Considering a 30/30, would like input from any owners

[carracer]

I like western guns and was raised on them.. under my bed as a boy was my uncles Winchester collection (including many investment grade guns NIB) because he was a traveling heavy equipment ooperator living in a travel trailer. But I would never put a lever gun in the same combat category as an AK47

Mossberg 464 SPX Mossberg Tactical Lever Gun 464 SPX - SHOT Show 2012 - YouTube

 

[Spitpatch]

"But I would never put a lever gun in the same combat category as an AK47"

Someone may research this and correct me, but as I recall, the Norco, California Bank Robbery in May of 1980 (probably the most intensive gunfight in American law enforcement history) resulted in a majority of the suspects headed for the hills, where they once again ambushed the cops who followed.

If my vague memory serves, a civilian with a Marlin 39A (.22) apprehended and/or shot some of them two days later. (Again, all this related from memory, please correct if hard info found).

Anyway, a good case can be made that the man behind the gun is infinitely more crucial than the choice of the gun.

 

[Mecanik]

I've owned both the Winchester and the Marlin. Nothing wrong with either one. I would recommend buying one of each and shooting both for a while and keeping the one you like the best. Or better yet, ask someone that owns one to let you shoot it someday at a range and see what you like the best. Also if you can find an old 99 Savage in 30-30 that's the ticket because of the rotary magazine allows use of spitzer bullets. But remember, the 30-30 is NOT an elk rifle. Sure if you in a survival situation you can kill most anything with a 30-30 but your better off with something bigger if you can afford it. I love levers of any kind and the 1895 comes to mind if you want to hunt elk. Scopes are for weenies by the way. The animal doesn't wear glasses and we shouldn't use scopes. Fair is Fair.

 

[Varmit]

"But I would never put a lever gun in the same combat category as an AK47"

Someone may research this and correct me, but as I recall, the Norco, California Bank Robbery in May of 1980 (probably the most intensive gunfight in American law enforcement history) resulted in a majority of the suspects headed for the hills, where they once again ambushed the cops who followed.

If my vague memory serves, a civilian with a Marlin 39A (.22) apprehended and/or shot some of them two days later. (Again, all this related from memory, please correct if hard info found).

Anyway, a good case can be made that the man behind the gun is infinitely more crucial than the choice of the gun.

Norco shootout - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

[orygun]

But remember, the 30-30 is NOT an elk rifle.

It all depends on your perspective. As a kid I saw 9 cows hanging in a barn one evening. All but 3 fell to 30-30s. The other 3 my Dad's 303.
the last BIG bull elk I saw at shooting range I'd had no problem shooting him, and taking him, with a 30-30. Granted he was about 25 yards from me...

 

[mobil890]

Here is my .02 cents. Winchester- 5 shots- 100yds- iron sights. I can't do that with my Marlin

 

[RVTECH]

a good case can be made that the man behind the gun is infinitely more crucial than the choice of the gun.

More than a good case. I read something, somewhere in a history book, I cannot recall but now I need to find it again but the quote was something like "mediocre equipment in the hands of good soldiers is far better than good equipment in the hands of poor soldiers any day" or something like that anyway. Seems like it was based on an observation of an actual situation.

 

[Spitpatch]

For anybody who doesn't believe a .30-30 is an elk gun, I can understand that, since the opportunity for conversation with thousands (or tens of thousands?) of dead elk to ask their opinion is rather restricted.

However, I COULD put such a person in touch with a 17 year-old boy who walked out of my house with a Savage 340 his Dad bought for him 5 years ago. He has 4 big elk down (all with one shot).

There may be BETTER calibers to choose, but for a young man who knows elk and how to kill them, the .30-30 IS an elk gun. (As it was for hunters for quite a number of years, against elk no less durable than those in the woods today).

 

[Spitpatch]

Varmit: Thanks for the wikipedia link to the Norco thing. Notice how the "apprehended", "arrested", stuff in the woods after the robbery is glossed over. This shootout was a central event for making the case that police departments were undergunned and needed "state of the art" weaponry. Accompanied along with that was a cry for more gun control.

As I recall (and again, all this from memory), a single civilian citizen, armed with his (very moderate) hunting gun, crucial and central to the arrest and/or shooting of one or more suspects who were armed to the teeth and had killed and held off police for a number of days did not fit well with the above two concerns of "inadequate weapons to deal with the threat", and "citizens should not be allowed to have guns of high magazine capacity". (Keep in mind, the Marlin 39A holds 15 Long Rifles, maybe 20 or more Shorts). I think I do remember a quick reporting and then forgetting in the press about the actual apprehension of the suspects by that citizen.

 

[ORHunter79]

30-30 is a great cartridge. Some will tell you it's a short range woods gun, but disagree to a point. I took this doe at 225 yards with Williams peep sights. It ran about 40 yards and piled up. I know the shot isn't great placement, but in my defense it was from the standing off hand. With a scope you can probably stretch that out to 300 yards. Learn the ballistics and hold high at longer ranges. With this one I aimed at the top of the shoulders/back. With a scope I could've place the round better closer to the heart. Either-way, it put meat on the table that day. BTW it's a Marlin 336W from Wal-Mart. Likes the Win Core-Lokt 170 grain. Shoot about 1" to 1.20" at a 100 yards.

Good hunting.

 

[OregonG20]

You mean .30 Army? (.30-40) .30 WCF is .30-30. I didn't think they made it in.30-30. Agreed though, the carbine version 1895 is my favorite lever gun. And we get to use pointy bullets if we want

No, I meant my model 94. Brain wasn't working correctly. Thank you for correcting me.

 

[Blitzkrieg]

"But I would never put a lever gun in the same combat category as an AK47"

Someone may research this and correct me, but as I recall, the Norco, California Bank Robbery in May of 1980 (probably the most intensive gunfight in American law enforcement history) resulted in a majority of the suspects headed for the hills, where they once again ambushed the cops who followed.

If my vague memory serves, a civilian with a Marlin 39A (.22) apprehended and/or shot some of them two days later. (Again, all this related from memory, please correct if hard info found).

Anyway, a good case can be made that the man behind the gun is infinitely more crucial than the choice of the gun.

I don't care.. the result would have more interesting if the defender had possessed an AK 47 semi auto with a 100 rd drum

Using the 30-30 at more than 150 yards is for experts and otherwise a great way to cause severe suffuring to game animals

 

[ORHunter79]

Using the 30-30 at more than 150 yards is for experts and otherwise a great way to cause severe suffuring to game animals

Blitz, though I respect your post, I have to disagree. At a 150 yards wind drift is minimal. Bullet drop isn't that bad either. Anyone can check this website out. http://www.remington.com/comparison.aspx

8.3", 17.1" 29.9" at 200, 250, and 300 yards respectively.

If a hunter can remember these number or write them on the stock, and estimate wind speed, the possibility of a clean kill with a scope is very high.

Though I agree you do need to know what your doing while hunting, I don't think you have to be an expert.

I will admit if I could've gotten closer, I would have but an open field doesn't present many opportunities to do so unless you wear a ghillie suit and the wind direction is in your favor.

I guess my main point is the 30-30 is not a just a brush gun limited to a 100-150 yards. If a hunter does a little research and a little practice a clean kill can be had out to 300 yards with enough energy to cleanly dispatch the animal.

 

[MarkAd]

Shot placement is the key. A 30-30 is wonderful

 

[RVTECH]

While I have expressed my own affection for the 30-30 I do believe it has it's limits but if you compare it's ballistics and performance with calibers of similar era, and some that came along later it still has the edge over some of them in energy and bullet drop. The 30-30 probably suffers more negative opinion than many others by virtue of the fact is is one of the most widely used calibers over such a long period of time.

 

[billdeserthills]

I have owned two winchesters & one marlin 336c the winchester is a rattletrap as it gets older, but for packing purposes the winchester is a noticably lighter gun. The marlin 336c I got for $50 in a large trade, it had a scope but I could see it had been mounted incorrectly. The marlin weighs more, but the recoil is better absorbed too. I feel like the marlin is more accurate at longer distances 200 yards, if that is long enough for a 30-30. The marlin is a much nicer shooter, with less kick & recoil, also ever time you pull that lever on the marlin, you'll love how much smoother recoil & better machined it is too. The ammo choice is great, plenty of 30-30 found everywhere for forever.

easy to load too, but brass with a shoulder never lasts as long... I started loading my first 30-30 shells in between claases at the scc a (back then) small communty college, used to use my lee hand loader & I carried plenty of clean brass, primers, powder & bullets too & whenever I had time I'd be reloading ammo or working on keeping my weapons clean. Freaked out teachers & cops all the time. Might be partially the reason why those teachers don't like guns today, but I never had any kind of discharge other than a 30rd m-1 mag spring get away from me in class one time (teacher made me promise to never tell him again just exactly what "that noise" was. BTW why is this in the shotgun section this I don't suppose we'll ever know tho lol, heh heh

 

[Spitpatch]

"Using the 30-30 at more than 150 yards is for experts and otherwise a great way to cause severe suffuring to game animals"

Yes. And even the experts can make mistakes.

This expert, with twelve years of living experience to back up his credentials made the sorry mistake of choosing to use his Savage 340 .30-30 on his first big game animal ever at a range (185yds) where the .30-30 (as he should have known) completely runs out of steam. The animal was required to suffer the entire time period between the impact of the bullet and when it immediately fell dead. You can see the shame and guilt on the shooter's face for having engaged in such a horrendous display of poor judgement where caliber choice is concerned.

(You may also see by his hands that his guide would have no part of this carnage, and insisted the expert field dress his own animal.)

 

[SAR1846]

I've owned both the Winchester and the Marlin. Nothing wrong with either one... Or better yet, ask someone that owns one to let you shoot it someday at a range and see what you like the best.

I too have owned both, and found that the Marlin fits me better. I added a recoil pad to increase the length of pull, and have an older fixed 4x scope on it, which works for me. It is a little heavier than the Win 94, but it fits me a lot better.

Try both, and see what you like. Try it from offhand, shooting sticks, bench, etc... you'll quickly see which one fits & works best for you.

 

[Silver Hand]

I shoot twentfivedd thirddyfive and thuddy thuddy reg. and micro.
They are all fun.

 

[Silver Hand]

I too have owned both, and found that the Marlin fits me better. I added a recoil pad to increase the length of pull, and have an older fixed 4x scope on it, which works for me. It is a little heavier than the Win 94, but it fits me a lot better.

Try both, and see what you like. Try it from offhand, shooting sticks, bench, etc... you'll quickly see which one fits & works best for you.

I think you are a sissy and can' take the kick