Newbie question: 30-30 for elk?

[Jerry]

Try a Marlin 336 in 35 Remington. 200 gr. bullets and very accurate. Easy to handle and carry all day as well.

Damn Straight! The Marlin 336 in .35 Remington with a 200 grain roundnose is a great package! I've carried one for elk, but haven't had the chance to use it yet. Seems like when I see elk, I'm packing my .30-06.

If I had my choice between the .35 and a .30-30 for elk, I'd use either one. I have a .30-30 but haven't used it in years, since I got the .35.

Screw the megamagnums!

You DON"t need a megamagnum.

Jerry

 

[belcher]

I've dropped a moderate size buck at 60-75 or so yards open sight, and a black bear at 40-50 with my marlin 30-30... So I would say if your not going for that 200-400 shot then yes the caliber works.

 

[jbett98]

How about a Browning M71 .348 Win caliber, or better yet a Winchester model 71 if you have deep enough pockets.

 

[salmonriverjohn]

Or, a Marlin .45-70?

 

[mikeybuck]

Shot placement!

When it comes to elk hunting, 90% of what I do is timber hunting. With that being said, I pack a Ruger 44mag carbine.

I seen 4 bull elk this season, one was a mile a way, the other 3 I never had a clean shot. Even if I had been packing my 340 weatherby I still would not have taken the shots just because I want a clean lung, or heart shot, not a shoot them in the guts and watch them run off shot.

30-30 is fine if you can do your part .

 

[RVTECH]

30-30 is fine if you can do your part .

Which means a LOT of off-season practice at various distances, targets and in an actual hunting environment - not sitting at a bench with a rest. I am talking off hand here - standing, kneeling and improvised rest. Get your butt off the bench and get out in the woods with your 30-30!

 

[kenboy]

Every situation is different, but my first elk was a spike at about 200 yds. when I was in my twenties. Shooting a 30-06 he was hit four out of five shots before he went down. ( I'm not a purist that only takes head or neck shots). Since then every elk has been taken with 7mm or 300 mag. Personal choice....

Good Hunting to you

 

[scrub buck]

The 30/30 is a not an elk cartridge! Sure it was used in the old days, but that was the old days. I can't imagine a better all around "one gun"rifle for everything in NA short of the big bears than the 30/06 if you don't mind recoil. It is the most versatile big game cartridge out there. There are bolt action carbines out there by rem, win, ruger,marlin, etc. For a newbie i say go 7mm/08 or 308. Both have lots of factory ammo options, and are light on recoil, but way way better ballistically then a 30/30.

 

[JoeDirt82]

My opinion a 30-30 100 years ago for elk yes! Today? Well there are a lot better cartridge designs out there. Even at close range a 30-30 will most likely have trouble making it past the front shoulder (if hit there) I have seen 30-06 and even a 7mm mag not make it past the front shoulder using rem core lokt at under a 100 yards.

I personally shoot a .300 min mag for deer and elk, my rifle shoots great with factory rem core lokt and even better with reloads, ammo is easily found at any place that sells ammo. What makes my .300 win mag better than any other gun I own? Because I shoot it more than any other gun I own!

Shots on elk are rare I wouldn't risk my elk getting away with a 110+ year old cartridge. Use something that will get the job done that you can shoot well! If you want to kill an elk you need to not skimp on the most important tool. The worst that can happen is you miss, possibly a injured animal gets away or someone else finishes your elk off. Neither of which feels very good! If that elk is found dead because you shot it and couldn't find it.... well lets just say wasting a game animal is worse crime than taking it out of season!

If your concerned about recoil the smallest rifle I would use is a .270

 

[Certaindeaf]

.Shots on elk are rare I wouldn't risk my elk getting away with a 110+ year old cartridge..

The '06 is like what.. 108yrs old. Age has nothing to do with what we're talking about here.. there's many much newer cartridges that would perform worse than the 30-30 on elk.

 

[JoeDirt82]

The '06 is like what.. 108yrs old. Age has nothing to do with what we're talking about here.. there's many much newer cartridges that would perform worse than the 30-30 on elk.

A 30-06 is 20 years ahead of a 30-30 and its a better design. Just think about 20 years in computer technology, although ammo hast made as big of a leap as the tech industry 20 years is quite a long time for innovation.

30-06 is subpar for elk, factory rounds are loaded light for older rifles. You can get better performance out of a .308 with factory ammo! Guess what a .308 has 65 years on a 30-30!

 

[salmonriverjohn]

Joedirt, the 06 is sub par for Elk? You just spoke in loud volumes. I use a bow, is that sub par too? My daughter uses a .338 Rem magnum which was produced in 1958, the .308 in 1952. Would this make the .308 obsolete and also sub par? In the class of effective Elk cartridges the 06 bests in every category the .308, hands down.

 

[Certaindeaf]

A 30-06 is 20 years ahead of a 30-30 and its a better design. Just think about 20 years in computer technology, although ammo hast made as big of a leap as the tech industry 20 years is quite a long time for innovation.

30-06 is subpar for elk, factory rounds are loaded light for older rifles. You can get better performance out of a .308 with factory ammo! Guess what a .308 has 65 years on a 30-30!

I didn't say it was not. I said what I said in response to post#51.. oh, that was you.. you were the one that said that the 30-30 was 110 years old, all I did was point out the age of the '06.
And on the second count, you gotta be kidding.

 

[Certaindeaf]

The 30/30 is a not an elk cartridge! Sure it was used in the old days, but that was the old days. I can't imagine a better all around "one gun"rifle for everything in NA short of the big bears than the 30/06 if you don't mind recoil. It is the most versatile big game cartridge out there. There are bolt action carbines out there by rem, win, ruger,marlin, etc. For a newbie i say go 7mm/08 or 308. Both have lots of factory ammo options, and are light on recoil, but way way better ballistically then a 30/30.

I think most moose are killed with a 30-30 and a moose is bigger than an elk.
What the heck are you talking about?

 

[salmonriverjohn]

Trust me when I say that I've been fortunate enough to have taken more Elk than I can remember. Most were shot with the 'lowly, antiquated, sub par 06 and none ever went over 20 yards that my feeble old mind can remember. I've taken them with everything from my 48 willy's to a .458 Win magnum. It's not the cartridge it's the rifleman my friend as you pointed out earlier,
"What makes my .300 win mag better than any other gun I own? Because I shoot it more than any other gun I own!"

And again I agree, "If that elk is found dead because you shot it and couldn't find it.... well lets just say wasting a game animal is worse crime than taking it out of season!"

But to call the 06 sub par,, them's damn near fight'n words

 

[jluck]

I think most moose are killed with a 30-30 and a moose is bigger than an elk.
What the heck are you talking about?

Huh?

 

[salmonriverjohn]

Huh?

jluck, while living up in Alaska I was surprised to see the little .30-30 was used by a great many of the natives and used with surprising success. The big ol' Moose actually gives up the ghost a lot easier than most would think.

 

[jluck]

jluck, while living up in Alaska I was surprised to see the little .30-30 was used by a great many of the natives and used with surprising success. The big ol' Moose actually gives up the ghost a lot easier than most would think.

Wow... That does surprise me. How long ago?

 

[scrub buck]

jluck, while living up in Alaska I was surprised to see the little .30-30 was used by a great many of the natives and used with surprising success. The big ol' Moose actually gives up the ghost a lot easier than most would think.

Laughin... those idiots shoot them with .22's too. The 30/30 is not a elk rifle, or moose for that matter. No matter how you slice it!

 

[jluck]

Laughin... those idiots shoot them with .22's too. The 30/30 is not a elk rifle, or moose for that matter. No matter how you slice it!

Welcome to the forum, You should do well here.