.30-30 on "big whitetail bucks"...

[nralover]

Guys, I have been having a running debate with the in laws about the killing power of the .30 WCF, especially in regards to mature whitetails. Anyone who could post a photo of some of their trophies would be greatly appreciated.

[TedH]

The 30-30 is too powerful for all but the biggest monster bucks. I usually just use my 357 Mag carbine.

[Bullard4075]

You talk to your in-laws ???

[Griff]

If the "killing power" of the 30WCF is in question, then they don't understand "killing power." I've had deer drop in their tracks, run 100 yards, take a step or two... and all of the above at ranges between 40feet and 150 yards. Even the 140lb buck I took 3 or 4 years ago at 238 yards only ran about 45 feet.

Yo... (thumpin' dummies on head)... If you don't think a .30-30 can kill a deer, I suppose you believe that all those shows on the Outdoor channel that show a bow & arrer killin' 'em are fake?

I hunt with the 150 Federals... and have yet to leave a wounded animal. Even the ones I've hit a second time, it was superfluous. In fact, the only deer I've ever had still stand after being shot was a 190+ Blacktail 4-point (western count) I shot at over 350 yards with my 7mmRemMag. And, oh yeah, the 7mm and .30-30 are the only two cartridges I've used for deer hunting.

[86er]

This one was too big for the 30-30 to kill it. It actually got pinched by the 150 gr Winchester bullet which caused it to run into a tree, causing a brain hemorrage.



This one obviously died from the huge stab and gash wound that is visible on it's stomach. Couldn't have been the 30-30 bullet that hit it first.



In this case, I shot at a buck with my 30-30 and it ran off. While looking for it I happen to come across this deer that someone else must have shot. After all, the 30-30 couldn't have killed this.



Oh yeah and this little guy. At only 258 pounds I suspect the 30-30 bounced off of him but may have broken a rib that puncturing his lung, causing an instant death.

[RIHMFIRE]

30-30 HAS PROBABLY TAKEN MORE DEER....IN THE LAST 104 YEARS
THAN ANY OTHER CARTIRIDGE...MINE TOOK ONE LAST YEAR....
AND WILL AGAIN

[Nath]

I just had to help retrieve an 18stone red deer that was shot with a 7x64 (280Rem) the next day because it ran, all the reds I shot which is only two with the 30wcf went straight down.

The phrase killing power is pure folly, if I swat a fly with all my might how is it more dead than with a gentle swipe?
To kill a deer fast is nothing to do with a cartridge or loadings power (thats just numbers) it's all about placement.
I rate the 30wcf very highly, instead of it wanting to turn it's bullet inside out it penertrates very well. More is not allways better.

Nath.

[gcs]

We've killed some pretty big N.Eastern bucks with the 30-30. They went anywhere from bang flop dead, to about 100 yds run. My biggest was last year, the bullet only caught one lung and that deer went a little over 100 yds, which sort of surprised me as I was using the LE rounds and all the rest shot with that round never got out of sight,.. but it was still dead.

[allhands]

If you can't kill it with a 30-30, you don't belong in the woods. If I recall correctly, W.M.D."karamojo" Bell killed hundreds of elephants with a .275 Rigby....AKA 7x57 mauser...which is a little "less powerful" than the 7mm-08......

[Buck Elliott]

First -- Show me a "big whitetail buck..."

There are fellers in this neck of the woods who still shoot BIG muledeer bucks with their little .30-30s, and do it successfully and with monotonous regularity.

I don't...

[Bogie35]

There probably have been more ELK killed by 30-30's, than whitetails killed by 300 Mags.

bogie

[Sarge]

I don't have a picture of it, but about 14 years ago I flattened a big forkhorn at 235 long steps with an aperture sighted 94 Winchester and that outfit's plain-jane 150 grain factory load. In fact it knocked a chunk of bone out the offside about the size of a nickel, which was laying on the edge of the beanfield when I walked up on him.

[Old Savage]

Put a Titleist in the hole from 130 yds with a 4 iron, also killed a possum with one. Don't know the club head speed on either one but you certainly don't need a 460 cc driver.

[Old Time Hunter]

My son accidently shot this one with a .30-30....it kinda fell over. 235# dressed.

[BigSky56]

Ive shot elk with a 30-30, at some distance downrange even a 30-378 becomes a 30-30. danny

[nralover]

Gents, please understand that you don't need to convince me:) I was just trying to get a set of real world pics to show my in laws as part of my argument. My wife and I both have straight grip Marlin 336's as our go to rifles every November. My wife killed a huge drop tine buck last year with one 150 grain bullet, he ran less than 15 yards. I have killed a doe at 189 yards with total confidence. I just like to stir the pot at the farm:)

[76/444]

I just had to help retrieve an 18stone red deer that was shot with a 7x64 (280Rem) the next day because it ran, all the reds I shot which is only two with the 30wcf went straight down.

The phrase killing power is pure folly, if I swat a fly with all my might how is it more dead than with a gentle swipe?
To kill a deer fast is nothing to do with a cartridge or loadings power (thats just numbers) it's all about placement.
I rate the 30wcf very highly, instead of it wanting to turn it's bullet inside out it penertrates very well. More is not allways better.

Nath.

+1

When I was growing up on the east coast, more deer were taken with 22lr than any other caliber. Granted, that was few days ago , but I still know some of my old backwoods buddies who still use it. When I lived in Maine, I hunted deer with a Ruger 22mag 9.5 inch S/A revolver. Tell that to your inlaws!

[nralover]

I just had to help retrieve an 18stone red deer that was shot with a 7x64 (280Rem) the next day because it ran, all the reds I shot which is only two with the 30wcf went straight down.

The phrase killing power is pure folly, if I swat a fly with all my might how is it more dead than with a gentle swipe?
To kill a deer fast is nothing to do with a cartridge or loadings power (thats just numbers) it's all about placement.
I rate the 30wcf very highly, instead of it wanting to turn it's bullet inside out it penertrates very well. More is not allways better.

Nath.

LOL- I'll let them know. They think the .308 Winchester is a "girl's gun".


+1

When I was growing up on the east coast, more deer were taken with 22lr than any other caliber. Granted, that was few days ago , but I still know some of my old backwoods buddies who still use it. When I lived in Maine, I hunted deer with a Ruger 22mag 9.5 inch S/A revolver. Tell that to your inlaws!