just put on layaway a new marlin 336y 30-30 so is the 30-30 still bein used for deer and hogs today?

I hope so. I got a Winchester in .30-30 a while back, and would love to try it out on hog one day soon..

I used a 30-30 for all of my deer hunting from 1958 to the mid '70s, that is when I was getting ready to go on a trophy Mule deer hunt up in Arizona, and a good buddy talked me into getting a .270, as most of the shots on trophy deer would be at 250-300+ yards. Well to make a long story short, I did get a trophy 6 point, 250# buck, but at 75 yards at the most. Later that year I got an elk fork horn at a little over 100 yards, again with the .270. You might note that either of those animals could have been taken with my 30-30.

Admittedly I am no expert on the 30-30 . I am however a big fan of it. I have killed a few hogs and more whitetails than I could ever give you an accurate count on using a combination of my Marlin336, and my Whinchester 94. Now again I am no expert, but of this fact I am 100% certain not one of the deer or hogs I've killed with the good ole 30-30 have ever come back to life.

Enjoy your new lever action, and rest assured that while the good ole 30-30 doesn't really specialize in anything it does so many things so well it might be on the list for best all around.

I hunt in the woods and swamps so I’ve never shot a single deer that couldn’t have been taken just as easily with a 30-30. I’ve carried one a couple times but never got one with it. I’ve witnessed a dozen or so shot with a 30-30 though and they do just fine.

I would like to get something in 30-30AI. I have a few hundred rounds of 30-30 brass I bought to make 30 Herrett and 357 Herrett. Probably a handi rifle or contender.

It is but .30 Win is more expensive these days. It certainly can no longer be considered a "cheap" round. This of course discounts reloading.

In my experience, the 'ol "thuddy thuddy" has given way to the cheap and excellent bolt actions as well as ARs for pig and hogs. Of course its still used, as are flintlock muzzleloaders for the same purpose. But it's in its waning days.

I consistently say that they 336 is the ultimate survival rifle. The youth model might be better even because it should be lighter, quicker, and handier in brush. There's nothing it won't do at a very respectable pace, and if you have to shoot more than 7 then your probably not doing it right.

I've seen quite a few deer and hogs fall to the "lowly" 30-30 and 35 Rem. I've hunted with both, but never had a shot (only doe were present, and no doe tag). They work well when used within their range limits. Have fun with it!

Geno

I have taken several deer and hogs with Marlin 336 in 30-30. Knocks them down. Way more punch than the current darling AR in 5.56 NATO and people kill hogs with them, usually takes more shots though. The 30-30 flattens them. I have not gotten anything with the Hornady FTX Lever ammo but I see it reaching out to maybe 300 yards thought still, the 30-30 is a 200+ yard rifle in practical terms. If I need more than that I am usually hunting open terrain and would carry my old but mint orange pad Ruger M77 in .270 Winchester or maybe my new Savage .308 Scout. That said, the Lever ammo does add some range, is accurate and hits hard.

I plan on buying that exact rifle next month. The 30-30 is a wonderful cartridge for deer and pigs. It’s easy on the shoulder and ammo is plentiful. Plus leverguns are balanced nicely to make walking in the woods enjoyable. You did good.

Years ago noted gun guru Jeff Cooper recommended the lever action 30-30 as a ideal home self-defense gun. He especially it for ladies. The 94 is lightweight, simple to use, can be kept loaded with the magazine tube full and chamber empty and the 30-30 has practical range of 150 yards. As commented the Youth Model would be ideal for most ladies.

150 yards is a bit far of until there is a complete breakdown of law and order and a mob is headed your way to rob, beat, rape and burn down your home or business.

A 30-30 carbine and a 30 caliber surplus ammo can full of cartridges makes for a very convenient way to go to the range, hunting or bugging out.

I have shot several deer with 30-30. I have a Marlin 336 and an old Springfield 840 bolt gun. Great efficient old cartridge.

Boy .... .30-30 has become so outdated and obsolete I see just really no one is using it anymore.....

Within its effective range of at least 200yds, it's nigh on impossible to improve upon the capability of a good .30-30 levergun.

JMR40 is a puzzle to me. He owns a bunch of leverguns and continuously talks about how useless they are. None of the rhetoric seems to be based in reality.

Seems to me that some folks never shoot past 200yds but are deathly afraid that a monster buck will walk out just beyond their rifle's effective range and they won't be able to take a shot. I guess those of us that hunt with bows, muzzleloaders and handguns are just idiots.

I’d say use of 30-30 is in stiff decline. There’s lots of them out there. But the kids aren’t buying them anymore. Similar effective range as a 223 AR on deer so that’s what kids are buying.

No doubt the 30-30 is solid on hogs though. It’s a real winner within 100. Blunt bullets that expand rapidly. I used to use mine for that a lot.

Now days I just plink cast bullets with mine. I like my marlin better than the winchester. For home defense that mossburg abomination tactical 30-30 would be pretty good. I wouldn’t mind having one of those too to play with.

The .30-30 is not suitable for North Florida "Swap Bunnies" I went after one at 25 yards and took a shoulder shot and both shoulders and everything north simply turned into a red mist. Seriously do not shoot itty bitty rabbits with a .30-30.

On a more serious note......I too am amazed that folks think they need MORE than a .30-30 for things they might meet in the woods of the South East. I suppose if you belong to a "hunt club" that maintains been or corn fields and call sitting in a deer stand, shooting from a bench, across 200 to 400 yards of cleared field hunting, maybe you might "need" a more powerful crank rifle with glass on it that cost more than my .30-30 did. Most of us though would likely do just fine with great grampa's '94. A few years back the Fish and Game folks pronounced the average range of a Florida taken deer as 40 yards.

While I was in the service an NCO from Louisiana we called "Stump Jumper" behind his back several times brought his Marlin 336 with a cheap 4X on it to the rifle range. He happily engaged from 50 yard head and shoulder targets to kneeling man targets at 300 without changing his scope settings and when he shot targets fell.

Yes, there is a .30-30 among my rifles and a small stash of ammo in the foot locker. Mine is a '94 with factory irons and an old Swift 4X in a side mount. When I first got it I set it up with the irons dead on at 75 and the scope dead on at 150 and called it macaroni. 150 grain SP factory ammo thank you. I do have an old lyman hand tool and a set of "modern" dies and a selection of bullets down in the shop but have only loaded a few rounds for it ever as I do not shoot it much these days. I am not a big hunter and mainly keep the .30-30 "just because."

-kBob

kBob is correct . 30-30 ain't no dang good for flop ears,.....and it ain't narry no good for limb rats neither

No good as a fishing pole either.

I love my 336Y. Mine prefers 150 grains but at ironsight range, it really doesn't matter.

Fun and handy!

I'll have to chime in on my love for the 30-30. My first centerfire was my Grandfathers 1927 94 30WCF. Still have it and another 94 AE Trapper, M/G 36, 30TK and a Stevens 325 bolt action. I mostly shoot targets and plink with them. 150grn Lee FP cast boolits are what I use. Relatively cheap and a lot of FUN. I have my eye on one of the 336Y ,s. As soon as I see a real good deal I plan on getting one. Who in their right mind needs 6 30-30s?

I had four uncles that owned Model 94’s in 30-30. This was in the 60’s. They took lot’s of deer. I never thought much about the 30-30 until eight or so years ago when my son wanted one for his first deer rifle. Got him a 336W. It was most accurate with 150 grain Corelokt factory ammunition. His love affair lasted one season and my son commandeered my 30-06. So I commandeered the 30-30.

Using my limited gunsmithing skills I installed a Happy Trigger, polished the internals and fiddled with barrel band tightness to get more accuracy. Figured it would make a great hog rifle and it did.

I originally put a Fullfield II 2-7x35 Duplex on it. Three years ago I put a VX-3 1.75-6x32 German #4 on it and comb raiser. It has accounted for numerous hogs. Where I hunt hogs Axis deer are plentiful but are only seen at night. They can also be legally hunted year round. I’ve taken a few Axis when hog hunting. My shots have all been under 100 yards but I wouldn’t hesitate to take it out to 200 yards.

Tentwing said:

and it ain't narry no good for limb rats neither

Click to expand...

Are we talking about saber toothed tree rats ?

Nostalgia has nothing to do with hunting with a 30-30. This cartridge has proven itself on this continent for over 100 years. Some folks need to get their noses out of ballistics tables and get into the woods.

The only possible downside to buying the 336Y is that you may want to add a standard sized 336 later, if you don't already have one. I guess that's not really a downside though. My only 30-30 is a Winchester 94 Ranger Compact, and sometimes I think I ought to add a regular ole 94 just because. And then maybe a 336, a 336 Texan, etc.

I was wondering why the Y model?

I picked up an unfired Winchester Ranger 94 AE in 30-30 that came into the shop last month specifically to hunt hogs when I get my land in Texas. Only thing I did was put a Williams peep sight on it.

It's sighted in 2" high at 100 yards, and if I concentrate, it'll shoot 1 1/2 inches all day long with 170 grainers. More then adequate for close in "minute of pig" work.