30/30 high shoulder

[killingtime 41]

Need some thoughts on. Or real experience in shooting a deer with a high shoulder shot using a 30/30. Which is what I usually carry in firearm season. Will it do the trick. Cause I always hear higher velocity bullets only. 30/30 isn't high velocity compared to more modern cartridges. I've needed to take this shot on several occasions but didn't because of the lower velocity.

 

[UTGrad]

I'd hit the lungs.

 

[ScLowCountry]

If you hit a deer in the vitals with a 30/30. It is dead. No if and or butts

 

[killingtime 41]

point isn't is he dead with a vitals shot. Point is a high shoulder shot they don't move and die in the place the stood when you shot. Meaning you can actually recover the animal vs they walk off over a ravine and die or fall off a cliff. I'm hunt deep in the mountains of N east Tn. One dead in its tracks vs a 6 hour recovery to get back to the truck means everything. That's why I was asking is a 30/30 capable to cause enough shock and trauma for a lights out high shoulder shot.

 

[Popcorn]

High shoulder no

Neck / spine yes

 

[ROUGH COUNTRY HUNTER]

A 30/30 is as good as a rifle as any caliber in my opinion

 

[Jon54]

Need some thoughts on. Or real experience in shooting a deer with a high shoulder shot using a 30/30. Which is what I usually carry in firearm season. Will it do the trick. Cause I always hear higher velocity bullets only. 30/30 isn't high velocity compared to more modern cartridges. I've needed to take this shot on several occasions but didn't because of the lower velocity.

Eons ago, my son shot a large 10pt at 10 yards. Bullet hit shoulder, didn't go all the way thru the deer. Fortunately he ran 200 yards straight to my stand and I knocked him down with my 270, which did fully penetrate. We trailed the path back to my sons stand and couldn't find a drop of blood.

My son thought he missed the deer as it ran off with his tail on fire. When he came near me, he was limping but still had hop to his step. Deer would have died, but who knows how far.

 

[DCA-DEER]

Probably more deer been killed with a 30/30 than anything you do your part and hit it right it will be a dead deer

 

[Remi]

Velocity has nothing to do with high shoulder shots. A high shoulder shot breaks both shoulder blades and the spine With bullet penetration. They drop because their spine is broken and their cns is shut down.

So, a bullet needs to penetrate bones, not much out penetrates a 30-30 with a 170gr flat nose.


Id take that shot all day long.

 

[mountain man 71]

Get you a 45-70 that will cut down on tracking.

 

[Deer Assassin]

High shoulder works fine with 30/30
I prefer 170 fp bullets

 

[timberjack86]

Velocity has nothing to do with high shoulder shots. A high shoulder shot breaks both shoulder blades and the spine With bullet penetration. They drop because their spine is broken and their cns is shut down.

So, a bullet needs to penetrate bones, not much out penetrates a 30-30 with a 170gr flat nose.


Id take that shot all day long.



View attachment 196877

If your hunting from the ground as I often do I'd drop it down a couple of inches. If you hit that deer just a little higher than the picture shown another finishing shot will be needed. I've done it twice. Once the deer got to its feet before I got another one in it. Just my observations

 

[Remi]

If your hunting from the ground as I often do I'd drop it down a couple of inches. If you hit that deer just a little higher than the picture shown another finishing shot will be needed. I've done it twice. Once the deer got to its feet before I got another one in it. Just my observations

I agree that the angles are always changing and you have to adjust accordingly

 

[BSK]

Need some thoughts on. Or real experience in shooting a deer with a high shoulder shot using a 30/30. Which is what I usually carry in firearm season. Will it do the trick. Cause I always hear higher velocity bullets only. 30/30 isn't high velocity compared to more modern cartridges. I've needed to take this shot on several occasions but didn't because of the lower velocity.

No, it will not, unless you hit the spine.

 

[Lost Lake]

I've killed a ton of deer with the 30/30. High shoulder shots within 30/30 ranges have blown on thru and kept going after dropping the deer.

One black bear I killed with a chest on shot facing me at 25 yards ended up with the bullet in the pelvis after traveling the length of the bear.

It'll work well.

 

[wsm]

X2with Remi ,I have did that shot on deer alot and recover the deer.

 

[Rabbitkil]

Always worked for me, good thing is if you miss and go low you are still good

 

[Snake]

If the shot is dead on breaking his back he'll drop like a sack of potatoes personally I don't like that shot . If the bullet glances off a bone and the bullet goes of target you'll have a deer you won't find . Remember the thread about the three legged doe . The deer will survive if the blood clots and stops bleeding . A three legged deer can run with a four legged one , walking another subject. I shoot for the heart/ lung area . Yeah you may have to tract it a ways but it's deadly . I think the 30-30 is as good as most but personally like I said don't like that shot .

 

[BSK]

If the shot is dead on breaking his back he'll drop like a sack of potatoes personally I don't like that shot . If the bullet glances off a bone and the bullet goes of target you'll have a deer you won't find . Remember the thread about the three legged doe . The deer will survive if the blood clots and stops bleeding . A three legged deer can run with a four legged one , walking another subject. I shoot for the heart/ lung area . Yeah you may have to tract it a ways but it's deadly . I think the 30-30 is as good as most but personally like I said don't like that shot .

With a 30-30, ALWAYS shoot for the heart-lung area. A 30-30 does not have the impact power necessary to kill a deer instantly if the high shoulder shot does not hit the spine. And the spine is a small target. I always take heat for saying this, but the neck shot is a TERRIBLE practice, as is any shot intended to hit the spine. The spine is a tiny target (about the size of a broomstick). I know VERY few hunters who can make that shot consistently under the influence of adrenaline.

And now que all the neck-shooters...

I hate to count the number of deer I've helped unsuccessfully track that were neck shot. It's a bunch.

 

[Bell3wv]

Need some thoughts on. Or real experience in shooting a deer with a high shoulder shot using a 30/30. Which is what I usually carry in firearm season. Will it do the trick. Cause I always hear higher velocity bullets only. 30/30 isn't high velocity compared to more modern cartridges. I've needed to take this shot on several occasions but didn't because of the lower velocity.

You can shoot them high shoulder or neck with a 30-30 and you'll be fine. We're in Northeast TN not Illinois.