357 or 30-30? Help me buy my new gun.

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Cranberry

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So, I really like my Henry .22lr lever rifle and I’m ready to go and buy a centrefire lever rifle.

I’m on the fence about which caliber I want to get. It’s essentially a choice between .357 mag and 30-30. It’s going to be a fun gun so I don’t want to go as big as a .45-70.

I already reload .357 so that makes it a logical choice but then 30-30 is so synonymous with these rifles that I’m torn between the two.

What would you do? Btw: “get both” is an answer that will not survive the scrutiny of the family accountant ;)
 
What's it for?

A fun, inexpensive plinking rifle, that can be used for small game hunting, the .357 is the answer. If you intend to hunt big game, the .30/30 is the better choice.

If you are set up for handloading the .357, that is you use a press, scale, powder thrower etc, handloading a .30/30 is no more complicated. Just get a die set, .30 caliber flat nose bullets, large rifle primers, brass, and a pound or two of IMR 3031.
 
For hunting out to 100 yards, either will do on deer. I would not consider the 357 for bear, moose, or for shots beyond 100 yards on anything.

The 30/30 is more versatile if you are a reloader. You can hunt small game up to moose (shot placement is a must).

If you are just plinking the 357 is great fun.
 
If you go 30/30 you will never get the 45/70 in the future . If you go 38/357 you could retain “ plausible deniability “ in that you had not considered what a good protection rifle a big bore lever made and now feel the need for a 45/70.
Henry .22 / 357/ 45/70 look pretty good in a rack together .
 
Recently, Saskatchewan just removed most pistol calibers from hunting. Just the 44 mag was left from the common choices (454 casull still there if you have it in rifle and I'm sure a few other not as common ones) They've done away with 9mm carbines, 45 colt, 357, 38 special, 44-40... and probably more that had no relevance to me so I didn't commit them to memory.

They consulted nobody... just snuck it into some regulation updates this spring. So consider that if you may want to hunt. If your province screws you over on .357 also, you won't have the option to hunt with it if you wanted to and 30-30 should always be a huntable cartridge choice.

If you aren't a hunter... I like pistol calibers personally, and I'd be all over it. More fun for plinking, less range rules, you can likely shoot steels at the range at a closer range than you can with 30-30 to hear more twang. And above all else, the 1892 is my favorite lever gun on the market (doesn't offer 30-30 but it does offer 357/38 special)
 
Another vote for 30-30 if you plan to hunt/plink. 357 is a capable cartridge for deer, however, I feel the 30-30 is just better in this regard and has been the leading cause of death for deer outside of natrual causes!
 
I have a 30 30 1894. 30 30 isnt expensive but its hard to beat pistol cartridges for price. And you load 357. More fun capacity too.
 
Im waiting to see if they bring out the 41mag in case colors myself. A straight stocked 3030 with case colors is a sweet rig.
The all weather 357 seems like a great plinker
 
Get the .357 now, since you load for it already.

Then, later get the .30-30 in a nice condition pre 64 Model 94 Winchester!

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NAA.
 
As much as I love 357 in a carbine, 30-30 has it beat hands down in all categories as a hunting cartridge... except recoil and rifle capacity.
 
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You could buy the Win94Ae in 356. That is a rimmed 357Win. A great hunting cartridge and I load it with 357 pistol bullets for cheap plinking.

I have one I bought for moose hinting and it never got used and I no longer hunt.

Mine has a Williams peep and I also have the scope base for it.
 
i may be wrong but when i was looking for lever action rifle it seemed that pistol cartridge rifles were more expensive then 30/30, just something i noticed,but again; i could be wrong
 
Ridersfan said:
Recently, Saskatchewan just removed most pistol calibers from hunting. Just the 44 mag was left from the common choices (454 casull still there if you have it in rifle and I'm sure a few other not as common ones) They've done away with 9mm carbines, 45 colt, 357, 38 special, 44-40... and probably more that had no relevance to me so I didn't commit them to memory.

They consulted nobody... just snuck it into some regulation updates this spring. So consider that if you may want to hunt. If your province screws you over on .357 also, you won't have the option to hunt with it if you wanted to and 30-30 should always be a huntable cartridge choice.

If you aren't a hunter... I like pistol calibers personally, and I'd be all over it. More fun for plinking, less range rules, you can likely shoot steels at the range at a closer range than you can with 30-30 to hear more twang. And above all else, the 1892 is my favorite lever gun on the market (doesn't offer 30-30 but it does offer 357/38 special)
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Why, how UN of them turds. Typical BS from dildos that ain't got a fookin' clue.f:P:

I've had no worries with 357 for deer and bigger critters inside 100 yds. The round has proven itself many times over on big bears, moose & elk since 1935, and that's from handguns let alone rifles. Load 'em right & hunt in tight.;)
 
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