308 vs 30-30

What should I get?


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I consider the 30-30 an open sights cartridge. If I were in brush country, and I knew I wasn't going to use the rifle for anything else, I would use a 30-30. My perception is also that pretty much all 30-30s are saddle guns, which you might lash to your saddle horn, and they might take more abuse than a rifle you just carry. I was mocked by my old cowboy friends for buying precision bolt rifles, because I would never use them to pack and hunt cowboy style.

My alternative method to have it both ways is a carbine with peep-through mounts. I have seen some guys rent their clothing over such a blasphemous idea, but my dad's old Remington 760 in .257 Roberts, with peep-through mounts and a vanilla scope gives me a gun for brush or open country. Just sayin'.
 
The .308 is one of my very favorite deer cartridges.
I currently hunt on two different ranches.
One is a wooded area in which the shots are almost never over 100 yards and truthfully less than that more times than not.
There I carry my trusty Marlin 336 in 30-30 and it has been death on hogs and deer everytime.
When I go to the brush country of south Texas I usually have my .308 Remington Mohawk carbine or one of my .243's because there are plenty of places that you can shoot a very long way if your inclined to and the 30-30 is out of it's element there more times than not.
 
Either is fine. I own two .30-30's and a .308 and have hunted with all 3 rifles.

The concept of a "brush" gun where you're talking about literally shooting through brush is mostly a myth. A hit on a limb or the like will deflect any bullet. Brush or not, you still need a clear shot. Now, in the brush your visibility range will be limited, and in that regard both will perform fine at those ranges.

.30-30 will recoil a little less. .308 is more versatile if you reload.

And despite what people say, if you want to mount a scope .30-30's work fine with them :) (they work fine with irons too if you're inclined to use them). My Marlin 336 has always worn them, and has never spent any time inside of a saddle (heck I've never even set foot on a horse in my life - just have no interest :)). You don't have to be retro for the .30-30 to still be a good hunting choice.
 
While either will do the job at close range the 308 will do a lot more without giving up anything to the 30-30. Basically the 308 will do anything the 30-30 will do, but the reverse is not true.
 
i have heard time and time again that the 30-30 is the best round for busting through brush. My interpretation of brush busting is the 30-30 wont be as easily deflected by grass, bushes, twigs etc as compared to some other round. I am not sure if there is any science to that but I keep hearing it over and over.
 
jhnrckr, the 30-30 lever guns tend to be better in brush because they're typically a shorter firearm. They're nice and compact for wandering through brush and trees. Bolt-action guns tend to be a little longer for better accuracy (There are exceptions on both sides.) But, I highly doubt that being a good brush gun has anything to do with the bullet going through brush any better than any other cartridge.
 
You say "Brush Gun" I assume you mean close quarters. 30/30 all the way. Best brush gun ever made. Now if you want to make that game larger than deer size and still be brush, go with a 45/70.
Those are a hoot and a holler to shoot.
 
Remember there's a difference between the firearm and the cartridge. That gets confusing in this case when 99% of the time people associate the .30 WCF with light leverguns and the .308 with heavier bolt actions. But there are bolt action .30-30's and lever action .308's.

If we're talking cartridges, the .30-30 is a notch less powerful than the .308 and has fewer options in bullet weight for factory loads. But it will recoil a bit less and have a bit less blast and flash. The .30-30 is also restricted to FP or RN for most factory loads, which limits its long range effectiveness. But the leverevolutions have helped in this respect.
 
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Remember there's a difference between the firearm and the cartridge. That gets confusing in this case when 99% of the time people associate the .30 WCF with light leverguns and the .308 with heavier bolt actions. But there are bolt action .30-30's and lever action .308's.

If we're talking cartridges, the .30-30 is a notch less powerful than the .308 and has fewer options in bullet weight for factory loads. But it will recoil a bit less and have a bit less blast and flash. The .30-30 is also restricted to FP or RN for most factory loads, which limits its long range effectiveness. But the plastic tip designs have helped in this respect.
That works for me, heck they are both 7.62x51`s, just one is a R.
 
I have both and use both in the brush. I personally prefer the .308 but the 30-30 is fine. Depends on which guns you get them in, what animals you hunt, and how far you mean by brush. I have a marlin 336 with open sights that I used on hogs with great success, it was a good gun. But then I "upgraded" to a converted saiga .308 that works even better.
If you have a long heavy single shot 30-30 with a scope vs. a short lever action or semi auto .308, the .308 is better. But a lever 3030 is better than a long scoped bolt .308

Mostly depends on what the gun is. Not so much the caliber
 
While either will do the job at close range the 308 will do a lot more without giving up anything to the 30-30. Basically the 308 will do anything the 30-30 will do, but the reverse is not true.

I agree 100% and will add,

There's NO SUCH THING as the 30-30 shooting better through brush than any other similar cartridge. ALL bullets can and ARE deflected, even by a single twig.

So, buy a 30-30 because you like the gun it's chambered in, not because the 30-30 is better at "anything" over a 308 Win...

DM
 
What's the longest range you think you might take a shot at?

The .30-30 is good out to about 150 yards.
 
the 30-30 wont be as easily deflected by grass, bushes, twigs etc as compared to some other round. I am not sure if there is any science to that but I keep hearing it over and over.
Used to be an old wives tail.
Now it's an Internet rumor.

In any case, it isn't true at all.

rc
 
At must "brush" ranges, the caliber isn't going to make a big difference. A deer shot with a 30/30 will be just as dead as one shot with a .308. Use whichever rifle suits you best. I have more than a few deer rifles, but if I am going to hunt walkabout style in dense woods, I will carry my open sighted Winchester 94. Nothing is as nice to carry as a light, short lever gun. They also point very instinctively, more like a shotgun than a rifle.
 
Between a BLR .308 and a 94 30-30. I take the 30-30 even though the .308 is the better cartridge, because the .308 kicks much harder and is not needed at the range a 30-30 is good. However if there is even a chance of a 200 yard or longer shot, the .308 is much better especially in a light bolt action. In other words it depends.
 
If you are only going to have the one rifle, I would go with the .308 just because it is more versatile. More ammo options, more power downrange. The .30-30 is a fine cartridge, it just doesn't have quite as much oomph as the .308.

If you own more than one rifle, then one of them should be a .30-30. I have shot most of my deer at less than 100 yards, and mostly with a Marlin .30-30. I like the rifle because it is reasonably light and handles very well.

Best of luck with your choice. :)
 
A lever is a good brush gun because they are quick shooting and fast handling. In real brush and swamp country, it is common to come very near to stepping on a deer before they jump and run. You may get a second, or even third shot off if you can feed the rounds to the gun and get back on target fast enough. Iron sights and red dots are a must.

That being said, my next brush gun will be a Saiga .308 with a 16'' barrel. That's even quicker and more handy than a lever. :D

The only gun I know of that will really mow brush and still be somewhat accurate is a 12 gauge shooting heavy slugs. Several guys I hunt with use a pump shotgun on the drives.
 
Hey Cosmoline, you beat me to it pard. That is what I was going to suggest also, that `99 might be a couple inches longer, but the smackdown is better in the .300 cartridge than the 30-30!
 
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