Hunting with a 30-30

azmark · Post by **azmark** » Sat Feb 25, 2012 11:35 am

Hey guys, OP here. I've pulled myself off the wait list for the Henry. Upon reflection, it's just too expensive. Thought I'd let you know. BTW, for you locals here, I was going through Chosin's.

gak · Post by **gak** » Sat Feb 25, 2012 12:06 pm

azmark wrote:Hey guys, OP here. I've pulled myself off the wait list for the Henry. Upon reflection, it's just too expensive. Thought I'd let you know. BTW, for you locals here, I was going through Chosin's.

Not that high on the Henry's anyway

I'm mostly a Win 94 guy, but as mentioned have "specialized" into being just an open/iron sights gun the pre AE's are oriented to to begin with. For your purposes I'd look for a good used Marlin 336 and install a 4x scope if not already on it as many are by now. I haven't been to a pawn shop in awhile, but for a long time they were the darling of those haunts, outnumbering the Winchesters 5-1. Lots of pawn shops have an overinflated sense of what they (anything in their shop) are worth, but some are dicker-able. Some LGS's sell used as well, and normally would be my first stop.

azmark · Post by **azmark** » Sat Feb 25, 2012 1:49 pm

People talk a lot about the range limitations of the 30-30. Seems 200 yards is reasonable, but I'm hard pressed to visualize how far that really is

I'm going to go figure out what 200 yards actually looks like. If I can't even see that far without binoculars then maybe longer ranges are not something I need to think about.

Modoc ED · Post by **Modoc ED** » Sat Feb 25, 2012 2:39 pm

I haven't read every post in this thread and in case he's been mentioned, here's another word for him.

"Sam Fadala" was/has been/is a very good gun writer for many many years. He is a great proponent for the .30-30 Cartridge and in fact lives/lived in Arizona and hunted game of all sorts throughout that state.

Google his name for articles he has written. He wrote a great book titled "Winchester's 30-30, Model 94 The Rifle America Loves". It covers the rifle itself, handloading for the .30-30, hunting, etc..

horsesoldier03 · Post by **horsesoldier03** » Sat Feb 25, 2012 5:45 pm

azmark wrote:People talk a lot about the range limitations of the 30-30. Seems 200 yards is reasonable, but I'm hard pressed to visualize how far that really is

I'm going to go figure out what 200 yards actually looks like. If I can't even see that far without binoculars then maybe longer ranges are not something I need to think about.

Figuring out what 200 yrds looks like can be tricky at times. I wont insult you by saying multiply a football field times 2. IMO, the best answer is to start shooting regularly at 100 yrds and once you know what that looks like behind the sights it will help you determine greater distances. Also, when setting up your deer stand , pick land marks and estimate the range to them.

In the military, when teaching land navigation, soldiers are made to walk a cross country area that is measured at 100 meters. 100 meters is 109yards. (For an individual that is less than 6' with an average 30" stride, this will normally be around 120-130 steps This is known as a pace count. It is important that you walk naturally when you figure your pace count. Get that figured out and then when you go to your areas that you hunt, you can track your # of steps over a known distance and it will help you estimate the range.

I threw in a couple of military websites that might help you teach yourself. Hope it helps!

http://550cord.com/products/info.asp?Pr ... n-Training
http://www.armystudyguide.com/content/p ... ge-3.shtml

gak · Post by **gak** » Sat Feb 25, 2012 10:42 pm

horsesoldier03 wrote: 100 meters is 128 feet.

Isn't 100 meters something slightly in excess of 300 feet? (100 yds)...a meter being something slightly in excess of a yard or 3 feet.

Meeteetse · Post by **Meeteetse** » Sat Feb 25, 2012 10:44 pm

I have taken everything on your list and several other animal types with a 30 wcf and never had a problem unless I under estimated the distance. In recent years I have added a laser range finder and solved my problem. I grew up in Wyoming where distances can vary widely and are hard to judge. If you are good at ranging the 30 wcf will do the job. Two of my guns, 1947 and 1954 versions, seem to like 170 gr. bullets. Two others from the mid 70's both like 150 gr. loads better. I do not know why.

I have not used my 30 wcf on mountain sheep or moose, but I am confident it would work if the distance was under 150 yds. The tags are too hard to come by so I always use a scoped bolt gun when I get the chance. Learn your rifle and know your distance and the 30 wcf will work fine.

And besides it is easy to pack around all day and that can be a real benefit.

1 yd. = 36": 1 meter = 39.37" The easy method in dealing with meters or yards in remember 10%. I use it in golf all the time. 100 meters = 110 yds, 100 yds = 90 meters and that is pretty close. Easier method is buy a range finder.

MrMurphy · Post by **MrMurphy** » Sun Feb 26, 2012 3:39 am

Simo Hayha used a Mosin-Nagant 1891, or the slightly later 91/30.

As the Winter War occurred in 1939-1940, the M44 was not invented yet..... Some of his kills were also with a Suomi submachine gun on semiauto.

Another trick is if you shoot irons, size-estimate a man (or deer, etc) against the front sight. Know about what size each is at what ranges. Many 'rangefinding' scopes do the same with a circle or chevron etc sized against a 6' man at whatever distances.

93marshooter · Post by **93marshooter** » Sun Feb 26, 2012 6:58 am

MrMurphy as you say Simo Hayha did not use a M44. My mistake, but he did use some sort of Mosin rifle shorter than the 91/30 as depicted in his photo maybe an M28. "Mr. Häyhä stated that he used the Mosin Nagant M28 rifle as his "sniping" rifle; however, as there are photos showing Häyhä with a M28/30 rifle it is possible his memory of the model was incorrect. It is also possible he had a M28 that was upgraded to a M28/30 but that is just a guess not known as fact.. His rifle was a standard issue with iron sights, which is somewhat amazing as many of his targets were engaged at 400 yards or more."
http://mosinnagant.net/finland/simohayha.asp All this is a real shift from the 30-30 discussion. sorry for having derailed the thread.

cshold · Post by **cshold** » Sun Feb 26, 2012 7:19 am

Mossyoak1957 wrote:Last deer my son got with his Marlin 336 30-30.. 170 gr. Rem Core-lokt about 60 yards dropped in it's tracks.

Looks like you have some interesting pictures on the wall as well.

jlchucker · Post by **jlchucker** » Sun Feb 26, 2012 1:05 pm

gak wrote:
horsesoldier03 wrote: 100 meters is 128 feet.
Isn't 100 meters something slightly in excess of 300 feet? (100 yds)...a meter being something slightly in excess of a yard or 3 feet.

Last time I looked a meter was 39.37 inches.

horsesoldier03 · Post by **horsesoldier03** » Sun Feb 26, 2012 5:59 pm

gak wrote:
horsesoldier03 wrote: 100 meters is 128 feet.
Isn't 100 meters something slightly in excess of 300 feet? (100 yds)...a meter being something slightly in excess of a yard or 3 feet.

Good Catch, I definately messed that up. 100 meters is 109yrds. My fingers must have got to going to fast.

3leggedturtle · Post by **3leggedturtle** » Mon Feb 27, 2012 9:58 am

I liked the reloading comment, the 30/30 isnt a widely reloaded cartridge. It was in the top 10 list of RCBS dies until about late 90's or so. I know it was the 1st one I started with in '73. Probably be the last one i ever give up.

Hunting with a 30-30

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