why the 3030?

The old trappers and homesteaders in my family liked the 30-30 because it got the job done and was easy to buy. There were two choices 30-30 and 303 and most 303s were clumsy compared to a lever action. Still true today, a lever action makes a real handy hunting rifle when meat is more important than moa.
 
The old trappers and homesteaders in my family liked the 30-30 because it got the job done and was easy to buy. There were two choices 30-30 and 303 and most 303s were clumsy compared to a lever action. Still true today, a lever action makes a real handy hunting rifle when meat is more important than moa.

Fantastic analogy!
 
Lol... ohhhh gawd... this again..... I wont get involved again other than to point out at 30 - 30 is sealhunters ratio of successful to unsuccessful ee trades..... and I might debate boomer on his easy to carry comment.... lol
 
t 30 - 30 is sealhunters ratio of successful to unsuccessful ee trades..... .. lol




ha:



Anywhoooooooo...


Had mine out today and blasted a few paperplates .....not the best accuracy as I'm not use too the buckhorn sights so ordered some Williams Firesights.

http://www.brownells.com/rifle-parts/sights/sight-sets/dovetail-fire-sights-sku962602170-26035-36562.aspx




Head out this weekend and play some more when the weather is better and I remember to bring my spotting scope
 
I dont know about it personally, but i did hear this very experimented hunter talk about it very favorably. It's the best for deer at closer ranges or even moose, it dosent destroy the meat as much as the more powerful calibers if you hit a little on the shoulder for example...but you need to know how to shoot, not just benchrest range shooting in perfect conditions. It would be the better caliber around where i like to go walking in the woods, cant see much beyond 50-75yds...i mean many deer pop up 30 ft away sometimes. Dont ask me where this is, i am sure as heck not saying. ;)
 
"a lever action makes a real handy hunting rifle when meat is more important than moa."
Fantastic analogy!

Second that! ... Reading this thread makes me regret getting rid of my Marlin ... not so much as get rid of -as gave it to my old man so he had a rifle to go with his shiny new PAL last year. Time to buy another =)
 
Why not? As gunnutz most of us can, and most of us have, spent countless hours discussing the pros and cons of, and the most subtle of variances between, sometimes the most similar of cartridges ..... but really any 'modern' smokeless powder hunting rifle (with a minimum weight projectile at a minimum velocity [and this is where things tend to get a little foggy!]) is a formidable weapon. At least when compared to a bow and arrow. And are there not plenty of successful bow hunters out there? Several years ago I drew a sheep tag and went on what could be called a hunt of a life time, and brought with me my made in 1941 model 94 30-30. Wearing its original iron sights. I did not feel under gunned. In fact I was thinking about (and admiring) the guys who go out there with bows, and thinking that the old 30-30 should serve me just fine out there on the mountain. I was actually thinking that if I could not find, and stalk within a couple hundred yards of a nice ram in the two weeks I had, either I did not deserve one, or I was not a very good hunter. And I was not disappointed, I got my ram, the model 94 sure was a joy to carry, and put a little more hunt in the hunt so to speak.
 
...as i recollect the model 94 was the first american rifle chambered for the smokeless .30 WCF (.30-30 - .30 calbre, 30 grains of smokeless powder) ...some marriages DO last ...it was a 19th C. hi-tech marvel ...could things get any better? ...it worked ...no corrosion ...light recoil ...effective ...mfg steel of the time could easily keep up with it ...there are some cartridge/rifle combos that are classic/forever welded in the public's mind ...just the way it is
 
I remember that hunt and those excellent pictures! Please post them again, lledwod.

Ted

As do I, and I would very much like to see those photos again.

I think its pretty clear that the folks who disdain the .30/30 traditional lever action rifle as a hunting arm are those who have little experience or skill with it. Those with the experience and skill to use it well, don't need to justify their choice, and history provides a pretty clear picture of what the rifle and cartridge's strengths and limitations are. My comfort level is with the bolt action, but I'm certainly not blind to the advantages of light weight, slim profile, mild mannered lever action, particularly after long days of packing around fat magazine rifles like a M-17 Enfield or a Brno 602. Its interesting though, those who champion high velocity cartridges like say the .300 Winchester, seldom talk of that cartridge's prowess for putting meat in the freezer with a 50 yard shot, but are certainly adamant concerning the flat trajectory and power the .300 puts on target at extended ranges. The interesting thing is that the power the .300 puts on target at 600 with a 165 gr bullet is similar to what the .30/30 puts on target at 100 yards with the same bullet, so it follows that the terminal performance on the game in question is similar.
 
As do I, and I would very much like to see those photos again.

I think its pretty clear that the folks who disdain the .30/30 traditional lever action rifle as a hunting arm are those who have little experience or skill with it.

^ stopped reading right there, I don't disdain the 30-30 lever but I don't understand why people would use one, other than personal preference.

Compare the 858 for hunting:

-Folding stock
-Less recoil, similar ballistics
-Easier to fire prone, pistol grip
-Loads faster, can clip feed
-Faster follow up shot.
-Can be field stripped right down to the receiver in the field, doesn't require tools. Easy reassembly.
-Easier to clean under the lower foregrip.
-Doesn't require oiling of the entire rifle, has painted exterior.

I'd be curious to see a response with facts, not BS opinions, that can show the 30-30 lever as being better. Ammo availability is one valid concern, or that stupid argument about losing your only magazine which somehow makes your rifle inoperable as a single shot. I own a 30-30, a 1970's winchester top ejector. I reload for it, mostly cast 173g LRN and have fired about 3k rounds of that, 500+ rounds of factory as well. It is inferior in every way, still a good rifle. I'd take it hunting deer over anything else in my collection except my 858. With the new 958's coming out, looks like this will be the only year I'm hunting with my win94.

As for the OP's original post about a 300win mag, I'm simply not sold on those. I would prefer a 45-70 SS Lever, but that's just because most animals I have encountered in the woods were rarely further than 100 yards. Slashes are a different story, if I were camping a treeline then sure I would entertain a 300Win Savage Rifle with a scope. My advice is just buy all of the above. If you're looking for one rifle to do it all, get 308win bolt gun (or enfield) with iron sights and a removable scope mount. Could even get one of those 308 lever guns, those are extremely versatile as well.
 
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^ stopped reading right there, I don't disdain the 30-30 lever but I don't understand why people would use one, other than personal preference.

Compare the 858 for hunting:

-Folding stock
-Less recoil, similar ballistics
-Easier to fire prone, pistol grip
-Loads faster, can clip feed
-Faster follow up shot.
-Can be field stripped right down to the receiver in the field, doesn't require tools. Easy reassembly.
-Easier to clean under the lower foregrip.
-Doesn't require oiling of the entire rifle, has painted exterior.

I'd be curious to see a response with facts, not BS opinions, that can show the 30-30 lever as being better. Ammo availability is one valid concern, or that stupid argument about losing your only magazine which somehow makes your rifle inoperable as a single shot. I own a 30-30, a 1970's winchester top ejector. I reload for it, mostly cast 173g LRN and have fired about 3k rounds of that, 500+ rounds of factory as well. It is inferior in every way, still a good rifle. I'd take it hunting deer over anything else in my collection except my 858. With the new 958's coming out, looks like this will be the only year I'm hunting with my win94.

As for the OP's original post about a 300win mag, I'm simply not sold on those. I would prefer a 45-70 SS Lever, but that's just because most animals I have encountered in the woods were rarely further than 100 yards. Slashes are a different story, if I were camping a treeline then sure I would entertain a 300Win Savage Rifle with a scope. My advice is just buy all of the above. If you're looking for one rifle to do it all, get 308win bolt gun (or enfield) with iron sights and a removable scope mount. Could even get one of those 308 lever guns, those are extremely versatile as well.

Let's compare to the Marlin 336SS:

- Stainless steel (better than painter carbon steel)
- Flat top with factory drilled scope mounting holes (vs. less-than-ideal long-eye relief solutions on less-than rock solid handguard mounts and other similarly questionable workarounds
- Lays flat prone, vs. raising your profile 6" to accomodate a banana mag
- Leverevolution .3030 at 2400fps at 160gn (7.62x39 = 2400 fps at 125gn)

Looks more than adequate to me.
 
Let's compare to the Marlin 336SS:

- Stainless steel (better than painter carbon steel)
- Flat top with factory drilled scope mounting holes (vs. less-than-ideal long-eye relief solutions on less-than rock solid handguard mounts and other similarly questionable workarounds
- Lays flat prone, vs. raising your profile 6" to accomodate a banana mag
- Leverevolution .3030 at 2400fps at 160gn (7.62x39 = 2400 fps at 125gn)

Looks more than adequate to me.

Yup, great hunting rifle, I want a stainless lever in 45-70 but i won't buy one unless I get an elk tag.
 
It might exist, but I'm not familiar with any rifle that packs in hand better than the Winchester 94.
 
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