Do You Use 30-30 for Deer

My first rifle was a Winnie 94 (not counting the Lee Enfield I used for my first hunt many moons ago) and I shot many deer using 150g silver tips.

I sold it years ago to buy a Ruger 308 when I started hunting on farm land where the shots were too far out for the 30-30. I wish I never sold it, it was a great little rifle. I just today picked up a Marlin 45/70, so I can have a lever back in the safe again. :)
 
For sure it depends on were you are hunting and in what kind of terrain but for myself (mostly bush hunting) the winchester 94 is the best deer hunting rifle ever. My winchester was given to me by my dad when i was about 14 i think. and i love it. I went deer hunting with a winchester model 770 30-06 for about 4 years and it wasent the same. I just sold that 30-06 and last year i went back to my good old reliable mod 94. When i was younger i was hunting near Maniwaki in quebec and one of my buddy had a mod 94 and everytime he would shoot a deer he would do a mark on his hand guard. So i did the same. I got a special marking for bucks and special marking for does and under it i put the date. So everytime i use my mod 94 and look at those it brings back very good memories. So anyway i'm a big fan of old winchesters.
 
I didn't care for the winchester 94 I was given pre registry so I sold it. I have a Marlin 336 because my 45-70 looked lonely in the safe with all the milsurps and bolts.

The 336 is a fun gun to shoot and is reliable as anything else I have. I don't like the damned buckhorn sights though, so I put a cheap red dot on it. I can hit the gong at 200 yards when I get serious.
 
I have killed well over 50 deer over the years and all but one where with a 30 30. I have a marlin right now with a basic scope and I never question a shot out to 150 yards but it really shines in the heavy bush that I usually hunt. I have purchased some of the new ammo that is made especially for lever action guns and plan to try it this weekend. Maybe that can stretch my range out to 200 yards?
 
Why not??

Thoity-thoity is a perfect deer getter. Use it in the thick stuff with no worries and take those field shots, too. Less meat damage than many high-velocity calibers and most ammo (Leverevolution ammo is a bit pricey) is cheap and cheerful.



FM
 
I shot my first deer When I was 15ish;) with a 30-30. Killed it dead as dead. 'Course, deer were a lot softer back then........
 
I`ve only taken two deer with my `94. One at 135yds and the other at 60+yds.
I handled the Mossberg while at a gunshop in Calgary and it felt near identical to my Winnie, the only thing I did`nt like was the position of the safety. It comes drilled & tapped but who puts a scope on a 30-30 anyways.
My 94 wears a Williams FP sight.
I reload mine too with Hornady 170gr and Varget. Deadly to 150yds
 
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I had a winchester 94 years ago and traded it in on a Sako 7mmrm. I bought a marlin this spring. I am going to use the 30-30 on mule deer and whitetail this fall. At least for half the season. If I haven't filled my tags by then I'll probably extend my range by pulling the Sako out.
 
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i don't hunt deer, therefore i don't have a 30-30- elk and moose we got, but very few deer-and those are lost
 
Huntsman said:
It comes drilled & tapped but who puts a scope on a 30-30 anyways.
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I've got one of those too. ;)
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I looked at a Mosberg 30-30 lever the other day. It was crude, loose and sloppy. IMO the low end Marlin 30-30 is three times the gun for only a little more money.
 
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