Win 30-30 for rural defense?

[JNewell]

The original question was:

Is a lever-action okay for rural homestead defense?

He didn't ask for the best possible solution for any imaginable situation, just a good solution for his situation. The answer is clearly "yes."

 

[fiddleharp]

By "rural defense", do you mean shooting the bad guys after they enter your house, opening up when they are at your property line 300 yards away, or merely threatening them? Who are "they", anyway? Zombies engaging in a human wave attack? Teenage pranksters? Who?
A good "defense" weapon is anything with which you are willing to take a human life.

 

[wrs840]

Rural defense to me means any coyote, rabid skunks, rabid foxes, rabid raccoons, feral dogs, etc. Bad guys, sure, but the former will be encountered, the latter only may be.

Les

 

[ECVMatt]

I think this whole thing is getting pretty silly. Only the OP can determine what will work best for his situation. He asked if a lever action .30-30 would work.

All this about zombies, end of the world stuff, etc is crazy.

How far can you shoot somebody, I guess that depends upon how far away they are shooting at you. I am not going to stop shooting back because someone is beyond 25, 30, or whatever yards. If I am in the middle of a pasture and someone is shooting at me from the fence line 100 yards way, I damn sure am going to shoot back.

Most folks don't need 2000 rounds of ammo to feel safe. If that is your thing, more power to you, but what works for you might not for others.

Back to the original question: will a Winchester 94 work for self defense, yes.

Somethings may be better and somethings may be worse, but a good lever action in .30-30 is a good solid choice.

Buy the rifle, practice, enjoy and be safe.

Matt

 

[AStone]

^ Ah, back to sanity.

 

[THe Dove]

JustSayMo

Is dat a little seasoned koos koos wif your bear back strap and salad?????? MMM


The Dove

 

[Ratdog68]

I agree... this thread was getting way too carried away with the BRD (Black Rifle Disease). Now, don't get me wrong... I love my black rifles as much as the next Zombie-slayer, and am in the middle of building one. However... I likes the old gear just as much and a good lever action .30-30 rocks for keepin' life good. Besides, Ephrata is horse country... and the western flavor is alive and well in Grant County.

 

[JustsayMo]

Dove, you got that right. The wife ain't running no weight loss clinic. Good eats, even better when the menu includes local the delights. Folks got no idea how good food is that didn't come pre-packaged from the super market.

Lots of good points made in this thread. Comparing 30-30 to 7.62 x 39 or 223 is interesting. Comparing apples to apples, hunting ammo to hunting ammo. versatility, reliability, portability and realistic homeland defense scenarios I believe the 30-30 compares VERY favorably. To underestimate a feller with a 30-30 would be at one's own peril. I'm betting most AR's get little use outside the range except for the loving fondling and accessorizing they seem prone to (barbies for men). A 30-30 owner has probably more hours afield in a single year than the majority of black rifle owners get in their lifetime. He's also more likely to have shot something besides paper and knows a thing or two about bushcraft by actual experience, not by reading it on the internet.

 

[ReadyontheRight]

You can just grab a 30-30 and carry it around much easier than any other rifle. SHTF or hunting.

Every American should own one.

 

[Sunray]

A .30-30 will do nicely, but shooting left isn't a reason to opt for a rifle that has excessive felt recoil for the power of the cartridge and mediocre accuracy. Had a Win 94 top eject, long ago. Sold it. Never had any issues shooting left with any long gun I've ever shot. Be that a battle rifle or pump shotgun.

 

[.45Heater]

I second JustsayMO's response! Excellent all around gun. Probably the BEST all around rifle.

 

[DIM]

I live in the middle of nowhere, don't use 30-30 don't use lever guns, this is just a gimmick... I use proven Rem 870 with double 00, just trust me nothing will have a chance after double 00... maybe big foot but i got sluggers for it

 

[wrs840]

don't use 30-30 don't use lever guns, this is just a gimmick...

Please explain why a levergun is a "gimmick"...

Just curious to hear your thought process.

Les

 

[nathan]

I d be comfortable using a .30 30 anytime of the day to defend my family and property. But i d prefer the SKS with similar .30 30 ballistics in a fast semi .

 

[AStone]

I'm betting most AR's get little use outside the range except for the loving fondling and accessorizing they seem prone to (barbies for men). A 30-30 owner has probably more hours afield in a single year than the majority of black rifle owners get in their lifetime. He's also more likely to have shot something besides paper and knows a thing or two about bushcraft by actual experience, not by reading it on the internet.

And the sanity continues to flow.

"Barbies for men" is a classic.

 

[goon]

Lots of good points made in this thread. Comparing 30-30 to 7.62 x 39 or 223 is interesting. Comparing apples to apples, hunting ammo to hunting ammo. versatility, reliability, portability and realistic homeland defense scenarios I believe the 30-30 compares VERY favorably. To underestimate a feller with a 30-30 would be at one's own peril. I'm betting most AR's get little use outside the range except for the loving fondling and accessorizing they seem prone to (barbies for men). A 30-30 owner has probably more hours afield in a single year than the majority of black rifle owners get in their lifetime. He's also more likely to have shot something besides paper and knows a thing or two about bushcraft by actual experience, not by reading it on the internet.

There is something to be said for this, but the door swings both ways. It would be foolish to assume that a man armed with a 30-30 is easy prey. A good markman, who may have a lifetime of experience with his rifle, can pop you at 300 yards with one. Having said that, skills learned with a Winchester at age 12 can easily translate over to an AK or AR.
In addition, you really can't assume that hunting rifle = skill. I see many used lever action 30-30's locally for around $250 to $300. Most of them have a little wear on the metal, a few scratches on the wood, hardly any wear on the internals, and an excellent bore. This tells me that they got carried a bit (sometimes a lot), but not shot that much. Most hunters I know are lucky to shoot more than five shots a year out of their hunting rifles. I have literally had random guys at the range ask me to zero their rifles for them because they are not up to the task of doing it themselves, often after watching me bust clay pigeons offhand or walk an empty milk jug around on the 100 yard berm with a semi-auto rifle.
In either case though, the rifle itself is light, generally reliable, easy to use and carry, and adequately accurate and powerful to shoot out to 300 yards against an attacker or to 200 hunting. It is an adequate tool if you are an adequate shooter.

You can just grab a 30-30 and carry it around much easier than any other rifle.

It may defy logic, but this is true in my limited experience.

 

[DIM]

let see with double 00 you got 9 - 12 pelets size of 30-30 screaming your way... you wouldn't have chance to scream ooo mama ;-)

 

[DIM]

OK lever guns are not a gimmick... I just don't use them... they suck in accuracy in long ranges for short defense purposes 870 can do just fine.... With 870 rifled barrel at 100 yards I can put 5 slugs in 2" I think it sufficient

 

[wrs840]

So do you have a 870 for buck or do you have a 870 with a rifled barrel? Which one do you climb into a cab-tractor with?

Les

 

[DIM]

i drive subaru forester I have no cab-tractor just a lawn mower 870 is a combo rifled barrel plus smooth

 

[JShirley]

Yes.

 

[goon]

i drive subaru forester I have no cab-tractor just a lawn mower 870 is a combo rifled barrel plus smooth

OK...
So which barrel do you have on it when you need to grab a gun "RIGHT NOW!!!" ?
And do you stop to work five rounds of buck out of it, remove the smoothbore barrel, stick the rifled barrel on, and stuff in five slugs if you identify a threat that's near the 100 yard mark?
With a 30-30 rifle, anywhere from the end of the muzzle to two hundred yards (conservatively speaking) is in serious danger of getting shot if it needs to and you don't need to worry about which barrel is on your gun or what kind of ammunition is in the magazine.
Shotguns have their uses - I admit that freely. But they also have their handicaps.

 

[DIM]

for long range 200 - 600 yards I use 308 never failed.. also I got 270 win as a backup the 870 is always nearby with riffled barrel and sabots which are good for about 200 yards yes only 5 shots but every shot counts and I don't ha sated to shoot 00 buck out of it... the lawnmower is only 20 horses and it has place for one beer at the time... no place for gun-rack

 

[black_powder_Rob]

well you have fun with your 870 and 308's but i think I will stick with my 336. And I would think a 336 would be better than a shotgun at 300 yards and maybe a little further. Don't forget we have the leverloution round now.

 

[Art Eatman]

This old horse smells too bad to do anything but bury it...