.30 or .30-30

[Troll]

The gun shop by my house has a used Western Field in .30-30 and a Plainsfield M1 Carbine for sale. I'm not sure of whcih one to get and you guys seem to be pretty knowledgeable so... Do you have any guidance for a gun noobie?

[JDFuchs]

The semiautto might be more tricky to load/cast for. But both are a lot of fun.

[btroj]

A 30-30 is darn hard to beat as a cast bullet shooter.

[Gee_Wizz01]

The M1 carbine is a good cast boolit shooter, but is not to good for hunting much more than small game. The carbine is a fun pinker. The 30-30 is good hunting round and a great cast boolit shooter.

G

[CATS]

You will pine for both at some time in the future if the prices are good. However, the 30-30 is more flexable for use. Plenty good for deer or loaded down for plinking. Google Marlin jam and cycle rounds through it quick and slow to check feeding. What ever you get, tear it down and clean and lube it. Cleaning cures a lot of ills.
Everyone needs a 30-30.
Good luck and let us know which you get!
CATS

[Jon K]

+1 for the 30-30.

Jon

[peerlesscowboy]

..............
Everyone needs a 30-30.
...............
CATS
I like your way of thinking :wink:

[JIMinPHX]

Get 'em both. You can always sell one later.

[lylejb]

The 30-30 is versatile, and has been bringing home deer for 100+ years.

Also, if you ever find yourself in the nowheresville general store / gas station / post office / only building in town, and need ammo, they'll likely have 30-30.

The 30 carbine, might be a fun gun, but IMO it's not enough for deer.

I know you didn't say if hunting was a consideration, but with a 30-30 that option is open to you. I also think the 30-30 is likely the more accurate gun.

[northmn]

I ahve used cast in more tahn one 30-30 and find them almost a no brainer to load for. I have loaded them up down and in between.

DP

[NHlever]

You can make a .30 carbine out of a 30-30, but can't do it the other way around. On the other hand, it really depends on what you want to do with the rifle, and either is fun......... just different. When I was in Vietnam I had an M-2 Carbine (full auto capable) that I "borrowed" from a nice VC lady, and it was a blast to shoot, but I didn't use it for serious duty.

[blackpowder man]

Yeah, pretty hard to beat a .30-30. Somebody at the gun range will eventually let you know that you are shooting an obsolete caliber and when he does show him your obsolete lead boolit and he will leave you alone after telling you that you are ruining your obsolete rifle. There are lots of experts at the gun range.

[W.R.Buchanan]

If the price on that Western Field is good, say less than $250 I'd jump on it.. That gun was made for Montgomery Wards I believe, or Western Auto stores. They were made a a lower cost version of the regular 336 that Marlin has produced since about 1947?

I have seen several at guns shows and they always want $450+ for them and they are not even in real nice condition.

If it is clean it would be worth more than an off brand M1Carbine anyday, and much more useful to boot. You can actually shoot something bigger than a JackRabbit with it and expect it to go down.

Randy

[6pt-sika]

At one point I owned 13 rifles chambered for 30-30 and shot cast in most of them . I also had a pair of WWII M 1 Carbines !

Now I own one circa 1905 Winchester 1894 rifle in 30-30 and the same pair of Carbines !

One of my Carbines IS a Winchester no less !

To be honest I rarely shoot the Carbines or the 1894 anylonger !

[6pt-sika]

JD Fuchs ,

Thats a rather nice looking Darne you have in your avitar !

I had a pair of them about 20 years ago ! One was 12 and the other was a 20 !

Very nice bird guns , but to darn LIGHT for skeet !

[Marine Sgt 2111]

I have my Dad's Canadian Centennial Rifle and aa 788 in .30-30. Just a great cartridge for shooting lead boolits from 100gr's to 180gr's. You can load them fast or slow and anywhere in between. Oh and you can load them with roundballs for squirrels and coons.:bigsmyl2:

[Troll]

All right, I did some further digging and the Carbine is actually a replica and the Westerfield is only $225 with a Burris scope; it does have some missing bluing and two screws missing in the receiver. Those screws are on sale at Midway however.

[Troll]

Ya, so we got them both. Thanks for the advice guys.

[7of7]

Good deal... both... You will have quite a bit of fun with both..