.30-30 vs. .44 mag for medium/large game?

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peacebutready

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Hello,

Reading about lever-action rifles on here got me wondering...Obviously these rifles are available in .30-30 and .44 mag. Which round, through a rifle is better for medium and large game?

I did a little looking online and noticed for the .30-30, energy is about 1900 ft./lbs. with the power factor being about 358.

For the .44 mag through a rifle, according to the site "ballistics by the inch", it looks like energy is about 1440 ft./lbs and power factor being about 393.

Cheers
 
I don't have either one, but this was asked recently so here's a synopsis: either will work, 30-30 has better trajectory, if your local laws limit you to pistol cartridges for a rifle go with the .44. That was the long and short of it.
 
I never heard of laws limiting rifles to pistol cartridges until now. Thanks.
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In many places centerfire rifles have been banned and only shotguns, archery, or muzzleloaders were legal. Recently some of those places have allowed limited use of centerfire rounds. Mostly limited to pistol caliber rifles. A silly law in my opinion, but that is the way it is.

With typical off the shelf ammo there isn't much difference out to 50-75 yards although I've found 30-30 to be more accurate at any range. If you start loading some of the premium loads available in 44 magnum it will offer some advantages on larger tougher game at close ranges. In my experience 100 yards is about the limit for a 44's abilities and I feel better even closer. Accuracy is as much of a limitation as energy.

The 30-30 is far more versatile. More accurate and a better choice at longer ranges. Although neither is a long range round. Personally I consider 200 yards to be the limit for 30-30. I know people shoot deer sized game farther, not me. For general hunting I like the 30-30 better. It is capable of game much larger than deer as long as the range is close. If I had to stop a charging black bear from 10-15' I'd rather have the 44 mag loaded with heavy premium bullets.
 
i have both and have killed quite a few deer with them,the 44 kills deer dead and so does the 30-30. i lean towards the 30-30 in win-mar. carbines for the extra range if needed and as i use reciever sights its easier to hit at longer ranges with little hold over. this is my favorite 94 win 30-30 made in 1937. bought at a very good price years ago that had sling studs added and not a real collector any more,hence the good price. the rifle was well used but not abused with a ex bore. the open sight is dead on at 75yds and the tang with is dead on at 150 yds.it works very well in the woods i hunt. eastbank.
 

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A normal sized deer will never know the difference inside a hundred yards if you, and the gun are accurate enough. Being in a shotgun only area, I can only speak to my father in laws experience of the 30/30. He is a retired NYC firefighter and his marlin 30/30 was companion for 30 seasons. He took nearly 3 dozen deer with it over the years, also 3 new Brunswick black bears. All three were roughly 400lbs, and 2 out of three 170gr corelokts passed through, and all went less than 30yds. Can't ask for much more than that for larger game.
 
44 MAG: I've hunted with this carbine off and on for many years. Hornady hollow tip XTP bullet produces very quick kills because it tears large holes through the chest organs. This cartridge does it's BEST work at distances of 100 yards or less.

30-30: I've been killing deer with this carbine for over 40 years. 170 grain Power Point bullets always hit hard. This cartridge typically does its BEST work at distances of 175 yards or less. But Hornady builds custom ammo which extends this distance considerably.

Both cartridges are up to the task for black bears as well. But I know of Cree Indians in Canada that hunt moose with their 30-30's. Obviously its gets the job done for these skilled and patient hunters.

Good hunting to you.
TR
 
peacebutready said:
Hello,

Reading about lever-action rifles on here got me wondering...Obviously these rifles are available in .30-30 and .44 mag. Which round, through a rifle is better for medium and large game?

I did a little looking online and noticed for the .30-30, energy is about 1900 ft./lbs. with the power factor being about 358.

For the .44 mag through a rifle, according to the site "ballistics by the inch", it looks like energy is about 1440 ft./lbs and power factor being about 393.

Cheers
Click to expand...

Make mine the 30-30 pleaseee...

They both kill deer just fine, the 30-30 does it easier and at longer ranges!

DM
 
30-30 for me. Versatility and extended range being the main resaon as stated above.

The 30-30 is a 250 yard cartriage with Hornandy Leverevolution ammo.

The 44mag is about a 100 yard maybe 125 yard cartriage.

The 30-30 is best for deer and black bear. And so is the 44mag. I would consider elk and moose with the 30-30 out to maybe 150 yards with Buffallo Bore ammo 190gr. I would restrict myself to 75 yards and in for elk and moose with a 44mag.

They are both very capable for deer, black bear, antelope, mule deer, and even bigger game using the right load. Its just that the 30-30 extends the range by a fairly large margin.
 
30-30 is superior at all ranges for every purpose. More accurate, more energy better hunting bullets. Either will kill deer but the 44 mag has less range so why handicap yourself. Any idea that the .44 is equal or better for dangerous game is a dangerous and mistaken one. Tests like the Alaska DNR ones and other have proved this many times over. The slow and fat crowd does abound and disagrees with me and proven results so make your own choice. At close range either does the job on deer. The trajectory of the .44 mag like other slow cartridges requires very good range estimation and more skill in general.
 
I would always pick a .44 over a 30-30. A 44M rifle round is approaching the stomping power of a 45/70.

Concerning distance, get to know your sights or scope so you can drop that bigger bullet where it needs to go. Consider all the long distance buffalo that dropped to the might Sharps 45/70.

The 30-30 is touted as the best ever deer gun because it was used by everyone in its heyday. It is an antique my modern standards. It actually is not all that. It will kill a deer for sure, but the statement that it has killed more deer than any other caliber is simply because it came along in an era that lasted so long--a time when no other readily available caliber existed. It is definitely not the greatest deer gun, and IMO, it lags way behind the .44M from a rifle.

Another reason the 30-30 is so popular still today is the classic lines of the lever action. But you can have those same lines in a 44M, or even a 45Colt, and the hottest loaded 45C will always be better than the hottest 44M. Of course no one asked about the 45. Sorry.
 
I'm no fbi ballistics expert but saying the 44 mag approaches the stopping power of a 45/70 is a bit of a stretch. Comparing the hottest 44 mag loads to the most anemic 45/70 loads is not a honest assessment. By that assessment an sks has nearly the stopping power of a 45/70 which is clearly not the case. The 45 colt is no where near as powerful as the 44 mag, or the 45/70.

In all actuality the 30/30 was "obsolete" in terms of power when introduced, the 7.92 mauser and 7mm mauser are clearly much more powerful and contemporary cartridges. The lever guns and the 30/30 cartridges are a good match in terms of moderate recoil, good handling, and enough accuracy at usable ranges to make them popular for 120 years. Thus the popular notion of them as the quintessential deer rifle is not really a notion, but a truth. Fit for every situation, and hunter.. no, but being a viable realistic option for most.... yes
 
With typical off the shelf ammo there isn't much difference out to 50-75 yards although I've found 30-30 to be more accurate at any range. If you start loading some of the premium loads available in 44 magnum it will offer some advantages on larger tougher game at close ranges. In my experience 100 yards is about the limit for a 44's abilities and I feel better even closer. Accuracy is as much of a limitation as energy.

The 30-30 is far more versatile. More accurate and a better choice at longer ranges. Although neither is a long range round. Personally I consider 200 yards to be the limit for 30-30. I know people shoot deer sized game farther, not me. For general hunting I like the 30-30 better. It is capable of game much larger than deer as long as the range is close. If I had to stop a charging black bear from 10-15' I'd rather have the 44 mag loaded with heavy premium bullets.
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I agree with pretty much everything posted here. Spot on IMO.
 
comparing custom load data for the most exotic of firearms is not a real accurate comparison.
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Well, I don't know anyone who classifies a bone stock Ruger Blackhawk as an exotic firearm but okay.
What you certainly cannot compare is the velocity from revolvers vs. the velocity from rifles.

Just cause it can be done, doesn't mean it should. comparing over the top hand loads for very specific unusually strong actions is fun but impractical.
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The handloads aren't over the top. They are published data for the firearms listed.
Also, you can buy the ammo on the shelf as well. I didn't realize how powerful the factory ammo from Buffalo Bore is until I just checked it. A 325 grain bullet at 1325 fps.

https://www.buffalobore.com/index.php?l=product_detail&p=39

But please note, I agree that in most cases the .44 is more powerful and that it is only in certain circumstances that the .45 can equal it.

I'm not disagreeing with you at all.

I went with the .45 Colt in the Ruger Blackhawk for a couple of reasons. 1st, I'm nostalgic and there's just something about .45 Colt in a single action that makes me feel warm and fuzzy inside. 2nd, I got the Blackhawk so I could play with the more powerful stuff if I wanted to. Most of the time I shoot standard loads that are well under the power level of standard .44 mag stuff. Every now and then, I'll break out some of the heavy thumpers for fun.

I'm not saying that one is superior to the other.
 
As others have said both will work in most cases the 30/30 is going to have a little better range on thin shinned stuff, but the 44 is really on a different plane when using big bullets from a carbine my 16" Rossi does ~1700fps with Buffalo Bore's 340gr cast.
 
I consider the blackhawks to be somewhat specialized in so much as they are intentionally built to take "overpowered" loads, but hey maybe it's just me. Similarly I wouldn't judge a 30/30's power on a hot hand load for a strong single shot.


Like you said, claiming that one is superior to the other is kinda silly, they are both good, the superiorty lies with the shooter
 
I will hunt with either (have both in Marlins). If my life depended on getting that next deer, I'd choose the 30-30 every time.
 
The .45 is not legal for deer here but the .44 mag is. You can load hot loads for some guns in 45 Colt but not the Old guns. That is why they invented the modern .44 mag, for newer guns that could take the loads. Just the same in a rifle the 30-30 make more sense and is my choice.
 
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