Another buck harvested by the MEDIOCORE 30-30!

horsesoldier03 · Post by **horsesoldier03** » Tue Dec 06, 2011 7:08 pm

After 3 or 4 years of eating tag soup, I finally harvested a nice buck. I finally decided that I was tired of shooting small deer and decided to never shoot at another 6 point. I took this buck with my 1st and only deer rifle, a Marlin 336 in 30-30 Win. which has always managed to do the job for 30 yrs this season. The bullet was the Federal 170 grain power shok. The shot was an honest 150 yards, the bullet hit high on the right side and came out low on the chest, looks like it ricoched off the spine. He dropped DRT and never moved as if he had been hit by lightning!

spaceman spiff · Post by **spaceman spiff** » Tue Dec 06, 2011 7:11 pm

We all know that the 30-30 ain't a big game caliber!

Congrats!

spaceman

Don McDowell · Post by **Don McDowell** » Tue Dec 06, 2011 7:13 pm

You sure that deers dead?

Why everybody knows that at 150 yds the 30-30 bullet just disappears into thin air never to be seen again.

Congrats that's a dang nice deer anywhere..

.45colt · Post by **.45colt** » Tue Dec 06, 2011 7:19 pm

pokey · Post by **pokey** » Tue Dec 06, 2011 7:26 pm

cool

348WCF · Post by **348WCF** » Tue Dec 06, 2011 7:27 pm

Wow! That is a really great buck! Congrats!

kimwcook · Post by **kimwcook** » Tue Dec 06, 2011 7:41 pm

Don McDowell wrote: You sure that deers dead? Why everybody knows that at 150 yds the 30-30 bullet just disappears into thin air never to be seen again.
Congrats that's a dang nice deer anywhere..

Very nice deer. Congrats.

Pitchy · Post by **Pitchy** » Tue Dec 06, 2011 7:48 pm

It`s the Marlin that makes it so powerful

Nice buck there fer sure.

FWiedner · Post by **FWiedner** » Tue Dec 06, 2011 7:48 pm

Now that's a buck!

Good job.

L_Kilkenny · Post by **L_Kilkenny** » Tue Dec 06, 2011 7:49 pm

Might as well of been using a .22. Can't believe the stunts some folk do.

Nice lookin buck!

LK

Bigahh · Post by **Bigahh** » Tue Dec 06, 2011 8:09 pm

Very Nice !

madman4570 · Post by **madman4570** » Tue Dec 06, 2011 8:12 pm

Very fine Buck!
Congrats!

DunRanull · Post by **DunRanull** » Tue Dec 06, 2011 8:21 pm

Congrats on a nice buck and a good shot! Enjoy.

pokey · Post by **pokey** » Tue Dec 06, 2011 8:22 pm

Pitchy wrote:It`s the Marlin that makes it so powerful

now your just tryin' to start somethin'.

olyinaz · Post by **olyinaz** » Tue Dec 06, 2011 8:39 pm

GREAT looking buck!

Oly

jnyork · Post by **jnyork** » Tue Dec 06, 2011 8:43 pm

Nothing like a well-placed shot. Good job!

ollogger · Post by **ollogger** » Tue Dec 06, 2011 8:45 pm

you will not get Tired of shooting Deer like that
great buck & great shot
ollogger

iceman · Post by **iceman** » Tue Dec 06, 2011 9:16 pm

Nice buck!! Must have forgotten to put on its armor plating cause everybody knows a 30-30 can't kill big deer.

O.S.O.K. · Post by **O.S.O.K.** » Tue Dec 06, 2011 11:39 pm

Congrats! That is an awsome buck.

And taking it with a 30-30 makes it all the better. Especially when you post about it here!

kaschi · Post by **kaschi** » Tue Dec 06, 2011 11:55 pm

OMG! That is a HUGE RACK! Congrats!

Griff · Post by **Griff** » Wed Dec 07, 2011 12:13 am

EXCELLENT!

6pt-sika · Post by **6pt-sika** » Wed Dec 07, 2011 12:17 am

Congrats and nice rack !

Yours has a better rack then ANY whitetail I've ever killed

1894c · Post by **1894c** » Wed Dec 07, 2011 2:07 am

very nice--I've decided that I would like to have a 30-30 back in my life--your post has inspired me--thank you... :)

93marshooter · Post by **93marshooter** » Wed Dec 07, 2011 7:09 am

I see lots of stories where hunter kills a whitetail deer with some hi-power mag rifle in the range of a good ole 30-30. I like accounts of 30-30 doing what it was designed to do by a shooter that can use it. Good shot great deer.

RIHMFIRE · Post by **RIHMFIRE** » Wed Dec 07, 2011 8:15 am

Awsome buck

2X22 · Post by **2X22** » Wed Dec 07, 2011 9:46 am

Wow! What a buck! And taken by a Levergun, it doesn't get much better!

2x22

pdawg.shooter · Post by **pdawg.shooter** » Wed Dec 07, 2011 10:45 am

You all should know by now you cant kill a deer with a 30-30! Heck, hardly big enough for a jack rabbit. All the gun writers been telling us that for years now.

gak · Post by **gak** » Wed Dec 07, 2011 11:54 am

Congratulations! I've been enjoying the underpowered, inaccurate and mediocre .30-30 for over forty years now. My favorite.

gamekeeper · Post by **gamekeeper** » Wed Dec 07, 2011 12:04 pm

Nice Buck.

Nath · Post by **Nath** » Wed Dec 07, 2011 1:10 pm

Wonderfull, a classic example how more is not alway's better

Nath.

kasTX · Post by **kasTX** » Wed Dec 07, 2011 2:00 pm

Well, before you all get the idea that 30-30 is actually adequate for deer, notice something missing in that picture? That's right - no rifle! All we can see is the buck and a pickup truck. Pretty obvious horsesoldier just failed to yield to the buck in a crosswalk and is trying to get all of us to run out and buy that new-fangled 30-30 cartridge when the old 30WCF works just fine! Some people...

All kidding aside, that is one very impressive animal! There's nothing even close to that running around our lease!

horsesoldier03 · Post by **horsesoldier03** » Wed Dec 07, 2011 3:06 pm

kasTX wrote:Well, before you all get the idea that 30-30 is actually adequate for deer, notice something missing in that picture? That's right - no rifle! All we can see is the buck and a pickup truck. Pretty obvious horsesoldier just failed to yield to the buck in a crosswalk and is trying to get all of us to run out and buy that new-fangled 30-30 cartridge when the old 30WCF works just fine! Some people...

All kidding aside, that is one very impressive animal! There's nothing even close to that running around our lease!

LOL, I should have known I would get caught! Notice I didnt let you see the front grill on those trucks!

turnkey · Post by **turnkey** » Wed Dec 07, 2011 9:33 pm

ORRR..... did you run up and butt-stroke him when he wasn't looking?

Seriously, very nice buck!

kevin in nh · Post by **kevin in nh** » Thu Dec 08, 2011 6:09 am

You call that a nice buck? Thats an AWESOME Buck.....wow....congrats!!!

Leverdude · Post by **Leverdude** » Thu Dec 08, 2011 7:28 am

Very nice!

Post by **Old Savage** » Thu Dec 08, 2011 4:08 pm

Great deer but I don't recall anyone saying the 30-30 wasn't a good deer rifle. I think the question has come on larger animals and at longer distances.

marlin shooter · Post by **marlin shooter** » Thu Dec 08, 2011 6:24 pm

Great Buck man! Good for you. Nice that you shot him with the 30-30.

LeverBob · Post by **LeverBob** » Thu Dec 08, 2011 6:32 pm

horsesoldier03 wrote:After 3 or 4 years of eating tag soup, I finally harvested a nice buck. I finally decided that I was tired of shooting small deer and decided to never shoot at another 6 point. I took this buck with my 1st and only deer rifle, a Marlin 336 in 30-30 Win. which has always managed to do the job for 30 yrs this season. The bullet was the Federal 170 grain power shok. The shot was an honest 150 yards, the bullet hit high on the right side and came out low on the chest, looks like it ricoched off the spine. He dropped DRT and never moved as if he had been hit by lightning!

I'm right proud of you son....your experience simply confirms the truth...that everyone here can attest to. Right proud!

LB

Canuck Bob · Post by **Canuck Bob** » Thu Dec 08, 2011 8:13 pm

Nice buck. A lever 30-30 is a fine combo for deer to a couple hundred yards. I got a nice 32 Special this year and it is now my primary hunting rifle as deer are my game animal these days.

Paladin · Post by **Paladin** » Thu Dec 08, 2011 10:01 pm

Patience, don’t you hate it when it works.
Great Buck.

Birdman · Post by **Birdman** » Fri Dec 09, 2011 5:17 pm

Great gun, great shot, great buck. What a day!

Rusty · Post by **Rusty** » Fri Dec 09, 2011 5:44 pm

GREAT BUCK! I'd like to see what that one scores!

horsesoldier03 · Post by **horsesoldier03** » Fri Dec 09, 2011 8:02 pm

Rusty wrote:GREAT BUCK! I'd like to see what that one scores!

My taxidermist is busier than a one legged man in a butt kickin contest right now. He estimates it to be a strong 140s buck and said it may go 150. Once the season closes and people stop bringing new deer in, he may be able to get around to putting a tape on it. I measured the spread at 20 3/4".

preventec47 · Post by **preventec47** » Sat Dec 10, 2011 6:56 pm

That 170 grain bullet is pretty heavy for that cartridge. Do you think
at the distance it expanded any based on the wound channel ?

Have you always used the 170 gr bullet ?

Hornady shows theirs to be about 1800 fps at muzzle and
when sighted at 100yds it has a 9 inch drop at 200yds
and 35 inch drop at 300 yards.

Do you have a scope on your rifle and if so what power ?

horsesoldier03 · Post by **horsesoldier03** » Sat Dec 10, 2011 7:32 pm

I have used both 150 and 170 grain bullets, my preference is the 170s. I dont use Hornady, I use REM Corelokts or the FED Power Shok (lots cheaper) This year I ended up scoping my levergun due to the fact that my near sighted vision is getting worse and I now have to use reading glasses. Iron sights are getting just too fuzzy for longer shots!

I mounted a 4x32 SIMMONS PRO-DIAMOND with the peep rings so I can still use my iron sights at close distances. The irons are sighted dead on at 50 yards. I sighted the scope to be 2" high at 50 yards which puts it almost dead on at 150 yards and only 4" low at 200 yards. I wont shoot past that!

SCOPE LINK:
http://www.natchezss.com/Category.cfm?c ... le=Simmons 4x32 ProDiamond Riflescope ProDiamond Reticle Matte

horsesoldier03 · Post by **horsesoldier03** » Sat Dec 10, 2011 10:39 pm

Old Savage wrote:Great deer but I don't recall anyone saying the 30-30 wasn't a good deer rifle. I think the question has come on larger animals and at longer distances.

I was meaning the MEDIOCORE as more of a sarcastic comment! I have never felt undergunned and I think most here would agree it is more than capable, even out to 200 yards. However, if you walk into most deer camps these days with a 30-30 or most any levergun, most of the other hunters generally feel as if you have handicapped yourself. (at least in my experiances) Out of all of the guys (8) that I hunt with, I am the only one that isnt carrying a bolt rifle in a .270 or .30-06.

Post by **Old Savage** » Sat Dec 10, 2011 10:51 pm

Just sorry to see your grand buck have attention drawn from it by this very hackneyed issue. 200 isn't the issue - 300 is and there the 30-30 is just plain inferior to a 270 or 30-06 or even a 243 with 85 gr condor ammo.

Even at 200 yds a 170 is only traveling 1300 to 1600 fps depending on whose BC and velocities you use. ???? Maybe the bullet will perform at 1300 650 ft lbs. While the 150 30-06 will be out there at about 2300+ and still more at 300 than the 30-30 at 200. There is a reason people see a difference. And you are right, the 30-30 is mediocore compared to the 30-06 but at 150 yds it is grand.

BUT again congratulations on this grand buck. At least to my eye.

grouse · Post by **grouse** » Sun Dec 11, 2011 10:56 am

What ever the Rifle what ever the Range the Fact Remains with Just a Little Luck the Levergunner Tags One Awsome Buck!

Rube Burrows · Post by **Rube Burrows** » Sun Dec 11, 2011 12:58 pm

Very nice buck.

Dave · Post by **Dave** » Sun Dec 11, 2011 6:16 pm

Nice buck and good shot!