30-30 for hunting deer?

[glock21]

I just picked up a marlin 336w with a scope, how good are these for taking down deer giving im a good shot hahaha. or should i get a high powered rifle. just need some advice from guys who have used the 30-30 for hunting

[Marlin]

Been doing it for 130 years, plus or minus. As long as your aim is true, the deer should fall.

[bryjcom]

My boss told me when he first started hunting in CO he went out with a 30-30. He spoted a deer and put one in the kill zone and the deer ran up and over a hill. When he got over the hill he found 2 other hunters gutting it with their tag already on it. [Mad]

When he got back home he bought a 300 win mag......

Personally I would use a higher power cartridge. 300WM is a bit overkill but I personally prefer a .308 win

[Colorado Osprey]

Shot placement, shot placement, shot placement.
The 30-30 works fine. With the new Hornady LeverEvolution ammo it almost equals a 308.
Nobody will say the 308 isn't adequate for deer.

I know a person who only hunts in Colorado with a 30-30; for deer, elk and antelope.
Don't feel undergunned with the 30-30. I could tell you story after story of guys with "Magnum" rifles that have run offs from shot game. It happens. Having the latest and greatest uber magnum isn't gonna stop it from happening. What those uber magnums give you is longer distace capability with greater energy at those ranges. Unfortunately a lot of those "magnum" owners don't practice relying on their gun to do the job when the shot was poor causing run offs.

[glock21]

thanks. ill give it a shot this year and see how i do.

[denvernative321]

My boss told me when he first started hunting in CO he went out with a 30-30. He spoted a deer and put one in the kill zone and the deer ran up and over a hill. When he got over the hill he found 2 other hunters gutting it with their tag already on it. [Mad]

When he got back home he bought a 300 win mag......

Personally I would use a higher power cartridge. 300WM is a bit overkill but I personally prefer a .308 win

I would be pissed. where is the excitement in tagging someone else kill. I guess if you are starving. well on the bright side he did not fill the tag.

[theGinsue]

I took my first deer with a Marlin 30-30 Lever-action. While they aren't exactly a "long shot" gun, they have all of the knockdown power you'll need so long as your placement is true.

[Pistol Packing Preacher]

Shot placement, shot placement, shot placement.
The 30-30 works fine.

[Beer]

[jh308]

I took my first deer with a Marlin 30-30 Lever-action.

Same here.

A 1951 Win Model 94.

[Beprepared]

Shot placement, shot placement, shot placement.

I could tell you story after story of guys with "Magnum" rifles that have run offs from shot game. It happens. Having the latest and greatest uber magnum isn't gonna stop it from happening. What those uber magnums give you is longer distace capability with greater energy at those ranges. Unfortunately a lot of those "magnum" owners don't practice relying on their gun to do the job when the shot was poor causing run offs.

Yep plenty of stories with one shot drops with magnums. But my dad hunts moose, bear, and caribou with a 338win mag in AK. On more than a few occasions the first shot blew out heart (completely). Still needed two more shots. Sure you could wait after the first shot. Then your pulling your game out of a bog. This year he's moving down to a 308 for the moose and caribou. Not a popular decision but in his aging years, he's tired of lugging around a ten pound rifle. If it takes 3 shots, perfect placement with 338 why not 308. Tried to get him to go levergun, he wouldn't have any of that.

30-30 definitely!

[Birddog1911]

It's said that the 30-30 has taken more game in North America than all other calibers combined. You will not be undergunned.

I think your boss told you a story about the one that got away. Working a gun counter for 5 years here, I've heard that one a lot. It's like the story about catfish the size of buicks in lakes in the south; every state, hell every town, has one.

[spencerhenry]

30-30 is not a powerhouse, but has plenty of power for deer sized game and even larger. i have killed 4 elk with a 7mm bench rest out of an xp-100 pistol. extremely accurate, but not known for power. all the elk i have shot with it were one shot kills, two dropped in their tracks, one ran about 100yds without a heart, one ran about 50 yds and dropped. people think of a 44mag as a powerful gun, but it really isnt much different than a 30-30.
use good ammo, and get close enough to make a good shot, that is about all you need.

i have seen many animals hit with much larger faster bullets, sometimes they go down immediately, sometimes not. a 338 or 300 magnum gives you some more room for error, and sometimes will put an animal down with a very poor shot. but a bullet through the chest cavity (or an arrow) will put an animal down for good. i put a deer out of its misery once with a 223 with varmint bullets, he stood for about 5 seconds and fell over.

[buffalobo]

I've never hunted deer with anything else. Every deer except one that I shot at took up residence in the freezer. The one that got away, got away clean, I flat missed. At least 15 hunts in the last 20 yrs. I always stay under 150 yds and only take the good shot(one that I am sure I can place for sure kill). Rarely have to track more than 50 yds after the shot.

[wyzardd]

My 2nd & 3rd elk were taken with a .30-30. The same one that my grandfather used to feed his family deer and elk for 40 years.
My 1st was with a .257 Roberts.

None of them bounded over any hills or required altercations with other hunters.

Of course I now shoot .300 Win Mag, but that's because I'm using a Ruger No.1. The single shot action is my excuse for using an elephant gun

[Wolfhound]

Shot placement is everything as has been said before but practicing with the rifle you are going to use from every possible position and every distance you might possibly shoot from. If you put hundreds to thousands of rounds through a 30-30 in the months prior to the hunt from prone, sitting, standing and shooting sticks I see no reason why you couldn't use it for anything.

Wolfhound

[Backinblackrifles]

My great Grandfather did it in the early 1900's and I use the same rifle that He did and continue to do so today with it, I came west and have no qualms using it on elk or black bear. Just use a good quality heavy bullet and put it were it needs to go. Plus if You hunt in brush with it the lever gives very quick follow up shots and the recoil is not enough to roll You of target to much.