I like my 30-30. Light, quick to handle and, with practice, I daresay it can be as fast as any semi-auto. In fact, I believe there was a famed rifleskill school that one time offered lever-action rifle training sessions. I believe it was Gabriel Suarez. Here's an interesting article about the combat leveraction.
30.30 VS 7.62 x 39
- Thread starter Nate.308
- Start date
I probably love x39 more than most people. I buy the stuff like I'm a hoarder, and have so many crates of it, it in itself could be considered a collection. I love my sks's, and my 858 tremendously. I spend oodles of time shooting and cleaning them all. But when I grab my model 94, shoulder it casually, and bang off a beautiful and accurate shot without even having to really think about it, I get giddy. There's something about them lever 30-30's that is just amazing. Great hunting rifle and cartridge.
Zombies... Grab the sks. Deer... Go for a lever 30-30.
Zombies... Grab the sks. Deer... Go for a lever 30-30.
This from experience?
I prefer rinsing my bore with virgin tears, then finishing up by running a patch saturated with snake oil.
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The uber rare SKS in 5.56??? Sweet!
XCR 10rd pistol mag I'm thinking.
What are you trying to say? You seem a bit confused, maybe.
It's a 10 round LAR magazine just like I said. The XCR 10 round pistol mag made for a 7.62x39 LAR.
My take on the 7.62x39 vs 30-30;
- Given similar ballistics, the shot placement is a bit more critical with the x39
- 30-30 will give you ~1200-1600 lbs @ 100yards vs ~1000-1150 for the x39
- 30-30 sectional density hovers in the .220+ area, while x39 is generally under .2
- Accuracy is a tossup, highly depends on the actual rifle.
In general, the 30-30 has a superior energy transfer and expansion properties, along with a solid edge in available energy. Even given the top hornady loadings in both calibers.
My verdict is that the x39 is a solid 100 yard gun, and the 30-30 is a solid 200 yard gun. But that is just based on numbers. I think everything matters when it comes to what game can be taken with which rifle. In the end, if you feel confident with the shot (completely different from feeling "up to a challenge"), then its the right rifle for the job.
Now I have never shot a deer myself, but I've seen some shot... with smaller calibers than both these rifles. 22-250 and 44-40. Shots were around 40-80 yards (I'm guestimating, we didn't measure). Both bucks went down pretty quick. 22-250 layed it down within seconds with a upper neck shot (IIRC), and the 44-40 left a short blood trail, maybe ran 100-200 yards (it was in heavy brush so not sure).
When you see what a gun can do and gain experience with it, or get direct mentoring, only then can you really know what your rifle is capable of. Numbers are numbers until you get in the field and deal with real world situations.
- Given similar ballistics, the shot placement is a bit more critical with the x39
- 30-30 will give you ~1200-1600 lbs @ 100yards vs ~1000-1150 for the x39
- 30-30 sectional density hovers in the .220+ area, while x39 is generally under .2
- Accuracy is a tossup, highly depends on the actual rifle.
In general, the 30-30 has a superior energy transfer and expansion properties, along with a solid edge in available energy. Even given the top hornady loadings in both calibers.
My verdict is that the x39 is a solid 100 yard gun, and the 30-30 is a solid 200 yard gun. But that is just based on numbers. I think everything matters when it comes to what game can be taken with which rifle. In the end, if you feel confident with the shot (completely different from feeling "up to a challenge"), then its the right rifle for the job.
Now I have never shot a deer myself, but I've seen some shot... with smaller calibers than both these rifles. 22-250 and 44-40. Shots were around 40-80 yards (I'm guestimating, we didn't measure). Both bucks went down pretty quick. 22-250 layed it down within seconds with a upper neck shot (IIRC), and the 44-40 left a short blood trail, maybe ran 100-200 yards (it was in heavy brush so not sure).
When you see what a gun can do and gain experience with it, or get direct mentoring, only then can you really know what your rifle is capable of. Numbers are numbers until you get in the field and deal with real world situations.
True to you, but other than personal comfort/confidence, a scope is a superior aiming solution for many situations even within 200 yards. If you are walking through thick brush, like pretty much swimming through branches, then I would definitely take the scope off. If I hunt in an area where the trees are spaced out, then I would use a low magnification scope or low setting on a variable one. Of course, I would still be completely comfortable with iron sights, different tool to work with - but none of them are wrong, just a different approach. If I were to go hunting in a forrest with many large open spaces, then yes the iron sights would still work just fine, and maybe work perfectly for the range of limitation for my rifle and skills. But I would LOVE a scope to be able to dial a shot and place it as close as possible to where I want it, say at 150 yards or so. A scope works perfectly for this, but that is my personal preference. Of course I would probably end up closer as my hunting style is stalking / intercepting.
Both work just fine, pick one that you feel comfortable with, and learn from your experience. Maybe you will change your mind down the road.. who knows.
I'll throw this into the mix as it hasn't been stated yet...
To put an end to all of this lever vs. semi where semi X39 is faster, but lever .30-30 has more punch and Hoo killed Hoo... Just go and find a really nice Remington Model 8 or 81 in .30 Rem! You get the short handy, although a bit heavier rifle, like the lever .30-30 with the exact same ballistics in the .30 Rem as the .30-30 AND you get it in a 5 shot semi-auto with tons of hunting heritage and history to boot!!!
Now good luck finding any ammo, but reloaders have no problem at all with this one...
Cheers,
Ian
To put an end to all of this lever vs. semi where semi X39 is faster, but lever .30-30 has more punch and Hoo killed Hoo... Just go and find a really nice Remington Model 8 or 81 in .30 Rem! You get the short handy, although a bit heavier rifle, like the lever .30-30 with the exact same ballistics in the .30 Rem as the .30-30 AND you get it in a 5 shot semi-auto with tons of hunting heritage and history to boot!!!
Now good luck finding any ammo, but reloaders have no problem at all with this one...
Cheers,
Ian
The magazine is the limitation, not the firearm, ie: some 10 shot pistol magazines can legally be used in a rifle. This RCMP bulletin explains it better: http://www.rcmp-grc.gc.ca/cfp-pcaf/bulletins/bus-ent/20110323-72-eng.htm
Yeah, there are all kinds of more powerful cartidges out there. I was trying to keep it between the .30-30 and the 7.62X39. The .30 Rem was Remington's answer to the .30-30 winchester, but used a rimless casing for use in their semi-auto's while having the same balistics. Both Remington and Winchester were very competitive back in the day and wouldn't make a rifle with the other's name on it even if it was just the name of the ammo on the barrel. Remington then just copied the Winchester .25-35, .30-30 and .32 Win sp. with their own rimless versions and called them the .25 Rem, .30 Rem and .32 Rem.
In my opinion, they are the best, handiest bush guns going! You get a model 8 or 81 in .35 Rem (Which is still commercially manufactured) or a model 81 in .300 Sav.(which is still commercially manufactured) and you have a great bush gun for deer as well as elk, moose and bear to boot!
Ian
The 303 Savage is another virtual copy of the 30-30 from less cooperative times. So much so that some say you can fire 30-30 out of the old 99's. (Not endorsing, just saying) A mighty fine hunting arm in it's own right.
Cheers!
Cheers!
Yep! If a lever gun ya be wantin' the Savage 99 is one of the best un-sung hero's out there. Dad has a vintage 99F featherlight in .300 Sav and it is as slick as butter and groups very well out at 100 yards. Gotta love the rotating internal mag and cartridge indicator on the left of the receiver too!
Ian
Ah yes... I love all these 30-30 vs 7.62x39 threads. As always, weighing apples against oranges.
I love it when people start stating random muzzle velocities, and don't include what barrel length and action it was fired from.
All I'm going to say is that one chambering is often stated as being fired out of a certain length barrel, manual action... and the other chambering is often stated as being fired out of a much shorter barrel, and semi auto action.
I love it when people start stating random muzzle velocities, and don't include what barrel length and action it was fired from.
All I'm going to say is that one chambering is often stated as being fired out of a certain length barrel, manual action... and the other chambering is often stated as being fired out of a much shorter barrel, and semi auto action.
