Hunting with a 30-30

azmark · Post by **azmark** » Tue Feb 21, 2012 3:12 pm

I want to take up hunting. I want to use a 30-30. I've heard some negatives about the caliber and its limitations as to what size animal can be taken and the effective range of the 30-30. Can I get some advice on how to use the 30-30 for the game animals I can hunt in AZ? I'm referring to meat animals...in the big game category, we have antelope, white tailed deer, mule deer, and elk.

I've never hunted anything but squirrels with a shotgun, so I'm pretty much a blank slate on this subject.

1894c · Post by **1894c** » Tue Feb 21, 2012 3:31 pm

It's a great round, as a matter of fact it's better than most will tell you, except for many on this forum. The 30/30 was the 300 Win. Mag. when it was introduced over 100 years ago. The effective range is 25 to 175+ yards (maybe more if you're a good shot). I have hunted and taken deer with a Marlin 336 in 30/30 and with a Winchester 94 Trapper, most of the shots were under 80 yards, because I was hunting in the mountains, heavy timber.

You can find used rifles in this caliber, because many sell theirs in order to get the latest "big boomer's". azmark--you don't need a big boomer, unless you want to take a shot at 300-400 yards. The 30/30 is very comfortable to shoot, easy to reload, a joy to carry in a levergun, quality factory ammo is everywhere--plus, if you have too, you can use it to protect home and hearth (I knew an old Deputy that had a Win.94 in 30/30 as his patrol rifle).

I apologize for my rant--my recommendation is to buy one, shoot it, read about it and use it...here are two links from the article section... :)

http://www.leverguns.com/articles/taylo ... grange.htm
http://www.leverguns.com/articles/taylo ... 4_3030.htm

O.S.O.K. · Post by **O.S.O.K.** » Tue Feb 21, 2012 3:31 pm

You can hunt all of those big game animals with your 30-30. The elk is a large one and you will really need to place the shot in the heart/lung and it would be advisable to put two or three in there if you can manage it. But the 30-30 will do the job. Use the 170 grian loads for the mule deer and elk IMHO. 150's will do for the others.

Here's a guy that hunted moose with a 30-30 - note that he shot it from around 50 yards. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6xZsgwPlLM0

Nath · Post by **Nath** » Tue Feb 21, 2012 3:57 pm

Ok, the large red deer(in excess of 280lb) was very close, under 10yd in fact I took another in the same area at 50yd.
Ok, it may struggle at 300yds (boring) but not at 100yds.

You know, some say the quicker you drive a bullet the quicker it wants to stop!

You have fun

Nath.

Tycer · Post by **Tycer** » Tue Feb 21, 2012 4:00 pm

The cartridge is capable of taking all the animals you list without any doubt. Listen not to the detractors. The 30-30 is a hunter's cartridge. What it will not do is shoot flat to 500 yards and kill every animal just by shooting it in it's big toe. What it will do is drop all those animals at 225 yards if you can do your part.

To me that means being completely confident that I know where the kill zone is on whatever I am hunting and that I can hit that kill zone confidently. If I can't, I do not take the shot. I do not shoot any animal if I think there is any chance I'll wound that animal and cause a slow painful death. There is a wealth of info on each of the animals you intend to hunt and their anatomy.

For me, the golden rule of shooting is that I should be able to hit a target the size of my kill zone (10" on a whitetail) every time, at the distance I shoot and I shoot at least the number of shots as the distance I deem is my maximum distance. 100 shots at 100 yards, 150 shots at 150, 225 shots at 225 yards. So, you being in AZ and the maximum distance that the 30-30 can shoot without changing the sights or sight picture is about 225 yards, you should shoot at least 225 shots at 225 yards in the positions you will hunt from (not a bench) before you attempt to harvest an animal at that distance. Bench shooting is for sighting in a rifle or handload development, not for preparing to hunt.

You will find that in that many shots you will know your gun, yourself and your confidence of humanely taking a life.

Learning the habitat and tracking and proper placement of yourself for getting close enough to hunt can be learned from books, but it is infinitely more fun and skill filled to learn from a fellow hunter. If you were to ask around at the local gunshops or barber shop you might could find an old hunter willing to take a newby under his wing for a bit. I love to teach what I know and the men who taught me these things as an adult enjoyed teaching me ( I hope ).

O.S.O.K. · Post by **O.S.O.K.** » Tue Feb 21, 2012 4:03 pm

Well said Tycer.

Canuck Bob · Post by **Canuck Bob** » Tue Feb 21, 2012 4:33 pm

I'll try and help. I am a dedicated lever rifleman and applaud your question. As a new big game hunter may I suggest your learning curve will be about hunting not your rifle. The 30-30 would work for your needs but elk is a stretch requiring excellent shot placement. I carried a 444 Marlin for moose. Maybe one of the 308 lever clone cartridges (ie 308 Marlin Express) might work for you as well. The 30-30 is a great choice for a first gun as it will not encourage flinching like a big bore or magnum will.

The greatest limit would be the range of the 30-30. A new hunter should limit himself to 150 yards (200 max), I would suggest that 200 yards is a good limit regardless of what you shoot as a greenhorn. I don't know your hunting grounds but a 200 yard limit never restricted my success but it did limit my hunting style. I used peep sights but I think your country is open and certainly Antelope is open country. So I would suggest a scope might work for you. however if you master a receiver sight you will be an outstanding marksman for life.

I was taught to hunt by focusing on deer hunting. There is a real achievment in ambushing or stalking a deer. Take a few years to get to really know deer and hunting them and you will be a true sportsman hunter. That is where the 30-30 shines. Here are some new hunter tips.

Find a hunting spot for deer, get out there as often as possible and scout out the country. Most hunters never get far from their truck so a little walking will get you away from the crowd. You will learn the signs of game activity quickly and find an area with good potential. Then get to know a portion of that country like you know your neighborhood, every stream, the thick places, the vantage points, and the game trails. Game animals are creatures of habit, they sleep one place and feed when moving to water. They tend to move down in the morning and up in the late day to use natural air currents. Whitetail particularly like a home range and it is possible to get to know a buck like a neighbor.

Learn to be aware of the wind and breeze conditions, any animal downwind is long gone. Learn to walk softly and slowly and with a broken cadence. Humans march along, crunch, crunch, crunch.., and even my half deaf ears know the difference. If it was me I would find a couple of ambush spots and sneak out pre-season and see who walks by early in the morning and late in the day. This intimate knowledge and relationship with creation is why many of us hunt.

If corny old ideas about sportsmanship appeal to you then the 30-30 is a great choice. Bowhunters by choice of weapon place a great burden on hunting skill rather than equipment ability. I set my sporting standard at 200 yards when my eyes were sharper, maybe 125-150 now, (175 is my longest kill shot, most were 75-125 yards) with a peep sighted lever action, downright unfair advantage compared to a guy with a pointy stick. I retired the 444 and bought a 32 Special for woods carry and if I hunt again it will be for whitetail only with that rifle, very similar to the 30-30.

Edit: If I had read Tycers response first this would have been a bunch shorter. I miight add this forum is great place to hang out, we like hunting and the 30-30 here!

JB · Post by JB » Tue Feb 21, 2012 4:43 pm

Canuck Bob wrote: The 30-30 would work for your needs but elk is a stretch requiring excellent shot placement.

I agree. The 30-30 will kill elephant as well, but it's not at the top of my list! But for deer sized game it's plenty. Practical range depends upon the shooter. It's not going to have the trajectory of the 30-06's, 300 mag., etc. and most likely not the accuracy of most bolt action rifles, but I feel pretty comfortable with it out to 200 yards or so where as I feel comfortable at twice that range with some of my bolt action rifles.

jlchucker · Post by **jlchucker** » Tue Feb 21, 2012 4:56 pm

It's been my go-to caliber for nearly 40 years, although I do have a few other rifles that I use now and then. It was either on this website or one other that I frequent that I recall a few years ago where some guy from California posted that a 30-30 was not gun enough for deer found in California. The responses he got were, shall we say, global. A few pages of them, with various men, women, and children standing next to some huge deer, elk, moose, various sizes of bears, and a plethora of African game, with their trusty Winchester or Marlin in hand. There's nothing at all wrong with the 30-30 for general hunting use. So many of those folks told the California guy, in a variety of ways, that he was full of it, and depicted the game that they'd shot to prove it. So, get yourself a 30-30, become a good shot with it, and be the kind of hunter that believes in placing one clean shot correctly. History's on the side of lots and lots of 30-30 users.

336A · Post by **336A** » Tue Feb 21, 2012 5:31 pm

azmark wrote:I want to take up hunting. I want to use a 30-30. I've heard some negatives about the caliber and its limitations as to what size animal can be taken and the effective range of the 30-30. Can I get some advice on how to use the 30-30 for the game animals I can hunt in AZ? I'm referring to meat animals...in the big game category, we have antelope, white tailed deer, mule deer, and elk.

I've never hunted anything but squirrels with a shotgun, so I'm pretty much a blank slate on this subject.

Watch this then tell us what you think

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6xZsgwPlLM0

Pete44ru · Post by **Pete44ru** » Tue Feb 21, 2012 5:55 pm

[the big game category, we have antelope, white tailed deer, mule deer, and elk.]

I'm with Jaq & Tycer - All of the above, to at least 200 yards, with practice, practice, and more practice.

.

stew71 · Post by **stew71** » Tue Feb 21, 2012 6:07 pm

I've hunted deer and wild pig with a 30-30 Marlin since I was 15 and every one was taken inside of 150 yards.

Don't need anything else. Want is another issue.

Dave · Post by **Dave** » Tue Feb 21, 2012 6:15 pm

The 30-30 is a great round. If you can slip to within 150-200 yards of whatever critter you are trying to bag it is just a matter of applying the fundamentals of marksmanship after that. In hunting your gun isn't as important as watching the wind, hiding your movements, and judging where the best spots are.

AJMD429 · Post by **AJMD429** » Tue Feb 21, 2012 8:33 pm

1892m wrote:The 30/30 was the 300 Win. Mag. when it was introduced over 100 years ago.

Yeah, but the animals are alot different now. Harder to kill, or something.

It's all about:

Shot Placement
Proper Bullet
Decent Velocity

Decent velocity helps penetration, and expands the 'point blank range' where you are essentially 'flat-shooting' and don't have to correct for range. That helps proper placement.

Picking which cartridge to dispense the bullet from is the FUN part - lots of 'em out there, and pretty much any medium-power one of today will do just fine unless you're hunting really BIG or mean animals.

86er · Post by **86er** » Tue Feb 21, 2012 9:06 pm

I have not had the luck or factual results reported by others (for only 100 years) with this cartridge. I do not know why except that I will say I experimented with a lot of new-fangled bullets. I am a pretty good shot and will not hunt with a rifle that is not accurate enough for my liking or ammunition that does not seem to meet my requirements at least on the surface. I also have the ability to shoot many different animals every year, sometimes as many as 100 depending on what I am doing. I had high hopes and serious expectations for the 30-30. I really liked the Marlin and the Winchester I had - fine rifles with good features. However, particularly with deer, I lost several animals that seemed to otherwise have been shot well. This had not happened as frequently with other cartridges. When I studied the data, most of this was with the early Hornady LeverRevolution ammo. Stepping back and looking at the big pictures, I went with some 170 grain Speer FP and 170 gr Nosler Partitions. The results were much better and the statistical curve jumped back up. I also found great results on deer with Winchester's 150 SilverTip - the black one's with the white plastic tip. Lastly, I could find no fault with the 150 gr Barnes X bullets. Further, in my little booklet 1000 Tags Filled that John Clark and I complied, the 30-30 is well represented with over 100 rounds fired at game. What shows well is that traditional cup and core style bullets at factory velocity and good shot placement were reliable game getters where any stray from that combination was iffy and inconsistent. Those are facts from over 100 animals shot with a 30-30, not an opinion. There are other cartridges that faired better, some much better, but some were equal and some were worse. My recommendation is to use the cartridge like it was intended - 150's or 170's at typical factory velocity on deer sized game out to 175 yards. If you find a modern, high-tech bullet that is superbly accuracte, research other folks results on game and if it looks worth, give it a try, but limit the experimentation. If you will exceed deer sized game, make sure your precision is well defined with verified range (appropriate to the performance you need) and shot placement on the right presentation. I want to like the 30-30 and I enjoy shooting the mild recoiling, low noise little bugger. Unfortunately, my early experiences with the cartridge were less than stellar, and my enthusiasm as an all arounder is slim. I am actively seeking a Savage 99 in 30 WCF for my own use and I have plans to use the Winchester ST or Barnes X for treestand hunting whitetails where I'll shoot under 100 yards. The 30-30 fan club is large indeed and there are several fanatics that are die-hard members. No cartridge is magic and few will make up for poor shooting. AJMD429 put it well: "
It's all about:
Shot Placement
Proper Bullet
Decent Velocity".

There is no better group than the forum members here to gather information, experience and recommendations from and I encourage you to take it all in and continue to ask questions, send PM's and sort it all out to your satisfaction. Your choice is sound and should serve you well. Best of luck with it!

gak · Post by **gak** » Tue Feb 21, 2012 9:28 pm

Really excellent responses. I'd repeat - watch your range. You'll see in a lot of articles that the .30-30 these days is considered an "eastern woods gun" and "not nearly as much in use out west anymore." Part of these characterizations is due to the aforementioned "magnumitis" that has striken the country in the past thirty years, and the fact that, by percentage land area, we out west have a lot more huntable "wide open country" with the potential for wide-open long range shots that implies. While the latter is true, the west is composed of all variety of terrain, including the rolling open range grasslands around your Palominas area, to nearly impenetrable thick brush, with deep craggy canyons and thick ponderosa pine forests on top of all that. In all these regards Arizona is no different than most western states--and most of the above description can be found within 50 miles of Palominas. Where concerns may be well founded are when your hunt includes predominately--or at least in the mix the likelihood of--wide open territory or extremely long cross-canyon shots where ranges can really get up there, and you *expect* to take such shots (but, then the question of your skill at those long ranges comes into play anyway, as others have suggested...as well as, "how on earth are you going to retrieve the animal?"

- seriously.). My choice when I was able to afford was to have both--.30-30 lever and .270 bolt in my case--using the most appropriate at the time for the predominant condition.
This does not mean that guns don't exist which do a fairly good job of doing double duty, but there are almost always compromises one way or the other. It also does not mean the .30-30 could not suffice as the only one, as long as you keep effective range in mind--which means you do not shoot those extremely long "open country" shots in the first place, and do not hunt/shoot beyond your and your gun's abilities--actually true regardless of gun/caliber.
Learn about trajectory (first in general but then specifically for your bullet weight and construction) and holdover, etc, keep the shots to an "ethical" range given your skills and, as many have said, place that shot properly...and you'll be all set.

I've had 45 years with the .30-30 and love it. While a die-hard open-sighted Win 94 fan (and I keep it to 150 absolute max), for your (OP's) purposes as new to hunting, I might suggest a used Marlin 336--for its ability to scope easily, or an angle eject (AE) Win 94 for the same reason. A nice 4x scope is a good one to start--and perhaps stay--with. If you eventually get a companion "long range" gun, I'd then think about de-scoping the .30-30 if relegating it to close-in "brush gun" duty at which it also excels.

Griff · Post by **Griff** » Tue Feb 21, 2012 10:46 pm

What Tycer said, X 2.

One of the things that dramatically improved my hunting skills was off-season "hunting". With a camera when what I was hunting was out of season, or a bow during bow season. This had the added benefit of putting me in the area I intended to hunt to gain knowledge of the game and area. Even post season can give valuable information about what might happen if What Tycer said, X 2.

Onr=e of the things that dramatically improved my hunting skills was off-season "hunting". With a camera when what I was hunting was out of season, or a bow during bow season. This had the added benefit of putting me in the area I intended to hunt, and knowledge of the gane and area. Even post season can give valuable information about what might happen if inclement weather moves in during the season. Even when I hunted the Cleveland National Forest in southern California, (which has little to no migratory seasonal changes), I was able to learn about their daily habits in all weather conditions.

Keep a log of your observartions. Might be fruitlless this year... or the next, but 5 years down the road, might be the difference between just camping and a trophy, (however you define that)! weather moves in during the season. Even when I hunted the Cleveland National Forest in southern California, (which has little to no migratory seasonal changes), I was able to learn about their daily habits in all weather conditions.

Keep a log of your observartions. Might be fruitlless this year... or the next, but 5 years down the road, might be the difference between just camping and a trophy, (however you define that)!

Mescalero · Post by **Mescalero** » Tue Feb 21, 2012 11:18 pm

The Mescalero I grew up with never had a problem with the 30-30.
Reading Griff's post I think I can now quantify that statement.
We ALL grew up with a bow, we all hunted with a bow,so having been bow hunters; we learned how to HUNT.
We learned how to SHOOT later.
That is the essence of what the others are saying, it is the hunter not the shooter that makes a difference.

Griff · Post by **Griff** » Tue Feb 21, 2012 11:25 pm

To add onto what 86er said, my last 5 deer have been killed with a .30-30. All have been with Federal 150 grain factory ammo. Range has been from ~40 out to 238, (lazered after the fact) yards. All were one shot kills wth 4 different rifles. The 40 yarder was a doe, it almost seemed as though she was a steel silhouette, she just fell over, didn't even move a single foot, I mean literally, she didn't lift one off the ground. Another shot @ 100 yards took one step and crumpled up. A buck shot @ about 125 jumped about 3 ft in the air and folded up right there. The little Texas buck I drilled at 238 yards, jumped and ran about 25 or so yards before succumbing to gravity. I actually think that was about 50 yard beyond reasonable, effective range for the .30-30; but I was shooting from a blind, solidly built with almost a target bench for a rest. 2 were shot w26" barreled mdl 94s, (1 octagon, 1 round). The balance were 20" carbines. All were thru & thru shots, no bullets recovered.

BigSky56 · Post by **BigSky56** » Tue Feb 21, 2012 11:53 pm

Ive taken wt, mulie , elk, cougar, canines, bears with a 30 wcf get a accurate rifle practice a 170 speer or hdy works HCGC works better. Shoot a clay bird off hand, sitting, kneeling & prone over your pack remember the yardage for each position thats your limit especially for elk and bear. danny

ving-thorr · Post by **ving-thorr** » Wed Feb 22, 2012 1:34 am

Howdy neighbor,

I can give you some public land hunting tips for our area. The River, of course, is key. Hunt on the BLM land south of the bridge on 92 for muleys. Go down Paloma Trail and park at the west end of Calle Venado or Calle Gavilan. Deer move in and out of the little hills onto the flats beside the river at dusk and dawn. That hunt is probably your best bet, generally the muleys here are alot easier targets than the coues deer (whitetails) and make for alot more meat. Careful what you shoot south of 92 as there are some coues deer as well, but the herds are all mule deer. Its a good idea to call the Border Patrol beforehand or they might come check you out and potentially wreck your hunt, however, they can also tell you where theyve seen the herds recently.
For coues deer hunt the river and the hills around the river north of the bridge on Charleston Rd.
For javelina, again, hunt along the river. The herds dont travel very far, so if you know spots where you've seen them at night, go stump around in the daylight and look for sign, if you find their scat and their digs you're in the right place.
Don't let people tell you that you cant take game with your 30-30. Though most guys down here use 7mm Rem Mags, 300 Win Mags, 300 RUM, etc the fact is, if all this game can be shot with bow than it darn sure can be shot with a 30-30.

Hope this helps, send me a PM if you have any other questions, got my javelina hunt starting on friday.

Carlsen Highway · Post by **Carlsen Highway** » Wed Feb 22, 2012 7:11 am

FWiedner · Post by **FWiedner** » Wed Feb 22, 2012 8:36 am

My first levergun was a Marlin 336 in .30-30 that I bought back in 1980. Shot a few deer with it and then in 1983 put it into the closet in favor of another 336 in .356Win. Used that almost exclusively until about 5 years ago when I ran across a good deal on a Model 94 that looked like a good project gun. I set it up the way I liked it, and honestly, it revived my interest in the .30-30 as an all around utility rifle.

In my case, it took time, hunting experience, and experimenting with several other guns to come back around to appreciating the capabilities of the .30-30.

That and finding a gun I really liked using.

The .30-30 is a good cartridge if you're a good rifleman. A bit of skillfull field-craft and good shot placement with a bullet made for the application will make a successful hunt.

azmark · Post by **azmark** » Wed Feb 22, 2012 10:25 am

So, I have work ahead of me. I look forward to practicing. I'll get maps that are available, and check out some areas that could be good.

Newby question: It strikes me that it might be advantageous to start off with smaller game to get used to the actual hunting process and to learn how to deal with the animals after they're dead. Is that logical?

Since I'll have to practice with the weapon, I'll need to reload to save some money on ammo. I thought cast bullets would be cheaper, too. Any advice on loading for the 30-30 for marksmanship practice purposes?

Tycer · Post by **Tycer** » Wed Feb 22, 2012 10:44 am

azmark wrote:So, I have work ahead of me. I look forward to practicing. I'll get maps that are available, and check out some areas that could be good.

Newby question: It strikes me that it might be advantageous to start off with smaller game to get used to the actual hunting process and to learn how to deal with the animals after they're dead. Is that logical?

Since I'll have to practice with the weapon, I'll need to reload to save some money on ammo. I thought cast bullets would be cheaper, too. Any advice on loading for the 30-30 for marksmanship practice purposes?

Field dressing a deer and field dressing a squirrel are not so different that you need to work up to deer. Harvest the animal, clean it out as sanitary as possible, cool asap.

Find a load that works accurately in your gun, 170 or so cast works well in most. Practice with the same load you hunt with on rifles as learning how it performs at different distances is key. A pistol or revolver used for defense can use practice ammo as you are not worried about the arc of travel at those distances. Once you start stretching out past 100 yards or even 75, the 30-30 will behave very differently with different bullet weights, shapes, powder, velocity......

ving-thorr · Post by **ving-thorr** » Wed Feb 22, 2012 10:49 am

azmark wrote:It strikes me that it might be advantageous to start off with smaller game to get used to the actual hunting process and to learn how to deal with the animals after they're dead. Is that logical?

Absolutely, start with jackrabbits and cottontails on the BLM land south of Hwy 92. Especially at dawn and dusk, you'll see alot of deer too which will give you confidence "hey, i could've shot that buck just now had it been legal" etc.

azmark · Post by **azmark** » Wed Feb 22, 2012 2:38 pm

For some reason those dang giant jackelopes give me the creeps anyway. I shot one in my front yard with my .357 revover. Kinda cool. Does that make me a bad man?

earlmck · Post by **earlmck** » Wed Feb 22, 2012 2:48 pm

ving-thorr wrote:Absolutely, start with jackrabbits and cottontails on the BLM land south of Hwy 92.

The trouble with these forums is you never know what sly devil is eavesdropping on the conversation. Here I am, loading up some 30/30 ammo to take to cousin Bill who lives in Sierra Vista so we can go out and play with his "new" model 94. And here I find out about jackrabbits nearby. Now the Jack-wabbit is my favorite target of all-time, and they have nearly died out in my part of Oregon (no, it wasn't lead-poison). I can see us cousins need to make a little expedition to have a look-see. Thanks ving-thorr!

And Mark, there is no finer tune-up for deer hunting than jack rabbit hunting. And they are not very good eating so you don't have to butcher them after you shoot one (and if you do butcher one you should wear rubber gloves 'cause they may carry tularemia). And while cotton tails are good eating, they will be really good practice 'cause if you don't shoot them in the head you are not going to have anything left to eat, using a full-power 30/30 load. Hard to think of better hunting/shooting practice than slipping around in the brush looking for a head-shot on a small rabbit.

azmark wrote:Any advice on loading for the 30-30 for marksmanship practice purposes?

Although I'm a big cast-bullet fan I wouldn't advise anyone to start out with cast. If you buy quality cast bullets with a gas-check (which you'd need for velocities approaching what you'll be using for deer hunting) you are not going to save any money over jacketed, anyway. And there is likely to be a bunch more trial-and-error in finding a good cast load than a good jacketed load.

No, I'd lay in a stock of several hundred of the 170 grain Remington (or Hornady, Speer, Sierra) jacketed, a can of IMR 3031 powder, CCI large rifle primers, a bag of new cases, a set of the Lee Deluxe 3-die set plus the extra Lee factory crimp die. Press plus powder scale/powder measure and you've got her covered. This set-up will set you back initially but will rapidly pay for itself if you and your wife get to doing much shooting with the new 30/30. And if ving-thorr is right about those jack rabbits you may be doing a bunch of shooting!

Hey, maybe us southern-Arizonans should get together for a Levergunner rabbit hunt in about three weeks!

azmark · Post by **azmark** » Wed Feb 22, 2012 3:14 pm

As I wrote, I have no problem shooting jackrabbits. Even after living in Palominas for 6 years, I still can't get over the size of the things. Some of them are as big as dogs. It's just not natural

I have to wait for my rifle to come in. I'm getting the new Henry 30-30 and the factory is behind filling orders.

L_Kilkenny · Post by **L_Kilkenny** » Wed Feb 22, 2012 6:30 pm

If it's what I have there's not much in the lower 48 that I wouldn't feel just fine taking with the good ol' .30-30 but is it my first choice for any game in AZ or anywhere else? Not by a long shot and that doesn't make me less of a hunter, it does not make me merely a shooter of game. Given the choice for an important hunting trip (and IMO, they are all important) there are a couple handfuls of cartridges available today that I'll take first and in many of the cases the choice isn't even close.

LK

ving-thorr · Post by **ving-thorr** » Wed Feb 22, 2012 10:40 pm

earlmck wrote:
ving-thorr wrote:Absolutely, start with jackrabbits and cottontails on the BLM land south of Hwy 92.
The trouble with these forums is you never know what sly devil is eavesdropping on the conversation. Here I am, loading up some 30/30 ammo to take to cousin Bill who lives in Sierra Vista so we can go out and play with his "new" model 94. And here I find out about jackrabbits nearby. Now the Jack-wabbit is my favorite target of all-time, and they have nearly died out in my part of Oregon (no, it wasn't lead-poison). I can see us cousins need to make a little expedition to have a look-see. Thanks ving-thorr!

Your welcome! Too funny, it's a small world. Maybe you guys can wack a coyote while you're at it too! There as thick as thieves down here!

Mescalero · Post by **Mescalero** » Thu Feb 23, 2012 9:45 am

earlmck,
The only long gun I brought with me from N.M. is my CAR-15

pdawg.shooter · Post by **pdawg.shooter** » Thu Feb 23, 2012 10:28 am

Learn to HUNT, not just shoot. Get within 150yds and put the bullet where it needs to go and a 30-30 is fine. If you read the slick gun mags, the 30-30 is barley enough for jack rabbits. Guess noone told all the deer, elk, bear, etc that has been killed over the the last 115 years.

L_Kilkenny · Post by **L_Kilkenny** » Thu Feb 23, 2012 1:20 pm

pdawg.shooter wrote:Learn to HUNT, not just shoot. Get within 150yds and put the bullet where it needs to go and a 30-30 is fine. If you read the slick gun mags, the 30-30 is barley enough for jack rabbits. Guess noone told all the deer, elk, bear, etc that has been killed over the the last 115 years.

Gee why didn't think of that? We should of stopped all cartridge, load and rifle development 115 years ago.

Nothing irks me more than someone thinkin there choices in hunting are somehow morally or technically superior to someone else's.

LK

JohndeFresno · Post by **JohndeFresno** » Thu Feb 23, 2012 4:10 pm

There you go, Azmark - probably the best collection of answers that you will find anywhere on the Internet, or just... anywhere.

I have a couple of digitized 100 year old (as I remember - more or less) hunting mags that carry "authoritative" articles written by "gun experts" who complain about the overkill of the "new" 30-30 smokeless round, and the dangers of its extreme penetration!

The statement that you will hear again and again is that "more deer have been killed with this rifle than with any other caliber."

Bottom line (for me): The rifle is quick, handy, cool, easy to find rounds for, easy to reload, and it will take most any game that I can find where I live in California at moderate ranges. But whether you ever take game or not, it is a joy to shoot in several brands of leverguns - fun, quick, and cool in that this is the descendant of the type of rifle that figured significantly in the taming of the West. I have not yet met anybody who owns one that doesn't love it, because after all it's a thutty-thutty.

Carlsen Highway · Post by **Carlsen Highway** » Thu Feb 23, 2012 9:56 pm

The trouble with jackrabbits is that they are hard to kill. A .30/30 may not be enough gun. I shot one with a .308 through the chest and had to track him for 100 yards once.

FWiedner · Post by **FWiedner** » Thu Feb 23, 2012 10:09 pm

Down close to Mexico they get darn near big as ponies. Mean too. Heard tell of a fella had to shoot one in the eye with his .300WinMag. Twice.

Darn thing ran right at him.

Mescalero · Post by **Mescalero** » Thu Feb 23, 2012 10:40 pm

Spent most of my life in that country, never saw that.

ving-thorr · Post by **ving-thorr** » Thu Feb 23, 2012 11:06 pm

azmark wrote:I have to wait for my rifle to come in. I'm getting the new Henry 30-30 and the factory is behind filling orders.

Which shop did you order it through? You'll have to post a bunch of pictures when you get it.

earlmck · Post by **earlmck** » Thu Feb 23, 2012 11:27 pm

mescalero wrote:earlmck,
The only long gun I brought with me from N.M. is my CAR-15

Despite some of the tall tales being slung here, I think that'll do the job. Nicely.

Maybe we get you to walk point?

t.r. · Post by **t.r.** » Fri Feb 24, 2012 4:39 am

This red stag weighed considerably more than common whitetail deer. Yet no armor plating present. I found my 30-30 entirely adequate for the task.

Elk are famous for their toughness. 300 Savage, 30-06, and .308, are better hunting cartridges for this animal.

TR

tman · Post by **tman** » Fri Feb 24, 2012 5:30 am

If i had 3 days out west and NEEDED to kill an elk, I'd take a .300 Magnum, because if all i had was 350-400 yards shots, it FLAT out shoots a 30-30. At 150 yards and under, I'd be perfectly happy with the 30-30.

Mossyoak1957 · Post by **Mossyoak1957** » Fri Feb 24, 2012 8:40 am

Last deer my son got with his Marlin 336 30-30.. 170 gr. Rem Core-lokt about 60 yards dropped in it's tracks.

93marshooter · Post by **93marshooter** » Fri Feb 24, 2012 9:19 am

Asmark, enjoy your 30WCF it will do most of the hunting you want. I did not begin with a 30-30 until in my 50s It has not disappointed me.

Here is a photo of an entry in 1938 American Rifleman. Almost predicts demise of 30-30. Nearly 75 years later the 30WCF still carries on.

and from the 1965 Speer #3 nearly 50 years ago But the 30-30 carries on

My 2012 doe with Hornady leverevolution at 150 yards

please disregard tired looking hunter. The 30-30 will do

pdawg.shooter · Post by **pdawg.shooter** » Fri Feb 24, 2012 3:33 pm

L_Kilkenny wrote:
pdawg.shooter wrote:Learn to HUNT, not just shoot. Get within 150yds and put the bullet where it needs to go and a 30-30 is fine. If you read the slick gun mags, the 30-30 is barley enough for jack rabbits. Guess noone told all the deer, elk, bear, etc that has been killed over the the last 115 years.

Gee why didn't think of that? We should of stopped all cartridge, load and rifle development 115 years ago.

Nothing irks me more than someone thinkin there choices in hunting are somehow morally or technically superior to someone else's.

Setting in the cab of a pickup flinging rounds at a deer a half mile away is NOT hunting, just shooting.

Griff · Post by **Griff** » Fri Feb 24, 2012 4:59 pm

earlmck wrote:
mescalero wrote:earlmck,
The only long gun I brought with me from N.M. is my CAR-15
Despite some of the tall tales being slung here, I think that'll do the job. Nicely.
Maybe we get you to walk point?

Since you'll be hunting jack-rabbits... you might want that auto-feeder ridin' drag... never know when a swarm of them critters are gonna 'neak up behind ya!

tman · Post by **tman** » Fri Feb 24, 2012 5:07 pm

Winchester marketed it's new 30WCF as an ideal grizzy cartridge when it 1st came out. If the 30-30 was only chambered in a bolt, the 30-06 would have made it obsolete in 6 years, same as the 308 did to the 300 savage. The 30-30 and 35 remington survived because of the 94 and 336 levers. Not Knocking them, both excellent calibers for traditional lightweight levers. But it was more the action type the size and weight and the PRICE of these 2 that made them great.

horsesoldier03 · Post by **horsesoldier03** » Fri Feb 24, 2012 11:10 pm

azmark wrote:So, I have work ahead of me. I look forward to practicing. I'll get maps that are available, and check out some areas that could be good.

Newby question: It strikes me that it might be advantageous to start off with smaller game to get used to the actual hunting process and to learn how to deal with the animals after they're dead. Is that logical?

Since I'll have to practice with the weapon, I'll need to reload to save some money on ammo. I thought cast bullets would be cheaper, too. Any advice on loading for the 30-30 for marksmanship practice purposes?

My Marlin 336 in 30-30 has been my primary deer rifle which has taken all of my deer but 2 in the past 30 yrs. I bought it when I was 16. Total, I suspect I have taken at least 20 deer with it over the years at ranges from 20 yrds to 200 yrds. However, due to my time in the service there were several years I was unable to hunt. I have never reloaded for it as 30-30 shells are fairly cheap straight off the shelf. I stick with the REM Corelokt, Winchester Power Point and Federal. All of which were based on what was the cheapest at the time at Walmart.

My suggestion is that until you establish your confidence in the gun and cartridge and your abilities, i would put off reloading.

This will prevent any issues with your learning to reload possibly affecting your opinions on a great cartridge.

93marshooter · Post by **93marshooter** » Sat Feb 25, 2012 8:08 am

Practice at the range. Learn to shoot the rifle. Shoot off bench, kneeling, prone, etc. Put some one gal milk bottles at 100 yard and learn to hit them regularly. I think many hunter fail because of trying to learn their rifle at the hunting area. I have really made that mistake in the past. I now spend much more range time than hunting time. It has paid off. A 30-30 is not a 30-06, or .308 and has its limits, mostly in range. I frequently read on the net reports of hunters killing game with a big rifle from 270 to the big magnums under 100 yards. A 30-30 will do the same in those ranges. Simo Häyhä the WWII sniper in Finland shot 500+ Russians most with M44 Mosin rifle and no scope, was asked how he did it said "practice" good advise for all of us hunters.
http://www.gunblast.com/30WCF.htm

L_Kilkenny · Post by **L_Kilkenny** » Sat Feb 25, 2012 10:58 am

pdawg.shooter wrote: Setting in the cab of a pickup flinging rounds at a deer a half mile away is NOT hunting, just shooting.

There's a lot of ground you're not BS'ing about between 150 yards and a half mile. If you're so much on what's hunting and fair chase why don't you dump the rifle all together and use a bow or better yet a spear or knife? Now that's hunting! Geez.....

LK