Carabina 30-30

[Scott Tschirhart]

Viva Farncisco Villa!!! Viva la Revolution!!

https://youtu.be/be3ZstYDL-g?si=kqs-1fw_tMO4oyh0

[JimT]

The old .30-30 is a special round. Not too many cartridges and rifles have songs written about them. I choose the .30-30 and my Trapper over the AR any day. One reason is, I never learned how to use an AR! I can pick up my Trapper after not shooting it for months and still run it with my eyes closed.

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[Scott Tschirhart]

Note which levergun is in front of all others and ready to go.

[Scott Tschirhart]

I bought that saddle ring .30-30 when I was a Houston PD officer and I’ve carried it around in a patrol car, on horseback, on 4wheelers and Jeeps from northern Mexico to Anchorage Alaska.

It’s never let me down.

[OldWin]

Yeah, I like em. This is most of my 30-30s. In the top picture, the carbine on the far right is a post war pre-64 I got in 7th grade for my first rifle. The one just to the left of it is from the same era and unfired. The 2nd from the left is either a 64 short rifle, or a "carbine", depending on your interpretation.
In the bottom picture, the Eastern Carbine ( circa 1920), was my father's first rifle. He paid 35 bucks for it when he was 16.

[348win]

Id like to get me a M64 Carbine 20" Deluxe 30-30 to pass off w my teenage boy as he learns.

They are looking quite expensive though.

Also 30-30 power levels make me reconsider loading down the 348win for him to use, but the M71 is a heavy rifle to shoot offhand for a boy.

How much you guys trust the ol' 30-30 up against a 500lb bear????
I don't really wanna find out.....but I want the kid to learn on open sights and 30-30 is minimal horsepower in my book.
This is for Maine.

[OldWin]

Id like to get me a M64 Carbine 20" Deluxe 30-30 to pass off w my teenage boy as he learns.

They are looking quite expensive though.

Also 30-30 power levels make me reconsider loading down the 348win for him to use, but the M71 is a heavy rifle to shoot offhand for a boy.

How much you guys trust the ol' 30-30 up against a 500lb bear????
I don't really wanna find out.....but I want the kid to learn on open sights and 30-30 is minimal horsepower in my book.
This is for Maine.

I'm in Maine, also. I have 2 standard 64 rifles, and this one short rifle. I dont use any of them, as I don't care for pistol grips. They are excellent shooters, though. My grandfather carried a 64 as a warden in the Allagash before and during the war.
I have a 71, but don't use it either. Last time I fired it was in 2009 when I shot a decent bull moose with it. They are a beautiful rifle, just to big and heavy for general use here in Maine IMO.
Also my opinion, but I think the 30-30 will handle anything in Maine, with a couple caveats. First, is that's assuming you deliver the slug where it's addressed. Second, is that you are keeping the range within reason. I'm in Somerset County and my property is heavily wooded. I've always hunted the thick, and have found 44-40 and 38-40 more than adequate. The 30-30 seems like a cannon.

[gcs]

A few years ago a kid in North Carolina killed a 500 plus # bear with a 30 30, using 150 gr. factory loads....so there's that.....

[Scott Tschirhart]

I’ve only seen a few bears in Texas and none of them were very big.

But a .30-30 is a pretty capable cartridge. Since Winchester discontinued the Silvertip, I have pretty much stuck to the Remington 170 gr soft point CoreLockt bullet in factory loads. My sights are filed to that load and I have never seen a reason to change.

[OldWin]

That's how I am with the Hornady 170 Interlock. We have used that bullet all my life. Ive never shot a game animal with a factory loaded round in my life. If I shoot factories, it's usually Federal or Winchester. Most of my rifles shoot the Federal with amazing accuracy. I'm not sure my handloads do as well.
While I realize I am probably the only person in the world, I don't care for the CoreLokt. I'm probably the only one in Maine.

[348win]

OldWin

I got to agree w you that the 1892 platform (when you say 44-40 or 38-40 is more handy......)

For an all arounder; I would always reach for the 1892 sized frame if I had to carry and work this gun all day everyday.

Your right the 71 is cumbersome to lug around.

I haven't got the pleasure to try a 38-40 yet in my life. It sounds like a real nicely balanced cartridge. I suspect in a strong rifle, 38-40 (or similar) w 160-180gr bullets on that sized case/powder charge you could hand load that rifle to be pretty mean.

[OldWin]

In our locale, I've found it much easier to find 38-40s than 44-40s. I think the 38 was generally preferred here in Maine, and it definitely is by me. With smokeless loadings, I can shoot the same load in every 38 I have. I have to do something different for every 44.
I love the 92 and 73, but the old 94 is such a good balance of portability and effectiveness it's hard to ignore.
The 92 is a joy to carry and shoot, however. When I'm just out and about doing some woods loafing on my property, I love to carry one along.

[Drawdown]

I've seen near exact bullet performance between Winchester PP'S & Rem CL in the 150gr in my Marlin, it shot the 150gr best. Until I found out how well it shoots the LVR 160ftx in past couple years. My Winchester's do little better with 170gr and my Mod 64 loves The 160ftx. Win PP 170gr factory dropped my first deer in 2019 with that rifle, drt! Haven't taken game with the Hornady IL 170gr in a 30-30 but wouldn't hesitate, seen pics of a Grizzly taken with it from just few years back, and know locals who swear by it! Never tried the Fed, but apparently of these five there all proven good in 30-30, just pays what shoots most accurate, most confident in!
If you stack all these on shelf, tell me take one for my next hunt, my choice? Win PP 170gr, it's amazed me how well it's done, penetrated, stayed together, seen nothing to doubt, even took my deer last fall in 270Win! But all shots are different results can vary by the circumstances.

[Steve in MO]

As I've gotten older my pre-'64 Model 94 has traveled with me more than any of my ARs. It'll do anything I need it to. I put a seven round butt cuff on it for a full reload and a small light mount from Skinner Sights for when I have to step outside at night. The bears in Missouri are further north of me, so they're not a big worry.

I may end up getting one of the Rossi 95 carbines for every day use and traveling, though. The 94 belonged to my dad, and I'd hate for anything bad to happen to it. I'd actually like to get my hands on one before I end up ordering it.

[OldWin]

I'm getting like that too. I had an early post 64 that I got for nothing from an uncle. I'd had it for 20 years but never even fired it.
A few years ago, I took it out and shot it. To my surprise, it shot really well. I swapped out the stamped carrier for a later cast one. The finish on the "wood" was really poor and thin, so I stripped it and refinished it. I mounted a 66 Lyman and use it to bang around with. I've even shot a nice buck and a coyote with it.
In the top picture I posted above, it's on the far left.

[Griff]

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Front row, left to right:
Sharps (partially obscured); 1885, .32-40; 1873 Sporting Rifle, 45 Colt; 1873 Short Rifle, 45 Colt; AWA Lighting, .44-40; Winchester 94 Trapper, .30-30; Winchester 94 Carbine, .30-30 (side-on). Which is grabbed depends on what I'm planning. Sometimes I do have to dig into the 2nd or 3rd row... It's where the Browning 1886 in .45-70; Winchester 64A, .30-30; Uberti 45 Colt Henry; the custom .30-30 Winchester 94 rifle; another .30-30 94 Carbine; a .38/357 Rossi carbine; a LowWall in 45 Colt; a Winchester .30-30 Trapper; and a custom Marlin 1894, all reside. Sometimes, things get rotated among the 2nd, 3rd, 4th & 5th rows just to facilitate ease in digging something less popular out. Digging the Hawken out of the 5th row more'n once a month gets tiring... since at least 6 guns have to be removed to get to it...

My favorite factory loads for the .30-30 are either Federal's Power Shok 150s or Remington Core Lokt 150s. I've found them to be fully adequate on California's Coastal Blacktail or Texas Whitetails. So much so that when I load up a cast bullet for target work, I use a gas checked 150 FP running the same speed as those factory rounds... a hard lead bullet (18-20 Bhn), gas checked runnin' 2290 fps in several of my .30-30s has proven itself capable of good accuracy out to about 300 yards. And to-date, hasn't left lead in my guns.

[Scott Tschirhart]

Took my old friend out for a walk this morning.

[Steve in MO]

Took my old friend out for a walk this morning.

Scott, how do you like that ladder sight? I'm thinking long and hard about putting one on my full size 94.

[Scott Tschirhart]

Took my old friend out for a walk this morning.

Scott, how do you like that ladder sight? I'm thinking long and hard about putting one on my full size 94.

I absolutely love a ladder sight on a saddle gun. This one is filed to my fancy.

[Walt]

My eyes are getting old enough (not that they were ever very good) that I seem to do better with peep sights. I have Skinners on my Marlins, Williams on my Winchesters. I do have a .45-70 Guide Gun that has a red dot on it.

[OldWin]

I use aperture sights on my hunting guns. I can shoot ok with the old carbine ladder sights, but it's mostly on a range or for informal shooting. I struggle more with them in hunting situations or on a target that's moving. I tend to shoot over them and just use the front sight. I guess I think it's still an aperture sight.

[Scott Tschirhart]

Just living out my fantasy

https://youtube.com/shorts/GqoUTJRSHEs? ... xcSl1omjsw

[Griff]

Just living out my fantasy
https://youtube.com/shorts/GqoUTJRSHEs? ... xcSl1omjsw

Gotta be one of the best scenes in the movie!

[Drawdown]

Just living out my fantasy

https://youtube.com/shorts/GqoUTJRSHEs? ... xcSl1omjsw

Don't ever provoke a man who has one rifle and 2 sight systems on it! My favorite movie ever by far!

[Scott Tschirhart]

To be fair, all of my other modern leverguns have Skinner sights by and large.

But I like a ladder sight.

Skinner makes a really good ladder sight.

[BobM]

Probably my second favorite scene in the movie

[Scott Tschirhart]

My sights may seem crude but they are rugged and not affected by dropping the rifle into a saddle scabbard.

[348win]

What movie is it

I'm not as old as I tell myself/feel

[Scott Tschirhart]

What movie is it

I'm not as old as I tell myself/feel

Lonesome Dove

[AkRay]

Some friends of mine were heading out on their Big Red 3 wheeler to retrieve some caribou their dad had shot earlier. Their rifle was a Winchester 30-30. The trail they were going to follow led past the town dump. As they approached the entrance, they saw a grizzly looking through the refuse. With the predatory nature of a kid brought up to be a hunter, coupled with the foolishness of youth, the older brother stopped, grabbed the rifle and went hunting. His first shot to the shoulder knocked the bear down, and the swift follow up to the bear's neck, delivered from much closer, ended the hunt. When your main rifle is a Mini 14 in .223 Remington, a Model 94 in 30-30 feels like a grown up big game rifle. Dad said the bear was a mature boar that weighed at least 400 pounds.

[Scott Tschirhart]

Great story. Thank you!