buying one gun only. If I was in that position, the 44 wouldn’t be my first choice, but neither would the 30-30. In my view the 44 is superior to the 30-30 except for the advantages the 30 would possibly provide beyond 200 yards. But why on earth would anyone choose a 30-30 as a 200+ yard rifle when there are so many better options?
 
OP's question was to chose between these two. 30-30 is more versatile than the 44mag.
Interesting query though. Begs the question "why just these two"? If it's a 'can only have one rifle ' than neither. 30-06 in my opinion is still the best 'one only rifle' cartridge. It simply checks off more boxes than most anything else even though it's not my personal go to cartridge. Like most folks here, I have others to use depending on hunting location and conditions.
For example I bring the 44mag out more than the 30-30. 45-70 more than the 44mag.

Cheers
 
MajorMalcontent said:
Agree 100% re the 44 being a compromise. I went that route for my own reasons, one of the main ones being that I wanted a short, light, potent bad weather gun that I’d never expect to have to reach out to 250-300 yards. I have other rifles for that. I believe the OP’s original proposition was buying one gun only. If I was in that position, the 44 wouldn’t be my first choice, but neither would the 30-30. In my view the 44 is superior to the 30-30 except for the advantages the 30 would possibly provide beyond 200 yards. But why on earth would anyone choose a 30-30 as a 200+ yard rifle when there are so many better options?
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Its a cool concept though, the stainless, single shot, compact, light thumper.
 
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