Before folks launch into me, let me explain my opinion and position. I am aware of all the "run faster, jump higher, fly higher, go further, fragmenting, & wall penetrating" calibers out there. But there is something about a 30-30 made by any brand rifle manufacturer.
I started shooting/hunting with a rifle (a 1968 Marlin 336-RC lever action) when I was 12 years old (41 years ago). My parents had bought the rifle used for $40. An old friend of the family was a gunsmith and reloader. I learned to reload most all calibers but in particular the 30-30. If I had to speculate, I have shot maybe 5,000 + rounds through the old gal. She is well cared for and attended to & still shoots perfectly accurate.
Until recent years, I was perfectly happy reloading and shooting the Remington corelokt, Hornady or any other manufacturer's 150 or 170 grain bullets. Then Hornady came out with the 160 grain "Gummy tipped" Leverolution cartridge. I did not purchase this cartridge because for my hunting and shooting purposes the older bullets worked just fine and I am a cheapie.
[DISCLAIMER: I am not associated with Hornady or any other manufacturer of bullets for reloading. These comments are related only from my own experiences.]
Later, Hornady released the 160 grain stand alone Gummy tipped bullet for reloading your own cartridges. I acquired some of the said gummy tips and experimented. As others have found, this bullet (Properly loaded) shoots very accurately and extends the range of the old 30-30. However, I still load other manufacturer's bullets.
[ DISCLAIMER: I choose not to advertise my reload recipe. Instead, I encourage everyone learning to reload to work up your own safe loads. It makes you a better and more knowledgeable reloader.]
Now we/they have created the perfect rifle for my purposes. Folks talk about a truck/atv/utv/knock-around gun. A 30-30 suits this niche perfectly. It is short, relatively light, very handy and has great accuracy Considering it's 150-200 yard range. Although there are other great truck guns, etc., there are none that fill this purpose better than the 30-30. Its also great for home protection. Winchester, Marlin, or any other brand will do just fine.
As a matter of fact, the 30-30 is my UTV rifle. I just killed a hog with it yesterday while perusing the hunting property checking hunting stands/blinds. With 41 years of Alabama's historically liberal deer bag limit and extensively long seasons, I have literally lost count of the number of deer taken with the old 30-30. My son and Grandson learned to shoot and hunt with this 30-30. Now grown, they each have their own 30-30 in their collections.
As a parting shot, yes I have other calibers, bolt action and other shoot-um up powerful, long range rifles. However, for our part of the country (Alabama), there is simply none better that the OLD 30-30. It is the Perfect Rifle for anyone's use within the 30-30's range and capability. Know your game and your own capabilities but EVERYONE needs a 30-30!!!
With kind regards, enough of my rambling,
Danaidh