Sure this will be a short post;

Does any of the people on here, still hunt ANYTHING with the old 30/30?

Am I the only guy on the planet that loves to load this cartridge and shoot it??

And that is in a rifle, not a pistol.

Curious more than anything......

Thanks to the responders!!

Seafire, you know there are still alot of thuty-thuty's still in use around here. As for me, I took my wife to buy a deer rifle for her use and she picked out a Marlin M336 30-30. She said it felt right when she shouldered it and asked me if it would be o.k. for deer, I laughed and said yes. I take her rifle out every now and then to plink with and you know what? It does have a pretty good feel to it! Actualy the 30-30 would have worked fine for 90% of the deer I have taken in this area.

There are still plenty of guys still shooting this old lever cartridge. I just bought a Marlin in .375 winchester and now I have the lever bug. The next one I may look at is the 336Y Spikehorn. Its got a 16" barrel,or the 336CC which comes in either Realtree or Mossy Oak camo covered stocks. Both are 30-30's. If you want to share your passion with a bunch of like minded hunters check out the talk forums on Marlin Firearms.com.
Brian

I used one for 35 years,got every deer I hit with it. The last two deer I got was with a 300win. and a 270win at around 30-40 yards. This season I might go back to my 30-30 or 44RBH.
Fuzz

I still have my original Marlin 336 30-30. I killed my first deer, a doe, with it using iron sights, and still consider it my best trophy. I have killed game all over North America since then. I have gone on to the 7mm's,.300's, .340's, .358 STA's, .416 Rem, but still consider the 30-30 to be the best deer rifle, in close. I did put a 3X scope on it and it is the first big game rifle the grandsons and many others shoot. On deer sized game the 30-30 opens perfectly. It will always remain in my safe with an honored respect. Good shooting.

I have two old M-94 SRC Carbines in 30-30 and a 25-35 that has taken both deer and elk..I still hunt with them, mostly the 25-35 because my grandson and daughter claim the 30's....

I shoot my yearly Idaho deer most every year with the 25-35....It is one of my favorite hunts, relaxing and takes a modicum of skill I suppose...you have to hunt at any rate, but not so stressfull as bow hunting

seafire, I have grandads 30-30 here. It is in about 90% condition with a bright bore, and is a pre 64 made in 54 (id have to double check the serial #). Even though its in great condition, this gun will never leave the family, and I will be restoring it personaly this year. I am making a new stock, truing the action planes, rust bluing, and will be doing some inlay border work on it. I will love taking this gun out hunting when its finished, I know just the spot for hogs around me and would love to give them a good run with it.
I wish I had Rays 25-35, I have been for 2 years trying convince a family that doesnt shoot, that their 94 in 25-35 should be in my hands ... Its in great shape. I have been looking for a 25-35 for a couple years now and the owners eather knew what it was worth, or thought they did. Id like to find a bargin obviously and have even considered converting a Ruger # 1. What I would realy like... is to get a 94 in 25-35, and convert it to a half magizene with a slender 24" Oct barrel

We have a Savage and a Stevens bolt action .30-30's. My wife uses her Stevens every year and I used the Savage 2 years ago and got a nice buck. I think the .30-30 is as good, or better than, a lot of what is being used tody. I have taken only one deer that was out of range for the .30-30, and I started deer hunting 31 years ago.

http://www.auctionarms.com/search/displayitem.cfm?ItemNum=4762710

Here you go smallfry

I've killed a lot of MT muley/whitetail/pronghorn/jack rabbit/cottontail/coyote with a 1908 Win M94 in 30WCF. Before that dad used it for all the same including elk/moose/big horn.

I live in WA now and use a new M94 30 of 1950 manufacture because the the old nickel saddle ring carbine doesn't need to get wet anymore.

I love the 30-30. I also have the 25-35 M94 (1901)in rifle format which I bought after moving out here. I haven't hunted with it yet though will use it on a MT hunt someday.

My first big game animal, 22 years ago...



The thutty-thutty was my very first centerfire rifle, and could very well be the last one (if, God forbid, I every had to get rid of any of my other guns!). I still hunt with mine regularly, primarily whitetails. It is my jack of all trades gun.

Canuck

I shot a nice Boar hog 180 to 200 pounder with a 64A abd 165 XFP not long ago . It is my son's rifle since He is only two He did not mind .

Well I am surprised to see so many people respond so quickly and favorably to the old 30/30. I can tell from the posts that I am in good company with those who still use it!

Me 2
i hunt with 3030 and i find this round one of the best calibers like 7x57 and 6,5x 55 it can do much more than it's reputation as a deer round with some range limitation,but the joy of hunting is to getting as close as possible to the game before you fire.
regards
danny

30-30?

Sorry, I respectfully just can't go along. I don't think much of 30-30's, I don't have any nostalgic attachment to them and I have chose to go in the other direction.

A 30-30 was the first "high power" I ever shot as a kid. After one year of hunting with the thing, I quickly ponied up my own money and switched to my own 270 with scope. Now 40 years later, that M94 30-30 still rests in the far back corner of my gun safe as "dad's rifle", can't sell it, but I wouldn't brag on it as a family "heirloom" -- even he didn't think much of it.

I skipped the 30-30 "kid's gun" approach and started out my kids hunting with 270's and 30-06's and they've used 338's since they were 19 (160 pounds). If my mission were to intentionally put myself in a "handicapped" situation, then I'll probably take up bow hunting.

My hats off to you that make them work for you, but no thanks.

Never Go Undergunned,
EKM

I have two, a M94 Winchester made in 1943 and a factory 21" barrel for my Contender. (I also have a .25-35 barrel...) Fine cartridge, works every time the bullet is properly placed.

I use the Sierra 170 at 2200 or the Hornady 170 at 2100 (also the Winchester ST at 2100). I've loaded for others the Hornady 150 RN at 2300 and it worked well also. I have some .303 Savage 190 gr. RNs which would work well but haven't loaded and shot them yet.

Your 200 gr. RNs should work but I think your load has too much pressure for my guns. In any case they aren't necessary and I'm happy with my current loads. Let's me play with the other 17 carbine barrels and the other guns...

Gentelmen, the old 30-30 is THE deer rifle that tought most REAL hunters how to HUNT, not just learn to shoot! But contrary to most opinion, the 30-30 with 150 gr silvertip ammo is a 200 yds Muledeer rifle, if you know how to shoot it! There is an old saying that goes like this, "Beware the man who only owns one rifle, he likely knows how to shoot it", and I wouldn't want to stand at 300 yds and let any of the old Mexican Cowboys I know, shoot at me with their old no blue, shiny, scarred Mod 94s.

In my gunroom safes, I have six 30-30 rifles, and one pistol! One is a S/S double rifle with 20" barrels, two are Mod 94s, one a Trapper, One is a Marlin 336, one is a 788 Rem bolt action, and one break top singleshot made in germany about 1930! The pistol is a TC contender. Everyone of these rifles have taken deer, and most have taken black bear. I don't consider any chambering more AMERICAN than the old 30-30! Are there better cartridges, yes, but that has nothing to do with the value of the 30-30 as a deer cartridge! More deer and other game has been taken with this old round than many of the more popular rounds of today put together!

Have two and have killed most of my deer and hogs and yotes and cats and wild dogs and well, I guess you get my drift...

Seafire - There are scads of rifle cartridges faster, flatter, more powerful and much better bullet selection. And most of the old 30/30 don't scope well or were never scoped in the first place.

SO...the 30/30 boys learn pretty quick that they are going to have to hunt right and shoot straight or they may as well stay home. Most do just that. And when the shooter does his part, the old 30/30 will do it's bit. There's no arguing with the fact this cartridge CAN deliver.

If you like it, don't look back. Just enjoy. I've owned and enjoyed a couple of them in my time and one thing that always delighted me about the 30/30 is few guys who shoot it reload. This ment I could follow them around the range and walk away with lots of free brass. The only thing I like better than free brass is free beer.

Canuck
That is a great picture.

[ 08-10-2003, 04:41: Message edited by: Muletrain ]

To chastise the 30-30 would be un-American and not the cowboy way...

Ray, I agree. But I wonder... when the 30-30 came out... alot of old timers at the time, must have thought it was a gimmick, with the high velo, and small bore, many old timers musta scoffed at it, holding onto their 45-90s and what not. Now by "old timers" I mean these men would have been born in the 1830s or so. My grandad used a 30-30 and was a hardworking man, never believing a man should work for anyone but himself.

[ 08-11-2003, 03:01: Message edited by: UseNuff ]

UseNuff

I think your sarcasim borders on a**holeism. (and yes, I did just make that word up)

UseNuff, There is an old indian saying that identifies people like you, and that is:
"BIG WIND COME FROM EMPTY CAVE!"

It is quite evident you find yourself very intertaining! It would be a great thing if other people assesed your value as highly as you do, But Other people seldom see us as we see ourselves!

[ 08-11-2003, 03:00: Message edited by: UseNuff ]

Typical poseur,
Quote by typical poseur: Many of your countrymen have indicated to me it may have wounded as many combatants as it killed. Would you agree with their assessment? No, not only do I have serious doubts about that assessment, but I also believe the notion that people wound game, not cartridges.

MacD37 I got the quote from poseur himself... "UseNuff"

Short post? not likely. I have a Savage bolt action 30 30, I love it. I use it regularly on my annual trip to Texas, for whitetail. Good old round.

DGK

IN the days of Magnumitis, it is a pleasure to see that there are a number of us who don't believe we need a 500 yd gun with a 1,000 yard scope shooting a bullet with a BC, of 600 plus, to take one little whitetail ( or black tail, here on the West Coast).

Getting close enough to make the shot.

It is a pleasure to share this thread with the rest of you gentlemen.

I've got a 1970's vintage 94 that I'm definitely taking with me to the Wisconsin woods this fall. I've been trying to out fox a big old swayed back pot bellied buck that I get one chance per season at. Nothing fancy this year, no scope to loose the deer in, just an aperture rear sight in case I need to stretch the shot to 100 yards. It'll be early on opening day and I know where he beds and which way he'll exit the area. I'll be on a hill under an apple tree overlooking the trail waiting with some 170 grain loads. I'll get other chances for filling the freezer with a doe but his is the best hunting for me regardless of the outcome.

I recall when I was still too young to hunt I thought that my uncles "saddle gun" (94) was the coolest rifle in camp. I always wanted one too, but not bad enough I guess.

Frankly I would be alright with it if my homestate decided that EVERYONE should use a 30-30 for deer. Both the deer populations and the greater joys of hunting would return, garanteed. Im afraid we hunters have become too deadly for our own good.

A while back I put up a post about a female co-worker who'd harvested a buck with an iron-sighted Model 94 in .30 WCF. She didn't understand all the fascination with the gadgetry of hunting. "I just aimed and shot" was what I remember her saying. I promised her I'd brag on her here at AR.

Having lived in Colorado for several years, I can understand how the .30 WCF might seem like a waste of time, what with all the more up-to-date-choices available. Still, it has its place and is an amazing legacy.

I hate flood protection. Or whatever its called.

[ 08-15-2003, 07:38: Message edited by: Pre64 ]