What hangun to pair with 30-30 lever rifle?

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Glamdring

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Would you pick a rimfire? Or a big bore revolver? Or a pistol?

And why do you pick it?

Note this isn't just owning 2 guns, rather what you would carry when hunting, traveling, or working (ranching, farming, guiding, etc) besides a rifle.
 
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Well a lever gun just begs for a SAA style of handgun whether a Ruger, Freedom Arms, USFA or a reproduction...45LC is nice as is .44 Spec and .357 mag...all mine are in .41 mag but I have a Marlin lever chambered in that as well...
 
I'll take a .22 revolver to go with the .30 rifle (336).

I'll take a .357 mag or .44 mag revolver to go with the .22 rifle (39).

Why? (This is the essay part of the question.)

If I'm carrying the .30, I'm after deer, but want a handgun
to take a squirrel, rabbit or grouse for the camp pot.

If I'm carrying the .22, I'm after squirrel, rabbit or grouse,
but may run across a deer for the winter larder.
 
Magnum Research BFR in .30-30 for ammo compatibility? :D

I've always been a fan of the rimfire-centerfire duo mentioned by Nematocyst above. If the rifle will always be near by, a rimfire handgun is a good choice for small game, a coup de grace on larger game, or for general plinking.

If you might have to leave the rifle for periods of time, it wouldn't hurt to go with a .357/9mm at the least. I'm not sure who or what you have roaming around the woods up there.
 
A .357 magnum revolver mates up properly with a 336c.

Ultra reliability, powerful enough for all coup de grace shots of wounded cattle, deer, hogs, etc. Carry the cylinder full of .357 SP "hunting ammo"
and have a safari land speed loader or two with more of the same and one full of 125gr Speer Gold Dots.

Personally I'd get at least a 4" barrel with a 6" barrel being more useful for velocity and the longer sight radius. Stainless steel would be nice as well since it may be exposed to more extreme weather conditions....

When I get my tract of land, my 6" Security Six is gonna be on my hip all the time,,,don't care about concealing it out when mending fence or just walking around checking things out.
 
I agree with Nematocyst. I'd go with a small caliber revolver or auto to be able to pop the small game without destroying them :)

.22, .25, maybe a judge with .410 birdshot, etc....
 
I say single action revolver. Blackhawk in .357 if you want a larger caliber, or a Single Six in .22/.22mag if you want small game.
 
There are so many variations one can use depending on what one is doing and where one is located or going.

On an Idaho elk/deer scouting trip early last Fall, I carried my Marlin .30-30 and Ruger B.H. .45 Colt. Because I was not hunting but scouting, I had a light day pack (not pictured) in case of an emergency "overnighter."

My partner was scouting two drainages over from me and we both left camp at daybreak, not returning until sundown.

In that area there are Black bears, Mountain lions, and wolves. I was alone in a very remote area, therefore my "gear," which works quite well for me.

(I was carrying a bear tag and a Mtn. lion tag, but was not hunting them. The tags are "just in case," so I don't have to go through a lot of F&G red tape should I have to shoot either for self defense.)

MyStuff.jpg

L.W.
 
Single action only revolver.

I prefer the Blackhawk, but you might like a Stampede, a Colt SAA, a Taurus, a Cattleman, or even a Heritage.
 
Nematocyst said:
I'll take a .22 revolver to go with the .30 rifle (336).

I'll take a .357 mag or .44 mag revolver to go with the .22 rifle (39).

Why? (This is the essay part of the question.)

If I'm carrying the .30, I'm after deer, but want a handgun
to take a squirrel, rabbit or grouse for the camp pot.

If I'm carrying the .22, I'm after squirrel, rabbit or grouse,
but may run across a deer for the winter larder.
Click to expand...
I like your reasoning there.
 
What are you hunting and where are you hunting?

If it's deer in Minnesota woods, I like the idea of the single-action .22 (maybe hedge your bets and go with the .22 Magnum cylinder or a cylinder or two of snake shot - just in case).

But, if you're hunting where critters roam that can bite you OR you are in thick underbrush where a snap shot with a rifle may be difficult (i.e., after hogs), I would suggest a .357 Magnum revolver, in the 4"-6" length. Has enough power to potentially save your bacon and can be downloaded with .38 Wadcutters if you want to pot a rabbit or squirrel for supper. Next pistol recommendation would be .45 Colt. Again, you could handload some more mild rounds for plinking or heavy-duty loads for serious stuff.

Q
 
Given the area where I currently hunt, I carry a stainless, 4" barreled, .357 with snake shot w/ my 30-30. In other areas I hunt, a S&W 22A .22 works well. I guess it depends on the intended purpose of the sidearm. Back-up? .357 w/ HP's; finishing shot? .357 with HP or SP; Jake? snake shot; small game? 22. Lots to consider here. I normally carry a pistol for back-up (2 legged predators) or to ward off Jake. My $.02.
 
.22 lr and 30-30 for this MN boy. If I had predators to worry about, gimme .44 mag super blackhawk.
 
Call me crazy but the .30 Carbine Blackhawk came to mind:
http://www.ruger-firearms.com/Firearms/FAProdSpecsView?model=10595
because I could swear I had seen 30 carbine adapters to chamber in the 30-30 but it's not listed on MCA's site. If so it would let you use the carbine round in both in a pinch. It would seem a better fit than a .312 dia .32 ctg. I do see the .32 H&R so I wonder if .327 Federal is possible... but there goes cheap practice...
 
Blackhawk in .30 Carbine??

Call me crazy but the .30 Carbine Blackhawk came to mind:
Click to expand...

Ooooh, let's not and say we did.

Firing .30 Carbine from a revolver (or pretty much any pistol) is going to be UNACCEPTABLY LOUD and require serious ear protection, even fired outdoors.

I like Nem's reasoning. I hadn't looked at it like that.

Guess I'm gonna hafta get me a Single Six and keep some .22 WMR on tap.

Damn. I thought I wuz done with buying for the year.

 
Would you pick a rimfire? Or a big bore revolver? Or a pistol?
Click to expand...

I think you mean "what kind of pistol?" A pistol is a handgun. It can be of the revolving cylinder type, or autoloading from a detachable magazine. Both are still pistols. There is lots of confused terminology and usage out there. It's the new "clip vs. magazine" debate. That one is SOOO 2006... ;)

When I am mounted and have my .30-30, I don't change my sidearm. I usually carry either a 1) S&W N frame .44magnum, 2) N or L frame S&W .357, or 3) less often a 1911 style .45acp. I am using them for protection of myself and livestock in bear and cougar country, not for hunting. Thus, I want a "killing round" whether I have my handgun or rifle.

Frankly I expect that in the very rare case I need to use one in earnest, I might not even have time to get the rifle out of the scabbard and the only thing I feel I can reliably trust is the handgun on my person. Some of these scenarios play out with such violence and suddenness you might be in the position of needing to fight your way to your rifle and left with only the tools on you at the moment. This applies more to a weapon on your horse, ATV, jeep, and not one carried slung if on foot.
 
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