30-30s 1st Day of Hunting Season [Archive]

samari46

10-21-2017, 10:35 PM

One of my cousin's who lived in Pennsylvania used a old Marlin 93 in 30-30 for everything. Deer hunting, pigs and even woodchucks. After he passed away I waited for about a year before considering asking his widow if it was still in the family and if she wished to sell it. But they never had much money so figured it was one of the first things to go. Same with one of my uncles who had a nice krag except it had been drilled and tapped for a scope. Frank

starmac

10-22-2017, 12:12 AM

I had an uncle that I ran with for years, he was much more like a big brother, he even gave me my first centerfire rifle, which I still have.
Anyway when he passed on he had an old 9 shot long barreled 22 pistol, which he had had for 30 years that I knew of. A year or so before he passed he let someone take the grips to make a new set and never got them back. I ask to buy it, but was told that it would not be for sale, but a couple of years later it had went down the road at some point, I would probably have given 10 times more than what they got for it, just because.

I am no pistolero, but if he pulled the trigger on that thing, whatever he was pointing was hit. He shot a beer can I was holding on a bet one time with it. lol

Beagle333

10-22-2017, 12:29 AM

I had an uncle that I ran with for years, he was much more like a big brother, .........
He shot a beer can I was holding on a bet one time with it. lol

'Sounds like some of my parties, back in the day..... :wink:

I do love a 30-30 though. It is sufficient for anything we have here in AL. I have a few other rifles, but they are just for the variety of having them.

OlDeuce

10-22-2017, 01:46 AM

You guys are right on! the 30-30 was and still is that gun that does everything !! About 60 miles west of me is the Beartooth Mountain range and those old dudes hunting with horses in a mountain pass brings lots of memories going hunting with my Dad and 2 Uncles .. They all had old lever guns!! WoW

Ol Deuce

missionary5155

10-22-2017, 07:10 AM

Nothing wrong with a new lever gun today. Still does the same efficient non glamorous but ever faithful task of putting meat on the table.
But I do agree it is a far more heart thrilling issue to have a 130 year old lever rifle lurched the shoulder and hear that wondrous "thwap" as a caliber 38 255 FN grainer slams into the ribs of a corn cruncher of what ever type it may be.

GhostHawk

10-22-2017, 08:30 AM

I'm going to be honest here. For 60 years I never really "got" the whole lever gun .30-30 thing. Then as I settled into retirement I happened to run across a pair of Win 94's. One made back in 44, one AE with crossbolt safety. Well I ended up with both of them.

I have to admit, that Win94AE with some good loads is a barrel of fun.

She will shoot the Lee .312 185 gr gc sized down to .309 just fine. Same with the 150 155, or 160 gr versions.

She also shoots the little .314 90 gr TC sized to .309 over a light load of Red Dot awesomely. Same POA at 25 as full house loads at 100y. Those little pills would be big medicine on grouse, rabbits, squirrels, and as quiet as a .22lr.

So I get it now, its actually sort of a fusion between the old west version of an assault rifle, and a simple hard working capable of almost anything cartridge with a nice long neck that is perfect for cast.

She is the stuff that dreams are made of.

Wayne Smith

10-22-2017, 09:28 AM

When the 30-30 came out it's competition was the 45-70. It was the flat shooting wonder of it's day.

atr

10-22-2017, 10:02 AM

YIKES ...none of those guys in the pictures are wearing blaze orange !!!!

ps...yes 30-30 with 180 gr cast and 28 grs of 748 is a fantastic load for deer....good luck with your hunt

starmac

10-22-2017, 01:37 PM

GhostHawk, my story is similar. My uncle that I mentioned earlier gave me a M99 in 300 savage when I was a kid, so in my mind I never wanted or needed an inferior 30/30. I bought several of them over the years, but they were presents for my younger cousins. Sort of a pay it back kind of deal in my mind, never kept one. Just in the last few years have I discovered the joy of them, and have bought several of them, even kept two for myself, one is a bolt action however that will go to my grandson, the other is an older M 94, also have remingtons equivalent, the 30 rem in an old M 14 that is just pure fun too.

Mgderf

10-22-2017, 04:21 PM

My new Mossberg 464 .30-30 took it's first buck last season using Hornady LeverEvolution.
It was a small 3 point buck, but it was also the only deer I got a shot on all season.
One shot and down. He never took the first step after being hit with that 140gr FTX.

dikman

10-22-2017, 05:40 PM

Wonderful painting, quite evocative.

richhodg66

10-22-2017, 06:55 PM

I have a few .30-30s. Odd that out of all the deer I've killed only one was a .30-30 kill and it wasn't even a lever gun (for what its worth, the Savage 340 is a neat rifle itself).

That said, been killing them with only cast for several years now and the ballistics of most of the cast loads I've used could be easily done with a .30-30.

OlDeuce

10-22-2017, 07:17 PM

Wonderful painting, quite evocative.

Montana has it's share of beautiful Backcountry......A couple areas you can't take a gun in ! But that's Ok The Bears can play with those people who go there!
Iron Mountain and The Picketpen ! are my favorites.....! Ol Deuce

richhodg66

10-22-2017, 09:06 PM

If I were to ever leave Kansas (unlikely) Montana would probably be where I'd go.

shtur

10-22-2017, 11:12 PM

Nice paintings. The 30-30 is a fun gun on horse or in a jeep.

35 shooter

10-23-2017, 12:11 AM

Great old pic's.

OverMax

10-23-2017, 08:08 AM

OlDeuce

10-23-2017, 01:16 PM

Rider confronted by bear on horse back. "Oops e daisy"~~ I can only imagine what the horse felt?

270 winchester Season opener here is the 4th. of Nov.

(Can't afford to feed a horse.) I'll be riding my trusty Polaris Ranger.

Hahaha.......... yup We have way to many Grizzlies now in Montana!! If ya shoot a Deer or Elk the bear may get to it first LoL...... Our grandparents
worked hard to get the Grizzly count down in the 20s and 30s and they reintroduce them! they really never went away ! Just like the Wolf!!! and the Lion!!

Krazy world we live in .....Love it.... Ol Deuce

runfiverun

10-24-2017, 02:02 AM

orange?
generally we know who the guy's from Utah, Oregon and Cal. are by the orange.

OlDeuce

10-24-2017, 06:22 PM

orange?
generally we know who the guy's from Utah, Oregon and Cal. are by the orange.

LoL............I can relate to that ! It's kinda like a Population Thing ........Montana guys kinda know the differences between hunted & the hunter..:wink:..:2_high5::guntootsmiley::guntootsm iley::guntootsmiley:

P.S. we did red in the very early days tehehe

Ol Deuce

Doc65

10-24-2017, 06:51 PM

orange?
generally we know who the guy's from Utah, Oregon and Cal. are by the orange.

Grew up in western Oregon, and don't think I remember ever having Orange anything ;), but then again I left & put on OG Green & later numerous versions for Camo back in 86...

GooseGestapo

10-27-2017, 09:40 AM

Yeah, I'd be surprised to see a bear on horseback!
Would he be riding it bare-back?..?

T-Bird

10-27-2017, 07:08 PM

GG that's good! In defense of these orange wearers- they may come from places (like I do) where orange is mandatory.

ak_rob

10-28-2017, 01:34 PM

Even Montana is a orange state has been since the late 60' early 70's before that it was red. Still brings back memories. I've got a 30WCF with a five digit serial number

45-70 Chevroner

11-01-2017, 08:09 PM

I have a nice old Model 94 Win. 30-30 made in 1925. It's a rifle not a carbine with a 25" octagon barrel. Lots of patina but in great shape. I got my first cast boolit deer with it at 80 yds. It holds 10 rounds in the tube and 1 in the chamber. It shoots the RCBS 180 rfn as well as a jwords. Love that rifle.

OlDeuce

11-01-2017, 10:44 PM

My old 1894s in 30-30 is a trapper 1927, and my Rifle is a takedown 1/2 Octagon .... I like this round so well I bought a 23''bull in 30-30 for my
Contender!!! Way cool

Ol Deuce

45-70 Chevroner

11-02-2017, 06:28 PM

My old 1894s in 30-30 is a trapper 1927, and my Rifle is a takedown 1/2 Octagon .... I like this round so well I bought a 23''bull in 30-30 for my
Contender!!! Way cool

Ol Deuce

I have a Super 14 in 30-30 and I really like it, the only problem is the twist rate is too slow for the RCBS 180 gr. It key holes real bad with that boolit. It really likes the Lee 150 RFN though.

FergusonTO35

11-03-2017, 06:51 PM

Our rifle season opens on the 11th. I now have 4 .30 WCF rifles in my battery, however the most accurate one is a 1967 Marlin Glenfield 30 that lived a hard life before I got it.

OlDeuce

11-17-2017, 12:41 PM

I went nuts yesterday!! .........I loaded 250 rounds in 30-30 lol My plan is to renew my bond with my Old 1894 takedown!! Lead and more lead !!
These old Winchesters feel so good in hands!!!!!! I should try some of the Hornady gummy points!

Does anyone use them???

Ol Deuce

Drm50

11-17-2017, 01:27 PM

Some of you guys are lucky, I've got 3 old 30/30s in excellent condition. I can't use them for deer
in Ohio. The law is 38 cal minimum, Straight case. But I can use 45/70 or 375win. It doesn't make
sense to me but I'm stuck with it. In a few weeks I will be toting a #3 Ruger/ 375w for deer.

On the paintings/ posters our family has always been solidly Winchester ( pre 64s) we have some
hunting buddies that come from a Remington family. We have the Repro of Win poster with the
hunter and bear, we also have a Remington poster with hunter and bear. On the Remington
poster we added the script " SOL" just to hack on them and there Rems.

starmac

11-17-2017, 03:08 PM

LOL. I read a book some 45 years or a little more ago about trapping in Alaska. It had a list of stuff you needed to survive living and trapping in the bush. He claimed you needed a reliable rifle of a good caliber for big bear country, like a 300 savage. lol

OlDeuce

11-17-2017, 11:27 PM

I've been working on a young man 18 years old now to take his Grandpas 1894 Winchester deer hunting!! 2 weekends left of the season!! That was part
of the loading 30-30 ..........We'll see what happens!! When he visits me the drool flows when he handles the winchesters I Love It!!!!!!!

Ol Deuce

FergusonTO35

11-18-2017, 01:46 PM

I've been carrying my Marlin Glenfield 30 the past few days in the woods. I have to say this one has the best feel out of all of them. The half mag tube gives it a shotgun-like pointability and the weight is perfect for the cartridge, not too light or heavy. I'm currently saving money to put a Leupold VX-3 1-5x20 on it, a $400.00 scope for a $200.00 rifle!

OlDeuce

11-19-2017, 12:22 AM

Has anyone taken their game with their 30-30 this season???????

missionary5155

11-20-2017, 01:59 PM

Greetings
Nooo...But waiting to read if that 44-56 does any talking.
Mike in Peru

OlDeuce

11-20-2017, 02:07 PM

Greetings
Nooo...But waiting to read if that 44-56 does any talking.
Mike in Peru

Not yet Mike....................LoL She's getting really close for a Field Test !!!! Ol Deuce

northmn

11-21-2017, 10:50 AM

Funny thing about the 3030. I like the caliber but rarely use it. My daughter took her first 5 deer with a Marlin CB I gave her to use but somehow became her rifle even though I bought her a bolt action scoped rifle. I found a very nice old Marlin in the LGS but it was 35 Remington. Bought it because it was Ballard rifled and at that time I was using cast bullets a lot. Ended up not shooting them in the 35 as the cost to get the molds and GC's was pretty high. Shot a few deer with the CB 3030 I mentioned. I have a waffletop 3030 carbine I have hunted with in certain stands but the deer have not cooperated. My other Marlin is a 38-55 CB and my go to for cast right now.
Like the rifles and caliber but don't seem to use it much.

DP

OlDeuce

11-21-2017, 11:06 PM

This would be a Shot with the 30-30!! This picture was taken in Wyoming just the other day Just south of here
https://s20.postimg.org/tqdyz732l/23675101_1598009700280036_126631188894820790_o.jpg (https://postimg.org/image/p4huquhjd/)

Ol Deuce

bob208

11-22-2017, 04:10 PM

I am n the same boat . I like the .30-30. in fact if I could have only one rifle that would be it. but every time I take one out I see nothing except for one time I had a real rifle and hit one at close to 200 yds. the other deer I have got was a .303 enfield then a 30-40 krag with cast bullets a 92 Winchester .38-40 .45muzzleloader. they all dropped dead with one shot. the one that went the most distance was a front to end shot with the .30-40. with those results I have no trouble using a .44-40 for deer. this year I am going to use my uberti 66 winchester repro. in .44-40.

rintinglen

11-23-2017, 10:05 AM

Deer season is over for me and Bear season will soon be, but I would like a dollar in the bank for every 30-30 that went hunting this year. What a great old cartridge!

OlDeuce

11-24-2017, 01:52 AM

Deer season is over for me and Bear season will soon be, but I would like a dollar in the bank for every 30-30 that went hunting this year. What a great old cartridge!

Yes!!!!!! It's perfect in every need !! Ol Deuce

When I was in High School a friend took aim shot his deer! it was app 100yards. when he got to his deer there was 2 down!!! that 30-30 plowed through the first and with enough energy left to take the
second!!! that's the 30-30 Ol Deuce:2gunsfiring_v1::target_smiley::target_smiley :