Tell me what you know about the wonderful 30-30 round!

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BC_bush_man

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Just bought my neighbors mint Winchester 94 in 30-30.
I'm pretty new at guns and trying to get info on that round.

What is it good for?

How far can it shoot accurately? 100, 200, 300, 1000 yards?

What other round does it compare to? Someone posted here somewhere that it's comparable to the .357 mag in velocity.

Is it good for stopping zombies? Grizzlies? Black bears?

When was it invented and by whom?

How popular is it and for whom is it popular?

I only plan to target shoot with it but i'm curious to know it's history and capabilities.

Any other trivia, anecdotes or info on that round would be appreciated.

TIA
 
I'll take a stab at a few answers, mind you I'm no pro at this:

Good for? An excellent, versatile round for lots of different roles. Hunting or home defense, might be a little pricy for just target shooting.

Range? Ballistically speaking, 2-300 yards is max.

Compares very well to the 7.62x39 Soviet round for the AK47.

Great for zombies! :evil: It was originally advertised to hunt bears, but I dunno if I'd want it as my first choice. Still better than many!

Everyone and their brother in the Southeast is supposed to own one, as it's perfect medicine for deer in the heavy brush. It's definitely not as popular as it used to be but it's still got quite a following thanks to low recoil and handy-sized platform.

Hope that's been of some help! :cool:
 
It's a little more than 100 years old and was probably the most popular big game round in the country for over half that time. It's good for game up to 3-400 pounds out to maybe 200 yards, depending on the skill of the shooter. By todays standards it has a rainbow trajectory, but in it's day it was considered flat shooting. (compared to something like a big black powder round) It's still a great useful cartridge chambered in a handy carbine.
 
Q - What is it good for?

A - Deer. Lots of 'em. Asside from poachers using .22LR's, more deer have been taken with the trusty ol' .30-30 than any other round.

Q - How far can it shoot accurately? 100, 200, 300, 1000 yards?

A - Accurately? 150, maybe 200 yards on a good day.

Q - What other round does it compare to? Someone posted here somewhere that it's comparable to the .357 mag in velocity?

A - 7.62 X 39

Q - Is it good for stopping zombies? Grizzlies? Black bears?

A - Yes, only if its all you have, and yes.
If you plan on using it for Sasquatch, file the front sight off first.

Q - When was it invented and by whom?

A - Good question. Your new rifle was designed/put into production in 1894 so it has to be older than that.

Q - How popular is it and for whom is it popular?

A - Popular enough for me to own two of 'em.

- Any other trivia, anecdotes or info on that round would be appreciated.

1, .30-30 ammo can be found just about anywhere from Wal-Mart to the mom & pop store deep in the sticks.
2, Its pronounced "Thuddy - thuddy"
3, Just ask sm if the .30-30 works.
4, Accuracy out of a Win 94 is "minuite of deer vitals". If you are looking for a bench rest gun, this ain't it. At 100 yards I can keep a 5 shot group right around 1.5" - 1.75" scoped. With iron sights it opens up a bit.
5, Don't let your wife/GF/SO shoot it. You'll be minus one lever gun. Yes its that much fun to shoot.


HTH,

R
 
My all time favorite hunting round here in upstate Michigan!! I have killed many Whitetail and my only Black Bear with the 30-30.
Hornady has the new Leverevolution ammo that allows you to have a spitzer type bullet that you can use in the magazine tube. The new factory round extends the range from 200 to about a 300 yard kill shot in the 94 Winchester.
 
If I remember right it was the first commercially-produced smokeless-propellant cartridge.

Depending on the rifle/ammo/shooter, 200 yards max for most, some do well out to as far as 300.

More powerful than .357 Mag(leaps tall buildings- or shoots holes through them-, etc.)

Lots of the rifles have two holes tapped on the left side of the receiver, which means you can get a Lyman or Williams receiver sight and screw it on; very nice setup.

You can get 150-grain cast bullets and load them up to make light-recoil practice loads. With gas-checked cast bullets, you can equal jacketed bullet velocities and performance.

I haven't tried it yet, but the Hornady LeveRevolution ammo is supposed to work very nicely.
 
The 30-30? You want to know about it?

It will take down anything in the lower 48 (and Alaska, if you do your job) at any reasonable shooting distance in a portable gun that has ammo availible everywhere you shop.

Good enough for me.
 
it has been around for more than 100 years.
it comes factory in 150 and 170 grains.
it is good for zombies.
170 grainers, unloaded fast, is good for black bear.
not grizzly. some people say it is ballistically similar to a 762 russian.
it is not. way more speed and power.
I would compare it to more like the old krag.
i would limit my game range to 150 or so yds, and that being deer out there.
they are cheap, they are fun to shoot.
you can buy them everywhere you can buy 30.06, which is everywhere.
the new leverevolution rounds give you an extra 100 yds of pop.
 
A great round in a great gun. It works for everything from hunting to plinking to self defense. The rifle is handy, capable, and non-threatening to non gun owners. Enjoy your new purchase by putting many hundreds of rounds through it.
 
BC_bush_man if you find you like the 30-30 round there are other rifles besides a lever action .
I have a Win 94 30-30 and just bought 2 older rifles.
Stevens 325c bolt rifle 30-30 .
Savage model 170 pump rifle 30-30.
 
A - Good question. Your new rifle was designed/put into production in 1894 so it has to be older than that.

Actually ......No. It was slated to make it's debut in 1894 along with the first run of rifles but Winchester has some metallurgy problems in attempting to deal with the higher pressure smokeless rounds. So, the first year Winchester produced the rifle in black powder calibers ( 38-55 and... my recall fades on the second ). The 30-30 actually arrived the next year, 1895, along with the 25-35. Then in 1902, the .32 Special arrived. These calibers were the main-stays for the model 94 for many years.... darn good zombie round.... that's why there are soo few Zombies west of the Mississippi!!
ms.gif
 
Glocknsig,

I think that second chambering might have been a 32-40...I think...don't have my tomes in front of me here at work. :)


The 30-30 or, if your in Europe, the 7.62x51R, OR if your a traditionalist the 30 WCF, was the first centerfire rifle round I and my brothers and sister shot. When your 6 years old, that round looks pretty dang massive compared to a 22. :what:

There have been a few variations of the 94 here and there...Trappers, angle-ejects, take-downs, commemorative editions, and a whole bunch of diffrent chamberings...but the one that always will shine for me is the 30 WCF.

As others have said....there might just be one in every closet and gun case in the south. :)

D
 
Winchester 94 is my favorite rifle and the 30-30 is my favorite rifle round. That's my heart talking, but it's the way I feel. :)

Look up Sam Fadala... he's written a book or two on the Winchester 30-30, and they're filled with the kind of information, anecdotes and little tips that you'll love.

Have fun with yet another fine firearm designed by John Moses Browning (peace be unto him).

ps The World Record Grizzly (when I checked last) was taken in BC with the 30-30. :)
 
Took a lot of searching but I found it on the web:

Early Model 1894 Calibers:
.32-40 – introduced in 1894
.38-55 – introduced in 1894
.25-35 – introduced in 1895
.30 W.C.F. (30-30) – introduced in 1895
.32 Winchester Special – introduced in 1902

When was it invented and by whom?

John Browning, a little history HERE. It's worth reading a more detailed history - He was pretty amazing!!
trust_me.gif
 
Around here, 30-30 ammo goes on sale right before deer season which begins right after Thanksgiving. $8 per box of 20 is the normal sale price. It is a good time to stock up on ammo for that rifle.

I have found the standard sights on the 94 somewhat lacking for my presbyopic eyes. If you want better accuracy without a scope, consider the fine receiver sights by williams gunsite company. Lyman also makes a good receiver sight, but they require drilling and tapping the receiver. Lyman and Marble's also make dandy tang sights; the Marble's is more expensive, but is more adjustable. I have one on my savage m99, and my brother has one on his model 92 clone.

Scopes on these are best in a low power fixed or variable configuration. A good example would be a fixed 2 or 4 power or 1-3 or 1-4. This keeps it a handy, lightweight rifle. The smaller objective lens on low power scopes also allow the scope to be mounted with low rings, which makes it easier to shoot.

Some folks have mounted intermediate or extended eye relief scopes on these with good results. Mounting it thus, however, requires drilling and tapping the barrel. Personally, I would not do so on an older 94, as the value of the rifle would be diminished. I had a scope of this type on my savage, and it is a great concept; enabling you to get on target very quickly and shoot with both eyes open. So, like anything else, there are pros and cons.

Mounting any scope does not make this a long range firearm. The trajectory of the round prevents it from long range use by all but the most skilled, practiced shooter. 150 yards is the normal practical range. Most deer are shot at much closer ranges, so don't feel handicapped by that.

Best of luck with your new rifle!:)
 
I killed my first deer, a 7 pointer, with a Model 94 in .30/30
First shot hit him in the chest at about 125 meters, he wheeled at the shot, I panicked and shot him again in the back of the head. The deer immediately piled up.
The load was 150 grain silvertip Winchesters, I was 9 or 10 years old and my Uncle hollared at me for wasting the second shot and busting the skull cap in two which ruined the rack.
The rifle was his back up gun and he spent most of his sixty years of hunting deer using a Savage Stevens 340 bolt action in .30/30 and a 6.5 Arisaka Japanese bolt rifle.

I know my cousin killed several more deer and a couple of black bear with that Model 94.
 
I have a Marlin .30-30 lever gun....a whole lot of gun in a reasonably priced package.

Mine wears a 4x32 scope. Longest confirmed 1-shot deer harvest was a measured 176 Yds.*** Full-on side shot, Bambi sort of stood there, wagging tail some, walked over and leaned against a tree (2 yds away), then just fell over sideways...Whump!


***According to hunting buddy's laser rangefinder. My estimate of walking it off was 190 Yds.
 
When you get to the point where you start to reload your own rounds, the .30-30 is about the easiest bottle-necked cartridge to reload.
 
It was mine and I suspect many other's first gun. Mine was my 12th birthday present. I have no clue how many rounds I fired but I bet it has 4 digits. I have taken everything from deer, yotes, whistle pigs, rabbits, elk, ferral dog/cats, no bears though (I have yet to shoot one)

with 150 gr bullets, it is a dream to shoot, with 170s, it carries quite a wallop under 200 yards. I added a williams sight to mine, love it.

Since I will never sell or trade mine, I did reblue and refinish the stock a couple years back. Amazing how much pounding around on a horse, ATV, or truck can beat up a rifle.

I will stand toe to toe against any gang banger in a fire fight, I will not however; attempt to out gun an old man with a beat up 30-30.
 
They're great fun, especially in that Winchester of yours, I have a Marlin, but it's based off of the 94. I've always considered 150 yards to be about top end for one, but it's got aplenty of killing power at that range. Comparing a 7.62x39 to a .30-30 is almost as bad as comparing a 9mm to a .357 A .30-30 has plenty of range and knockdown, and well...some of the 7.62's have green cases, that's the only good thing I can think of to say...

I put over and under scope rings on mine, so if the target's close enough for me to see, I can look under the scope and use my iron sights. The rings are topped with a $30 Bushnell 3-9x40 scope, and it does plenty good for that gun. Be careful and hold the forend down on your first shot with the scope, otherwise it'll come up and visit your forehead.

Greg
 
great gun and great fun and the first centerfire rifle I ever shot.

It is good enough for hunting and even better for fun but this isn't exactly a benchrest gun. Don't get me wrong, it is a blast at the range but it wont line up a bunch of rounds into one little hole.

Do your job though and it will always do it's job.

As to game deer and black bear are about the top of the range for it out to 150-200 yards.

For scopes keep it low and simple mine wears an old Weaver k2.5 and it works just fine on it.
 
Accuracy wise it's going to depend on you. If you are an accurate shooter, then it will be an accurate gun to around 200 yards. If you aren't, it's going to be much, much, worse as model 94s have a tendency to start throwing lead everywhere when the barrel gets hot.

After 6-8 rounds you will see accuracy start to diminish.

It's a great brush-cutting round, and probably the best out of the .30 cal family if not the best period. I used to hunt the thick woods of Pennsylvania and never, ever, missed a deer due to a rounds trajectory being changed by bushes and small branches between me and the target. Something I watched happen with my father (.270) and brother (7mm).

As far as sights, it's the only rifle I own without a scope. One thing I did was take the shroud off the front site and that helped in low-light conditions. I could see and shoot in conditions my scoped fellow hunters couldn't. I wouldn't put a scope on a 94. Most of my hunting was 100 yards or less in thick brush, so a scope didn't make sense to me. Many times I was quicker to the trigger on a deer than my father or brother and I think it was the scope that slowed them down.

If you're hunting open land, then of course, the scope will help.

Mine always prefered 140 gr silvertip Winchester rounds.
 
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