Nathanael_Greene
Member
Just looking for opinions...
Are there any advantages to a bolt-action vs. lever-action rifle in 30-30?
Are there any advantages to a bolt-action vs. lever-action rifle in 30-30?
30-30 bolt action rifle
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Baba Louie
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If you handload, you can put different bullet design (spritzer) on the front end, maybe load them a little hotter... but then you have to ask yourself, why not go with a .308?
Mulliga
Member
How many .30-30 bolt actions have been made? Couldn't be as common as the ubiquitous Winchester and Marlins. The only advantage I can think of are the looks you'll get when you show up with a .30-30 bolt action. 
Savage made quite a few, my Uncle swears by his. he doesn't handload or use spitzer bullets either.
Jim Watson
Member
I have a 788 .30-30.
It is a good shooter but I see no real advantage for it over a lever action .30-30 or a bolt action .308.
Kind of an academic question, I don't think anybody is making a .30-30 bolt action any more.
I sure wish I had bought that Winchester Model 54, though.
Or the Manton double rifle!
It is a good shooter but I see no real advantage for it over a lever action .30-30 or a bolt action .308.
Kind of an academic question, I don't think anybody is making a .30-30 bolt action any more.
I sure wish I had bought that Winchester Model 54, though.
Or the Manton double rifle!
bluedsteelnwood
Member
30-30 Bolt Action
Other than handloading with better shape bullets, I think the bolt action is intrinsicaly a stronger more stable action with better accuracy potential. The big number one for me is that it's different from the run of the mill. Have a thing for unusal vintage rifles. The Savage 340 when it came out was a lot less expensive than most lever actions and took a lot of deer. The Rem 788 in 30-30 commands a premium for its cal along with the 44mag. Always on the look out for a nice Savage 340 model with factory peep sights which was made in small numbers.
Other than handloading with better shape bullets, I think the bolt action is intrinsicaly a stronger more stable action with better accuracy potential. The big number one for me is that it's different from the run of the mill. Have a thing for unusal vintage rifles. The Savage 340 when it came out was a lot less expensive than most lever actions and took a lot of deer. The Rem 788 in 30-30 commands a premium for its cal along with the 44mag. Always on the look out for a nice Savage 340 model with factory peep sights which was made in small numbers.
I lost my Savage 340 to my ex-wife.
Darn, I sure miss that rifle. The .30-30, when launched from from the right platform, is exceptionally accurate. My ex-wife wasn't much of a gun person, but with 125gr Nosler Ballistic Tip .30-30 handloads fired from that 340, she was making nice little cloverleaf groups at 100 yards from the bench. She knew it, and fought hard during our divorce negotiations to keep it. She did the same groupings with the Sierra 110gr Spitzer Soft Points. Both pointed-nose rounds aren't a good thing to have in a tube-magazine levergun. But the Savage box mag had no problem at all.
Delightful gun, and someday, I'll find another for myself.
Darn, I sure miss that rifle. The .30-30, when launched from from the right platform, is exceptionally accurate. My ex-wife wasn't much of a gun person, but with 125gr Nosler Ballistic Tip .30-30 handloads fired from that 340, she was making nice little cloverleaf groups at 100 yards from the bench. She knew it, and fought hard during our divorce negotiations to keep it. She did the same groupings with the Sierra 110gr Spitzer Soft Points. Both pointed-nose rounds aren't a good thing to have in a tube-magazine levergun. But the Savage box mag had no problem at all.
Delightful gun, and someday, I'll find another for myself.
Mike Irwin
Member
Savage also made Model 99s in .30-30.
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Nathanael_Greene
Member
Thanks for the replies, everyone. The reason I asked was because I saw a 30-30 bolt (a Western Field--does anyone know who actually manufactured it?) at a pawnshop last weekend. I may make them an offer on the rifle, just for the heck of it.
Mike Irwin
Member
It's very likely that the Western Field was made by Savage-Stevens.
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Nathanael_Greene
Member
Well, I went back to the pawnshop today, and the rifle was reduced to $150. That includes a 4x32 Tasco scope.
It followed me home. It's not the prettiest thing I've ever seen, but it'll make a nice change of pace from the lever-actions.
It followed me home. It's not the prettiest thing I've ever seen, but it'll make a nice change of pace from the lever-actions.
birddog
Member
I just happened...
to get my wife's grandfather's Savage 30-30 when he quit hunting. I was asked to clean-it-up. Well...it was in horrible shape, just awful...so I took it apart and re-finished the stock (beautiful piece of walnut with a blond streak in it under all the grime) and basically cleaned and re-seated the action/barrell without doing much to them at all. I topped it with a Bushnell scope and....it was given to me.
I'd like to hunt with it this year.
To top it off, he had 2 of these, and sold the other for 25 bucks...yikes.
Joel
to get my wife's grandfather's Savage 30-30 when he quit hunting. I was asked to clean-it-up. Well...it was in horrible shape, just awful...so I took it apart and re-finished the stock (beautiful piece of walnut with a blond streak in it under all the grime) and basically cleaned and re-seated the action/barrell without doing much to them at all. I topped it with a Bushnell scope and....it was given to me.
I'd like to hunt with it this year.
To top it off, he had 2 of these, and sold the other for 25 bucks...yikes.
Joel
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Nathanael_Greene
Member
Thanks for posting the picture--it really helps me identify the one I just bought.
The one I just got looks remarkably like yours--well, yours is much, much prettier--but the design is the same. The store brand/model of mine is Western Field Model 712; it must have been manufactured by Savage.
I'm looking forward to cleaning mine up a bit and taking it to the range.
P.S. Nice-looking camera in the shot; is that a Minolta?
The one I just got looks remarkably like yours--well, yours is much, much prettier--but the design is the same. The store brand/model of mine is Western Field Model 712; it must have been manufactured by Savage.
I'm looking forward to cleaning mine up a bit and taking it to the range.
P.S. Nice-looking camera in the shot; is that a Minolta?
birddog
Member
You're welcome and no, it's a Nikon N70 with a 75-300 zoom. Getting ready to head out and get some goose migration photos, since we live near the Iroqois Nat'l Wildlife Refuge and a good number of canadas and swans pass through here. I also have an N90, but the N70 is my beater camera, and has been through mud, rain, snow, and ice and keeps on clicking.
The rifle in the pic is only marked Savage .30-.30 and I couldn't find any other markings on it, even after I pulled it apart.
Joel
The rifle in the pic is only marked Savage .30-.30 and I couldn't find any other markings on it, even after I pulled it apart.
Joel
Randy in Arizona
Member
I had a Savage 340 in .222 Remington in the late 60's early 70's. It would shoot less than 1/2 inch 100 yard groups with reloads from a Lee Loader.
Sorta wish I still had it!
RAZ
Sorta wish I still had it!
RAZ
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Nathanael_Greene
Member
birddog, I have a soft spot for aperture-preferred automatic SLR's; my personal favorites are the Ricoh KR-10 series; over the last 20-25 years I've taken thousands of photos with them, and they've given me pretty good service.
They don't make 'em like that anymore!
They don't make 'em like that anymore!
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