The 30-30 still worth using???

[Sitting Bull]

Hey guys, does anybody still hunt with a lever action 30-30? I was gifted an older Winchester 94 top eject several years ago, but never did anything with it because I thought it was a caliber of the past and not good for hunting in Alberta because of the possible long shots one can encounter.
Most shots I take at any game are within 200yards.
So who hunts with one?
Pictures are welcomed and always nice to look at.

[Tactical Lever]

I get one and then sell it to buy another. A Marlin 336 in 30-30 was my first big game rifle. I decided I wanted another modestly powered 336, but a bit more bullet, so I bought another one in .35 Remington. Most shots are close, and I'd feel comfortable using it on anything around here. Worked up some warmer handloads that are more in line with the strength of the Marlin with Leverevolution powder.

[Husty]

Not a 30-30 but I often go out for Whitetails with a 7.62x39 (similar ballistics) and it does fine within 200 yards. As long as your hitting the deer's vitals they wont know the difference.

[Dewey Cox]

I just got one, and I plan on shooting a deer with it this year.

[CDN offroader]

I used my Winchester 1895 in 30-40 Krag last year, no problems taking down a heavy buck. Try some of the LeveRevolution ammo and see how it shoots.

[Tactical Lever]

Picture with the deer before refinishing the stock and the rifle alone after. Turned out to be one of the guns usually grabbed on the way out the door.

[Twisted Canuck]

Originally Posted by Tactical Lever

Picture with the deer before refinishing the stock and the rifle alone after. Turned out to be one of the guns usually grabbed on the way out the door.

You know Cat is going to see that and bring down a bad juju curse on you because of the scope, right? I'm just warning ya....

Nice refinish on that stock though.

[Moo Snukkle]

30/30?
Hell ya
My partner is using one as his primary on this moose hunt

[Tactical Lever]

Originally Posted by Twisted Canuck

You know Cat is going to see that and bring down a bad juju curse on you because of the scope, right? I'm just warning ya....

Nice refinish on that stock though.

Thanks! Not a great picture, but turned out not bad. Always thought a low powered variable really seemed right on the pistol grip 336. Old school steel Weaver rings. I certainly can't shoot with irons, stock or aftermarket like Cat can, but a scope improves my modest ability.

[badbrass]

Have one in the Trapper Model 30-30 with a Leupold VX III- 1.5X5X20, It has put down a lot of deer for me! 20+over the years! From the smallest to a big one for me!

[1Heavyhitr]

Originally Posted by Sitting Bull

Hey guys, does anybody still hunt with a lever action 30-30? I was gifted an older Winchester 94 top eject several years ago, but never did anything with it because I thought it was a caliber of the past and not good for hunting in Alberta because of the possible long shots one can encounter.
Most shots I take at any game are within 200yards.
So who hunts with one?
Pictures are welcomed and always nice to look at.

Read less, shoot more.. lol. You obviously know the limitations, just shoot within them. It ultimately depends on what kind of shots you can expect be taking. Just take the right tool for the job..


it still works

[58thecat]

Great cartridge....in a fast handling lever can't be beat when in tight quarters etc.....just feels right.....carried one last year....my sons....early eighties Marlin...

[jeprli]

I'm carrying a marlin 336 and a savage 340 this buck season both in 30-30. One of them will take a buck down. Marlin wears a sigsauer romeo3 1moa red dot, very precise with 150gr loads.
340 has iron sights, also shoots great but is finicky when feeding anything but roundnose bullets.

[Stinky Buffalo]

I'd keep that one, Sitting Bull! Most of the deer I have taken were well under 200 yards.

I think they aren't as popular for the spot-from-the-truck-and-stalk kind of hunting, because unloading/reloading the tube magazine can be time consuming.

[Dean2]

I have always liked lever guns, partly for looks and partly because I am left handed. I prefer the 38-55/375 Winchester and 45-70 to the 30-30, but all in there is nothing wrong with a good thuddy thuddy. Show us some pictures of what you get with it.

[elkhunter11]

The 30-30 does what it has done for over 100 years. The difference today is that there are so many other choices with better ballistics, so the 30-30 keeps fading in popularity.

[Ken3134]

Originally Posted by Sitting Bull

Hey guys, does anybody still hunt with a lever action 30-30? I was gifted an older Winchester 94 top eject several years ago, but never did anything with it because I thought it was a caliber of the past and not good for hunting in Alberta because of the possible long shots one can encounter.
Most shots I take at any game are within 200yards.
So who hunts with one?
Pictures are welcomed and always nice to look at.

Sure, why wouldn’t it be? Take it to the range get comfortable shooting it and good to go. I don’t have a 30-30 but I love the lever action rifles. Got myself a Browning BLR in 7mm-08, nice bush gun.

[Big Red 250]

Not quite the same but close enough for me. I have a Winchester model 94 in 32 Win Special. I've shot several deer with it in the bush as I'm a bush hunter. Has open sight's.

[KegRiver]

I expect most here are well aware that sales is not the only measure of popularity.

I often hunt with a pre 64 model 94 that I acquired in used condition over forty years ago.

It seems to me that the true popularity of any cartridge is how long it stays in use plus how many people own it. Which would of course include recent purchases.

[Glenn D]

Originally Posted by KegRiver

I expect most here are well aware that sales is not the only measure of popularity.

I often hunt with a pre 64 model 94 that I acquired in used condition over forty years ago.

It seems to me that the true popularity of any cartridge is how long it stays in use plus how many people own it. Which would of course include recent purchases.

Yup i agree totally, just about everyone is going to have a 30/30 in there gun safe passed down to them from there dad or uncle or bought at a gun auction. That gun has shot a lot of game and proven to be very effective within its range, and people will continue to take game with it.

[bobtodrick]

Originally Posted by KegRiver

I expect most here are well aware that sales is not the only measure of popularity.

I often hunt with a pre 64 model 94 that I acquired in used condition over forty years ago.

It seems to me that the true popularity of any cartridge is how long it stays in use plus how many people own it. Which would of course include recent purchases.

Exactly. Of course there are going to be more sales firearms in the new cartridges because...they are new.
There aren’t a lot of 1894 6.5 Creedmore rifles out there that I know of... but there are thousands of ‘94 30-30 Winchester’s in use 😁

[crosman177]

Savage 170 carbine pump 3030 did the trick this weekend. 170 grain at 80 yards in a tree line.

https://imgur.com/gallery/RBEM58k

[Stinky Coyote]

cool, didn't even know about savage 170

[Dean2]

Originally Posted by crosman177

Savage 170 carbine pump 3030 did the trick this weekend. 170 grain at 80 yards in a tree line.

https://imgur.com/gallery/RBEM58k

Very cool. I haven't seen one of those in more than 40 years and even back then they were rare. Great to see an old classic still doing its job.

[Positrac]

Originally Posted by crosman177

Savage 170 carbine pump 3030 did the trick this weekend. 170 grain at 80 yards in a tree line.

https://imgur.com/gallery/RBEM58k

I’ve shot dozens of deer with the sister rifle to yours in 30-30 other than mine was a CIL. They were exactly the same. I sold mine 20 years ago and haven’t seen another one since. I kick myself all the time since it was my first rifle.

Thanks for positing and bringing back the memories.

[BuckCuller]

I decided this year since I have moose in the freezer that I wasn’t going to shoot a deer unless it was with the old Dirty Thirty.
I wasn’t going to be picky since I only had a couple days left to hunt.
In the morning I had a brief shot opportunity at a nice wide 4X4 but with the open sights and shadows in the trees I couldn’t tell what side of the fence he was on so I had to pass.
After checking the tracks he was on my side but I needed to be sure.
I set up in the afternoon with the 223 for coyote and knocked one down in about five minutes. After taking it out to the truck I drove around the other side of the property to check a travel corridor and it looked promising.
I was hanging out in the approach when a fellow and his daughter showed up and asked if I was hunting there. I replied yes but told them I was only going to hunt the corner of bush in front of my truck and would gladly share the rest of the five quarters. They were hesitant but I insisted they go enjoy their hunt.
After they drove into the well site I walked silently to where I was going to set up and brushed the snow off the log I was going to sit on. I looked up and there were three deer standing there at 60 yards I glassed them with the bino’s and seen nubbs on one of the young ones.
I slowly readied the O’l Dirty Thirty, cocked the hammer and dumped him with a neck shot, lights out.
I tagged him grabbed my sled, took a couple pic’s and headed for home a happy man.
I hope the fellows daughter gets her first deer, very nice people.

Is the 30-30 still worth using? I think it is, as it has given me some wonderful days in the woods.
And some jalapeño cheese smokies for camping.






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[abhunter40]

Hell ya its a keeper! Inherited the exact same rifle from my father. Used it on a wild boar hunt a few years back and it worked out very well. This past summer I put a Dr. Pearson’s no drill rail on it and mounted a laser dot scope - what a riot with the fast target acquisition the laser dot provides and quick cycle of the lever action! talk about fun!


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