Why the 30/30 is all you need...

[ironglow]

  Aimed at about 90% of us...

   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wCNz5Z03FIc

[Ranger99]

I wouldn't feel handicapped with a 30/30
as my one and only for what I do.
I'm nearly there now.

I've taken a lot of s-word for that opinion,
but I've put enough animals down that
I can know what worked for me and what
won't

[Mule 11]

The old thuddy thuddy is a fine cartridge. I use it’s blown out big brother the .375 win and it does a fine job.

[Ranger99]

I looked for a 375 at one time and
they were pretty scarce. Brass too.
Of course, most everything is anymore

[ironglow]

For most of us..a 30/30 will get the job done.

  The energy of a 30/30 at 100 yards, is about the same as a 30/06 at 200 yards..

  Since my hunting is in hilly woodlands, 30/30 works very well in that case...don't need more power.

  I have killed deer with 30/30, .44mag, .308 and 12 guage slugs..all worked well..

  Nothing takes the place of shot placement.

[Mule 11]

I looked for a 375 at one time and
they were pretty scarce. Brass too.
Of course, most everything is anymore

I’m patient and bought a barrel from mgm. Started with a dozen cases and a set of dies. I have over 100 pcs of new brass butt still reloading the original dirty dozen...

[O-mega]

Yea, no.  I can make due with a 30-30, given no choice, but would easily choose a .308 or .270 over it in a heartbeat.  Range is where the 30-30 fails IMO, it just drops too much after 150 yards, and with the tube fed mags, you are limiting your ammo choice a little.  While I can stalk game with the best of them, I don't have the luxury of having the land to do so, so I have to use a stand, and while I aim to keep my shots under 100 yards, the deer don't always cooperate.

[Ranger99]

Yeah,  if you're not loading barrel
busting XXXXL pressure loads,
the average case lasts until the
pocket is sloppy.
I've been hunting with the same 5
444 cases for I don't know how long.
I bought 80 (?) some years back from
a member on the old GB and I don't
think I've ever shot any of them.
They're filled and RTG whenever their
turn comes up

[Mule 11]

Yea, no.  I can make due with a 30-30, given no choice, but would easily choose a .308 or .270 over it in a heartbeat.  Range is where the 30-30 fails IMO, it just drops too much after 150 yards, and with the tube fed mags, you are limiting your ammo choice a little.  While I can stalk game with the best of them, I don't have the luxury of having the land to do so, so I have to use a stand, and while I aim to keep my shots under 100 yards, the deer don't always cooperate.

Where I live we are limited to straight wall cartridges for deer. If I were “allowed” I’d consider snares:)

[BUGEYE]

I'm of the school that says, get as close as you can then get closer.

I've killed 4 deer, one with a 30-30, one with a .50 Hawken, and two with a 20 gauge slug.
Each one was close enough I could have put a .22lr in their ears.

I've seen deer at long range, but I don't take long shots, too many things to go wrong and have a suffering animal.

YMMV

[Land_Owner]

Liked the "penetration" aspect of the video and in particular the reference to eons of hunting game with arrows.  Their killing power cannot be argued, though the wounding and follow up shot(s) required to dispatch a Village-worth of sustenance game is arguable.

Gotta go with O-mega on this one, the range of the "rainbow trajectory" 30-30 is limited and countless "long shots" at open plains game would be limited.  Not every animal can be stalked, though I'll admit, most can. 

The first round in the chamber of a lever action with tubular magazine, imo the 30-30's most popular rifle, can be a spitzer, which extends the rifle's effective range to (say) 250 yards, ymmv.  Using a spitzer as the first round takes an ounce of forethought - for safety.  There are hunter/shooters who can be counted on to be "that guy" overlooking safety. If ever the brain checks out for one second, sleepy, distracted, unintentional, whatever, loading a spitzer in a tubular magazine, regardless of the "urban myth" videos to the contrary, is foolhardy.

[ironglow]

As I said in the OP..the 30/30 would cover perhaps 90% of hunters.  Yes on the further reaches of the plains comes up, or hunting right-of-way lines in the east, the flatter trajectories can be useful.

  ..But some would say,once you go beyond certain distances, one is leaving hunting and going for longer range 'shooting'.  ...But I see that Omega made clear the difference, when he referred to "stalking".

   My 30/30s were of course, very handy, and I rarely loaded more than 2-3 rounds at a time.  I rather hated the "wedging" I had to do to get them inserted into the tube.  Besides, I figured if I didn't get them with 2 or 3 shots, they deserved to run.

  I pick my shots, and avoid shooting at moving deer, unless they are running straight on or straight away.  That avoids wounding..and in eastern woodlands, where visibility is limited, it avoids a possible tragedy.
  ..More venison isn't worth a lifelong regret..

[neckisred]

  I pick my shots, and avoid shooting at moving deer, unless they are running straight on or straight away.  That avoids wounding..and in eastern woodlands, where visibility is limited, it avoids a possible tragedy.
  ..More venison isn't worth a lifelong regret..

So where do you aim on a deer running straight away to avoid wounding?

[Mule 11]

Mebbe learned to hunt in Lakewood?

[neckisred]

Mebbe learned to hunt in Lakewood?

 

[BUGEYE]

  I pick my shots, and avoid shooting at moving deer, unless they are running straight on or straight away.  That avoids wounding..and in eastern woodlands, where visibility is limited, it avoids a possible tragedy.
  ..More venison isn't worth a lifelong regret..

So where do you aim on a deer running straight away to avoid wounding?

If he's close enough, in the back of the neck, or the base of the tail.
One of mine taken with a slug was facing me at roughly 20 yards.
The slug went in at the base of the neck, traveled along under the spine, and out her butt hole.
My brother and I did an autopsy when we couldn't find an exit wound.
The first clue was a large hole in the diaphragm where it connected to the spine.

[neckisred]

Hmmmm. Very interesting. 

[Mule 11]

Low count experts... How common...

[neckisred]

Low count experts... How common...

It's on the internet. Has to be true.......................

[Mule 11]

Low count experts... How common...

It's on the internet. Has to be true.......................

I avoid shots going through the stomach or intestine. Not saying it won’t work. I prefer a different marinade... That being said I have punctured the paunch many times as I have collected many game animals. I prefer not too...

[ironglow]

  I pick my shots, and avoid shooting at moving deer, unless they are running straight on or straight away.  That avoids wounding..and in eastern woodlands, where visibility is limited, it avoids a possible tragedy.
  ..More venison isn't worth a lifelong regret..

So where do you aim on a deer running straight away to avoid wounding?

  Neck or head...so long as good bullet placement is possible..otherwise pass it up !

[O-mega]

Low count experts... How common...

It's on the internet. Has to be true.......................

I avoid shots going through the stomach or intestine. Not saying it won’t work. I prefer a different marinade... That being said I have punctured the paunch many times as I have collected many game animals. I prefer not too...

I had exactly one, took a snap shot a a deer I jumped when I first started hunting, with a 30-30 no less, and it ruined 90% of the meat, won't do that again.  Lately I have been taken neck shots, because I have to keep them on my 7 acres, but with a .270 or .308, though I will add 6.5 next season.  The 30-30 was my first rifle after joining the military and getting to my first duty station at Ft Bragg.  I took a few deer on Ft Bragg with it, but had to get something better when I started hunting a farm in Lumberton, which had treelines from 50 to 250 yards from a lone pecan tree in the middle of four fields.

[ironglow]

Low count experts... How common...

  I said I have used those cartridges..  I didn't say I only got one deer with each cartridge.  I had several 12 ga shotguns, 3 .44 mag rifles..plus 30/30 and 35Rem Marlins..all with varying loads.  ...Didn't happen to get any deer with with the .35 Rem...but  presume the result would be the same.
 
  Didn't choose to use my 223s or 243s for big game.

[ironglow]

Mebbe learned to hunt in Lakewood?

   Sorry, I guess I missed the joke concerning something called Lakewood..

   So, tell me about Lakewood..

[Mule 11]

Low count experts... How common...

It's on the internet. Has to be true.......................

I avoid shots going through the stomach or intestine. Not saying it won’t work. I prefer a different marinade... That being said I have punctured the paunch many times as I have collected many game animals. I prefer not too...

I had exactly one, took a snap shot a a deer I jumped when I first started hunting, with a 30-30 no less, and it ruined 90% of the meat, won't do that again.  Lately I have been taken neck shots, because I have to keep them on my 7 acres, but with a .270 or .308, though I will add 6.5 next season.  The 30-30 was my first rifle after joining the military and getting to my first duty station at Ft Bragg.  I took a few deer on Ft Bragg with it, but had to get something better when I started hunting a farm in Lumberton, which had treelines from 50 to 250 yards from a lone pecan tree in the middle of four fields.

Only thing I’ve seen ruin 90% of meat was a vehicle or time... rain and warm weather will also put a hurt on it...

[Dee]

Low count experts... How common...

It's on the internet. Has to be true.......................

I avoid shots going through the stomach or intestine. Not saying it won’t work. I prefer a different marinade... That being said I have punctured the paunch many times as I have collected many game animals. I prefer not too...

I had exactly one, took a snap shot a a deer I jumped when I first started hunting, with a 30-30 no less, and it ruined 90% of the meat, won't do that again.  Lately I have been taken neck shots, because I have to keep them on my 7 acres, but with a .270 or .308, though I will add 6.5 next season.  The 30-30 was my first rifle after joining the military and getting to my first duty station at Ft Bragg.  I took a few deer on Ft Bragg with it, but had to get something better when I started hunting a farm in Lumberton, which had treelines from 50 to 250 yards from a lone pecan tree in the middle of four fields.

How many times did you shoot the deer with that 3030 to ruin 90% of the meat?

[BUGEYE]

Low count experts... How common...

I know you aimed that at me, but as I said, I could have taken each one with a 22lr in the ear hole or between the eyes.
I know how to get close.
I can sit for hours and move nothing but my eyes.
Twice in my hunting years, I could have touched a deer with my hand.
I have great patience in the woods.

[Mule 11]

Actually not aimed at anyone. Butt between the eyes and in the ear hole? 

[O-mega]

Low count experts... How common...

It's on the internet. Has to be true.......................

I avoid shots going through the stomach or intestine. Not saying it won’t work. I prefer a different marinade... That being said I have punctured the paunch many times as I have collected many game animals. I prefer not too...

I had exactly one, took a snap shot a a deer I jumped when I first started hunting, with a 30-30 no less, and it ruined 90% of the meat, won't do that again.  Lately I have been taken neck shots, because I have to keep them on my 7 acres, but with a .270 or .308, though I will add 6.5 next season.  The 30-30 was my first rifle after joining the military and getting to my first duty station at Ft Bragg.  I took a few deer on Ft Bragg with it, but had to get something better when I started hunting a farm in Lumberton, which had treelines from 50 to 250 yards from a lone pecan tree in the middle of four fields.

Only thing I’ve seen ruin 90% of meat was a vehicle or time... rain and warm weather will also put a hurt on it...

A little of two of those factors, first the shot hit the spine right at the hips, when through the guts and stuck inside the inside of a front shoulder.  Didn't realize I had hit the guts, and back then we had to check in the deer across from McKellar's Lodge, where they would weigh and age the deer.  Nobody I knew then field dressed where they downed their deer because they had a nice kill shed with gambrels, snips, saws water etc., were made available. It took me some time to get the deer back to the truck, and it was an extraordinarily warm day.  So by the time I opened her up, the stomach had tainted most of the meat.  I had cut away as much as I could, and processed the rest thinking it would be ok, but upon thawing many of the pieces out, the smell came right back, so got rid of all the pieces that would smell wrong, 90% may be a little high, or a bit low, but I recall I lost the majority of it, but lesson learned.  No gut shots, and no waiting to cool a deer down.

[Dee]

Low count experts... How common...

It's on the internet. Has to be true.......................

I avoid shots going through the stomach or intestine. Not saying it won’t work. I prefer a different marinade... That being said I have punctured the paunch many times as I have collected many game animals. I prefer not too...

I had exactly one, took a snap shot a a deer I jumped when I first started hunting, with a 30-30 no less, and it ruined 90% of the meat, won't do that again.  Lately I have been taken neck shots, because I have to keep them on my 7 acres, but with a .270 or .308, though I will add 6.5 next season.  The 30-30 was my first rifle after joining the military and getting to my first duty station at Ft Bragg.  I took a few deer on Ft Bragg with it, but had to get something better when I started hunting a farm in Lumberton, which had treelines from 50 to 250 yards from a lone pecan tree in the middle of four fields.

Only thing I’ve seen ruin 90% of meat was a vehicle or time... rain and warm weather will also put a hurt on it...

A little of two of those factors, first the shot hit the spine right at the hips, when through the guts and stuck inside the inside of a front shoulder.  Didn't realize I had hit the guts, and back then we had to check in the deer across from McKellar's Lodge, where they would weigh and age the deer.  Nobody I knew then field dressed where they downed their deer because they had a nice kill shed with gambrels, snips, saws water etc., were made available. It took me some time to get the deer back to the truck, and it was an extraordinarily warm day.  So by the time I opened her up, the stomach had tainted most of the meat.  I had cut away as much as I could, and processed the rest thinking it would be ok, but upon thawing many of the pieces out, the smell came right back, so got rid of all the pieces that would smell wrong, 90% may be a little high, or a bit low, but I recall I lost the majority of it, but lesson learned.  No gut shots, and no waiting to cool a deer down.

That splained that.