I’ll jump in on the Marlin side. Started with a 336 in .30-30. We were not a good match. Went to a .35 Remington - still a bad match. Long ago, found a JM 1895 in .45-70 that is just right. Put a scope in quick release mounts so great either way. Had just a bit of work to make it even better. Shopping for an 1895 100/125 anniversary gun that I will put on a scope in QR mounts and hunt with. That gun looks wicked good with the half octagon and half round barrel and fine wood.

Have a couple 94 s here. one Fathers is chambered 30 WCF built 1927 .

Savage 340

My Marlin is older and didn't come with sling studs.I didn't want to alter the gun,,so I put one of these slings on it. https://brassstacker.com/Rifle-Slings Just scroll down till you find your make of rifle.They are a bit pricey,,but their beautifull and realy compliment a Lever Gun.

Now there is one that you can handload pointed bullets in and really make the 30x30 shine.

I have a 94 also, my dad bought it for me used when I was 11 years old.
I remember going with him to pick it up, cost $55 and is chambered in 25-35.
Still have it and should probably shoot another deer with it one of these days.
Hard to find ammo for it but I probably have 75 rounds and a hundred or so
of once fired brass.

Zim

Bought my 94, 30-30 in 1973, shot a bunch of bears and a few deer with it. Take it elk hunting in case I hunt the dark timber, haven shot one with it though. I've drug it through some rough brush, lost the rear ramp and the front hood. The only thing I dont like is no cross bolt safety.

I have a Stevens 325. Same rifle. Dad gave it to me when I was 11. Killed a lot of stuff with it. My grandad gave it to my dad. He bought it new for him when Dad was a kid.



If you do that you have to trim the case down a bunch. The bullet has to be seated pretty deep to get cartridge length correct so they will feed. If you dont trim that long case neck down there is a gap between the case and the bullet for about 3/16 of an inch. Dirt and crud gets in there. You can load spitzer bullets in any of them if just load right into the chamber single shot style with the bullet loaded correct to the case. You do get a little flatter trajectory.

IMO though the rifle was never meant for long range. Get within a 100 yards of a bull elk, put the bullet in his boiler room, and you can eat elk backstrap for supper. If you want to shoot further get yourself a nice 270 or 300 win mag or any of dozens of other cartridges.

according to my nosler book a 150 grain flat nose bullet has about 1400foot pounds of energy at 100 yards and a 170 has 1376. Thats with a 150 grain loaded to 2400FPS and 2200 for the 170 grain. So not 10 cents difference in them really, with plenty of energy at 100 yards.

Colorado Parks and wildlife says 1500 pounds but I can assure you that the 30-30 will get the job done if you get close and shoot careful. Last I knew a 30-30 was still legal for elk.

https://cpw.state.co.us/learn/Pages/EHU-CH2-L10.aspx#:~:text=A%20commonly%20accepted%20threshold%20for,243%20Win.

30 W.C.F is 30-30

30wcf is the original Winchester name for it when other makers started chambering guns in they needed a different name for it 30-30win was it eventually even Winchester started calling it 30-30 win

eric space: When I shot my first buck, he came right at me and stopped at about 30 feet. I could see 2 white spots on his forehead.

He took off and I started shooting. At least 4 shots were while he was running. The 5th. finished him on the ground.

I never did hear what my dads thoughts were. I can only guess.

I have two model 94 30-30’s. One of them was my grandpas first rifle he ever bought in 1948 when he was 15 years old. It’s in good condition but definitely not a safe queen. I still use it occasionally when hunting mountain lion and bear. I love that rifle, it fits great and feels great and I have taught myself to shoot it instinctively without using the sights and am fairly accurate out to about 50 yards. Anything further and I use the sights. I also have one that way my great grandfathers and the serial number indicates it was made in 1906. It has the flip up peep sight on the stock just behind the hammer and used to have a saddle ring on the side of the action but someone took a grinder to it and removed it before I ever got it. It too is in good condition considering it’s age. I fired it a few times when I first got it from my grandpa but I haven’t taken it out of the safe since. Those are probably the two rifles in my safe that I’m the most proud to own. I shot this lion about a month ago with my grandpas and always like to give him a picture of whatever I harvest with his rifle. It sure makes him proud.

Nice mountain lion.Congrats

Harvested a bear last spring with what appeared to be a 30 caliber slug under the skin on the shoulder and a real messed up scapula. Likely from someone shooting a 30-30 over bait since there's a few stations near there. Not saying it's not enough gun for black bear but definitely watch your range and shot placement

I like my Bolts too

And a caliber that shoots past the woodline

330, I didnt ever really want an AR till after I got one. They are a lot of fun to shoot too..............

P.S. I dont know what injured that bear, but a 30-30 at bait station ranges would have been on the other side of that shoulder blade. I dont know what did it either but why would you shoot the shoulder blade anyway? Thats a big miss if the guy was aiming at the boiler room.

can you point out the bullet in the picture.

I have an ole 1894 Winchester with a 26" octagon barrel and a tang peep sight. It is chambered in 32 Winchester Special made around 1920. I shoot's the Hornady Lever Eveloution ammo pretty darned good.
Bought it from a guy in New Castle Wyoming years ago. He said it came off a ranch south of New Castle. It has spent a lot of time in a scabbard but is still a nice rifle.