The perfect rifle: The 30-30

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I like .30-30. I like it in pretty rifles, I like it in bolt rifles, I like it in lever rifles, I like it in rusted and busted rifles or rifles not yet made. I especially like it in a Marlin 336. I even like it with green eggs and ham I do. The perfect imperfect cartridge or is it the imperfect perfect cartridge? It just works at what it was designed to do, take medium size game at ranges most of such game is taken at.

3C
 
valnar said:
OK devil's advocate here.

The .30-30 is a lot like the .30-40 Krag. It falls between a future intermediate cartridge and a fully modern rifle caliber. The major difference between the .30-30 and the Krag, and well the 7.62x39 or anything relatively close to it, is the fact Western lever guns are just so darn sexy. Honestly, it's just that. If it weren't for the appeal of the actual guns that shoot that cartridge, it would have become obsolete. I mean, c'mon, in no other rifle would we put up with a non-spitzer bullet.

I had a Marlin 336 years ago but sold it.
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Will have to take issue with the characterization of the 30-40 as a less than full rifle cartridge. You have a point of course, but it relates to the Krag rifle rather than the 30-40 cartridge. That rear two lug bolt and 1890s steel doesn’t provide the basis for realizing the potential of the cartridge.

The 30-40 loaded for a strong action like the modern Win 1895 clones or the Ruger No 3 or the Handi Rifles that were rechambered, delivers 30-06 factory performance and is at the very least the equal of the 308 Win. Even in the Krag, the likes of Elmer Keith admired the penetrating power of 210 grs at 2100 fps as an elk round. Mind you, that will have had a lot to do with bullet technology, or lack thereof as well.

In any event, they are neither of them, 30-30 or 30-40, a modern cartridge and there hasn’t been anything chambered in 30-40 for quite some time, so despite the actual potential of the 30-40 cartridge, it is loaded to turn of the Century levels if you can even find a box of Remington CLs…
 
Paul R Zartman said:
I had always wanted a old Winchester 3030 to hunt and bust around the woods with, but could never find one I could afford, didn't want a newer one. Then I found it, LGS had it on the wall and couldn't sell it it was so rough on thr outside, it was a rust bucket, even the crown was pitted....150 out the door.
Long story short, cleaned it up inside and out, bore was good till the last 1/2 inch and crown, wood was real good, guts cleaned up good and are smooth for a 1937 transitional, shoots straight as I can shoot it out to 100 yards, I call it my RatRod Gun and its a keeper...
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That is one sexy beast. I love it.
 
Many of us that came of age in the MidWest took our first whitetails with a Model 94, iron sights, in .30-30. Is it my first choice for hunting now? Nope. But if I could own only one rifle, I'd happily go with a Marlin 336 .30-30.

And the way things are going (with prospective "assault rifle" bans), a '94 or 336 will be a luxury.
 
When I was a wee lad and through my 20's, I shot my 30-30 extensively at my buddy's private shooting range. I practiced rapid fire, rapid reloading, Left & Right hand shooting, upside down shooting and any other experimentation I/we could think of. I expended 10's if not 100's of rounds per range session. This was inexpensive (then) when I could reload for less than $1.50/box.

After all this playing and experimentation, the Marlin 336 30-30 just fit and was an instinctive shooter. This early creation of muscle memory through practice. practice, practice, still exhibits itself when I pick up the Marlin. Years passed and along the way, I picked up a .444 Marlin for heavier bullets and deeper/thicker woods hunting. The muscle memory transferred right away with the basically same fitting rifle style and shape.

I have used both of them extensively but the 30-30 is still my go-to rifle for perusing the property or hunting particular situations. As I have aged (operations and such) the recoil of the .444 is not very pleasant any more. Your guessed it! I have returned to the more pleasant, lower recoil of the perfect 30-30. My son will be getting the .444.

Danaidh
God bless America & "Alba gu Brath"
 
I really enjoy shooting 30-30 especially with cast Bullets. I bought a savage 340 at a pawn shop a few years back as a gun to learn to cast for rifle rounds. Great gun, great cartridge,
I put a willams FP peep with target knobs and one of their fiber optic firesights to replace the front sight. Soon as I installed the sights and shouldered the gun I said “ Oooo that’s a keeper!”, I intend to shoot a whitetail with it this season.
Anyone who I’ve let shoot it was really impressed with the rifle. I’m keeping my eyes open for another 340 in 222. If I find another 30-30 I’d like to go through with the idea I’ve read about with getting it rechambered in 7-30 waters, what a hoot that would be.
I’d love to find a lever gun for a reasonable sum.
 
Wham Bham said:
Then the 300 whisper and later the 300 blk came on the market and folks looked at the ballistics and i think they realized that grandpas 30-30 or the $200 pawn shop special wasn’t much different than the new kid on the block.
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That can also be said about the 6.5CM... nothing new under the sun, except for that tricksy name. Much of it, however, has to do with the platform they can be fired in; I don't recall ever seeing a .30-30 AR-10.
 
An AR-10 in 30 Remington-the rimless version of the 30-30. For 30-30 you'd probably need a curved "banana" magazine, like the one on the Bren Gun.
Not a hunter, back in 1979 I got some 1.5" groups at 100 yards off a rest, iron sights.
 
The .30-30 is your favorite uncle who delights you with stories.
The .30-06 is grandpa who sit all knowing and quietly in his corner smoking his pipe.
The next 6.5 something to come along is your nephew who thinks he knows better than your uncle and grandpa.
The 22.lr is your faithful wife who goes about her business and is always there.
The latest and greatest of any caliber is that sexy neighbor who gives you eyes every once in a while.

I have shot the .30-30. - .32 WS. - .44 mag. - 45 (LC). Love them all. Truly. "THE DEER RIFLE" is the Winny Model 94 in .30-30. Most of the love for it is more nostalgic than practical. But often practical makes things efficient and boring. For me, in levers, the .45 Colt is pure Americana.
 
I lik
pert near said:
There is no doubt the .30-30 is an excellent deer round. What many shooter's complain about is the "pie-plate" accuracy of the old lever guns. The upper ejection that prevents a standard scope mounting is another turn-off. As mentioned, the flat-nose bullet requirement doesn't generate any love. Even though Marlin/Hornady has solved some of these problems the stigma remains. Many don't know that a lot of early benchrest matches were won with the .30-30 cartridge. Yet that pesky rim made feeding in bolt guns a challenge (except for single-shots). The .30 Rem solution sort of eventually faded to the obsolete as the rimless .30-30. But as a short range, handy rifle to grab, with multiple rounds, that you can quickly shoulder up & shoot, the .30-30 is king.

Long live the .30-30!
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Putting a scope on a lever gun is a crime against humanity.
.
 
valnar said:
OK devil's advocate here.

The .30-30 is a lot like the .30-40 Krag. It falls between a future intermediate cartridge and a fully modern rifle caliber. The major difference between the .30-30 and the Krag, and well the 7.62x39 or anything relatively close to it, is the fact Western lever guns are just so darn sexy. Honestly, it's just that. If it weren't for the appeal of the actual guns that shoot that cartridge, it would have become obsolete. I mean, c'mon, in no other rifle would we put up with a non-spitzer bullet.

I had a Marlin 336 years ago but sold it.
Click to expand...

I generally like to play that roll. You get some good comments that really make you re think some of your own views. I think it makes me grow in my understanding of....well a great many things.

The non spitzer bullet is not a thing anymore with the hornady bullets. And I think the 30-40 is a cartridge closer to the 7mm mauser......now hear me out on my thinking here.

They both really did not "catch on" currently the 7mm is more popular as there are just more of them floating around and people do seem to like them, just like with the 30-40. Anyone that has done anything really with the 30-40 will say even in its "stock" form it is no slouch and good for about anything in the US game wise. I really think it was the result of a couple "ends of technology" the rim and the loading system of the service rifle.

The "commie caliber" is only popular as it got its toe in the door with cheap ammo, a little like 54R, the ammo sold the rifles, without that it would be nothing in the US.....and really in the west if not for the doors opening on all that surplus ammo. Many a gun sold after those cheap supplies dried up, I should have taken advantage on it back then.

3030 is a good all around cartridge, and the pointy bullets really bring it to life, I think Mark and Sam after work did some long range shooting single loading a lever rifle, those two can really shoot.
 
I have shot WT, Axis, and javelina with my Marlin 336 30-30 and it does a good job on them. With the Leverevolution 160 gr. Factory loads both mine and my son's 336s (both circa 1971) consistently put three bullets inside an inch at 100 yards off of the bench.

With that said, I shot an Axis buck a few years back at 30 yards and no blood trail. It went about fifty yards and dropped. When dressing it out, we found the bullet just inside the skin at the rear of the opposite shoulder.

I hunt in areas where I may have a 200 yard shot or more so I'm more prone to use my .308 PA10 instead.

But the 30-30 has earned a place in my gun safe with many animals taken over the years.
 
Some years back, I met a fellow at the rifle range that was shooting a scope-less .30-30 lever gun from the bench. I took a look at his target through my spotting scope & at 100 yds he was putting bullets into 1" to 1-1/2" groups! This perked my interest & made me nosy & curious. He had a "ghost-ring" peep-sight on his rifle - at least that is what he called it. His ammo was special too. He was shooting paper-patched bullets. Each bullet looked like a piece of art. He went on to say that he was a plumber & he made his bullets out of dead-soft lead & each was patched in linen paper using a special lubricant & wrapped with a special jig. He said he been shooting his deer every year with his rig & it enhanced his hunting enjoyment. He said that lead bullet would mushroomed to the size of a quarter & was very deadly. I didn't get too much info on his rifle but I got the impression that the fellow knew his stuff & his .30-30 was "thoroughly tuned-up", whatever that means! :thumbup:
 
Danwin22 said:
My uncle told me you only need four guns; a .22lr, 30-30, 30-06 and a 12 gauge shotgun.
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In this part of the country, and for the hunting I've been doing for about 65 of my 74 years here, I can't imagine why I'd "need" a 30-30 if I already had a 30-06. Nevertheless, I've had both a 30-06 and a 30-30 (as well as a bunch of other rifles) for many years - "need" has very little, if anything, to do with most of the guns I have. ;)
 
My uncle did a lot of big game hunting and his 30-30 was mainly for upstate NY deer but he liked a 30-06 for the larger animals. I’m 83, so that was back in the 1940’s when my uncle gave me his advice.
 
Effective? Yes
Fun? Yes
Perfect? Not by a long shot. No such thing. No 1 rifle will do it all.

I wanted a .30-30 since Christmas 1968. More of a "because that is what I seen on TV and movies.". First lever action, Browning BL-22 in '75. Second, Browning B-92 .44 Mag. Then, Marlin .22 Mag and Henry .45C.
Finally, a .30-30 Marlin 336 Centennial in 2017.

Reloading is where .30-30 gets fun. A 110 gr Powder Coated bullet pushed to 2400 fps makes a fun coyote, varmint, pinker round.
 
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