School me on 30-30

F

Foxer2373

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Jasper ON Zone 66A
I love my lever actions (and if Turd get his way the new assault rifle)... I only use 45-70, 44 and 22

I am looking at adding a 30-30 for more shooting for the $ however I don’t know enough about it as a hunting round to carry it.

My main uses are deer (within 200y), Racoons and other varmint (not for pelts), and bear (my biggest ? On this caliber)....

If someone could share some insight as I know in no way is it compatible to the 45-70 but of it can do the above jobs or if I’m barking up the wrong tree as an option.

Thanks!
 
Of course the .30-30 is fine for all of the above... but you have been on CGN for 3 1/2 years, so I have to feel that you are lobbing out a Rapala.
 
There is a wide variety of cartridges, butts, barrels and chamberings in lever rifles hiding in fancy boxes, with colourful sentimental names, and all probably very shootable. Winchester made a long run of commemoratives, and if they have been fired or don't have good boxes, I think they are candidates for the deer woods. If you can get the seller's mind past his perception of value, you might find some deals.

Do I have any preferences? No, because I have other tastes in hunting rifles. But to each his own.
 
I'd buy a used JM Ballard rifled Marlin and reload.You then have 3 options irons as is,add a peep or scope.Wide variety of bullets available 90gr cast and 4 grains of Unique [990fps]will take care of the coons and be relatively discrete about it.
 
Haha to clarify, more interested in the Round itself... I haven’t learned my lesson yet and it will be either a marlin Custom or one of the new Dark series. I’ve had nothing but luck with them, still regret selling my SBL a couple years ago and rebuying a less nice one for more.
 
The 150gr bullet with 34.5gr of Win 748 and a mag primer/Win brass..................170gr bullet 32gr of Win 748 and a mag primer /Win brass .............. with the above pest/SG load this about covers mice to moose.
 
Lever guns come in other calibers, if I were going to buy a lever gun for deer, vermin and bear, the 35 Remington would be at the top of my list for caliber. Not that I don't like the 30-30, but it's just not my first choice.

My first choice for a lever rifle would be a Savage 99. The Savage 99 did come in 30-30, and the straight stocked carbine is a winner IMHO.

My 99 is in 308, but a 308 will do anything a 30-30 will.



My next lever of choice would be an 1895 Winchester, and the caliber would be 30 US (30-40 Krag). Again, not 30-30 but a good caliber all the same. I have a '95 in 30-06, and it loves 220 gr Nosler partitions.

Most of my levers have a receiver (Williams peep) sight, and, IMHO, a lever rifle shouldn't have a scope. If you need a scope, you need a bolt rifle. (My turn to toss out a Rapala)

I'm a bit conservative on the range limitation of a 30-30. My buddy used a 30-30 to hunt from a blind, shot deer within 50 yards, and the Federal 125 gr load was his ammunition of choice. Federal 3030C is what I'd use in a 30-30 for deer. My friend had it in a H&R Topper, with a 3-9 scope. I believe he envisioned himself as a Finnish sniper in the winter war. RIP my friend.

I don't have any experience on Black Bear, I'd lean towards a 170 gr loading for that.

In the bargain category, it's hard to beat a Winchester '94 Commemorative. The market on these is in the buyers favor. Mine is a Bat Masterson. Most are unfired, at about 1/2 of what a new '94 would cost. I've had a few Commemoratives, my faves were a Canadian Carbine 30-30 and a Saskabush Diamond in 38-55. I kept Bat.

A quick search turned up this one, sold for $700.

i1nFNR8l.jpg
 
mbogo3 said:
I'd buy a used JM Ballard rifled Marlin and reload.You then have 3 options irons as is,add a peep or scope.Wide variety of bullets available 90gr cast and 4 grains of Unique [990fps]will take care of the coons and be relatively discrete about it.
Click to expand...

……………..:agree:...……..
 
sure- look at how popular the 30 twice is- you just have to be selective as to your shot- there's a reason why its one of the most popular guns there is- not my personal preference -but i'm fussy- and I do have a 94 in 44 mag- you sound to me like a first timer, and you need a MENTOR more than anything- ie someone that KNOWS how to shoot-and lord knows there's lots of those in Winnipeg- placed right at the right range the 30/30 will kill anything- personally, I use a 308 Winchester in a savage 99 but I also live in GRIZZLY country , with elk , moose, and mulie side
 
I think the 30-30 suffers most from people who just like cranking that lever. Spray and pray doesn't work well when hunting.

If you take the time to aim, and not just point, the old girl will do the job for you.

Anything that walks in Ontario is certainly fair game for the 30-30 under 200 yards. If you are good, and you have the right rifle, even a bit further.

Personally, I've taken deer, bear, and moose with it. Do your part, and it will do the rest.
 
Foxer2373 said:
I love my lever actions (and if Turd get his way the new assault rifle)... I only use 45-70, 44 and 22

I am looking at adding a 30-30 for more shooting for the $ however I don’t know enough about it as a hunting round to carry it.

My main uses are deer (within 200y), Racoons and other varmint (not for pelts), and bear (my biggest ? On this caliber)....

If someone could share some insight as I know in no way is it compatible to the 45-70 but of it can do the above jobs or if I’m barking up the wrong tree as an option.

Thanks!
Click to expand...

When i got into hunting i used a 8mm Mauser with weak factory loads 170gr @ 2200fps which is 30-30 territory in power and trajectory. I didn't have any problems shooting my first couple of deer, bear, and moose out to 200 yards so i dont see an issue with the 30-30. Shot placement and knowing your limits are key.
 
You say you're interested in the 30-30 for more shooting for the dollar. Well, just snag one then. Buck a shot pretty much.

There is over a century of proof about the capabilities of the 30-30 as a hunting cartridge. And besides, if you have doubts just sling your 45-70 over your shoulder.

Hoytcannon could be onto something with that "Rapala" comment :)
 
160 grain Hornady FTX's and Leverevolution powder. Should be the new standard in the .30-30. Otherwise the a/n recipe for 150's and 170's with W748 is tried and true.
 
Oh, but you need the latest whizz bang caliber that ammo costs $4 a shot....don’t you? No. Well then, scoop a nice used Winchester 94 in 30-30 and you are in the winning circle. Reloading and cast bullets make shooting these rifles quite reasonable.

I have some 30-30’s and 32 Winchester Special rifles. Love shooting them. I have a Savage 99 takedown in 30-30 that I am going to start doing some shooting with.

As above, the commemorative rifles, especially ones that have been fired a bit, are great bargains, despite all the nay saying.
 
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ChromeArty said:
You say you're interested in the 30-30 for more shooting for the dollar. Well, just snag one then. Buck a shot pretty much.

There is over a century of proof about the capabilities of the 30-30 as a hunting cartridge. And besides, if you have doubts just sling your 45-70 over your shoulder.

Hoytcannon could be onto something with that "Rapala" comment :)
Click to expand...

Lol would be, however other than my Lever actions I’m a 100% modern shooter, 9mm, 223, 6.5, 338, 375 so seriously my lack of knowledge on 30-30 is actually a gap in my knowledge and I figured I’d go here for first hand on it instead of you tube for horrible videos.

I do appreciate the info though and am leaning towards just grabbing one.
 
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