A most excellent article. I have a variety of battlefield, and specialty rifles, yet still have my trusty model 94. It shoots totally flat, and never falters. I call it the politically correct assault rifle. It doesn't have a bunch of do-dads sticking out of it to hang up in the brush, has a powerful enough load for even a black bear, and you can continuously “top off” the magazine without any breakdown. They can call it dead all they want, but America’s deer rifle hasn't gone anywhere.
always wanted one but ammo cost was to high. Now the cost of a decent lever action is insanely high.
My compromise was 7.62×39, both semi auto and bolt action. When I stocked up I paid .20 cents a round. Even now it is 55 to 60 cents a round compared to 90c to well over a dollar a round for 30-30. Ballistically they are very close.
30-30 has the advantage in kinetic energy in that it typically starts at 150 grains and goes to 180 or 200 grains for the bullets with it reaching 2000 ftlbs at muzzel with right bullet while the 7.62×38 is around 1500 ftlbs. 7.62 is 123 grains to 150 grains. both are 30 caliber rounds and will stop a deer or boar in it’s tracks.
I run 123 grain soft points in general and 150 grain softpoints for hunting. Honestly though 123 grain does well for hunting also.
Shot my first deer in 1972 at 700 yards with a Marlin 336 in .30-30. Now I would never take that shot today but even back then I understood the simple ballistics of the .30-30; it drops exactly 48 inches at 500 yards and add another at 700 and that’s at the target not the muzzle. The 150 grain round will do everything you need to do and that Marlin shot dead on at 100 yards right out of the box. The gunsmith’s at Marlin really knew their business back then and Walnut is virtually impervious to weather which is why it was used on all the M-1 Garands and Springfield Rifles in the two world wars. Quick follow up shots are so easy with a lever action rifle that it should be a go to for any “prepper” who happens to live in a blue state. If you really think you need a flatter shooting cartridge maybe you should check out a 250-3000 Savage Model 99 the bullet is still heavy enough to do pretty much anything you need especially if your shot placement is accurate. Now you won’t see a lot of ammo for a 250-3000 but you can certainly get enough from midway that you won’t have to worry about it; after all what can you do with 500 rounds or so? .30-30: if you’re putting down a riot or just filling the freezer the first couple of rounds will pretty much settle the issue. If you put a scope on a 336 and zero it for a couple hundred yards how much could you really miss by? If you’ve never seen what it will do to a coyote well…. It’s no joke especially if you’re shooting Winchester Silvertips…
Amen! I did sell my Marlin 336W because I was clearing up space in my safe, and the last time I had taken it to a range was more than eight years ago. I’m sure a hunter smiled when he picked it up in mint( less than two hundred rounds fired) from the store who bought it from me. The retailer was a family owned and I sold the 30/30 and a pre-Hillary holed S&W 44 mag Mountain Gun. The retailer was know for fair prices and the same day ordered a new production S&W 1854 Stealth Hunter in 45LC. For me (being an older guy) I traded the venerable 30/30 for a gun I knew I would shoot. I’m about four hundred rounds in and with the factory ghost ring sights shoot head and heart shots on anatomical targets at sixty yards off hand all day long. I smile knowing my 30/30 is in a capable hunters hands doing the same to deer while I have a great day doing the same at the range! I will still be my hero The Rifleman just with less kick! 😀
A most excellent article. I have a variety of battlefield, and specialty rifles, yet still have my trusty model 94. It shoots totally flat, and never falters. I call it the politically correct assault rifle. It doesn't have a bunch of do-dads sticking out of it to hang up in the brush, has a powerful enough load for even a black bear, and you can continuously “top off” the magazine without any breakdown. They can call it dead all they want, but America’s deer rifle hasn't gone anywhere.
always wanted one but ammo cost was to high. Now the cost of a decent lever action is insanely high.
My compromise was 7.62×39, both semi auto and bolt action. When I stocked up I paid .20 cents a round. Even now it is 55 to 60 cents a round compared to 90c to well over a dollar a round for 30-30. Ballistically they are very close.
30-30 has the advantage in kinetic energy in that it typically starts at 150 grains and goes to 180 or 200 grains for the bullets with it reaching 2000 ftlbs at muzzel with right bullet while the 7.62×38 is around 1500 ftlbs. 7.62 is 123 grains to 150 grains. both are 30 caliber rounds and will stop a deer or boar in it’s tracks.
I run 123 grain soft points in general and 150 grain softpoints for hunting. Honestly though 123 grain does well for hunting also.
Now I need to buy another lever action .30-30!
Shot my first deer in 1972 at 700 yards with a Marlin 336 in .30-30. Now I would never take that shot today but even back then I understood the simple ballistics of the .30-30; it drops exactly 48 inches at 500 yards and add another at 700 and that’s at the target not the muzzle. The 150 grain round will do everything you need to do and that Marlin shot dead on at 100 yards right out of the box. The gunsmith’s at Marlin really knew their business back then and Walnut is virtually impervious to weather which is why it was used on all the M-1 Garands and Springfield Rifles in the two world wars. Quick follow up shots are so easy with a lever action rifle that it should be a go to for any “prepper” who happens to live in a blue state. If you really think you need a flatter shooting cartridge maybe you should check out a 250-3000 Savage Model 99 the bullet is still heavy enough to do pretty much anything you need especially if your shot placement is accurate. Now you won’t see a lot of ammo for a 250-3000 but you can certainly get enough from midway that you won’t have to worry about it; after all what can you do with 500 rounds or so? .30-30: if you’re putting down a riot or just filling the freezer the first couple of rounds will pretty much settle the issue. If you put a scope on a 336 and zero it for a couple hundred yards how much could you really miss by? If you’ve never seen what it will do to a coyote well…. It’s no joke especially if you’re shooting Winchester Silvertips…
Still hunt with my dad's winchester 3030
Amen! I did sell my Marlin 336W because I was clearing up space in my safe, and the last time I had taken it to a range was more than eight years ago. I’m sure a hunter smiled when he picked it up in mint( less than two hundred rounds fired) from the store who bought it from me. The retailer was a family owned and I sold the 30/30 and a pre-Hillary holed S&W 44 mag Mountain Gun. The retailer was know for fair prices and the same day ordered a new production S&W 1854 Stealth Hunter in 45LC. For me (being an older guy) I traded the venerable 30/30 for a gun I knew I would shoot. I’m about four hundred rounds in and with the factory ghost ring sights shoot head and heart shots on anatomical targets at sixty yards off hand all day long. I smile knowing my 30/30 is in a capable hunters hands doing the same to deer while I have a great day doing the same at the range! I will still be my hero The Rifleman just with less kick! 😀
I got the Model 94 for Christmas when I was 12. Im 60 now, and still love the 30-30. I have other rifles, but the 94 is cherished.
30 caliber-30 grns of black powder is where the name originally came from.
Love my 30-30. Could not find ammo during COVID. Well stocked now.
Such a pretty gun.
300 Win mag
300 Weatherby mag
Long range zombie rifles 😀😀
no chamber it for 7.62×39 :)