In most situations a person isn't "limiting" themselves by using a 30-30. The short length is nice inside a box blind and is easy to tote in heavy cover. The design is quick to shoulder and points itself. It easy to use by left handed shooters as well as right handed. Ammo is easy to find most anywhere in Texas, inexpensive, and the recoil isn't punishing, which should promote more practice and a more accurate shooter. The cartridge is quite lethal to whitetail up to 200 yards out. I don't feel "limited" by using a 30-30 at all since there is only one stand on our lease out of 10 that a shot greater than 180 yards is offered.

But if you don't desire to use one, by all means, don't.

I've hunted with a 30-30 for over 40 years, and never felt handicapped in any way. Sure, in Colorado hunting elk at 300+ yards, I opted for a .30-06, but I've dropped more deer than I can count with the .30-30, and they all died as quickly as they would have with one of Randall's cannons. Now that Hornady has come out with their LeverEvolution ammo, I'm even more confident, and have stretched my outer range limit to 300 yards, where I used to limit shots to 200 yards, max.

Bottom line is that a hunter's success depends more upon skill, proficiency, and common sense than upon what caliber he (or she) is using. I shoot many hundreds of rounds a year through my Marlin .30-30, just to keep myself intimately familiar with the rifle/caliber. And the game I kill would probably disagree with anyone who says the .30-30 is inadequate.

ON the pre 64 extractor question, the cartridge should slide in behind the extractor, not the extractor go over it....if it is going over it, there are other problems

As I have tried to get across from day one when I joined the THF. I enjoy using the big rifles, but that is my thing. I talked to a good friend last night and he was taliking about the cow elk he killed in Colorado this year, 1 shot at around 300 yards with a 308 Win.. To shoot the big guns, you have to be just as aware of bullet placement as with a 22 Hornet.

The only knock anyone can come up with against the 30-30, is that it is old. Same thing with the 45/70, 32-40, 32 Special, 33 Win., 348, 30-40 Krag. 38-55, 25-20, any of the old late nineteenth century rounds. Those cartridges accounted for the death and near extinction of all North Americas major game animals.

People have become to enamored with $1500.00 to $5000.00 and higher rifle and scope rigs, and cartridges that are supposed to be the latest Lightning Bolts from the sky. Some where we lost the idea of get as close as possible and make that first shot do the job.

We have also became snobbish and cliquesh in our attitudes about our equipment, from the rifles and cartridges and scopes we use, all the way to the particular camo pattern we prefer, or brand of binoculars we carry.

There are no flies on the any of the rounds I listed when a person takes the time and effort to learn the limitations of the round, AND OF THEIR OWN PERSONAL ABILITIES.

TOO MANY PEOPLE HAVE FALLEN INTO THE CESS POOL OF TRYING TO LET THEIR EQUIPMENT COMPENSATE FOR THEIR LACK OF SKILL AND EXPERIENCE.

With the 336 Marlin and the new Hornady ammo, until you get into the Brown/Grizzly/Polar bears, you are more than capable of taking N.A. Big Game. Even Pronghorn and the various Mountain Sheep. More of those animals are taken at ranges of less than 200 yards than a lot of folks want to admit too. JMO.

amen, i would venture to say that 90% of animals are shot at less than 150. to the weekend hunter, 200 yards is a long way

Especially when you're dragging a carcass. I can still remember how tired & sore I was packing an elk two miles out of the foothills of Colorado, a quarter at a time, trying to beat the sunset! I hear they have since invented things called 4-wheelers to take care of that. All I had was my game sled.

A 30-30 is one sweet gun hands down, my pre 64 Winchester is a tack driver open sighted upto 125 yrds and a " bull in the china closet in whitebrush" The one I have is dated back into the teens early 20's, has had a new barrel back in the 70's. It was my grandfathers gun. I had another new 94 back in the 80's and sold it, regret that move now. The new Hornady round just made it better. I'd get rid of my .300 Weatherby mag before the 30-30. If you stalk hunt in the brush it is a top of line rifle to have. If you sit in a blind waiting for the deer to come to the feeder, alot depends on the yds your blind/feeder is IMO. I'm lucky enough to have both options

I have a Marlin 336T. It is a saddle gun with a straight stock and brass ring to tie it down. My grandfather bought it at Gibson's in 1971 for $80. It shoots great.

The 30-30 is an old reliable cartridge. Being around a while is not a very big disadvantage. Heck, the 30-06 is 100 years old this year.

I am so comfident with the 30-30 cartridge, that I am going to buy a NEF 30-30 Handi-Rifle next week!!!

I treated myself to a Marlin 336 for Christmas. I haven't gotten a scope for it yet and may not for a little while, but I was wondering what power scope would work best. A low power variable 1.5-4x or so, a fixed 4x or something else? Any brands to look for or to stay away from?

Uthornfan, I had a fixed 6X Simmons on my 30AS for the first two seasons I hunted with it. I replaced it with a Bushnell 3X9 40mm this year, and in hindsight it wasn't broken so it didn't need fixing. Unless you are hunting in really thick cover where you'll be shooting at less than 10 yards, I can't imagine why a fixed 4X wouldn't do you fine.

IM DESP. SEEKING A CLEAN GREAT BORE WINCHESTER 94 30-30 CAN BE ALITTLE BANGED UP FOR A SHOOTER ANYONE HAVE ONE FOR SALE? PLEASE PM ME THANKS sorry dang caps stuck no harm meant

I have both the marlin and the winchester and love em both.The marlin gets the edge for accuracy out to 150 yards but its wearing a scope whereas the 94 has a williams peep on it.The 94 is my favorite for still hunting in the thickets and for hogs while the marlin for just about anything a 30-30 was meant for.

It's nice hear all this talk about the 336 in 30-30. I got one for Christmas in 1978 and have hunted with it since, except for about the last five years when I was just turkey hunting. Have been considering getting back into deer hunting, just for "meat" for now maybe this year and have 2 boxes of the new Leverevolution ammo.

Dropped the 336 off this morning at a local gunsmith to have a newer and nicer Burris scope mounted and boresighted, and have it "gone over" as well. I had bought the scope about 2 years ago. It was to replace an old Walmart Bushnell I had when I bought the gun. Also I went with standard scope mounts as opposed to the big see thru ones. Mainly hunted brush country where I grew up in NW Arkansas so the see-thru mounts were helpful. Don't plan to throw them away just yet though

Will be using the 336 in March when my daughter and I go hog huntin on a ranch near Abilene.

I'm anxious to try the new Leverevolution ammo. One thing that I got from a Marlin owners forum is the part in the magazine that puts pressure on the cartidges (cannot remember the name) may not be ideal for the new ammo. One can order a new part from Marlin but this can be gotten around by loading a standard soft nose 30-30 shell first and then th remainder with Leverevolution ammo.

Looking forward to getting the rifle out to the range and see how this ammo does. If I get back into deer hunting, it would be sweet to do so with a rifle I woke up to Christmas morning back in 78.

I bought a box of Leverevolution but haven't tried it yet. I'd love to try that stuff on a smaller hog.