Author Topic: 30-30 for hogs? (Read 4116 times)

JKump · « **on:** September 29, 2006, 03:08:59 PM »

I know the 30-30 has an excellent record on white tails, but how is it on hogs? And if you use a 30-30 what bullets do you use? (Brand, weight, etc.) I have a chance to pick up a marlin 30-30 and just wondering if I would be able to use it on other game beside deer.

Land_Owner · « **Reply #1 on:** September 29, 2006, 05:12:23 PM »

Heck yea you can use the 30-30 on hogs. We shoot them with a Ruger K77/22RP in rim fire 22 long rifle caliber as well as a Marlin 336 in 30-30 caliber, which is terrific for hammering them and let no one say otherwise. Bullets from Speer in 130gr., 150 gr., and 170 gr. are well suited over Winchester 748 powder. I will let you decide how much powder is best for your rifle. I personally like the Speer 170 grain FN (flat nose) bullets. It is not necessary that the 30-30 streak down range with "white hot" velocity when fired, just that you hit where you aim and the 30-30 will do that if you do your part. We have killed a lot of hogs with the 30-30 and will continue to do so. Good Luck.

JeffG · « **Reply #2 on:** September 29, 2006, 05:21:43 PM »

Don't let anyone talk you out of a 30/30. They are good guns!

jamaldog87 · « **Reply #3 on:** September 30, 2006, 07:55:02 AM »

man a 30/30 lever gun was what was used here in the U.S for years and a lot of people here in FL like them to for deerand hog. you can also use the new Hornady LEVERevolution ammo. i wish i had a 30/30

oh yeah the old man that i always talk to used a 30/30 on elk up north and black bear in GA so the 30/30 is a good cal.

swampthing · « **Reply #4 on:** September 30, 2006, 01:23:28 PM »

If you are a little concerned, especially if you want to take a big one, Federal Premium's in the red box, called Vital Shok I think, use the 170g Nosler Partition bullet. They are very accurate in my tests, expensive, but an accurate tough bullet

oso45-70 · « **Reply #5 on:** September 30, 2006, 09:34:13 PM »

JKump

I have a marlin 30-30 that i had a 18 1/2" ballard barrel installed and a good peep sight and hi-viz front sight on and it is absolutely deadly and handy in the brush, Short answer YES the 30-30 is all the gun you need in the lower 48 states.
Good luck.......Joe......

curdog · « **Reply #6 on:** October 02, 2006, 09:05:44 AM »

the 170 grain soft point will do well

Dee · « **Reply #7 on:** October 13, 2006, 02:54:37 PM »

I use a 150 rn jacketed at 2400fps, when I use my 3030. However, I have killed as many with a 52gr. match hollow point in my ar15 and I'm not talking small hogs. Last year I killed a boar that weighed about 350 with the AR using one shot. Hogs are not that hard to kill. It is a myth, that they are. Just putem in the powder room. One point though. They can be nasty in the brush, and when cornered. You can't out run them. Either climb a tree, or stand your ground and shoot.

Land_Owner · « **Reply #8 on:** October 13, 2006, 08:32:54 PM »

There is no need for a second shot if the first is put where it counts - and the 30-30 will do that from a steady rest if both you and it are well tuned. The "X" between the eyes and ears on a frontal shot or the neck if broadside will prevent another step.

Dee · « **Reply #9 on:** October 14, 2006, 08:34:32 AM »

Quote from: Land_Owner on October 13, 2006, 08:32:54 PM

There is no need for a second shot if the first is put where it counts - and the 30-30 will do that from a steady rest if both you and it are well tuned. The "X" between the eyes and ears on a frontal shot or the neck if broadside will prevent another step.

The neck is my favorite, and usually the easiest if presented, but both are instant.

LEO · « **Reply #10 on:** October 16, 2006, 04:41:35 AM »

Just as everyone has said the 30-30 will do a fine job for you, I have killed several hogs with the good old 170 grain and 150 grain load. The 30-30 bashing that has been taking place lately either comes from people reading too many articles that it takes a 300 magnum to kill a squirrel, or people trying to make it into something that it is not. The 30-30 does a fine job if you place your shots and keep your range reasonable. A lot of what has been written is simply to sell the latest caliber or newest model rifle. Although, I kind of fell for that this year, Marlin made a limited run of the stainless guide guns in 35 Remington, had to have one. Good luck on your hunt

Land_Owner · « **Reply #11 on:** October 17, 2006, 01:53:59 PM »

Nothing wrong with scratching that "itch" when a new caliber come out that you "just gotta have."

I believe the long standing reason for 30-30 success is in part Gun Writers, older hunter recollections, a whole lot of "first gun" memories, basic rustic charm, unparallelled reliability, lack of significant recoil, correct "fit" of a carbine to the younger hunter, proven performance on some of the biggest game, and its achievable low price.

jamaldog87 · « **Reply #12 on:** October 19, 2006, 09:22:59 AM »

look at this for 30/30 : http://www.hornady.com/story.php?s=198

oso45-70 · « **Reply #13 on:** October 19, 2006, 01:00:21 PM »

Jamaldog87

Thanks for the link on the evolution loads. This should help a lot of folks who would like to use their lever guns for hunting..........Joe..........

lil_hunter12 · « **Reply #14 on:** October 19, 2006, 01:37:00 PM »

i dont think it matters wat u try to take with a 30-30 if u r a good shot and place ur bullet in the right place it will go down. on the lever guns forum theres a picture of a guy who took his moose with a 30-30.

ggeilman · « **Reply #15 on:** October 31, 2006, 10:27:49 AM »

Quote from: lil_hunter12 on October 19, 2006, 01:37:00 PM

i dont think it matters wat u try to take with a 30-30 if u r a good shot and place ur bullet in the right place it will go down. on the lever guns forum theres a picture of a guy who took his moose with a 30-30.

A moose? It was nearly 900 lbs and it was a 12 year old kid with a Winchester 30-30!

Duckbill · « **Reply #16 on:** November 03, 2006, 06:47:06 AM »

The thutty-thutty is great for hogs. I usually carry my Marlin 35Rem or Marlin 375. Quick handling Marlin lever guns are perfect for pigs.

LET-CA · « **Reply #17 on:** November 05, 2006, 07:33:40 AM »

My brother has killed a whole stack of hogs an hour from his home in Plano, TX with a Winchester 94 in 30-30. It's plenty of gun and he just uses whatever ammunition WalMart has on sale. His shots average just over 40 yards.

Dee · « **Reply #18 on:** November 05, 2006, 08:26:12 AM »

Perhaps what we need here is a gun magazine writer to clear all this up. He can tell us how many foot pounds of energy it takes to kill a hog. He can delve into kenetic energy, hydrostatic shock, trajectory in the woods, and so on, telling us what only gun magazine writers know. Thereby proving that we all need to put our 3030s back into mothballs as today's hogs are far superior to yesterdays hogs, which render the 3030 ineffective. Perhaps he might even suggest the newest and more improved super-super, extra short double or even triple magnum rifle calibur that will do the trick. Let us ignore what our fathers and grandfathers SAW, and listen to the ever knowing gun magazine writer. For we know this truth, that prior to the advent of something bigger and more powerful than the 3030, all hogs, yes all, died of deseise or old age. If a gun magazine writer is present, I would beseech him to step forward and end our frustarated pondering.

Just kiddin guys

Ak.Hiker · « **Reply #19 on:** November 20, 2006, 07:04:14 PM »

One of my friends at work killed his last moose with a 30/30. He used a 150 grain bullet. Every hunter should have at least one.

curdog · « **Reply #20 on:** November 21, 2006, 07:53:23 AM »

when i carry a rifle hog hunting which is;nt much i still like the 35 rem.

Modoc ED · « **Reply #21 on:** December 17, 2006, 06:30:24 AM »

The 30-30 is a fine cartridge and is suitable for all game found in the lower 48 for sure and in my opinion for the entire 50-states. The first animal I killed with my Winchester Model 94, 30-30 was a black bear while hunting just north of Dahlonega, GA in the Chattahoochee Nation Forest in 1956. I used a 170GR Winchester cartridge and the bear dropped dead in his tracks with one shot through the shoulder. To this day, I still use the same Winchester Model 94 on a regular basis. Of course there are some cartridges that are more suitable than the 30-30 for big dangerous game BUT the 30-30 WILL get the job done if that happens to be what you have and nobody should feel under-gunned when armed with the 30-30.

coyote trapper1928 · « **Reply #22 on:** December 17, 2006, 10:49:02 AM »

Quote from: Modoc ED on December 17, 2006, 06:30:24 AM

The 30-30 is a fine cartridge and is suitable for all game found in the lower 48 for sure and in my opinion for the entire 50-states. The first animal I killed with my Winchester Model 94, 30-30 was a black bear while hunting just north of Dahlonega, GA in the Chattahoochee Nation Forest in 1956. I used a 170GR Winchester cartridge and the bear dropped dead in his tracks with one shot through the shoulder. To this day, I still use the same Winchester Model 94 on a regular basis. Of course there are some cartridges that are more suitable than the 30-30 for big dangerous game BUT the 30-30 WILL get the job done if that happens to be what you have and nobody should feel under-gunned when armed with the 30-30.

ED:

Is that a LEFT HAND Remington CENTERFIRE RIFLE in the picture of your signature??

Modoc ED · « **Reply #23 on:** December 17, 2006, 11:02:27 AM »

No, it is a right hand with the ejection port on the right side of the rifle. When I put it in my signature block, I flipped (180) the pic so that the barrel was pointing to the left as you look at the screen. Good catch though. Sorry if it mislead you. I hadn't actually caught it or thought about it myself.

dpastordan · « **Reply #24 on:** December 24, 2006, 04:13:32 PM »

I used a Winchester 94 with 170 gr Noslers by Federal to shoot a 215 lb boar last year. One shot - one kill. No recovery of the bullet - clean thru the lungs.

STexhunter · « **Reply #25 on:** December 24, 2006, 05:37:38 PM »

If you can't kill a hog or deer for that matter with a 30/30 at 100 - 125yds you don't need to be shooting at it. Just keep your shots from the front shoulder forward; neck, head area on hogs. Don't do like I did and hit one to far back, I center punched it with a 30/06 and it led to a long tracking job in the deep S. Tx brush and thats no fun. I was lucky to find it dead. Go for it, its a fine old round.

SwampThing762 · « **Reply #26 on:** December 25, 2006, 03:52:16 PM »

+1 on the above for 30-30 being a good round for hogs, esp if the 170 gr sp is used.

ST762

SourMash · « **Reply #27 on:** December 30, 2006, 05:34:45 PM »

Gitcha that 30/30 and go hog huntin', man! Sharply angled behind the front shoulder or just below the ear, and you'll have pork chops!

Dee · « **Reply #28 on:** December 31, 2006, 02:29:14 AM »

Quote from: oso45-70 on September 30, 2006, 09:34:13 PM

JKump

I have a marlin 30-30 that i had a 18 1/2" ballard barrel installed and a good peep sight and hi-viz front sight on and it is absolutely deadly and handy in the brush, Short answer YES the 30-30 is all the gun you need in the lower 48 states.
Good luck.......Joe......

I second the motion. I have one bought new in 1957. It'll take anything walkin on the north American continient. Hogs aren't hard to kill, it's a myth. I killed one last year with a 52 grain match hollow point out of an AR15. One shot in the neck. The 3030 has been played down by testosterone addits. Magnum is not all that great. Look at the 12 guage slug. African big game guides use it for a back up on dangerous game. They know it will stop any and every thing. We as a nation seem to be forgetting the old ways and caliburs worked, and want something new and exiciting to make up for our forgotten skills.JMHO

mikedb · « **Reply #29 on:** January 04, 2007, 01:49:59 PM »

Quote from: Dee on December 31, 2006, 02:29:14 AM

Quote from: oso45-70 on September 30, 2006, 09:34:13 PM

JKump

I have a marlin 30-30 that i had a 18 1/2" ballard barrel installed and a good peep sight and hi-viz front sight on and it is absolutely deadly and handy in the brush, Short answer YES the 30-30 is all the gun you need in the lower 48 states.
Good luck.......Joe......

I second the motion. I have one bought new in 1957. It'll take anything walkin on the north American continient. Hogs aren't hard to kill, it's a myth. I killed one last year with a 52 grain match hollow point out of an AR15. One shot in the neck. The 3030 has been played down by testosterone addits. Magnum is not all that great. Look at the 12 guage slug. African big game guides use it for a back up on dangerous game. They know it will stop any and every thing. We as a nation seem to be forgetting the old ways and caliburs worked, and want something new and exiciting to make up for our forgotten skills.JMHO

I think it is the result of the toadie gunwritters trying to get more advertising dollars from the gun manufactures who need to keep re-inventing the cartridge over and over again with a new name and slightly different design so we feel the need to buy more guns. I look at the the racks and see all types of short magnums, ultra magnums, goliath magnums. I find it difficult to find a 30.06 or 270. Why? because those are sold and the guns for the newest high priced cartridge are still sitting unsold. Just one idea.