The variables are so great in the country I hunt in one day the 30-06, or calibers of similar case capacity make a good fit. I have a great little scoped Marlin 30-30 that spends most seasons forgotten. Last fall was an exception because I spent a few days hunting an Oak, Pine, and brush covered area that was idea for the shorter, lighter Marlin. On day three I found myself in a series of browse ways that showed a concentration of tracks, and pellets.
I checked out a few vantage points and used my Nikon 800 rangefinder to deer determined the maximum range. I realized that the chance of a shot at 160-to-200 yards could present itself. These narrow browse ways presented the deer the opportunity to enjoy young, tender vittles and immediate escapes cover. I felt that I needed a little more rifle, and a better scope for long range shooting, and stopping power.
Another issue was a series of cliffs off one side of the area, if a wounded deer made it to that area it could easily drop off a cliff and be lost. A deer and bear trail snaked downslope between the drop offs.
That night the Marlin was cleaned up and put away for the season, but not forgotten. My old favorite Remington 760 in .270 Winchester was brought out, with its 3x9 power Burris scope. While not a 30-06 I considered it close enough to do the job, and the 3x9 power scope over the 4x scope on the Marlin provided a number of advantages.
I like the 30-30 Marlin, and it has proven adequate on deer for years. With its 4X scope, it is handy when creeping around in heavy cover, and it is a good shooter. It has a niche in the scheme of things, and a better fit when hunting heavy cover for deer then a longer, heavier magnum, or 30-06 class cartridge depending on the action type.
The old Remington 760 and 7600 series help bridge the gap between the short-range rifle and the long-range rifle. I have seen a lot of deer taken with the two mention models in a variety of calibers. Back in the day when California deer herds were in a boom cycle, and I was validating a lot of deer tags the Remington 760 in 30-06 was the most common of the Model 760 rifles.
I no longer have a 30-06, but I never felt over gunned with it. As a hunter I feel I have the duty to make clean kills. I also have enough field experience to know that there is a big difference between a killing shot, and a shot that quickly kills and puts game down.
We all know that a lesser gun will do the job. I admired a neighbor who hunted mule deer in an area covered with lava ridges, and huge Mountain Mahogany. He always collected mules. The most outstanding was a large Western count 6x6 or 14-point if you live on the other side of the Rockies. Live weight of the deer must have been over 300-pounds because it made 196-pounds minus it’s gut and lungs. The buck was moving away from the hunter between 50 and 100-yards. The hunter quickly put five rounds behind the shoulder bringing the buck down, with the old Remington Model 141, in 30 Remington. The nicely mushroomed bullets were found on the far side.
This low power round did the job, because this expert hunter, had quickly place multiple rounds behind the shoulder of the deer.
I was impressed with the nicely mushroomed bullets recovered from the deer, but I would have been more impressed with an exit hole(s) on the far side. In my opinion the damage done by the five, 150-grain bullets was equivalent to the damage done by a high velocity 150-grain bullet from a 30-06. The hunter was fortunate to have been in the position to see the buck, and be able to put additional rounds into it.
Last years buck did not fall to a 30-30, 270 Winchester or a 30-06. It fell to a .300 Savage, with a handloaded 165-grain bullet, pushed to 2670 fps. I was prepared for the long shot, but it came at about 50-yards. The 30-30 would have done the job.
