30-30 or 38-55 for hunting with cast?

[Thundarstick]

I have been lurking and searching but can't seem to find a good answer to the question of weather the 38 gives enough of an advantage over the 30 cal. for white tail deer hunting. Looking at one of the Winchester (Miroku) 94s for a cast bullet gun. I know I can buy 30-30 ammo just about anywhere, anytime, but that isn't the point as I roll my own for everything I shoot anyway. I know this place isn't short on opinions, so how about some?

[1Papalote]

for cast boolit hunting I prefer the 38-55 over 30-30. Larger diameter, heavier boolit.

1Papalote

[atr]

I load 180 grs cast in my 30-30 which is plenty good for whitetails (when I can find em:)

[Outpost75]

While I have killed about a dozen deer with cast bullets in the .30-30 over the years, the .35s and up are more sure killers, leave a better blood trail and you don't have to follow up the animal as far.

If you can find an old .38-55 which shoots well, you are better off. Some of the newer .38-55 have chambers which are too tight to permit loading cast bullets which are large enough to fill their throats and have other dimensional mis-matches. But if you can chamber rounds assembled with bullets which are THROAT diameter (ignore groove diameter) you will be satisfied.

As for me, I had John Taylor reline a shot-out 1894 for me to the .30-30 case necked up to .35 with a 16" twist. I shoot an LBT 260-grain flatnosed, plainbased bullet which provides balistics otherwise identical to the .38-55 and have been well pleased in splitting the difference.

89409

I can use either .30-30, .32 Win. Spl. or the Starline 2.082" .38-55 cases as feedstock. Stuff the case full with 3031, 4895, RL15 or Varget, put a Walters wad under the bullet and I'm good to go for 1600-1800 fps.

For plinking 15.5 grs. of #2400 or 8.4 grains of Bullseye for 1300 fps. Works for me!

[Marvin S]

Unless you are up for some possible loading challenges get a 30wcf or 32 special. Now dont get me wrong as I have two 38-55,s and like them they can be a touch more on the advanced boolit shooters side at times.

[Thundarstick]

Thanks for the relies! I have read about the nightmares that the 38-55 can pose, but everything I can gather is that the Miroku bore slugs at .376, so getting a load together shouldn't be too much of a problem. I handled one of the sporter models and it was tight and smooth as melted butter, and a very nice looking gun to boot. I was leaning hard twards the 38-55 with the bigger hole for the very reasons mentioned. Now I just need to get my benjamins together as well! :mrgreen: OTH, I have been keeping my eye on the 30-30 and if it don't sell by spring I may be able to pick it up much cheeper than a special order gun.

[KirkD]

I've taken deer with both, and both using cast bullets. Both are more than sufficient for Whitetail deer. If I were to give the nod to one, it might be the 38-55 simply because of its slightly bigger hole and heavier bullet.

[fouronesix]

Lot of "ifs" in the question. Having had and shot both in several different carbines and rifles, I'd vote for the 38-55. The one caveat is that the older 38-55 Winchester chambers/bores are NOTORIOUS for having small necks and large grooves. It's a very fine wire to walk to get just the right case married to just the right bullet diameter to allow many of the older 38-55s to shoot to their potential. If you are willing to work hard at it... the 38-55 is a hard one to beat. A big, slow and accurate cast slug is very effective at reasonable ranges.

[northmn]

Have both and shot deer with both. The 30-30 with a 188 gain cast bullet properly alloyed and hardened is pretty effective, such that to say the 38-55 is more effective is to me questionable as dead is dead. Getting a 30-30 to shoot with cast is almost a no brainer and the velocities can be equivalent to jacketed loads. My 38-55 does not like hotter loads and as such is not anymore effective. Maybe with a good gas check bullet, but with what I have it just is not as accurate as I like. Many like the 180 grain FN RCBS bullet in the 30-30.

DP