.30-30 Winchester Really That Popular?

[ChiefPilot]

A couple of weeks ago, I bought a nice used Winchester 94/22 off the rack at the local Gander Mountain. They also had a 94 chambered in .30-30, and I thought about that for a second as well but didn't know how much it would cost to shoot it. So, I went over to the ammo section and found that they had exactly one type of ammo available - Winchester SuperX. They had lots of 7mm, .308, .30-06, .270, .223, .22-250, etc. but not much .30-30.

Since then, I've noticed that the other places I occasionally buy ammo also have little, if any, .30-30 ammo. Walmart had just one type, and a different Gander Mountain didn't have any at all. Even cheaperthandirt.com has a much smaller selection of .30-30 than they do .223, .308, or .30-06.

So what's the deal? Do most folks handload for the .30-30?

 

[ksnecktieman]

I think the reason is that the 30 30 is not used as much for target or range shooting. There are a lot of them in closets that fire a box or less of shellls every year. The sights are adjusted, and they wait for a deer hunting trip. Pay attention and I think you will find that anyone that sells ammo will have "some" not a large amount, or much variation, but it will be there. Large sales equal large inventory. I have a marlin 30 30, but it does not get used much, and it is still not for sale

 

[TallPine]

Well, for one thing, any tubular magazine 30-30 (such as Model 94) must use a round or flat pointed bullet rather than a pointed. So I suppose that limits the number of bullet options needed on the shelf.

Seems to be a pretty good selection around here - usually 150 and 170 grain JSP in several different brands, plus a lead bullet variety for "cowboy action" shooting and/or plinking.

I don't know of too many people that still hunt with a 30-30 Winchester (or Marlin) out here, probably because there is a lot of open country which means long shots. OTOH, I doubt there are very many homes that don't have at least one Model 94 lying around somewhere.

 

[Soap]

I think it is because there is this surrounding mystique that .30-30 owners are the type that buy a box of any ammo, sight in with 10 rounds, then get 10 stags in 10 years. Basically, I think retail outlets view that cartridge as a low volume seller, plus many people are indifferent to bullet types and weights. As a .30-30 shooter myself, at this point nearly all of the off-the-shelf rounds can get the job done for my purposes. Once I start handloading I'll probably cook up some different rounds like Sam Fadala does.

 

[ChiefPilot]

Okay, that makes sense. The ammo was relatively expensive, something like $12-$13 for 20 rounds, so plinking with it would be a costly proposition.

My 94/22 is my first lever action and I like it a lot, almost as much as my AR in fact. I could see a .30-30 Winchester or Marlin in my future.

Thanks!

 

[hillbilly]

Lever action 30-30s are so common here in Arkansas that they are almost considered not guns, but instead either fashion or truck accessories.

Our deer hunting is almost always in thick cover, with 100 yard shots rarely presenting themselves.

hillbilly

 

[Swamprabbit]

Basically, the only loads deer hunters shoot are the 150 and 170 grain loads so that is probably why you don't see much variety. I also agree with others who state that .30-30 shooters really don't consume lots of ammo. The lever guns are fun to shoot but I wouldn't like to spend time at a range putting dozens of rounds down with it.

 

[Cosmoline]

There is one other huge factor to consider, the lack of foreign competition. For most cartridges you can find Russian or European ammo, plus surplus ball ammo. To my knowledge, nobody loads for .30/30 but the usual suspects. It seems to be unknown outside of North America and it's radically different than any other modern cartridge to my knowledge.

So we end up with millions of dirt cheap rifles and very expensive ammo. Handloading is the only way to go if you want to shoot it a lot. And it is a lot of fun to shoot.

 

[TrapperReady]

Around here, there usually isn't a huge variety of 30-30 offerings...

until about a month or two before deer season. Then, for a couple months you can find them from Winchester, Federal and Remington in different weights and slightly different bullet designs. In fact, with the possible exception of .30-06, it's the most ubiquitous cartridge available.

After deer season ends, they sell off most of the stock and the pickings get pretty slim until the the next year.

 

[mondocomputerman]

I just bought some 30-30 on Saturday. Wally World had Winchester and Remington, and maybe 3 types total. I actually found some 150 grain hollowpoints! They had power-points but no silvertip ones.

 

[Bartholomew Roberts]

Maybe this is why .30-30 is so popular...

SEN. KENNEDY: Another rifle caliber, the 30.30 caliber, was responsible for penetrating three officers' armor and killing them in 1993, 1996, and 2002. This ammunition is also capable of puncturing light-armored vehicles, ballistic or armored glass, armored limousines, even a 600-pound safe with 600 pounds of safe armor plating.

It is outrageous and unconscionable that such ammunition continues to be sold in the United States of America. Armor-piercing ammunition for rifles and assault weapons is virtually unregulated in the United States. A Federal license is not required to sell such ammunition unless firearms are sold as well. Anyone over the age of 18 may purchase this ammunition without a background check. There is no Federal minimum age of possession. Purchases may be made over the counter, by mail order, by fax, by Internet, and there is no Federal requirement that dealers retain sales records.

Page: S1635 of the Senate Congressional Record for February 26, 2004
http://thomas.loc.gov/r108/r108.html

Who knew you could hunt light-armored vehicles with a .30-30?

 

[JNewell]

It is outrageous and unconscionable that such ammunition continues to be sold in the United States of America.

Oh, I'm sure that this is a misquote. The .30-30 is a deer hunting cartridge. The government would never, ever do anything to restrict hunting rifles or ammunition. I know this is right because so many senators and representatives have said so over the years. That's why hunters don't have to get involved in RKBA things.

Right?

 

[Swamprabbit]

Oh, I remember now. Wasn't it a .30-30 Tom Hanks' character used to blow up that tank at the end of Saving Private Ryan?

 

[TerryBob]

I don't seem to have this trouble. My Wally World has about 6 choices for 30-30 ammo. For white tail, I use 150 gr. Silver Tips. They group better than anything else that I have tried out of my Marlin 336 and does a great job on the deer.

TerryBob

 

[Viking6]

IMHO, the Winchester 94 is a sorta semi-American Classic. I've had one for almost 20 years, don't hunt and probably put less than 150 rounds through it. But I will give it to my son one of these days. And I haven't paid much attention on the ammo selection at Sports Authority, Walmart, or Outdoor World, since I got a box of about 20 rounds at one of those places about a month ago, just to have something for (rifle without bullets is like a sleigh ride without bells, yada, yada.......)

 

[G.I.Jew]

I love my Marlin 336! It is accurate, and extremely fun to shoot, even if the ammo is a bit expensive. I guess its time to start handloading.

 

[Shooter973]

30-30 Popular?

It's almost un-American not to own a 30-30 !!!!!! Everyone should own at least 1 and a 12 ga. shotgun and a 357 revolver or a 45 acp . With out these guns you just don't have a good cross section of America's best firearms!

 

[MrMurphy]

When I still had my .30-30 every shop I went to had at least four different types of loads, usually a couple each (different manufacturers) of 150 and 170 grain loads.

 

[444]

As has been mentioned, the typical .30-30 is considered a tool. It is the gun owned and used by people that arn't "into" guns. Most .30-30s serve one purpose and that is to hunt medium game animals: primarily deer and black bear at short to medium ranges.
You don't see a whole lot of shooting sports (games) where the lever action .30-30 is considered a prime choice. You won't see a lot of people seriously shooting benchrest with their .30-30s . You won't see many people at shooting schools using lever action .30-30s. They are an American tradition and they are great for what they were designed to do. However, they arn't very vesitile. Most .30-30 owners don't worry about premium bullets or the latest new load or bullet. They probably have owned the rifle for years and used the same load the whole time.
Do I own one ?
Of course.

 

[ID_shooting]

I love my Mod 94, still hunt with it to, but then I reload so I can shoot it more often, like was stated up above, it sits right next to my 1911, my service-six and my rem 870, what else do you need

 

[ID_shooting]

LOL, all this talk made me drag mine out, wipe it down and snap a pic of my first huntin rifle, oh, and since the tactical guys like to put thier knives in thier pics too, I decided to add my first huntin knife

 

[ID_shooting]

dang, clicked too fast

 

[TNT]

The lever action 30-30, everyone should own at least one. Love my Win 94.

 

[Moparmike]

Huh. I dont own a lever action, much less a .30-30...

I handled an old Marlin lever-action in .357mag, and I suddenly want one. Dunno that I want a .30-30 though, as I really dont have a use for it. I dont hunt yet, as much as I want to. Just dont have the patience for it.

Does this make me un-American? (gasp)

 

[jar]

The 30-30 has probably harvested more game than any round except the 22.