30 30 lever gun

[Spring_Woods]

I've recently learned that ohio is most likely going to allow certain rifles next season.

I think I might try to find a 30 30 maybe a Marlin or something. Problem is- I don't know anything about them. Need some advice here. Ammo, sighting in, scopes, etc. any knowledge you're willing to share.
Thanks,

[vaturkey]

 A Model 336 Marlin 30 30 is hard to beat. Ejects from the side compared to the top ejection from the winchesters. Hornady has a new ammo called Leverevolution.  Very good Ammo. Good luck ! 

  vaturkey   

[jblackburn]

Hard to beat 150 grain Remington core lokts out of a 30-30.  Hornady's leverevolution ammo is supposed to be great out of lever guns.

If you can find one, Savage (or stevens, cannot remember) made a bolt action 30-30, you could reload with pointed nose bullets and achieve similar accuracy as the hornady loads.

As far as sighting in, when I had one, I was comfortable to 150 yards.

[paboxcall]

Hard to beat 150 grain Remington core lokts out of a 30-30.  Hornady's leverevolution ammo is supposed to be great out of lever guns.

If you can find one, Savage (or stevens, cannot remember) made a bolt action 30-30, you could reload with pointed nose bullets and achieve similar accuracy as the hornady loads.

As far as sighting in, when I had one, I was comfortable to 150 yards.

I have one of those old Savage bolt actions in 30-30.  And you are exactly right -- the Remington 150 grain shot great out of that barrel.  Even with a makeshift bench rest, I could make three holes touch at 100 yards.  Topped that gun with a 3x9 and a side mount (shell ejection is 3-4 degrees to steep for a traditional mount) though the side mount was nearly directly over the centerline of the action.

It had a detachable magazine that held three rounds plus one in the chamber.  Perfect whitetail gun.

I never shot the pointed nose bullets, as good as the flat nose shot I bet they would be awesome.  Miss shooting that old gun.

[VaTuRkStOmPeR]

What ashame.

Rifles are the worst thing to ever happen to the trophy deer population.

Ohio has really taken to screwing up a good thing.

[Spring_Woods]

What ashame.

Rifles are the worst thing to ever happen to the trophy deer population.

Ohio has really taken to screwing up a good thing.

Actually I might be wrong. Its just something I read on a gun trader page from Facebook. Hope it is and hope it isn't at the same time.

[tomstopper]

Had one once (a winchester, model NA) and it ejected from the top. I can honestly say thats the only thing I didnt like about it (mounting scopes was odd). I will say that the 30-30 is one heck of a brush gun. If you are hunting in thick woods you cant beat it IMO.

[captin_hook]

If you get one, make sure its a newer one with the push button safety, those older models with only the hammer safety can be dangerous.

[Oconeeguy]

In my opinion, a scoped 30-30 is the near perfect woods gun for deer. i have hunted first in the early 1970s with a Winchester 30-30, then as my eyes began to age, I used a scoped Marlin 30-30. That round is easy to find most anywhere, and they are about the most inexpensive deer cartridge out there. Because 90% of my shots are 75 yards or less, i could put a bullet where i wanted to almost without fail. That round will DROP a deer too, especially if you go for a neck shot. As a meat hunter not concerned with saving a head for mounting, I learned early that I NEVER had to track any deer i shot in the neck with that (or any other) deer rifle. I would be very careful about long, 150+ yd shots with that round though.

[flintlock]

I'd be shocked if that is the case.  It would be nice to have a lever gun either way though.

[reflexl]

We riflle hunt a lot here. have to to keep the population in check and we are losing that battle. That said this year produced more bucks that grossed over 160 than any year in TN history. I collect lever guns and the Marlin 30-30 is hard to beat. I have one that will shoot the lever evolutions under an inch at 100 yards. My son shot a big doe with the lever evolutions at 281 lasered yards. reflex264

[Skeeterbait]

A Model 336 Marlin 30 30 is hard to beat. Ejects from the side compared to the top ejection from the winchesters. Hornady has a new ammo called Lever Revolution. Very good Ammo. Good luck ! 

  vaturkey   

This is the best advice you got.  If your going lever with a scope get the Marlin.  You do not want a top eject with a scope.  And while your at it get an offset trigger spur.

[lightsoutcalls]

My dad has a Marlin 336 lever action 30-30.  He took 2 deer this season with it.  He is shooting ammo that I reloaded for him about 15 years ago.  Some were 110 grain Speer hollow points and some 150grain hollow points.  Both are deer killing rounds within that gun's intended range.
Myself?  I shoot a Marlin 336 in .35 Remington.  I'm shooting the 200 grain LeverEvolution rounds from Hornady.  I've only had a little over a year and have taken 1 buck and 1 feral hog with it.  It doesn't have much different recoil than the 30-30.  I love the look and feel of a lever action.   Lot's of folks say to buy the older Marlins... prior to Remington buying them out.  The quality control went south when they changed hands. The reviews are mixed on the "Remlins". 

I've got to disagree on the push button safety...  Mine was built in the 70's and doesn't have the push button safety.  Carrying the rifle with the hammer in the half-cock position is rock solid.
I also would advise against a neck shot on a deer... from my own experience.  My dad is a "neck-shooter".  Due to his physical condition (2 knee replacements, 2 shoulder replacements, quadruple bypass) I am the one that has to bloodtrail and drag the deer out.  He shot a decent buck a few years back with his muzzleloader in the neck.  The blood trail was a drop here and there every few yards.  The deer ran 1/4 mile or more down to the base of the mountain where we were hunting before it died.  He tried it again this year on a button buck... He grazed the bottom of the neck and the little buck jumped and ran about 5 yards and stopped broadside.  I told dad to take the vitals shot behind the shoulder.  He did and the deer only ran about 50 yards and piled up.  His second deer this year he shot in the spine.  That one dropped where he stood.  From my experience, the neck shot is not the highest percentage shot and can result in lost game.  Just my 2 cents worth...

[the Ward]

I often wondered why we couldn't use pistol caliber rifles if they were in the same calibers that are legal now in ohio for deer in pistols.They have slugs that are advertised at 2000fps  that are legal but a 44 mag at  1600 /1700 out of a carbine are not.Sure would be alot easier on wallet and shoulder!

[Ded Goblr]

What ashame.

Rifles are the worst thing to ever happen to the trophy deer population.

Ohio has really taken to screwing up a good thing.

Actually disease is the worst thing. Like Epizootic Hemorrhagic Disease and Bluetongue wipe out large populations with no available control.

Rifle seasons do take a large number of trophy deer, but it is a management tool that when managed correctly, works. Here in Nebraska at the end of rifle season one would wonder how big bucks could possibly survive with very little wooded areas. But they do, and every year there are new monsters out there.