Grouse and 30/30, 30-06 ammo question

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Scott Bear

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I was wondering if any one could help. I'm going Grouse hunting for the first time and was wondering what the preferred firearm would be? My choices from my collection and relatives is:

heavy barrel .22 bolt with a scope
.22/410 over and under with open sights
semi .22 with scope
12 guage over and under

And...what grain of bullet is preferred for deer in a 30-30? The 150gr or 170gr? Does the marlin lever prefer either one?

As well...what grain of bullet is preferred for moose in a 30-06? 150gr or 180? This would be for an old Midland Arms (Parker Hale) bolt action. Unsure of rifling twist.

If I start reloading will the bullets for the 30-30 fit the 30-06 brass/barrel?

Thanks for helping a noob hunter.

Scott.
 
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Scott, any of those choices will do well for grouse, although I don't know if I'd bother with a heavy barrel .22.

The 170 gr .30/30 load has been putting venison in the freezer for generations, but it probably makes no difference which load you choose, either the 150 or the 170 will kill a deer.

Traditionally, the 180 gr .30/06 load will pretty much do everything you need from a North American big game rifle. Personally I would reserve the 150 for game the size of deer or antelope. Premium bullets are another matter and their performance seems to encourage folks to use lighter bullets for larger game.

Both the .30/30 and the .30/06 are .30 caliber rifles, so yes a handloader could load his .30/30 bullets in his .30/06. The thing is though that most lever action .30/30s should be loaded with flat or round nosed bullets due to the tubular magazine, you don't want a pointy bullet against the primer of the round in front should the rifle be dropped directly on it's butt plate. These days .30/06 ammo is most often loaded with pointed bullets to attain a flatter trajectory, so you might not be as happy with the performance of the round nose bullets.
 
unless your grouse are one hell of a lot larger than the ones in NS use the 12 gauge.the rest of your firearms will work if legal but shooting them after they flush with a shotgun is more fun.
 
Around here, the .22/.410 combo would be ideal. -Here we have Hungarian partridge, Ruffed grouse, and Sharp-tailed grouse.

.22 when they sit, .410 when they fly. Plus, the .22 is great when you happen by a rabbit.
 
What Boomer said with the addition that when grouse hunting ground you cover can be a lot. Out in BC I geuss grouse a plentiful and easy to stalk close to so a .22 is a fine choice. Where I'm from they're prone to flying and a 20 guage or 16 gauge are popular the all arounder the 12 gauge is capable too. Thats not to say I haven't killed a few with a .22 myself its just a harder game. If I were hunting Northern NB where they're less timid and will give you ground shots a .22/20 gauge would be my weapon of choice.
 
I'm from Vancouver Island, I find that the firearm of choice depends on the hunting style. If your trucking or quading, I like .22lr, we've had grouse run TOWARDS the truck, can't get much easier. But I think depending on the load of your 12 gauge it may be too much and destroy your meat.

As for game, I hunt with a remington 30-06. Our deer aren't all that big, but I prefer Winchester Black box 180 grain, at the range @100yrds I put 3 rounds in the size of a dime (in a rest)

If you run into a grouse and all you have is a large caliber rifle some say head shot, not this cowboy, I shoot the ground about a foot or so ahead of it and let the rocks and debris do the killing, that way....no POOF!

Happy trails
 
x2 on the combo gun. I have a Savage 24 in .22s/l/lr over .410. Light, not too long (24 inch barrels, short stock), and quick to aim.
 
Oooops, forgot about that tubular magazine part.

Thanks for the info. Most of the grouse I've seen you could probably kill with a stick. If you spook them off the ground (usually they spook you since they flush right before you step on them) they fly 10 feet up to a branch so the combo gun would probably be best.

Thanks guys.
 
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