.30-30 hunting in Australia

[dorpel]

G'day,

I'm looking at getting an old lever action and need to decide on calibre.

I will want it for hunting and I think .30-30 is looking like a good option?

Plenty of shooters to choose from and ammo availability is good. Seems like good reasons to pick it, right?

TBH I don't know much about the old lever cartridges. This will do for everything in Australia, right?

[Kyle357]

Yeah mate go for a Winchester 94 in 30-30 u can't go wrong I've been shooting one for the last couple years hunting deer and they work great and it's also legal caliber size.

It's a perfect gun to add to the collection also!

[tom604]

Hi mate,

I have a win94 in 30-30 as well,nice gun ive put a peep sight on mine,it helps with the quick shots, they are not a long range gun,,more a scrub gun imho,50 to 75 mtrs would be the average range,the 30-30 has plenty of hitting power close in but loses it pretty quickly when you try and stretch its legs.

You can put a side scope on it(i dont know if you can get them in aus but the yanks have them) there are side eject levers,marlin i think,that you can mount a scope on top if you want to go that way.they are a lot of fun to shoot but for semi open country id opt for a 308 or similar

[Old Fart]

they are not a long range gun,,more a scrub gun imho,50 to 75 mtrs would be the average range,the 30-30 has plenty of hitting power close in but loses it pretty quickly when you try and stretch its legs.

I'd give it a bit more credit than that personally.

It's not a long ranger, but still plenty of power at 100m.

[dorpel]

Thanks for replies guys.

Winchester 94 eh? I do like those straight bottom stocks... It's an option for sure.

I know it's not a .308 for the range and that's fine.

Trying some new things, something classic, good fun

[1290]

Thanks for replies guys.

Winchester 94 eh? I do like those straight bottom stocks... It's an option for sure.

I know it's not a .308 for the range and that's fine.

Trying some new things, something classic, good fun

Of course it is a 0.308, as are all these;

300 CR
7,62 Nagant
30 PICRA
7,62 UKM
30 R Blaser
30 Court
7,82 Warbird
300 Lapua Mag.
30-06 Court Cartry
308 EH
30 Super Belt Riml. H&H
30 Super Fl. H&H
30 Fl. N.E. Purdey
30-357 AeT
300 Norma Magnum
308 Norma Mag.
300 H&H Mag.
300 Rem. Ultra Mag.
300 Win. Mag.
300 Win. Short Mag.
300 Rem. SA Ultra Mag.
30-06 Spring.
30 - 284 Win.
30-40 Krag
307 Win.
308 Win.
300 Savage
303 Savage
30-30 Win.
30 Carbine
30-378 Weath. Mag.
300 Weath. Mag.
7,65 mm Browning
7,65 Parabellum
7,62 x 53 R

All share a 0.308inch groove diameter.....

in addition to which,
7,5 x 55 Suisse
30 Rem.
9 mm FX & CQT
also share a 0.30inch bore...

[dorpel]

You know what I mean.

It's not a ".308 Winchester" cartridge as designed in 1952.

Specific enough

[lole]

The choice of pug hunters everywhere, nothing wrong with a 30-30 for hunting

[1290]

You know what I mean

course i do,

continue...

They say in the US that the dirt-dirty has lost more game than its taken.... and it has taken a lot!

Powerful enough round - place it well.

[tom604]

when i said it lost a bit of power at longer ranges i didnt mean 100 mtr, now at two or three its a different story but first you would have to hit it

[roob]

at two or three its a different story but first you would have to hit it

I do like the idea of levers, but seeing 5 inch groups at 100m like a lot of them seem to shoot makes me sad

[Norty_Country_Bloke]

I wouldn't mind a lever .357mag or .44mag for hunting in the thick bush. Leaned more towards the .44 Remington Magnum. Any of you blokes got any first hand experience with these things?

[tom604]

at two or three its a different story but first you would have to hit it

I do like the idea of levers, but seeing 5 inch groups at 100m like a lot of them seem to shoot makes me sad

pigs are big and they are fun to shoot

[MeccaOz]

I wouldn't mind a lever .357mag or .44mag for hunting in the thick bush. Leaned more towards the .44 Remington Magnum. Any of you blokes got any first hand experience with these things?

Ive had a lever in 357 mag for about 20 years. As long as I do my part the round wis AWECOME, the fast follow up shot becomes so fast and more of a muscle memory. There are alot more positives but lets Just say I wont be without a lever now. The groups Ive fired arent anything like 5"s But not exactly MOA either.

[Combat_Wombat]

I'm very happy with my 44 and I went with it over the 357 because the price of ammo was nearly identical. Shoots through brigalow scrub like it's not even there and I've seen exit wounds on pigs the size of a rockmelon. Also the extra 2-4 rounds you get to fit into the magazine over a 30-30 is a bonus.

[1290]

I wouldn't mind a lever .357mag or .44mag for hunting in the thick bush. Leaned more towards the .44 Remington Magnum. Any of you blokes got any first hand experience with these things?

A lever in 44RM is great fun, empty the mag off the hip.... practically no recoil, and although its now deer legal in Vic, it is still a pistol round...

[Combat_Wombat]

Yeah unless it was a super hot load with a ballistic tip projectile I wouldn't be using it on deer

[wrenchman]

30-30 under 100 yds will kill any deer or pig you want. I have never seen one that shot 7 inch groups, I would have it checked out, I have 2 at my house both are my sons, one Winchester and a Marlin.

If you are a hand loader with a modern gun you can really set up a nice load most of the 30-30 rounds and 45/70 are loaded real mild because of the age of some guns.

[MeccaOz]

Yeah unless it was a super hot load with a ballistic tip projectile I wouldn't be using it on deer

Hasnt the 30/30 taken more deer in the states than anything else ?

[wrenchman]

Yes in the east part of the country it is still one of the top white tail calibers/ guns

[MeccaOz]

Yes in the east part of the country it is still one of the top white tail calibers/ guns

That would be more forest type areas Wrenchman ? I lov the 30/30 but from where I am you need a bit more range, but I wouldnt hesitate to use them on deer or pigs or whatever at around the 100 meter range myself .

[Combat_Wombat]

Wasn't too clear on that one. I was saying I would use a 44 for deer, the 30-30 would do it no worries.

[wrenchman]

Yeah it is forest. I do agree it is not ideal for longer ranges, Wombat.

I think they would be great in 44 and it would not beat you up, it makes for a fun gun.

The reason it has such a large following here is it was our first commercial smokeless round, some of them old guns show up in deer camp for generations, being handed down.

I have seen a few pre 1900 lever guns that were family heirlooms.

[Zilla]

I wouldn't mind a lever .357mag or .44mag for hunting in the thick bush. Leaned more towards the .44 Remington Magnum. Any of you blokes got any first hand experience with these things?

Not in a lever, but my Ruger .44 Mag is my regular bush gun.

Always inside 100m shots for me, and it's pah-lenty!

[Richard]

Hi dorpel.

If you are after a lever action a better choice may be the Browning BLR in 30-06. I bought one around 15 years ago and it's been a great rifle. You will get accuracy close to that of a Bolt Action, detachable magazine, large variety of bullet weights, longer range and more hitting power than a 30-30. I have mine kitted out with a bipod (for longer shots) and a 4-16 x 50 scope. I've shot everything from Foxes to Sambar Deer with mine.

Just my thoughts.

[dorpel]

Hi Richard,

I've looked at the BLR and it's hard to know what to make of it. Some guys loving them and getting good accuracy and some guys hating them.

Maybe the old ones are the good ones and something's changed since then? Such mixed feedback on the current ones it's hard to be confident in buying one.

[Rohan]

G'day Dorpel,

I have just found your post from 2014 about wanting a 30-30 for Hunting. I hope you found a good one. I just thought I would share my experience doing the same.

I also wanted a classic "scrub gun" and decided to go for the Marlin 336W which was one of very few examples available due to covid over the last 12 months or so. I bought one new from Cowboy Guns and Gear in Cowra, NSW. It came as a rifle and scope package with an unbranded 3-9X40 scope mounted. I had originally set my sights on a Winchester Model 94 although it was impossible to source the newer side ejecting examples during covid and all the second hand ones I could find were top ejectors which foiled my plans for mounting a scope.

I am really pleased with the way it performs. It's not the most accurate rifle that I own but it is more than fit for the purpose for which I bought it. After sighting it in I get a 2.5 inch group at 100 yards which is more than accurate enough for pigs in the scrub.

I did my research on ammunition and have gone with the Hornady FTX Leverevelution rounds. They are a 160 grain ballistic tipped hunting round that performs quite well and carries energy further down range than other available rounds. They are quite expensive at $50/pack of 20 but I have just purchased the reloading dies to suit.

The FTX's leave the barrel at 2400fps and carry 1100 ft/lb out to 200 yards. That gives me leeway to confidently take a larger animal (pig/deer/goat) at that range. Keeping in mind my 2.5 inch group at 100 yards will be 5 inches at 200 yards, discretion needs to be used in confidently placing that longer shot into a kill zone. Mind you, 200 yards is to be considered the absolute maximum range for this rifle and is only, I feel, possible with the Hornady FTX 160 grain rounds.

The 30-30 is a lot louder than I had anticipated so I do keep spare batteries for my electric muffs. I wasn't using any hearing protection when I took the first shot on my range and I did regret it. It is far louder than my old Lee Enfield .303 which did surprise me.

The stock on the 336W is quite a generic, pale looking piece of Beech wood. I think I may purchase an after market stock in Walnut later on. That's only a cosmetic issue though. I rarely bother with the look of a rifle that performs well.

The action from brand new was quite stiff and definitely not smooth. I have found that it "makes metal" after a good oiling and a day in the paddock. I'm hoping it will wear in over time.

Those are my only two negatives with the rifle really. Otherwise I am pleased with the configuration and function of it.

With six rounds in the tube and one in the breech it carries a good number of highly repeatable shots for when you bump a mob of goats, pigs, or deer in the scrub.

I am happy that I decided to buy it. I'll be keeping it for good I think.

Rohan.

[northdude]

they are not a long range gun,,more a scrub gun imho,50 to 75 mtrs would be the average range,the 30-30 has plenty of hitting power close in but loses it pretty quickly when you try and stretch its legs.

I'd give it a bit more credit than that personally.

It's not a long ranger, but still plenty of power at 100m.

I still wouldn't want to be on the receiving end of it at 150-200m

[bigrich]

Owned a few 94 winnies, one, a 64a model was really accurate. But, I don’t have the eyesight to hunt with them. The 94’s carry and point better than a marlin. You can scope a marlin , but marlin weighs more so I might as well own a bolt gun with more range and accuracy.
But a 45-70 marlin is something else again....

[boingk]

Mates got a 30-30 '94 Win, brilliant thing. I've got a Mk1No3 in 30-30, amazing rifle but no lever.

I've had a Marlin in 357 Mag. Not bad but underwhelming. If your local offers cheap 38 Special (Sometimes down to $18/50pk) it would make a good cheap plinker.

Still got a Win 1892 in 32-20. Bright bore, slick action, runs very well. Pretty much a big, lazy 22 magnum the way I load it, haha - 78gn .314" with 1cc Trailboss for 1250fps. Can't go wrong.

Rossi / Citadel '92 in 44 Mag, now we're talking. Load it mild or wild and enjoy the hell outta it. As above factory ammo is reasonably priced, too.

The big bopper is a Marlin 1895GBL - thats a 6 round tube mag, 18.5" blued barrel, laminated stocking and big loop lever. Lovely thing.

FWIW, I've got a mate who took a Chiappa 44 Mag up the Cape and bagged all sorts of things with it. Said he never had an issue with any large game.