What is the limiting factor of 30-30?

[Tommygunn]

Despite it's popularity in the USA the 30-30 was obslolete 3 years before the first box of ammo or rifle was ever sold in 1895. The 30-30 was conceived with mid 19th century science and technology. It was originally designed as a blackpowder round and was sold as such at first. It was converted to smokeless powder and at one time both versions could be bought. Both the round and most rifles made for it are limited because of the blackpowder design limitations.

The .30-30 was never a blackpowder round. The 1894 was chambered in some blackpowder rounds when it first came out because Winchester needed to prepare its nickel steel barrels. The .30-30 came out in 1895 and was always loaded with modern propellants.
Given the ubiquity of blackpowder at the time some reloaders might have reloaded the .30-30 with it but Winchester never made it that way from the factory.

 

[murf]

the 30-30 is the best low pressure cartridge for the lever action platform. all others (except for the 45-70) have fallen by the wayside.

the 30-30 will kill deer, elk, bear. the rifle will hold 5 rounds and weigh less than 7 pounds. why fix it if it's not broken?

murf

 

[rcmodel]

Typically holds 6 rounds in the mag + 1 in the chamber in a 94 Win or 336 Marlin 20" carbine.

rc

 

[303tom]

This is all I got to say about the lowly .30-30...............

http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=668478

 

[skidder]

The 30-30 lever action is a bottleneck for the performance of the cartridge.

If you reload and have a Winchester model 54 carbine with a Williams peep site , well.... you have yourself a 30-30 Magnum. The Hornady .308 BTSPs don't care if it ain't a 30-06 .

 

[sage5907]

Skidder, thanks for showing us that rifle. I'm one of the people who think only bolt action rifles are interesting and that Model 54 is interesting. BW

 

[Elm Creek Smith]

NRA Centennial Rifle/Musket with 26 inch barrel. Saw mine while working over Christmas at Looboyle (long gone) in Tulsa. No one got the quality of presents I was intending that year except me. If you can find one that's been shot or don't care about shooting a post-64 "commemorative," performance is really remarkable.

ECS

 

[Carl N. Brown]

Most .30-30 rifles have barrels rifled to give accuracy within the 2100 - 2300 fps range; if the rate of twist isn't proper for higher velocity, hotrodding the .30-30 is a waste of powder. In fact, some folks want a slower rate of twist than the factory standard, to give better accuracy at 1200 - 1400 fps for small game or black powder reloads.

 

[Vern Humphrey]

A high rate of twist isn't a disadvantage when driving bullets faster than usual except when the combination of high twist rate and high velocity causes bullets to come apart in flight. That doesn't happen with the .30-30. All that happens at higher velocities is that you get proportionally greater spin rates, which doesn't hurt anything.

At the same time, I get good accuracy with a 160 grain cast bullet at around 1200 fps.

 

[solvability]

I have thought about having my chamber reamed to shoot the Ackley improved version and then think better of it - I am not going to scope the rifle and it shoots right through our little white tails and for sure will kill our feral hogs so why mess with it.

FYI - it is a pretty simple rechamber.

http://www.reloadbench.com/cartridges/w3030ack.html

 

[CountryUgly]

Believe it or not its pretty slick in a revolver too!

I've so been wanting the BFR in 30-30 but have held off because I've not found anyone to give me real world feedback on it. Would you please PM me with your opion/impression on this gun so we don;t hijack the thread.

 

[wlewisiii]

The only real limit I've found to .30-30 is the quality of the booger hook on the bang switch.

 

[ECVMatt]

I love the .30-30 and shoot it often. I don't see the point of hot rodding this round as the Browning BLR .308 is a nice levergun if you feel the need for a hotter round. I shoot mine out to about 150 yards and it hammers things.

The rifles are light, handy, and durable.

 

[sage5907]

Elm Creek Smith , I'm probably the only one reading thehighroad besides you that knows about Looboyle. What a great store it was before Bass Pro and Cabelas's. I came to Tulsa in 1969 and found myself at the store on Xanthius Place about every week. Later it was the store at Southroads Mall. Thanks for sharing the memory. BW

 

[bubba15301]

30/30 was never loaded with blackpowder always smokeless powder

 

[Eb1]

I'll take my 30-30 AI with Sierra 125 grain HPs over a 7.62x39 any day or night.

For that matter I'll take a 30-30 with 125 grain HPs over a 7.62x39.

 

[mavracer]

The only real limit I've found to .30-30 is the quality of the booger hook on the bang switch.

+1
Dad told me of a guide they used in Rifle Colorado who regularly killed deer and elk with a 30-30, this would have been in the 50s before they invented the up armored deer.

 

[Eb1]

I have a 1972 336 that has a trigger of glass. I have also polished up the 336W to be almost as good, but it doesn't have 1000s of rounds through it yet.

 

[rcmodel]

I don't think he was referring to the quality of the trigger pull.

I think he was referring to skill of the rifleman pulling it!

rc

 

[Eb1]

Doh! Eight Year Anniversary tonight for the wife and I, and she is sick, and I am chasing a 2 year old son playing Monster Trucks, while playing restaurant with the seven year old girl. LOL

That one flew right over my head.

Thanks, rc.

 

[mac66]

IMO, there is a big difference on deer between the 30-30 and the .30 russian short cartridge. A 150 gr vs 124 gr bullet makes a big difference.

My 1932 made Winchester 94 .30 WCF has taken a bunch of deer over the years. How many in the 65 years before I got it I can't imagine.

On the other hand, I have tried the Leverevolution ammo and is works well. The only thing is that all my shots have been 125 yards or shorter and it offers no advantantage at those ranges over the old round nose bullets.

When you think about it...it is a .30 caliber bullet out of lightweight carbine. It has stayed popular because it just plain works.

 

[303tom]

I love the .30 WCF................

 

[MrDig]

Despite it's popularity in the USA the 30-30 was obslolete 3 years before the first box of ammo or rifle was ever sold in 1895.

I have been sober and clean since August of 1988, and this statement makes me want whatever you are on. I apologize for my sarcasm but Seriously? Given it's continued popularity is testament to the fact that it is not obsolete. It is a workhorse round, Ranchers, Farmers and Joe lunch bucket hunters put this round to work and it does it's job regardless. The thing is they not only know the limits of the round they know their own limitations as well.
The round will probably still be doing what it was designed to do in another 120 years or so because it is that dependable.

 

[Texan Scott]

Thank you MrDig... i saw that earlier but lacked the tact to address it at the time, and knew it.
Personally, I've always liked the .30-30, as well as that other great rifle caliber, the .30 WCF.

 

[R.W.Dale]

In terms of performance 30-30 was obsolete 6 years before it was even introduced.

By 1890 we had both the 7x57 and the 7.65x53mm Mauser. Two cartridges that are every bit the equal to 308 and 7mm08

Just because it was popular doesn't mean that it wasn't obsolete. Just like lots of folks still like to have a wristwatch on their arm while they have a smartphone in their pocket.

Of course none of this detract from 30/30's knack for killing game at practical ranges with a minimum of fuss.

A 20" 30-30 will launch a 150 grain bullet 2300 fps on average

A 20" 7.62x39 will launch a 154 grain bullet 2150 fps

That's less difference than you get between 308 to 30/06 or in other words pretty much the same.