300 Savage vs. 30-30

[buckwheatpaul]

Toying with the idea of buying a Savage 99 in 300 Savage or 30-30....What are the strengths and weaknesses of each....what do you like about the caliber you champion? Thanks in advance....

[RickinTN]

I like and have both. The 300 obviously a little more power, and not falling short of the .308 Winchester by much. Game animals would probably never know the difference. From a cast standpoint the 30-30 with it's longer neck would probably be the choice. From a cast bullet prospective you could probably get very close if not equal performance to the 300 savage from a 30-30. Accuracy potential would probably drop off in the 300 before velocity potential was reached.
I would like to be in your dilemma as I like older "new to me" rifles.
I'm looking forward to hearing what others have to say on the subject.
Good Luck with your choice,
Rick

[KCSO]

The 300 Savae is just below the 308 in power and the original load was a 150 bullet at 2700 fps to match the 30-06 ballistics of that time. This and the spitzer bullet puts the 300 ahead of the 30-30 as to power. BUT... the 30-30 is the IDEAL cast bullet ctg. You can load 30-30's just as fast in cast as in jacketed, accuracy is just as god or better and the long neck makes the 30-30 a winner for cast bullets as compared to the shorter neckon the 300 Savage. Plus 30-30 is everywhere, when is the last time you saw 300 Savage on sale at Walmart? To me the choice is obvious and I would snap up a 99 in 30-30 in a heartbeat.

[clownbear69]

Personally myself I would always go with the .30-30 over the 300 savage. Not because I don't like the .300 Savage, but availability of ammo should be addressed. I always give this example when I worked for Cabela's. It was early morning and deer season was already on its was. I man came in frantically looking for ammo. I don't remember what but I think it was either .44-40 or .38-55 (I know completely different rounds but it was for a lever action non common round). And we were out of stock and weren't getting anything back for a month. This man got PO and left and that's all because he left it at home.

Even though reloading is always an option leaving your ammo at home is not. It can always happen, has happened to the best of us. But if you shoot/ hunt at home , then flip a coin honestly. But my 94 has been faithful and can find ammo almost anywhere.

Another point to look it what's the condition of the bores on each gun. That would flip my vote if the .300 was better condition overall over the 30-30

[Horace]

For cast shooting the 30-30 hands down.
Horace

[starmac]

Well during this ammo scarcity 300 savage has pretty much been on the shelf at sportsmans here, not so with 30/30 or most popular calibers. I have both the 300 is my meat gun, the 30/30 is my play gun.

[sargenv]

If you got the 300 savage, it is easy to form/trim 308 win into 300 savage.. just run it through the sizing die, trim and load..

[square butte]

I'm pretty sure you already know what I think. But then which do you like, Red heads or blondes.

[starmac]

There is something about a redhead, hmmm I like em both though. lol

[square butte]

That's the real trouble. Then you throw in brunettes and ----- well, were just all in a whole bunch of trouble.

[Sweetpea]

LGS has an absolutely beautiful octagon barreled 99... in 303 Savage...

Hard Sell[smilie=b:

[buckwheatpaul]

What I am getting is....I need to ask Mrs. Santa Clause for both....I truly appreciate the advice....my hats are off to you all.......Thanks, Paul

[dragon813gt]

I just started load development for my Uncle's 300 Savage. I love the round personally. It almost matches a 308, what I shoot, in performance but I find it softer shooting. I wish I could tell you how it's performed but I just cast the bullets and am working up loads for his rifle as well as my 308 at the same time.

[Outpost75]

Buy BOTH rifles if you can afford to do so, then experiment and pontificate!

If you can afford only 1 then I vote for a .30-30!

[richhodg66]

LGS has an absolutely beautiful octagon barreled 99... in 303 Savage...

Hard Sell[smilie=b:

Out of curiosity, what is the asking price on it? Wish I had one.

I love 99s and have one in .300 which has shown itself to be a good cast shooter. I also have a Model 1920 and it does OK too. Gonna deer hunt with the '99 this year.

I love the .30-30 too and have a few also. If I had to pick just one, the .30-30 is a little easier to find brass for and can do about anything with cast the .300 can, so I'd probably opt for it if the guns were equal otherwise.

[gnoahhh]

This isn't a difficult question to answer. Get one of each. Problem solved!

Being an owner of each, plus a few other calibers, in the Savage lever action, I do have to say that the .30/30's and .303 Savages are my favorites for cast bullet shooting.

[Just Duke]

I like my 300 Savage. I haven't shot it yet.

[Char-Gar]

The 300 Savage is a time tested "deer rifle" that stretches out the effective range vis-a-vi the 30-30. The 300 Savage is best with 150 jacketed bullets stepping along in a scope sighted rifle. I know folks that hunt elk with 99s in 300 Savage. The case has a very short neck and if cast bullets is your goal, it is not the best choice.

The 30-30 has along neck and powder capacity that makes it a better choice for cast bullets. I am a cast bullet nut, so I would chose the 30-30 round every time. Just make certain you barrel with a 1-12 twist barrel a la Winchester.

[1Shirt]

I agree with whoever said, buy both!
1Shirt!

[oscarflytyer]

My 30-30 is a 336 (and same in 35 Rem!). But one of my bucket list items has always been a Sav 99 in 300 Sav! Finally got a pristine '50s model. And love it. Hopefully a deer with it this season. I also have a 99 in 284 Win. Great caliber and deadly on deer. Only bummer is that this one rode in a truck for a lot of years in East TX - and has all the wear to show for it... Cracked stock and very light surface pitting and blue wear. Hope to one day restore this one. No value loss, as it is a beater shooter now.

Bottom line, I would go with the 300 Sav in the 99, and save the 30-30 for a 336 (or even Win 94). But then, I also want a 99 in 250 Savage, so maybe I am not the right guy to ask!

[Just Duke]

There is a premo one with all the trimmings ammo dies scope etc in the buy sell section as we speak. ;

[starmac]

Hang on to that 284, they aren't the easiest to come by. Hopefully my next one will be a 358 (just missed one) but any 99 comes along for a steal will find a home if I have the change in my pocket.

I have had a 300 for years, so didn't have an interest in one that was at an auction a few years ago, a pristine 50's 300. It sold for 600 which was a decent price.
This auction was during the first Obummer caused ammo scare (shortage) and the guy was moving and probably had 10,000 rounds or more in various calibers.
After the savage sold I got to talking to the homeowner having the sale and ask him why he had no shells for that savage. He told me that he had never had any he had never shot it. His dad bought it new in 54 and promptly shot himself in the foot with it, so he gave it to him and he had other rifles so had never even shot it. I am still kicking myself for not at least bidding that one up, even though I already had one. lol

[ballistim]

I have a 1948 Model 99 in .300 Savage and a J.C. Higgins Model 46 (Marlin 336) in 30-30 that I bought at the same time at the local gun store down the road a few years back, and they are both great guns and I wouldn't hesitate to hunt with either here in the MI deer woods (actually both my sons have) and have had success loading for both. I prefer the 30-30 for brass availability and I don't like the short neck on the .300 Savage case which makes it difficult to find as many boolits that don't have the gas check in the powder area of the case. I really want to have a .358 Winchester and if the Savage was less collectible I'd rebarrel it but as it stands I'll probably rebarrel my Model 7 or buy a used cheap Savage 110 and a .358 barrel kit from Brownell's. I think the 30-30 and .300 Savage are both excellent choices but would take a 30-30 or a '99 in .308 for the reasons I've given.

[oscarflytyer]

The 284 won't go anywhere, trust me. I have seen what they go for and how hard they are to find. And it is a great cartridge.

If I found one in 358 for a decent price, would be VERY tempted to buy it too. I love the 99.

[texasnative46]

To All,

ImVho, the .300 Savage is superior in every way, when compared to the .30-30. = For one thing, IF one reloads (and who on this forum does not??) .308 WCF is easy to convert to .300 Savage & I have never paid even a thin dime for all the .308 cases that I cared to pick-up off the ranges.
(On my last "range clean-up trip", I scrounged over 200 of the .308 cases.)

My favorite load for my 1954-era "pet" Model 760 Remington pump-gun is a 190 grain GCCB at about 1950 FPS. - That load is at least as good of a killer on WT sized game as the .303 Savage Canadian (CIL) load & is a far more effective KILLER than any .30-30 cartridge out to 150M on game up to & including elk, caribou & even moose than the .30-30 will ever be.
(Most WT are taken at 100M or often far less.)

For longer ranges, the hard-cast 140 grain GCCB is near perfection on antelope, fur-bearers & larger varmints , when driven to near .308 WCF velocities.

just my OPINIONS, tex

[Hardcast416taylor]

I like my 300 Savage. I haven't shot it yet.


Now Duke that doesn`t really make any sense? You need to put a few rounds thru it to have that `like it` bug really bite ya!Robert

[MostlyLeverGuns]

I have a few Marlin .30-30's, a few more Savage 99 in .303, .30-30, .300, .308. In the wide open, a favored .300 is used for antelope and deer, pointy bullets for beyond 150 yards. Cases - cut-off LC 85 .308's. There is a significant difference on game with jacketed bullets. Just cast under 150 yards - deer and smaller not as much, but some. If I had to chose the .300 Savage would always win. Easy to get good boolit accuracy. I use the 311332 or 311299, 2000fps with 200 grains easy with the .300 Savage. The neck IS NOT too short, if you pay attention!

[northmn]

I loaded a 30-30 with a 188 cast bullet at about 2000 fps with no problem and it killed deer well.
There was a writer that liked old cartridges that thought the 300 S was the "perfect deer rifle" Many like to say it is better than the 30-30 in all conditions which is B.S. I have used both and still have 30-30's. I bought a 300 S for my daughter ( a bolt action) and it has killed a few deer for her, as did the 30-30 I lent her. Arm chair speculators love to look at ballistic tables and say which is 'better". These comparisons are generally based on energy tables or some such and not from hunting experience. The last deer I shot with a 300 S ran across a hay field to make it to the woods as they often do after being shot. It folded in an unforgettable cloud of snow. Had it been shot with a 30-30 it would have done the same thing (A deer that ran about the farthest for me was hit with a 270 130 and I have no idea how it ran that far when I field dressed it).
300 S is better with a scope and gives more range. If you do not need the extra range, either works and as stated by others the 30-30 sells ammo right now locally at 15.99, the 300 S at about $35. For longer ranges I prefer a bolt action anyway. My own opinion is that if you reload and cast the 30-30 is better and with J bullets I would be indifferent if they were both in the same rifle.

DP

[Les Kerf]

300 Savage cases can be made from a wider variety of parent brass than almost any other cartridge I can think of. I literally was raised on venison taken witha 300 Savage. Now I own a 99 in 308.

[texasnative46]

MostlyLeverGuns,

Sounds like you "have a thing for" the Model 99, as I do about the Remington Model 760 pump-gun.
(I own several of them in different calibers, though my "pet" is a really "plain Jane" 1954-made "corncob stock" 760 in .300 Savage.)

My first 760 was in .244 Remington caliber & that I got "for peanuts" (IF I remember correctly, I paid 60 bucks for it in "as new" condition, with 2 boxes of shells.) when I was in college in AR in 1976 for WT hunting. With 90 grain JHP it "did the job" well.
(My niece kept borrowing it, until I gave it to her.)

I like the 760 so much that I'm "looking about for" a long-action 760 (that has a badly pitted or "shot-out" bore) that I will have rebored/rechambered in 9.3x62 Mauser & fitted with a 2.5X "scout scope" for really BIG game. - When I get that one done, it will go to southern Africa with me in 2017.
(I want to take a leopard & a Cape Buffalo, as well as some plains game.)

yours, tex

[quilbilly]

For cast shooting the 30-30 hands down.
Horace
Absolutely but I have seen a lot of elk meat being hauled out of the forests after falling victim to a 300 Sav.

[starmac]

A book I read some 45 years ago or so, might have been titled North Americsn fur bearers, about trapping in Alaska, had a list of essentials for living and trapping in the Alaska bush. It called for a good and appropiate rifle, such as a 300 savage, since at the time a 300 was the only rifle I owned (still have it) I thought that was pretty neat and it has stuck in my mind all these years.

I bought and gave away several 30/30s, only firing them for function for quite a few years before getting in on the 30/30 bandwagon, because I had and considered the 300 superior.

[Jedman]

You seem to like the 99 so if you have seen many they come in all types of configurations.
If I was only going to buy one, I would handle all of them I could. If your a iron sight guy you might like one of the early shorter barreled models that has not been drilled or tapped. The later models came from Savage already D&T and are better with a scope.
Both calibers are Great !

Jedman

[OverMax]

Personally I like both. ~ but,~ the 300 has no limit on bullet profiles/types you can use. What I found over the years>Both cartridges kill equally well<
30-30 its brass is easy to come by. 300's brass isn't. But its just a matter of annealing a 308 than go thru the typical steps to resize one into the other.
Tip: I fire form all my swagged brass first so's to get their proper shoulder set back to match its chamber than reset a (second) re-Sizer die to match.. Honestly OP I prefer resized 308 to 300 brass better than factory 300 brass. Bold statement but: I think the 308 reformed brass is considerably more durable or stronger or something like it as it doesn't seem grow in length after its repeated firings.

[MostlyLeverGuns]

For the .300 Savage using .308 brass - trim to length FIRST, then resize carefully adjusting sizing die to set .308 case shoulder back for your 'PERFECT' fit in the .300 Savage. Many Savage 99's have 'generous' headspace and this is a way to get very long case life and avoid the fireforming. Case stretching almost completely avoided, even on first firing.

[Texas by God]

I have a Pre-64 30-30 with Williams 5D sight that I love. I have a Rem 81 .300 box stock that I love. They both serve the same purpose for me but differently.

[TXGunNut]

I don't recall what OP wound up with but seem to recall it was the Savage, maybe both. Yes, the 300 has a slight edge on paper but in most hunting situations the deer would likely never be able to tell the difference. If given the choice (after my finances recover) I'd opt for a nice Savage, you don't see one of these very often.

[marlin1889]

I have a 99 takedown with both a 300 savage barreland a 250 savage barrel,love them,also have a 99 in 30-30,love them all.

[Hunter5567]

I bought a Savage 99EG 300 Savage earlier this summer out of the local classifieds. It is a 1952 model and was in great shape with an ancient recoil pad that I replaced and came with 3 boxes of Remington ammo for $400. I had it drilled and tapped for a Leupold scope base as my rifles are hunting rifles and I want a scope on it. EG's are pretty common and with the stock cut for a recoil pad, I didn't think I was affecting much value and actually increased the value of it to make it scope ready. I made brass from 308 and started loading for it.
I tried Leverevolution powder in it first with Hornady 150gr SP bullets and I never could get a consistent group.
I guess Hornady knew what they were doing and didn't have any loads for this powder in their newest manual but had loads listed for the 307 Winchester and 308 Marlin Express. Anyways, I pulled what was left and then reloaded using RL15 powder and that made a huge difference. Shooting less than 1" 3 shot groups at 100 yards and now I have a companion to my Marlin 308MX.
The Marlin is my go to deer rifle and just seems to be the lucky rifle when hunting. I believe this Savage has the same karma.
I may try some of the 160gr FTX bullets in it but if it;'s not broke--I won't fix it.
The Marlin 308ME seems to kill out of all proportion to it's book velocity and hits like a 30-06.

I just saw a 1957 Savage 99F .308 listed in the local forum that I would love to have for $495 but just can't justify it with the 300 Savage and 308 Marlin Express. I'll let the Savage 308 go to another home that will appreciate what fine a lever action it is and take it hunting.
The first Savage 99 I ever saw was as a young pup whose friend had one in 300 savage at the tender age of 8 years old.
Later in the mid 70's I saw a hunter toting one into the woods and later he came out dragging an 8 point buck. He had killed it with a 22 Savage Hi power rifle.

[richhodg66]

I have several 99s of various configurations, love them. But the well-worn 99EG in .300 is the slickest of them all and is a good shooter with cast. It's not pristine, but I couldn't bring myself to drill holes in it, so I found an old Redfield receiver sight that fit. Handles and points very nicely. I killed a nice doe with the 311041 in it a few years ago.

[TXGunNut]

Welcome to the forum, Hunter5567! Do you have any 3031 lying around? It does a fine job pushing CB's out of my Savage.

[Rodfac]

My 99 in .300 Savage is by far the most accurate lever gun I own. Though I haven't tried it with cast it's a MOA rifle for the first 3 shots with jacketed. I plan to use my standard Lyman mold for all of my .30's, #311291 gc and size them to 0.310. That's worked for me in straight WW alloy for nearly fifty years.

Another great Savage is the saddle gun in .358 if you can find one. A neighbor sold me one this past summer for $600 and it's proved to be a fine CB gun. RCBS's fine flat point at 200 gr. will keep 'em all under two " at 100 if I do my part. I do prefer that shorter 22" bbl. but the rig is every bit as heavy as the .300, well over 8 lbs.

Good luck with yours. Rod

[Blackwater]

The biggest problem I see for the .300 Savage these days is the availability of bullets for it. Most .30 cal.'s are designed for .308 and '06 velocities, and they don't open up as readily from a .300's reduced velocities. If the game you hunt tends to be large, that'd probably work fine, especially in the RN types, that tend to open a little quicker and do more damage, but for the smaller southern variety of whitetails I hunt, I'd likely load FP .30/30's in the J-bullets that are designed for the .30/30. Expansion works wonders on our smaller southern whitetails, and the 170's would be my pick in it in J-bullets. With cast, its short neck can be a bit of a challenge to find a really great bullet for it, but what's life without a challenge or two? And the sweet smell of success is just sweeter when you've met a good challenge, too. So .... ya' pays yer money an' takes yer chioces. If you're shooting, it's all good! That's my take on it, anyway. Have only owned one M-99, and I wish I still had it. Great guns! They're rare around here, but still great guns.

I've always thought they were really excellent candidates for dolling up. those big flat receiver sides just cry out for some nice engraving. My pocketbook won't support that lust, though, but I did e-nickel one for a customer, and he absolutely loved it! Was a great looking gun, and a big hit at his deer camp! I think they'll likely bury him with that gun!

[TCLouis]

When faced with such a serious decision I can only recommend that you buy BOTH

I would opt for 30-30 for the kewl factor.

[bob208]

well either is good. but you can walk into most off beat hardware store and buy .30-30's I don't know about 300 savage.