Author Topic: A .30-30 for mom? (Read 706 times)

Lee Lapin · « **on:** March 17, 2005, 07:15:22 AM »

The last week of deer season this year, my mom (at the tender age of 76) announced that she wanted to go deer hunting and did I have a gun she could use? Unfortunately I live two states away, and all my hardware is here. And all she has at home is a scoped .22 rifle (well, not counting her revolver and cut-down 20 ga. double barrel 'house guns') . Anyway, nothing I have is really suitable for her- all too big, too long, too heavy etc.

I told her that next season she would be ready, and that made her happy. So in the interim I have brought home a new Handi-2 in .30-30, ordered a youth stock for it, and mounted the scope base and the hammer extension. It's had a good cleaning and as soon as the JB compound and the rings get here I will lap the bore and mount the Redfield low-power variable that's in the safe.

Hunting at home is from fully enclosed 'shoot houses' at ground level, shots are usually less than 100 yards over prepared food plots. The local central Alabama whitetails are usually 125- 150 pounds or so. Mom has taken to sitting in unoccupied stands and watching deer with binoculars, now she says she wants to try bringing one home.

I have a few boxes of Remington 150 gr. SPs to start with, if it seems to me they kick too hard then I will start working on a Lee Loader- produced handload for the little gun.

Meanwhile, anyone want to suggest corrections/improvements etc.? This one really came out of left field!

lpl/nc

quickdtoo · « **Reply #1 on:** March 17, 2005, 08:27:19 AM »

Welcome aboard, Lee!

I would reduce the recoil a little with some weight in the stock, and as Mac has often suggested, putting a neoprene bullet carrier on the stock to eliminate some of the cheek slap that she may experience. Since she will be in a stand, the extra weight shouldn't be too much of an issue. You could further reduce felt recoil by installing a small grind to fit Sims Limbsaver recoil pad. Lighter, well constructed bullets in a handload would also work well I would think, although I have no experience with handloading to help with that.

Hope this helps,

Tim

Deadeye47 · « **Reply #2 on:** March 17, 2005, 08:38:52 AM »

Now I think that is pretty cool....if mom can handle the 20 SxS she shouldn't complain too bad about the 30-30 but Quick is correct on adding weight and the limbsaver...that will tame that kick to a shove easily and keep maw happy....remember " When momma ain't happy....ain't nobody happy" :wink:

P.S. Welcome to the group...get your maw to sign on too...she sounds like she'd prolly enjoy it....

Airsporter · « **Reply #3 on:** March 17, 2005, 11:18:11 AM »

Here's a couple of Hodgdon's "youth" loads for the 30-30:

http://www.hodgdon.com/data/youth/3030win_y.php

Should suffice for 100yd whitetails with no more kick than a 7.62x39!

handirifle · « **Reply #4 on:** March 17, 2005, 11:38:30 AM »

If you do the handloads, try some 125-130gr bullets at about 2200-2300fps. I understand they work well on smaller deer and have much less recoil to boot. Those are the bullets they use in the reduced loads of heavier calibers.

Chainsaw · « **Reply #5 on:** March 17, 2005, 12:06:25 PM »

Try a 130 grain Barnes bullet. Start out with 37 grains of W748 and play with the seating depth. The Barnes are the most accurate bullet out of both of my handi's in 30-30. This produces little recoil and your Mom will love you for it

DaveP · « **Reply #6 on:** March 17, 2005, 01:26:48 PM »

Man that's great! My Dad gave up on hunting some years ago.Could no longer see sights well enough,and never was much for scopes.Even with a scope,he couldn't make out crosshairs well enough at first and last light.I stuck a reddot on a 12 ga ultra slug and he got back after them.At 75 yrs young.Dave

Mac11700 · « **Reply #7 on:** March 17, 2005, 04:54:21 PM »

Lee Lapin & DaveP:

You guys might have a-look at these scopes...especially the illuminated one...they are supposed to work great...might be just the ticket for Mom & Dad...in a low light situations...and looks like it would be easy for them to bracket it in the scope for a fast shot...

http://www.muelleroptics.com/multi-shot.htm

Mac

quickdtoo · « **Reply #8 on:** March 17, 2005, 04:59:39 PM »

Great suggestion, Mac! I have the Mueller 2-7x32 Multi-shot on a .30-30 myself, although I haven't hunted with it yet, it seems to be an excellent scope and not the only Mueller I have, either, I have 3 others, all different, that are all excellent scopes!!

DaveP · « **Reply #9 on:** March 19, 2005, 01:39:30 AM »

Thanks Mac.I'll look into them.Dave

Lee Lapin · « **Reply #10 on:** March 19, 2005, 01:19:52 PM »

Thanks for the suggestions, all. I will work on getting some weight into the buttstock- I saved the bubble wrap it came packed in and stuffed the hollow cavity with as much of it as would go in when I changed out the stocks. I figure that will give me a place to 'nest' whatever weight I add back there and keep it from rattling around.

Man, when NEF says "stock bolt" they are NOT kidding! Took an extra trip to the hardware to get an extension for the 3/8" socket set long enough to get that sucker out of the adult stock. And I had to cut down the edges of a 5/16" washer enough to clear the sides of the youth stock when I put that one on, the washer in the adult stock wouldn't come out. Other than that, swapping stocks was no hassle.

I took it out this afternoon and shot it with the Rem 150 gr. factory loads and the youth stock, using iron sights. Recoil didn't seem too bad to me, it's no .22 rimfire but it is a long way from brutal. I got my wife to shoot it too as she is much more the size of my mom. She said recoil wasn't bad and blast was no problem with ears on but she did complain of cheek slap a bit. Looks like I need to find a buttstock cartridge holder as advised. I can use some closed cell foam (mouse pad etc) under it to adjust comb height if needed and that will help too. I want to avoid reloading for it if I can, sticking to factory loads will make logistics much easier. But if recoil is a problem I will definitely break out the Lee Loader (where DID I put it?) and go to work.

We will be shooting it a lot more when the scope gets mounted. We will see how it groups at that point, we will be going home in May if all goes well and I'd like to surprise mom with a complete package then. That will give some time for shooting and evaluating while we visit.

I appreciate the suggestions,

lpl.nc

nixsrs93 · « **Reply #11 on:** August 09, 2005, 10:49:03 PM »

This is a good topic, I just ran across it while searching. Sounds like a great gun for Mama!

I am going through this exact same thing with a gun for my little boy. I was thinking of sending in my 280 receiver for a 22" 30-30 barrel, and a youth wooden montecarlo stock. I would then add a mercury recoil reducer, it worked great in my ultra slug gun. Then I plan on putting on a limbsaver pad as they seem to be getting rave reviews. Probably put an existing 3x9x40 Nikon Monarch on it, for a total weight of about 8 lbs.

Any idea if a young boy 8-10 would be able to handle the recoil with factory 150 grain loads? Shots would be from a shooting house with a good rest.

Thanks,

ONE HOLE 4570 · « **Reply #12 on:** August 10, 2005, 01:56:45 AM »

NIXSRS93,

That is exactly what I did my son is 8 & the full 150's were a bit much got the flinchies but that was in a Tshirt & 90 degree weather with a limb saver small grind to fit(I did not grind it down left it wide for extra recoil distribution). This was off a bench.

I reloaded some 125 gr sierra sp's with the hodgdon youth load 27 gr of 4895 & got 2000 f/s or so can't remember but it is posted somewhere here
He tolerated this & got 2-2.5 in groups at 75 yrds so if a deer shows up we should be good.

I think I have an extra monti stock to cut down if you need one for your boy. The youth nwas still to long for my son & took the saw to it

Thing is he seems to handle the recoil of a 20 ga franchi but that was not off the bench & not as heavy so there was not as much barrel dance

hope this helps let me know about the stock.

nite owl · « **Reply #13 on:** August 10, 2005, 02:40:59 PM »

Nixsrs93:

According to a recoil table that was recently posted on here, the recoil for a 30-30 is just a tad higher than a 243. 8.8 for the 243 and 10.6 for the 30-30. My son, who is 10, had no problem with his 243 last deer season. Once a deer steps out in front of him, he will NOT notice the recoil at all. My son shot from a tower stand that was enclose and had a nice steady rail to shoot off of. He did an excellent job. He even told me later that he never felt the gun go off.

Just as a side note, you may want to look into the managed recoil loads. I "think" Cableas is carring them for the 30-30. I know I saw them for a 30-30 in a catalog the other day, pretty sure it was Cabelas. Anyhow, if you don't reload, look into those. The recoil will be less than the full load.

Good luck.