Funny 30-30 article

[EastTNHunter]

I'm all about a 30-30. Great round with a lot of usefulness in a very cool lever platform (I know, it can be in other platforms than a lever, but levers are by far most common). I just traded with a member for a 336/30A, and plan to get my old 94 fixed soon (light firing pin strikes). I've always loved them. For whatever reason I've never been able to deal the deal on a deer with one, but I'm planning to make it happen during the week of Christmas.

The mental gymnastics in this article though are amusing to me. I wonder if this guy even believes what he's saying, or if he's just trying to cater to the "old man yells at cloud" base.

"Bullet erosion" makes the 30-06 and 308 less effective killers of deer?!? Really?!?

Shooting over 175yd is not hunting?

Some more interesting "facts" shared in this article.

https://www.fieldandstream.com/hunting/powerful-30-30-winchester-cartridge/

 

[knightrider]

Did soft talker write that

 

[ScLowCountry]

Deer are certainly not almost 2 ft thick. You waste a lot of penetration. Also, he's forgetting about energy at impact, hydrostatic shock, and other things. Bullet erosion, I'm guessing he's describing bullets shedding their jacket and coming apart etc. This doesn't happen with premium bullets.

You don't even need a 30-30 to kill deer. 95% of all the deer out of killed my life could have been killed with 357 pistol. Just put bullets where they count and that's all you need.

 

[Jcalder]

Deer are certainly not almost 2 ft thick. You waste a lot of penetration. Also, he's forgetting about energy at impact, hydrostatic shock, and other things. Things. Bullet erosion. I'm guessing he's describing to bullets, shutting their jacket and coming apart etc. This doesn't happen with premium bullets.

You don't even need a 30-30 to kill deer. 95% of all the deer out of killed my life could have been killed with 357 pistol. Just put bullets where they count and that's all you need.

What are you calling premium bullets?

 

[Carlos Viagra]

Like many guys, I started out with the 30-30. After awhile I moved up to the 30-06 and 308 caliber rifles.
They both seemed to be much more effective than what I'd started with, so I don't care for the 30-30 personally. YMMV.

 

[ScLowCountry]

What are you calling premium bullets?

Well I guess bonded, copper, or controlled expansion

 

[Jcalder]

Well I guess bonded, copper, or controlled expansion

Like the accubond, that sheds up to 40% of its weight.

 

[killingtime 41]

I use a 30/30 in most of the thickest areas I hunt. Been using one for about 6 years now. It will kill deer no problem. If you put the bullet in the right spot. I really on bought the 30/30 cause my marlin 44 got stolen. And 30/30 was half the cost at the time. Other than that my go to is a 270. Never had a deer get away that I shot with a 270 ballistics always do the job.

 

[ROVERBOY]

I used to hunt with a .30-30, and never had a problem with it. I used Remington 170 gr. and Win. 150 gr. Later handloaded Hornady 150 and 170's and Speer 150's. Most of the deer I've killed have been in the woods. There is this thing, that the article stated, called "hunting", that a lot of people don't know about.

 

[EastTNHunter]

Like the accubond, that sheds up to 40% of its weight.

I love me some accubonds. I've read anywhere from 60-70% retention, but I don't know because I've never found one in a deer that I can remember. They are the perfect balance of shock and exit wound, leaving a wonderful blood trail if the deer doesn't drop at the shot, in my opinion. But different strokes for different folks, and I'm sure that some have had poor experiences with them

 

[Jcalder]

I love me some accubonds. I've read anywhere from 60-70% retention, but I don't know because I've never found one in a deer that I can remember. They are the perfect balance of shock and exit wound, leaving a wonderful blood trail if the deer doesn't drop at the shot, in my opinion. But different strokes for different folks, and I'm sure that some have had poor experiences with them

I shot some into sand a few years back and weighed them. But I couldn't tell you what they weighed. My one experience with a bonded bullet was with a swift scirroco 2 in 308. Tiny hole in, decent hole out. Blood everywhere. Minimal meat loss. I'd call that a win. But I couldn't tell you what the weight retention was

 

[Lost Lake]

The 30/30 has been talked about so much that there's really not much left to say. Some like it, some don't. I've never really thought of it as a beginners cartridge like a lot of folks do, even though a lot of people start out with it.

Evidently, it seems to work well enough or it'd have died a long time ago. Some will say it only hangs on because of the handy, easy to carry rifles it's chambered in. I'm sure that's part of the allure, but anyone who has used it seriously over the years knows it works very well on deer. It'll always be my favorite even though I use a lot of others.

One thing I do like about the flat nosed bullets used in it, is that they were specifically designed for it and it's modest velocity window. They hold together, penetrate, and expand very well in it. A lot of other cartridges have to make do with bullets used at a lot of different velocity windows. Im sure that makes it trickier to get optimum performance from those bullets across the cartridge spectrum.

I don't have a clue what in the heck he meant by "bullet erosion" in .308 and .30/06, unless he meant that faster cartridges are harder on bullets. I wouldn't say that standard rounds are hard on bullets these days as most makers know how to turn out a good bullet.

 

[EastTNHunter]

I used to hunt with a .30-30, and never had a problem with it. I used Remington 170 gr. and Win. 150 gr. Later handloaded Hornady 150 and 170's and Speer 150's. There is this thing, that the article stated, called "hunting", that a lot of people don't know about.

I find it interesting to hear people say that, assuming that if a person is under 60 ( or 50, or…) that they don't know about hunting. I agree that many people aren't good hunters, and there are different reasons for this, but the 3 deer that I've killed this year have been from a combined 150yd or less, and one of them was 126yd through the woods.

3 cartridges used:
50 cal ml
.270 win
30-06

Some of the worst hunters that I know are old timers who are lazy and ignorant. They won't do or learn anything new, and many of their ideas and tactics are incredibly poorly grounded in falsehoods and wives tales. Definitely not all of them, as I know some wise old hunters who will likely forget more about hunting than I will ever know.

I agree that the long range thing has caused many to lose track of hunting skill, but many who shoot long range are also better hunters than I am

As I said earlier, different strokes for different folks

 

[ROVERBOY]

I find it interesting to hear people say that, assuming that if a person is under 60 ( or 50, or…) that they don't know about hunting. I agree that many people aren't good hunters, and there are different reasons for this, but the 3 deer that I've killed this year have been from a combined 150yd or less, and one of them was 126yd through the woods.

3 cartridges used:
50 cal ml
.270 win
30-06

Some of the worst hunters that I know are old timers who are lazy and ignorant. They won't do or learn anything new, and many of their ideas and tactics are incredibly poorly grounded in falsehoods and wives tales. Definitely not all of them, as I know some wise old hunters who will likely forget more about hunting than I will ever know.

I agree that the long range thing has caused many to lose track of hunting skill, but many who shoot long range are also better hunters than I am

As I said earlier, different strokes for different folks

Oh yeah, different strokes for sure. I never said a certain age don't know how to hunt. I met dumbasses of all ages. Learning how to actually hunt is a good thing. I have honestly killed a few at 200+ yards but, most have been at 75 or less.

 

[Wade195]

I've only shot a couple. None were over 75 yards

 

[EastTNHunter]

Oh yeah, different strokes for sure. I never said a certain age don't know how to hunt. I met dumbasses of all ages. Learning how to actually hunt is a good thing. I have honestly killed a few at 200+ yards but, most have been at 75 or less.

My comment was more aimed at the guy in the article who somewhat alluded to that. I didn't mean that towards you. I like hunting them up close when at all possible, but sometimes I like the opportunity to take one at 250 or so as well

 

[Rabbitkil]

I've shot deer from 0-300yds I'm East Tennessee but the majority have been under 20

 

[ScLowCountry]

Like the accubond, that sheds up to 40% of its weight.

Geeze, I was just using generalized terms.

 

[Creek]

Geeze, I was just using generalized terms.

Dont let it happen again!
Now, go stand in the corner until you're told otherwise.

 

[Jcalder]

Geeze, I was just using generalized terms.

I'm guessing he's describing to bullets, shutting their jacket and coming apart etc. This doesn't happen with premium bullets.


That's what you put earlier. Everyone's definition of premium is different. The copper bullets probably hold together the best, but there are some that are designed to create petals that break off and create massive wound channels. But people also lump accubonds and partitions in the premium group, without realizing they shed a crap ton of weight as well.


I do think we'd both agree the writer of the article is an idiot.

 

[Soft Talker]

Easier to learn how to shoot than hunt. Truer words have never been spoken.

 

[wcw280]

If you put a 30-30 bullet in the vitals the deer will die every time. They are not invincible to the 30-30. People crack me up with this debate. There will likely never be another cartridge catch up to the 30-30 in history of deer killing. It's been killing deer atleast 40-50 years before anyone here was born. You got to hunt different and make it count, but the 30-30 is a fine deer caliber with 150's or 170's either one.

 

[Hillbilly Hunter]

The Accubonds weight retention is just a little more than 70% which is more than enough retention for great performance from a deer hunting bullet. They have rapid expansion on the ogive, with the back half giving the penetration. For bigger game, the Nosler Partition's construction is suited better. I personally am very impressed with the Accubond for deer. I load it for several calibers, and from my experience it performs better than corelock, interlock, and ballistic tips. Obviously I have not tried every bullet made, as there is a vast variety available.

 

[Gravey]

If all goes well I'll be picking up a new to me 30-30 later this week and hope to find out what they'll do.

 

[ROUGH COUNTRY HUNTER]

I have had a Marlin 35 and 30/30 since 9 years old. nothing at all wrong with either caliber. Killed truck loads of deer with them both

 

[killingtime 41]

Like I said I use a 30/30 almost exclusively and have for a long time. And there is lots of debate even at the 150 to 170 grain bullets. I use the 170 usually in power point or corelokt. My gun likes the power point much better. It's more consistent with the power points anyway. I read that the 150's expand quicker for a bigger wound channel. 170's penetrate a little more before expansion. You be the judge.

 

[ImThere]

So when I set up purposely across the valley from a field and shoot deer at 500 yards it's not hunting. Only when I shoot them when they walk around the tree I'm in is? Seems either way I had to find the deer, I didn't set up there because of dumb luck. Idk whatever. I love a 30/30, 308 and my 30.06 but it's only hunting when you send a arrow though the vitals and 20 yards!

 

[UTGrad]

The old phrase the 30 30 is a great "brush gun" is misinterpreted year after year. It's my understanding the phrase means it's good for hunting in brush where shots aren't very long. I hear folks say all the time it's a great brush gun cause it's punches through bushes well. I don't think that's going to be the case. Any bullet can get deflected on its path but if I wanted to punch through some low level privet, 30 30 isnt going to be my top choice. I'd rather have a 300 grain .50 cal muzzleloader conical.

 

[ImThere]

The old phrase the 30 30 is a great "brush gun" is misinterpreted year after year. It's my understanding the phrase means it's good for hunting in brush where shots aren't very long. I hear folks say all the time it's a great brush gun cause it's punches through bushes well. I don't think that's going to be the case. Any bullet can get deflected on its path but if I wanted to punch through some low level privet, 30 30 isnt going to be my top choice. I'd rather have a 300 grain .50 cal muzzleloader conical.

I always thought it was because they are short and handle well in tight spaces?

 

[44 mag]

I always thought it was because they are short and handle well in tight spaces?

This has always been my interpretation as well