30-30 or .308

[sthrnstrong]

.308 for better bullet selections. The 30-30 is great as a brush gun and a true classic. I am sure there have been more deer taken with a 30-30 than any other caliber. But, IMHO try a Remington 700 .308 and descent optics. I only suggest the Remmy because there are tons of upgrades that you can do later if you wish.

 

[mcdonl]

OP, do you ever intend to hunt Moose? You may not now, but you are not far from some good moose hunting I am sure. That being the case, you would be looking at longer shots and bigger game.

 

[USSR]

But, IMHO try a Remington 700 .308 and descent optics. I only suggest the Remmy because there are tons of upgrades that you can do later if you wish.

Yeah, the first of which is a new trigger. Sorry, I couldn't resist.

Don

 

[marlas1too]

well im going out on a limb with this but i love the 30-30 i have a old Winchester lever and an old savage stevens single shot both are very good with reloads too and i shoot 200 yards with the lever reloads with tight groups and with the single shot i can use boat tail spritzer bullets for even better range-now the 308 is a very good choice too and you can get good deals on the ammo but i just flat out love the 30-30 and ive taken over 30 dear with in all the years ive had it--father left it to me--so any way you go 30 or 308 both are good rifle rounds --the 30-30 has been around longer-there i go again with the 30-30--well i hope you find the one you like--if the gun store has a range and will let you try each gun then you will be able to choose the one you like best-----------------------remember its better to have and not than need and not have

 

[Tirod]

I used to be a .308 fan. It sure can reach out. It can even be used on elk. I never did. It can take shots out to 600m. I never did. It can use a lot of different ammo. I never did, it was just a deer gun, I loaded it with the closest thing to 168 HPBT I could get.

I used to think it was the most versatile cartridge I could have picked, then just used it one way for years. And it was heavy to carry, with enough recoil to think about it. Then I bought a bolt gun in .30-06, scoped. It was lighter, even harder shooting, and not easy to pick up game close in on the lowest setting. Then I tried a .30-30 lever. It was very easy to carry, still had recoil, still required manual action to reload, and I've only got irons on it because it uses a side mounted scope.

For a hunter, a light weight gun with little recoil and semi automatic action really does well. Adding a red dot, which I used on the first gun, works well with the majority of shots a deer hunter gets. What doesn't work well for me is .30 bullets. Stepping down in caliber is no sin, it allows matching the ballistics to the actual ranges used and the power level needed. There's no wasted excess that forces two more pounds of gun to be used.

That's why I'm moving on to the AR in 6.8. Not trying to hijack, just another step in the direction to accumulate all the things I liked about each previous gun into one easy to carry, use, shoot, and move gun that still had the power to knock down a deer, not me. Which is the exact reason intermediate caliber weapons like that were invented. It boils down to the bigger picture, not which .30, but Why? at all.

 

[VAhuntr]

Nothing wrong with the 30-30 but the .308 is the superior round.

 

[Matthew Temkin]

I have two 30-30's (Model 94 Winchester and a Marlin 336.)
I also have a Winchester Model 70 in .308.
Until I get my first deer I go with the scoped .308.
Hit them right and they usually drop on the spot.
In bad weather--or when I am the one doing the push on a drive-- I go with the peep sighted Model 94.
The Marlin wars a Leopould .2.5 on a tip off mount and is used as a back up.

 

[TML]

Borrowed my cousins 30-30 336cs. Shoots realm smooth. Had a Simmon's 4x scope... Kinda crappy. Will sight it in for real this week. May just use it for this years season.
Tim

 

[BrocLuno]

Good, see how you do - best test is doing it. Let us know

 

[Mr_Pale_Horse]

Choice between a new Ford Ranger or a used F150.

 

[stockett]

Get the best of both, a 308 lever gun. A Browning BLR is easy to carry and fast handling like a 30-30 but has the versatility of a 308 bolt gun.

 

[dougw47]

Tim, I have a 94 and a Marlin 336, which I use in areas where the shots are close, where they are open...I use my .308. Lots of deer have fallen to the .30-30...if you get a better scope 150 to 200 yd shots are possible with that 336. Just be happy and glad to get to go hunting and with luck, get your deer.

Good luck!

 

[TCB in TN]

Its is all true, the .308 has better ballistics, BUT in all reality only a fraction of the people who hunt can wring those superior ballistics out of it in an actual hunting situation. IMHO inside of 200 yards under normal hunting conditions there is little (very little) difference. Further more unless willing to shoot pretty regularly, then shots over 200 yards are pretty tough regardless of the round or the hardware.

 

[Redneck with a 40]

You can handload the .308 down to the 30-30 level and almost up to 30-06. You can't really load the 30-30 "up". I say .308 all the way.

 

[Maverick223]

Get the best of both, a 308 lever gun. A Browning BLR is easy to carry and fast handling like a 30-30 but has the versatility of a 308 bolt gun.

...but the BLR has atrocious handling characteristics...the Brownchester 1895 OTOH ain't that bad, but limits the rifleman to irons. The Savage M-99 is probably the best of both worlds, but it is hard for me to get past the appearance of the rifle.

 

[IndispensableDestiny]

I have a .308 lever gun (BLR), bolt (T/C Icon), and pump (BPR). I wouldn't mind having a BAR in .308, just to have. If I ever buy a "black gun", it will be in .308. The .308 is a great cartridge.

But I don't have a .30-30. I feel deficient not having a .30-30 lever gun. I think I shall sell my cloak and buy one.

 

[Daniel B]

I own a Marlin .30-30 with a scout scope setup. I also own a very sweat Remington 700 .308. No it doesn't go bang when the safety is switched off.

On opening day of Rifle season I will be in a stand with my .30-30. My shooting lanes give me no more than a 50 yd shot. I had to ask which rifle I would rather use in this stand. I couldn't see the need for the .308.

Now when I vacate this stand and hit the tower blind It will be the 700 all the way.

If I didn't have the 700 I would have no problem using my Marlin for all my hunting needs. Its a smooth shooter all the way out to 200yds. I don't like stretching it any further. I really prefer to keep shots on it under 150.

 

[unwise11]

The way I would compare the two is like throwing a nice, brand new baseball, pure white, and red stitching...
To Throwing an old water gunked brown nasty baseball, with less effort.
the .308 is better.

 

[788Ham]

Go with the .308, you'll never be sorry!

IBEWBULL, you've got 2 Savage 99 .300's ? You lucky devil. I've got my Pop's old 99 .300, sure a shooting machine! Sure wish he was still around to shoot it with me.

 

[Rokman]

The .308 all the way. It's a great chambering for a very good rifle.

 

[BrocLuno]

By the way, at close-in ranges, say <100 yards - the flat nose on most 30-30 rounds makes a significant smack on the hide and they always make a significant wound channel. There's something about that flat nose that hits hard?

 

[1911 guy]

Go buy a Stevens 200 bolt gun in .308. You can put serviceable glass on it for total cost not much more than you'd pay for a decent lever gun.

The Stevens 200 is the old (pre-accutrigger) Savage rifle. Excellent accuracy and low cost. Rifle, scope and a few boxes of 168gr. softpoints and you're set.

 

[Abel]

The fact that this thread is now three pages long is a pretty good testament to the 30-30's longevity as a relevant deer hunting cartridge for over 115 years. With upgrades to ammo production/materials, the old Dirty Thirty is better now than it has ever been.

 

[Tomcat47]

Tried,Tested, & As True as American Pie

I have always had the Marlin .30-.30 with see thru scope mounts and a good quality 3x9 scope setting on top.

I have always had a Winchester 94 as a trusted companion and competitor setting in gun cabinet beside it.

These guns are the true definition of a hunting rifle. They can take about any small or large game and there are a variety of ammunition these days to fit the job of deer hunt or varmint. (Remington .30-.30 Accelerator is Awesome out of Marlin)

There are NO shots that can be made with a .30-30 that can't be made with a .308 instead. The reverse isn't true.

The above quote I do not feel is not entirely accurate. Thats my opinion! - I do love, respect, and own the .308, however with the inception of leverlution ammo the .30-.30 produces comparable performance out to 300 yards with standard hunting ammunition.

The Leverlution .30-.30 160 Grain FTX produces 1025 ft-lbs of energy @ 300 yards.
Remington Express .308 150 Grain produces 1344 ft-lbs of energy @ 300 yards.

Just for fun..... The .308 Leverlution FTX 160 Grain produces 1457 ft-lbs of energy at 300 yards @ 2026 fps

The .338 Marlin xpress.....1762 ft-lbs of energy at 300 yards @ 1992 fps! Nice,nice,nice!. But we are talking about .30-.30.....well and LEVER Action.

I think there has never been nor will ever be a replacement in the woods for the trusty ole Lever Gun.

God Bless and Good Luck All.

 

[shootr]

Well OP...

If you get the idea here, there's no wrong answer!!!

I submit to you that if you get into hunting, you'll eventually have one of each anyway. So have at it, have fun and be safe!!

Post up what you get.