I have a 51 year old Model 94 Winchester that was bought new, and a box of 170 grain flat noses were the first rounds ran thru it, mainly cause the dealer threw them in. After that I switched to 150s and never looked back. 100 to 150 yards you say is optimum range for the 3030? BS! I can plug a deer or hog at 270 yards and call the shot. Deer ribs, ain't hard to punch thru, and if you want to check energy at that range (270yds) shoot a couple of milk jugs filled with water at that range. One with a 3030 150 grain loaded at 2400fps, and one with say a 243. Results are the same. Can't tell the jugs apart at the end of the test. Gun writers have caused more frustration to hunters than deer ticks, and hot opening days combined. If someone gives them a column to writer everyone thinks their an expert. Wanna know what really works? As a hunter. An old hunter. He knows.
2 pointed bullets? Leverevolution ammo? Gimmicks! You do your job, and the 3030 will do it's job.
By the way. I still don't need a scope. I use a peep sight.
Dee, I don't know about your water jug test, but according to Remington's ballistic charts, the 150 grain 30-30 at 270 yards is traveling at about 1400 fps and carrying about 650 ft lbs of energy, while the 95 grain .243 is traveling at over 2400 fps and carrying about 1200 ft lbs. Not even close.
Casull, I am not the least impressed with gun rag writers or energy charts. For 18 of my 20 year L.E. career I taught classes in hydro-static shock effect, and kinetic energy in ballistics, and have been questioned in court to the facts of hollow points in shootings. I read the crap, studied the crap, taught the crap, and abandoned the crap. I have owned a half dozen 243s over the last 60 years not to mention all the 3006s, 2506s, 300win mags, 4570s, 223s, 22-250s, and on and on. I am a reformed gun nut, (well maybe), that made my living with guns, and that learned thru the expulsion of thousands of dollars of gotta have guns only to end up right back where I started.
If you hit what your aimin at, where your aimin, a 3030 is enough far beyond the range of what the gun rag writers publish, and what most youngsters think after they have read the bs.
It's like some numb nut saying a 3030 is not enough for elk, while he strings his bow to go elk hunting. It doesn't even make sense except in his mind.
It's like writing a guy a ticket for not wearing his seat belt in his Mercedes, and waving at someone passing by on a motorcycle while you write it. Just because someone wrote something down in a magazine, or a reloading manual doesn't make it do the actual job any better.
It's like someone talking about "knock down power" in a rifle, handgun or shotgun. Any one of the firearms can cause a "fall down", but a car or truck is what has "knock down power". Shoot someone with a shotgun loaded with #4 buck magnum load, and he will "fall down". Run into him with a 75 Buick, and it will knock him down.
It's like all these new "super duper L.E.-SELF DEFENSE rounds" that folks are paying outrageous prices for to carry in their sidearms, when the 125 grain jacketed hollow point in a 357 magnum revolver STILL, holds all one shot stopping records in FBI officer involved shooting stats, and has for over 40 years. And no the 357sig WILL NOT stack up to the REAL 357mag. Check the stats.
What depts SHOULD HAVE INVESTED IN, was not new guns but, more ammo and training.