Who hunts with a 30/30?

I have been wanting to buy a lever gun to replace the one I sold 45 years ago,My wife has a 32 win special from her dad and my daughters each have an marlin landrush .22 rifles.Oh yea one of my daughter won a 336 laminaterd QDMA stainless but she doesn't want it shot either
Hopefully the day will come when she realizes that 336 was made to harvest deer, not sit in a box. Hope you can get one—and give strong consideration to the venerable 30-30 round.

I bought my first 336C in 1975. I loved that gun–although it did have a nasty habit of going off without pulling the trigger! Sadly, it was stolen in 1981. It was replaced in 1982 with another 336 that was “appropriated” by my in-laws kids as they grew up. It’s replacement in 2004 had improved safety, but is not nearly the looker that ‘75 was. However, it is still a favorite and is my go-to rifle for firearms season in Missouri’s woods.
 
There is just something special about lever guns I can’t put into words the feeling of shooting a lever gun the weight, the balance, operation of the lever. They simply hold a special place in most people’s hearts that have ever used one. My first deer was taken with a lever action Marlin after leaving home I wanted a lever gun of my own so I purchased a Winchester Model 94 in 22Mag in semi fancy walnut. I wish I’d of gone full fancy walnut but it’s an exceptionally fun gun to take out and shoot on occasion regardless of the walnut.
 
See through mounts!!!


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I love the lever guns!

Have had a few model 94's, I've got a couple nice pre 64 30-30's in the closet. Have given both my boys a model 94 just because I think they are cool and every guy should have one.
I deer gun hunt with a model 1886 Win 45/70 deluxe special addition takedown. Also have a couple Henry 22's...Grandsons will be getting Henry's for Christmas next year.
 
30-30 was the ultimate mid 90’s Georgia hunting club deer rifle. Every man, woman and child had at least used one for a time before graduating to a 30-06 or .270. It was my first deer rifle, and they all had to have see through mounts. The uniformed would tell us kids the 30-30 was the perfect brush gun cause of the rounded bullet…as if shooting through thick brush was a strategy! The ironic thing was it was a damn unsafe gun for a kid to use cause of the hammer and no safety! I always think back on how we ever survived growing up hunting between those rifles and lack of tree stand safety.
 
Still have my 30-30 that my father gave me for Christmas 40 years ago this year. When my boys were younger, I cut the stock down to fit them. Wish I woudl have picked up another stock too cut down, and need to get another one for it so I can hunt with it again. I also have my brothers 35 that I have never hunted with and my fathers 375. I refinished dads 375 several years back and finally took a deer with it this year.

 
E8D7DC66-37BD-4486-B9C9-941F04774734.jpegI like many different guns of all types but the model 94 designed byJohn Browning and highly regarded by Jeff Cooper has to be one of the best. So easy to carry and very fast for snap shots. I have owned 3, the best of which was made in 1931 and had a curved carbine butt plate and an original marbles flip up tang peep sight. I bought it from a good friend in the early 80’s who unfortunately passed away a few years ago and at his funeral a 30 year old picture was displayed of him holding his son as a baby with the rifle on the mantle behind him. The son was curious and asked me what I knew about the rifle not knowing I had it. The next day I gave it to him. This was it’s replacement my adult Red Ryder with compass in the stock. Not a 30-30 but a 357 mag because I had lots of brass and it’s cheaper to load and shoot. We do have a little 16 inch barreled contender carbine in 30-30 that my wife and a daughter both killed their first 2 bucks with.
 
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My dad's Marlin 336 in 35Rem, I also have his lever action Winchester in .32 Special. I think both calibers are better deer killers than the venerable 30-30 but it's hard to argue with the success of the 30-30. Love those old levers.
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My main rifle is a stainless browning blr in 450 marlin. But, the 30-30 comes out opening weekend of northern NY rifle. It is always with me as a backup gun.

1967 glen field model 30 4 shot with 3-9x swift scope.
 
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