30-30 h&R

[emsemt911]

I am looking for input from people who shoot this gun. I am interested in the gun for a mid range gun for whitetails, hogs, and coyotes. 
I would like to hear pro/cons from people who own or owned the gun.

Thanks 

[carbineman]

Are you talking about the older H&R company pre 1987? If so they had a line of rifles that were the lower pressure rounds such as the 30-30 and several others. They were all rimmed cartridges that were chambered for the older "Topper" line of rifles available in 4-5 calibers only. They had a thinner profile barrel and a somewhat compacted forend as well.

The newer 30-30 NEF's have what some describe as a bull barrel of heavier design and profile. These are called handi rifles and were/are made in many calibers with different stock configurations as well.

Both of these rifles perform the same and work well for what you described. If you handload the 130 grain bullets can be loaded especially the Barnes 130 X, some have had great luck with the 125 Nosler BT. Then you have the old stand-by factory 150 and 170 factory round nose or flat nose that have for decades taken many whitetails. A buddy in Texas has used a Mod 94 Winchester with all kinds of flat/round nose bullets to shoot wild hogs as well.

[omcforever]

HAVE ONE**(HANDI-RIFLE)** IN 30-30  ACKLEY IMPROVED(NOT STANDARD/GUNSMITH CONVERTED). SHOT GREAT AS STANDARD 30-30 AND AWESOME IN AI. I USE 125 NOSLER BALLISTIC TIPS IN REM BRASS AND 36.8 GRAINS OF H-4895 AND VELOCITY IS 2791 FPS IN AI. I USE 34 GRAINS H-4895 IN THE STANDARD 30-30 AND VELOCITY IS 2426 FPS. SHOT 2 DOES BOTH AT 100 YARDS AND JUST PUT CROSS HAIRS ON SHOULDER AND HIT ON SHOULDER(100 YARD ZERO). 1 WENT 20 YARDS AND HAD 4 INCH EXIT WOUND(REG 30-30) AND THE OTHER DROPPED IN HER TRACKS(MAJOR RAGGED EXIT WOUND)(30-30 AI). I WOULD NOT CONSIDER IT A LONG RANGE GUN, JUST MAYBE 150 YARDS COMFORTABLY(I HAVE BAD-OLD EYES). VERY MANAGABLE RECOIL. 3 X 9 X 44 SCOPED.

[shaner]

the 30/30 is probobly one of the best handis out there, nextt o the 45/70 for shooting  well and  owners being happy with them, ive never had a complaint on  them at all , i shoot a lot of cast bullets in mine and they  do great

[emsemt911]

Yes it is the Handi rifle I am looking into getting

[mt3030]

Both the older H&R Toppers and the NEF 30-30s have served me very well for game and fun. The Toppers have been better with cast bullets due to their cut rifling.

[Roudy]

I have a Model 157....30-30 with a Manlicher (full length) stock.  Have had it for well over 20 years.  It was the first high powered rifle that I bought and I used it to hunt groundhogs.  Loaded 110 grain hollow point into it and it did (does) a very good job!

Great first rifle, lots of ammunition if you don't reload, and easy to reload if you do.  Recoil is reletively mild too.

Roudy

[44 Man]

I have one of these on lay-away and I am very anxious to get it out in the spring!  It's an older Topper with terrible looking blond wood on it, but it is only $125 so I can put up with it.  With it's lighter profile barrel, I think it will be a great 'woods gun' and one I will likely pass down to my Grandson for his first deer rifle.  Just hope I can do something about that ugly stock!  44 Man

[FLNT4EVR]

I just picked one up last wk.It fills the gap between my 223 and 45-70. I,ve loaded up some 150 grn ballastic  silvertips  and can't wait for the weather to improve so I can take it to the range . It will be a first for me, shooting spirepoint bullets in a 30-30.  It has an extractor but I guess I can't have everything , especialy after the time I had finding one .

[holahead]

I love mine out of all my rifles it is the only one I have carried all hunting season.

[RickC.]

Well, I bought one for my wife to shoot.  I ended up carrying it most of last season, loaded with 130 gr Hornady spires and the IMR max book load of 3031.  Killed one deer with it at just under 200 yds, a 5 point.
 
I'll get either another barrel or another gun for my wife, but only because the club where I hunt has more cutovers now than when I bought the gun 3 years ago (thank you International Paper), and long shots are becoming more common.  Not that the .30-30 can't handle it at 200 or so, but I don't see the need to chance a marginal hit and have a bad experience for her.

 That said, this is second only to my .45-70 as my favorite.  I let a fellow club member shoot it Saturday, a guy who's hunted with nothing but a 7 Rem Mag for years.  2 shots, and he had a big grin on his face-- said he wanted first crack at it if I ever sold it- and he's not the first one to say that.  It's a surprisingly accurate rifle, and I wrote up a short article on it last year for our local deer hunting site that has some pics, targets, and load data if you're interested:

http://aldeer.com/

Go to the Main Menu to Guns!Guns!Guns! and scroll down to article #3.  Some of the wording was changed by the editor, but it's still mostly what I intended.


 
                       Rick

[ONE HOLE 4570]

Get it,

My son 9 shot his first deer with one this year. 125gr sierra at 131 yards 90 lb doe. Shoots everything well I have put in it and is a joy to shoot

[emsemt911]

This is what I was looking for.  I will be ordering one in the next week. 

[Datil]

 Every body needs and should have a 30-30 Thence a 45-70.
 Atrue Handi-holic will have some more different calibers.
 Marv.