Author Topic: What good is a 30-30? (Read 7440 times)

azmark · « **on:** May 07, 2007, 09:25:10 AM »

I've always liked the Marlin 336. As soon as I can afford it I need to get a new rifle. I'm getting advice from people I know to stay away from the 30-30. From what I've read, it's a versatile cartridge and I could do a lot with it, from target shooting and plinking to exterminating predators at the homestead to hunting deer and black bear if I decide to try that. If the 30-30 is no good, why does Marlin still sell so many 336's?

Please give me some insight. I do plan to reload.

Winter Hawk · « **Reply #1 on:** May 07, 2007, 10:38:04 AM »

I would find some other people to know! The .30-30 is a very versatile cartridge and has taken everything from squirrels to moose. You may have to get closer to the animals than you would with a .308 or .30-06, but that will only make you a better hunter. There is a reason that the .30-30 is consistently one of the top sellers throughout the world! If you are going to be hunting sheep and taking 200+ yard shots it won't give one shot kills, but otherwise it will do you well.

-WH-

scout34 · « **Reply #2 on:** May 07, 2007, 11:17:41 AM »

With the new LeverRevolution ammo from Hornady it will easily give one shot kills at 200yds. The traditional flat point bullets that it shoots are also great game stoppers at 150yds and under. The 336 is a great gun and available at very reasonable prices. For the woods it is one of the best deals going.

Lloyd Smale · « **Reply #3 on:** May 08, 2007, 12:27:21 AM »

the 3030 is chambered in nice light handy good handling guns. Its plenty powerful for even 200 yard shots at deer and bear with factory corelocks if your gun is sighted in properly and you can shoot it!! It does well with cast bullets up to deer sized game and can be loaded down with cast to plink like a 22. It makes a heck of a survival gun. Its quick pointing hard hitting and ammo can be found anywhere ammo is sold. Other then fast reloads id take it over a battle rifle in that circumstance.

Mikey · « **Reply #4 on:** May 08, 2007, 01:10:13 AM »

azmark: I fully agree with Winterhawk and Lloyd - get yourself somebody else to talk to. The 30-30 is a phenomenal caliber that has held its own against many new-comers for over 100 years. Marlin and Winchester sold more lever action 30-30s than any other rifle. I believe the 30-30 comes in 2nd to the 30-06 for sales of reloading supplies. I have two M94 30-30s and think they are great.

What good is a 30-30: Good for most anyting ya want. Mikey.

Savage .250 · « **Reply #5 on:** May 08, 2007, 02:13:35 AM »

I`ll bet those same "people" think the CAR is over-rated.

wncchester · « **Reply #6 on:** May 08, 2007, 06:16:08 AM »

Coffee shop blow-hards and paper ballistics experts sneer at the .30-30 and .35 Rem cartridges and old lever rifles. Knowledgeable hunters use them to kill deer. Regularly.

corbanzo · « **Reply #7 on:** May 08, 2007, 06:44:04 AM »

Have you been talking to rhino hunters, or what?

The 30-30 is a good gun.

quickdtoo · « **Reply #8 on:** May 08, 2007, 08:41:16 AM »

Here's some 30-30 readin for ya!

Tim

http://www.leverguns.com/articles/3030history.htm

http://www.huntingmag.com/guns_loads/30_30_winchester/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/.30-30_Winchester

http://www.1stconnect.com/anozira/SiteTops/weapons/3030faq.htm

http://www.chuckhawks.com/win_1894_classic_test.htm

http://www.gunblast.com/30WCF.htm

ScoutMan · « **Reply #9 on:** May 08, 2007, 08:56:12 AM »

Nothing wrong with the 30-30 within its range limitation (about 250 yds) (most game is killed at 100 yds or less.) Make sure you have good sights (not necessarily glass) an a good trigger. Otherwise, you are on top of the world.

Larry Gibson · « **Reply #10 on:** May 08, 2007, 09:00:04 AM »

Quote from: Lloyd Smale on May 08, 2007, 12:27:21 AM

the 3030 is chambered in nice light handy good handling guns. Its plenty powerful for even 200 yard shots at deer and bear with factory corelocks if your gun is sighted in properly and you can shoot it!! It does well with cast bullets up to deer sized game and can be loaded down with cast to plink like a 22. It makes a heck of a survival gun. Its quick pointing hard hitting and ammo can be found anywhere ammo is sold. Other then fast reloads id take it over a battle rifle in that circumstance.

Lloyd and I are the same page of the hymn book.

Larry Gibson

holahead · « **Reply #11 on:** May 08, 2007, 02:39:11 PM »

I would be lost without a 30-30. It is my favorite round. It was the first rifle I ever shot and took a deer with. I own two right now and I am sure there will be more to come.One thing that I always wanted to do was own a 30-30 in a every action type made for it. If the good ole 30-30 was good enough for my granddaddy it is good enough for me.

Snowshoe · « **Reply #12 on:** May 08, 2007, 05:29:34 PM »

Some poor hunters and poor shots tend to blame the rifle for their lack of skill. My .30-30 has never failed me.

jh45gun · « **Reply #13 on:** May 08, 2007, 06:17:36 PM »

If I could only have one gun (Heaven Forbid) It would be a lever gun in 30/30 Perferably a Winchester though I have nothing against Marlins either. After not having a 30/30 for years I bought a Post 64 Winchester a few years ago made in 64 and I am kicking myself for not having one all the time since I first owned a Marlin 30/30 in my teens. I sold my Marlin years ago and followed the path to other rifles and calibers. While I have now have 5 centerfire rifles that 30/30 is the handiest, one of the most fun to shoot. Cast bullets will be mostly what I will be shooting out of it from now on as they are great cast bullet shooters and a cast bullet makes a great deer load.

mt3030 · « **Reply #14 on:** May 13, 2007, 07:54:17 PM »

What good is a 30-30? They say a picture is worth a thousand words, so here is a picture.

Lloyd Smale · « **Reply #15 on:** May 13, 2007, 11:18:28 PM »

say hi to my sister. She lives in great falls too. Just got a but stock ordered for my 16 inch tc carbine project gun. Its going to see a bunch of odd loadings and end up being the truck gun. No more higher praise from me need then to say im going to use one for a truck gun. A 3030 is about as versiitle as them come. The do good with factory corelocks do good with handloads. There a great cast bullet gun both for deer and loaded down they kick about like a 22 and make a great small game gun. In my opinion a good lever gun in 3030 is about the alitmate survival and home defence gun. The bullets open up fast so theres less chance of overpenetration. There fast handling accurate have alot of fast followup firepower. If crap ever hit the fan it would be about the easiest gun in the us to find ammo for too. Most people woud be better served by a 3030 for a survival/defense gun then by an ar or mini 14. There lighter more compact harder hitting and other then fast reloads probably more suited to urban warfare then about anything.

Quote from: mt3030 on May 13, 2007, 07:54:17 PM

What good is a 30-30? They say a picture is worth a thousand words, so here is a picture.

jgalar · « **Reply #16 on:** May 14, 2007, 03:54:17 AM »

I have around 35 rifles in various calibers (none are varmint calibers). I shoot home cast bullets in all of them. I load them all to "around 30-30 performance" Its fine for anything I want to do.

SHOOTALL · « **Reply #17 on:** May 14, 2007, 08:16:06 AM »

Whats it not good for ? the list will be shorter !
The 30/30 is the hunters gun , get close as you can type gun , light , handy , good power and fits good !
Truck gun ? hey if it was a wagon gun , horse gun , canoe gun , plane gun it should do nicely as a truck gun !
Ammo ? how many loose rounds could be found in drawers around the country ? or country stores if ya forget yours on a hunting trip ?
survive , reasonable service from a good gun ! reloads ? carry a side arm for those intense times , fastest reload you can have !
as a cartridge the 30/30 is cost effective ! if you fly , and have to buy ammo to hunt with at the location you go to , if the 30/30 will work it will cost less than many other rounds and if ya can't bring it home a box of 30/30 would be easier to leave behind than more expensive ammo !
After reaching 50 i got a 4wheeler , didn't want to mess up a nice gun so i got two rem. 700 adl's a 300 wm and a 233 , well after a couple seasons of carrying guns longer than the 4wheeler was wide tried a mini 30 , now i carry a 30/30 , it just works better , no mag. to loose , floor plate to come loose etc.
Them cowboys knew a good thing when they saw it !!!!!!!!!!

qajaq59 · « **Reply #18 on:** May 16, 2007, 01:41:10 AM »

The only trouble with a 30-30 is that it has been dropping deer and hogs forever. It isn't a new, super duper caliber hot off the sporting magazine presses. But if I had a dollar for every deer it has put in the freezer, I'd be richer then Bill Gates.

SHOOTALL · « **Reply #19 on:** May 16, 2007, 03:52:31 AM »

qajaq59 , ya might not be as rich as ya think , freezers weren't as plentiful as 30/30's in 1894 !
maybe salt box would work , either way bet ya can't find a deer or black bear that thinks a 30/30 ain't enough gun !

azmark · « **Reply #20 on:** May 17, 2007, 03:37:56 PM »

I've been reading everything I can find on the 30-30 and asking questions on several forums. I've seen handloads from a single '0' buckshot over a pinch of bullseye for plinking and small game to jacketed varmint bullet loads all the way up to big cast bullets for large game. I have, however, had some guys comment that since I'm on a budget maybe I should look at a 30-30 Handi Rifle. It costs about $100 less and somebody mentioned that the sights on the Handi are better than on a 336. I don't want to HAVE to buy a scope right away.

What do you guys think?

cherokee75 · « **Reply #21 on:** May 17, 2007, 04:38:42 PM »

azmark-
You know how a sandwich just isn't a sandwich without the tangy taste of Miracle Whip? Well, the same holds true for a .30/30, minus the tangy part (I guess unless you install a tang sight). Bad jokes aside, I have a 336W and love it. There is just something about the lever action rifle that is appealing. That is not to say any rifle in .30/30 is not worthwhile, I am just a fan of the lever action rifle.

mt3030 · « **Reply #22 on:** May 17, 2007, 08:16:45 PM »

azmark: You mentioned hand loads. Consider the fact that the single shots will tolerate spitzers, while the levers can not. This fact adds to the potential of the single shots. I know. I have both levers (Winchesters and Marlins) and single shots (Handis and rolling blocks) chambered for the 30-30.

SHOOTALL · « **Reply #23 on:** May 18, 2007, 02:31:55 AM »

azsmark , a rifle is like a wife ya should pick and fall for one , not have an arranged buy ! i picked up a winchester m-94 this week for $ 120.00 , needs a rear sight , was in 85% shape or better , got one a few weeks ago for $ 350.00 , in 90% shape both in gun shops ( wanted a pair to take out of state to hunt , in case of break down ) so if you shop deals are out there , as for pointed bullets , load um one at a time in a lever gun , ain't that the way ya do in a single shot anyway

??
if i was getting a single shot rifle and wanted a 30/30 size case , i would opt. for a 307 win. stronger case , more speed and can load down to 30/30 spec. The 30/30 is at home in a lever gun ! IMHO !

teddy12b · « **Reply #24 on:** May 18, 2007, 04:47:07 AM »

I have a Marlin 336W. I have a 3-9 Nikon on top on quick detach rings. This combined with Hornady leverolution ammo is sweet! If I want to go "old school" without the scope it's less than a minute. If I want to be a little more accurate at the range I use the scope. I haven't taken anything with my 30-30, but it's next on the list to go on a hunting trip.

SHOOTALL · « **Reply #25 on:** May 18, 2007, 05:24:40 AM »

Do you have to re-zero the scope each time or does it hold its zero ? TEDDY12B
sounds like a nice set-up ! A good friend has an old marlin at least 25 years old , we shot his gun at the range with the new everleverloution or how ever ya spell it ! and it he was like the guy who's wife gets on a diet , and gets new cloths and and makes him feel like he got a new wife ! that gun a stayed in the safe until now ! now it is first to go hunting ! that ammo is good stuff !

wcf3030 · « **Reply #26 on:** May 18, 2007, 07:08:52 AM »

Buy one you will not regret it.
I've dropped big pigs, and deer with one shot kills.
Not needed a second.
You have to do your part but that is true with any round.
I've used it for small game season now for the past 2 years with lite handloads for tree rats and rabbits.
Clean .310 hole in and out.

100yd with 110gr sierra hp and 2x scout scope

50yd with 189gr cast open sights.

qajaq59 · « **Reply #27 on:** May 18, 2007, 08:49:21 AM »

This is just my opinion so if anyone doesn't agree that's fine too.

First off you don't "need" a scope to shoot a 30-30 unless you are hunting in low light levels. Plenty of deer and hogs get whacked with iron sights or peep sights.

The next thing is: What are you going to use it for? 30-30s are not the best bench rifles made so if all you are going to shoot at are targets at 100 plus yards away, then you'd probably do better getting the single shot in a different caliber.

However, for hunting small and large game in most of the US, a 30-30 lever is a very good rifle to use. That is IF you put the time into learning to shoot it. Don't expect luck to help you on a shot though. If you hit a deer in the butt he's not going to fall down dead. But if you do your share and practice with it, the Marlin 336 or or Winchester 94 will drop plenty of game for you.

SHOOTALL · « **Reply #28 on:** May 18, 2007, 09:26:03 AM »

A scope on a 94 is like a roof rack on a corvette just looks out of place ! and can't do anything for the handling !

navylawdog · « **Reply #29 on:** May 18, 2007, 10:21:01 AM »

Shootall,

I have to agree with you about putting a scope on a 30-30 it does look out of place. When I was in Maine it seemed like every lever action they had for sale in gun stores and Uncle Henry's had a scope attached to them and I was just like why? As thick as the trees are in Maine your shots are a whole lot shorter than 100 yards normally so why would you need a scope? None of my levers have scopes or ever will have one.

Navylawdog