30-30 medicine gun
 

Ok I hafta start this thread, an I appologize for it cause I ain't tryin to stir up a stink. But the last couple of years I have fallen more an more in love with the 30-30 and particularly my marlin 336 (nothin wrong with a winchester I ain't sayin that). But I keep hearin and readin people talkin about the useless 30-30 and runnin it down.

We know how old the 30-30 is.
We know that MILLIONS of them have come off the lines.

So there has GOT to be somebody beside myself (and my grandfather when he was alive) that was PROUD to be a 30-30 owner.

That cartridge has taken alot of game in these United States, and I have yet to see it not do the job if the jerk on the trigger did his/her/its job.

So I am standin up an testifyin!

Firearm : Marlin 336 (1975 edition with no safeties) in 30-30 with the front sight hood and iron sights only.
Ammo : 170 grain Remington Core-Lokts or 165 or 170 grain lasercast handloads.

An I am proud ta own it. I saw a deer shot just this season at about 70 yards with a 30-30. He came within an inch of winnin one of the local big bucks contests. He was shot in the right from shoulder, and the round exited his left hip. Not an ideal shot, but he didn't move nary an inch. Myself I woulda probably aimed for the chest on a dead on shot if I couldn't get a good bead right between his eyes. Maybe this year I can get some stand time in and get me a buck.

GoodOlBoy

GOB,

I always admired the .30/30, but in 1958 when I started deer hunting the Sears Catalog carried them for about $70.00. The local surplus store had 1903s for $25.00, British MkIIIs for $16.88 and Italian 7.35mm M38 carbines for $13.88. Brother and I got kitted out for PA deer with a military arm that we each still have.

A few years ago I finally got a Winchester 94 that was made just before WWI and has the saddle ring. My .30/30 is in the range of the "Spruce Guns" Bruce Canfield did an article on in a recent "American Rifleman." My "medicine gun" shows honest wear-almost no blue remains on the receiver- and there are three large "X"s carved into the wrist of the butt stock. With 170 grain Remington ammo, the rear sight in the second notch up from the bottom will print holes on point of aim at 100 yards. I carried my .30/30 afield last deer season and it was "enough gun" for the PA deer woods.

Very good thread.

Adam

In Indiana we call the 30-30 the Redneck ak-47. Everyone has one or two and if china evey invades the better air drop 30-30 rounds along with 223, 308's.

I bought a few with my dad in the late 1970's at the kentucy gun show in louisville, 336 was 125 and 2 win 94's at 150 and 175 each. Seems they go on sale down there each year after deer season and you can go back in the early fall and sell them back to the same people you bought them from that spring. I still have all 3.

I have 2 (both Marlin 336s) and I love em both. I haven't been able to shoot my newer one cuz it's been pretty chilly here but my older one love 150 Federals. I'll carry my .270 if the country is open but I don't think anything beats the 30-30 in the brush.

I`ve got 2 that are set up for nite hunting coyotes. 1 wears a Russian 1 st. nite vision scope and the orthe a lazer sight. Not long range guns, but with a 110 gr. HP it should leave a big hole in one. Now I just have to get the coyotes to cooperate.

I have 3, a Marlin Model 1936, an old H&R SS, and a Savage 219. They are fine firearms. The Savage 219 is my favorite go to sneak hunting gun. It has a 26" barrel, peep sight and carrys like a dream. Long live the 30-30.

Started with my grandfather's winchester 94. Ended up getting a 336 that was old enough not to have the safety. With a low power variable scope, and see-thru mounts, it points better than any other gun I own. As soon as it hits my shoulder, I've got a sight picture. Not the most accurate gun, but it's minute-of-whitetail as far as I need it too be.;)

gd

I bought my first 30-30 a few years back, as a way to learn cast bullet shooting. It's a bolt-action Savage 340. Ugly as a Russian female shot-putter, but it sure is fun!

In truth, the 30-30 is all the deer gun that 90% of us would ever need. Well-kept records show that the very great majority of all deer taken across the whole country are shot inside 150 yards, with most at about half that. Deer are simply not that hard to kill, either.

The 30-30 is just enough for the game, not too much for any hunter and just right for the wallet. What's not to like?

I'm with you, GOB. I have a Marlin 336 and love it.

Ugly as a Russian female shot-putter.

Just added to memory bank. thanks Rocky.

My first firearm was a 30-30 Winchester model 94 my father gave me. He got it used when he was just 13. Its a family treasure that gets pulled out in some of these brushy Ca hunts we go on from time to time. Personally I love the way the model 94 looks and feels, I've decided to start collecting the model 94 s to rid myself of any empty space in my new safe....lol

The only problem with the thuty thuty is like a lot of other things in the shooting world, stupid and/or ignorant shooters or gun writers. It is easier to beat up on a cartridge than it is to sell a new cartridge based on it's own merit.
Ed

My first rifle was a Model 94. In fact, I shot my first deer with it. I was 13 or 14 and it was the last day of the season at about 1 pm. I kicked up a bedded mulie and he took off running and then stopped to see what I was. Bang, head shot. Dead deer:p
muledeer

I shot two very respectable mule deer with my 30-30. they were just as dead as all of the others i shot with my 270- maybe there is a lesson there. The problem I had with my 30-30 was that the magazine would not work I could put one in the chamber and only one in the magazine- otherwise it would jam- lost more than one good deer to that darn jam. Has anybody else had the same problem with a model 94?

30-30 medicine gun
 

A model 94 Win is my main 30-30 along with a Savage Model 219 for strictly fun. Haven't taken anything large with the 219 but it is sure fun to head shoot bunnies with cast bullets. Also another 94 hiding in the recess of the safe but it is the 30-30 bigger brother called the 32 Spec. Alot of respect and worlds of nostalgia.

I brought home a marlin 30/30 i was to sell for a freind and my 13 year old fell in love so now he has a 30/30.
It is a sear westernfield gun with iron sights he said he dont want a scope on it.

30-30's
 

Like Rocky I have a Savage 340 that I bought at a yard sale for a 100 bucks. Guy had 6 boxes of new Winchester ammo too in a 30 cal ammo can for 20 bucks. It sits in the kitchen area with a mag full of ammo for my wife to use if the coyotes or the wolfies come down messing with our cow critters. She can shoot it too. Found another magazine for it at a gun show for 5 bucks. So...125 bucks for the gun ammo and extra mag. What ain't good about the 30-30. I am not however a lever gun fan. I can even shoot pointy bullets in this'un.:D

30-30 Medicine Guns
 

You don't need a scope on lever action 30-30s. Put on a receiver
(peep) sight. Your eye automatically finds the center and you are tracking what you want to shoot with the front sight. As good as a scope to 200 yards and probably faster. I am an old target shooter and those receiver sights are the secret solution to old eyes. I have only taken 1 deer with the 30-30, but it was dead on the shot. Tried to run by me at about 75 yards.:)

My family has used 30-30's for years ( at least for starting out hunting whitetails ) and about five years ago I cobbled onto one of the last Marlin 30-30 CB's available before they stopped production of them. The 24" octagon barrel is a tack driver and the rifle is just plain a great gun to carry and shoot. I have peep sights on it for as long as my old eyes can use them. I switch off between my .270 pump and this rifle for all deer hunting. To each, their own I reckon................


Vic

Vic I hate ya! I been tryin to find one of those octagonal barrel beauties since before they stopped makin 'em. :D

GoodOlBoy

GoodOlBoy.........
I understand your anxiety and almost feel your pain. Odds are you'll come across one sometime down the road and snag it for yourself. I'd like to pick up a 38/55 yet myself, however - I haven't happened across one ( when I have the $ ) just yet, so..........

Regards, Vic

Over the past 50 years, I have killed a number of deer and hogs with a 30-30.
I picked these two up this week. Both are 30-30 Marlins. The first a 1971 336 SRC, the second a 1949 336 RC. I just can't turn down a bargain on an old Marlin. :)
http://www.myhostedpics.com/images/M...er/img0281.jpg

http://www.myhostedpics.com/images/M...949rcright.jpg

GOB,

Octogon you say? A few weeks ago I found, and bought, a Winchester .30/30 RIFLE with 26-inch octogon barrel and full length mag tube. I checked with Winchester and it was made in February 1922. The bore is excellent and the exterior is very good. I will test some cast loads tomorrow.

Adam

Wow now that is a find! I was talking about the newer marlin oct barrels from a few years back, but I bet that little gem of yours is a beauty.

GoodOlBoy

i work at a sporting goods store and i know we sell alot of 30-30's as hog guns or truck guns and the general opinion that i have gotten is that the best ballistic ammo straight from the factory is the new Hornady LeveRevolution. It is suppose to add 50 yards to your flat shooting. The 45-70 ammo is suppose to be a beastly hog bullet

I'm not sure if any of you are talking to me about my Marlin with an octagonal barrel, but mine is one of the production rifles from about 8-10 years ago referred to as a "30-30 CB". My understanding is Marlin made about 3500 of them over the three years they were in production before the model was discontinued. It's a well balanced and fun rifle to shoot and carry.

Regards, Vic

Yep I was admirin that one Vic. Thats the one I was trying to buy awhile back.

GoodOlBoy

Most of ya'll already know that I'm more of a shotgun gal than a rifle gal, but when the need arises fer deer huntin with a rifle, I grab the old Savage bolt action 30-30 every time.
As Scalerman put it, they all were just as dead with that rifle than any other lol, and quite a few were around 100 yrds w/ iron sights and off the shelf ammo.

Dern, I'm startin to get the huntin jitters....lol

Longest shot I made with mine was 150 yards on a coyote. It was winter time and he had come down to check out the cows and calves so I shot him. There was a very wide streak of red out both sides as I had shot him right throught the heart. Dead as a wedge. Just as dead as with any other caliber.

The 30-30 CB's do show up for sale every now and then. My niece has a Savage bolt 30-30 and my brother and I mounted a Williams FP peep sight on it.....nice little rifle !

While I've taken many whitetails over the years - I've yet to shoot one with my Marlin 30-30 while hunting with it. I switch off with my other rifle ( back & forth ) quite abit.

On another note - I may have to mount a low power scope on my 30-30 as my eyes age and can no longer use the peep sights effectively.....we'll see.

Regards , Vic

30-30 Medicine Gun
 

I am going whitetail hunting this fall. Maybe I'll take the 30-30, sit in a tree and gut shoot them with Sierra bullets.:eek:

Now Now Now
 

Keep it civil!! Where ya gonna find a tree down round Rawlins??

*snipped by GoodOlBoy to save a headache later on*

mmmm 30-30age

GoodOlBoy

GOB PM coming
 

Hope you still be near a comp.

Yep got it buddy.

Anyway I still have yeet to shoot the Tad Williams model 100 Sears and Roebuck I just picked up. The rear sight blade on it leaves much to be desired, but the gun handles very well.

GoodOlBoy

30-30 Medicine Gun
 

Skeet, Actually, by Rock Creek at Arlington. I have a friend there who has been saying I should come over there to hunt a whitetail. There are big cottonwoods and I told him we should build a treehouse big enough for a least two guys so we could sit in comfort and sip coffee and watch for a big one. (He used to have a .256 Newton but had to give it up in an estate settlement). I am going to try him this year. I haven't told him I got a license in that area this year.

Well Heck
 

If'n you're gonna put up a tree stand at least make it big 'nuff for 3. That way when ya only have 2 in it you can bring a nice stove to make coffee on and maybe even fry an aig or 2. I've killed a few outta tree stands...mostly climbers. Deer back east look up nowdays.

30-30 Medicine Gun
 

You mention those deer out east look up now. My Bro-in-law from eastern Nebraska had a couple "tree houses" and told me the deer never look up. Maybe if they have been attracted to look up by making noise, etc. If they do look up it means they can learn. Do they tell the other deer?:rolleyes:

Seriously
 

The deer really do look up back east. When i first started hunting from tree stands they never did. They learn for certain. I had a couple pointing me out to their young'uns. Partly I think it is because of noise etc. But they do pay more attention to up now days. At one time I sat in a couple of very short trees..little dogwoods to be exact. So close to the ground that I could touch a deer with my gun...and they never knew i was there. Course I stayed pretty still

30-30 Medicine Gun
 

My kBro-in-law said he had them look right at him wondering what he was when a squirrel gave him away. Said he never moved and they went on their way, passing directly beneath him. He said he was tempted to drop something on the little buck but didn't want to give himself away.