# .30-30 challenge...



## kweber (Sep 20, 2005)

this could be fun... honor system.
post you best deer taken w/.30-30 
no blind. no corn.
40+ yrs ago I got a 14in 8 laying in a brushy fence-line sniping an oat field...


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## daddyeaux (Nov 18, 2007)

My first deer,1967, 13" 8 point, Magnolia, Tx, walking at 95 yds open sight, free hand neck shot. Dead on the ground.


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## RB II (Feb 26, 2009)

I came along a little after the 30-30 lost its place in hunting, but I do have my Dads and he killed a train car load slipping along Sandys Creek on the Colorado/Lavaca Co line just West of Sheridan. Sign on the water tower for years. "Deer hunting capital of Texas"


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## cwbycrshr (May 23, 2013)

Props to you Iron Sight hunters. I can't hit the broad side of a barn door with a Iron Sight 30-30 but have drilled 'Yotes at 200+ on the run with a .223 and 3X9 scope. Go figure.


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## oOslikOo (Jul 13, 2010)

I still use my 30-30. Killed several deer with it and some hogs.


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## Luco (Sep 21, 2006)

HydraSports said:


> I came along a little after the 30-30 lost its place in hunting, but I do have my Dads and he killed a train car load slipping along Sandys Creek on the Colorado/Lavaca Co line just West of Sheridan. Sign on the water tower for years. "Deer hunting capital of Texas"


 HydraSports
Did you ever go to the bar at the grain dryers in Cordele for Buck Eve holy smokes what a party. I remember on time I think we had to park at lease a half a mile down 530 trucks and people everywhere. Man those were good times we Hunted in Speaks on the Sandy!!! small world!


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## NOCREEK (Jan 18, 2012)

I have an old 336 with buckhorn sights, took this little 9 about 13 years ago on the ground behind some brush. He was running straight at me then went in the brush but came back out broadside about 50 yds and I shot him freehand, pretty action packed hunt Lol.


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## Sgrem (Oct 5, 2005)

https://www.magnumresearch.com/Firearms/Magnum-Research-3030-Win-Revolver-75-inch-Barrel.asp

How about with a .30-.30 revolver......


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## Trouthunter (Dec 18, 1998)

That would be my third deer. First was shot with an old octagonal barrel Marlin take down .22lr. Yea yea but that was 51 years ago and it was a doe lol.

Second was with a .243 Sako and it was a doe.

Third was when I was 7. Winchester .30-.30 very old rifle, slick as polished steel. 8-point at 50 yards. Memory tells me that rifle kicked with the iron butt plate on it lol but I loved it.

It was stolen out of my vehicle at high school one day.

TH


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## chicken fried (Sep 8, 2010)

My first deer. It was 1983, Harper,TX. I shot a 7 pt in the neck at 80 yards. I saved my money and bought a Glenfield 30A (Marlin 336), combo with a Weaver 4X, 30-30. I still have and occasionly I hunt with it. It's pretty much mint condition. 
I think it would be fun to do a hunt with open sight lever gun. Give a reason to get that 45-70 I've been wanting.


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## T-Roy (Oct 4, 2004)

My second deer was a 10 pointer shoot at 70 yard with a Savage 30-30 with a 3x9 redfield scope. I was 11. I was cheating I was in a blind. The barrel was so long I almost hit him in the head with the barrel. It did not have a trigger. It had a level. You had to pull it like 14" before it shot. LOL. The horse shoe butt plate, it kick like a mule. Pops would have been proud. 

I now have a Winchester Model 94 30-30 open sights. That is my go to gun when I am slipping through the brush. 

Got to love them lever guns!

Just my 2 pennies!


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## fishingcowboy (May 19, 2009)

My second buck was a 13 point 140 7/8 18 1/2 spread killed with a 30/30. The gun was given to me by my grand father a Sears and robuck 30/30. 100 yard shot I was 18. And my best buck yet


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## yorky54 (Aug 10, 2012)

*Lever Action*

Shot several deer in WV with an old 30/30 that was owned by a buddy's father. I now use my open site 45-70 as much as I use anything here in TX. It adds a level of challenge that I enjoy.


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## wampuscat (Jun 30, 2009)

Nice eight point awhile back.


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## Getting shallow (Apr 6, 2013)

I was 15 and one early morning I was Walking to the deer stand with a full moon and on a white sand road. I saw a silhouette of a big buck about 75 yards out. I took my lever action Winchester with open sites and planted some lead in his neck. He took 2 steps and that was it. He was an 8 point with a 14 3/4 spread.


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## Cynoscion (Jun 4, 2009)

First nilgai bull I ever shot was with a Marlin lever gun in 30-30. It's was probably about 75 yards standing still. Hit him in the neck and dumped him where he stood. They used to be a lot more gentle back then. Now, not so much. The rifle was stolen a couple of years later.

I carried a Win. 94 in 30-30 to shoot wounded deer over my dogs for years. I shot hollow points so they wouldn't exit and worry about killing a dog. I had one exit about 4-5 years ago and I put it up for good. I shoot a Marlin lever gun in .44 mag now. I shoot .44 specials out of it. Haven't had one exit yet. If I do, I'll put it up and try something else but it'll definately be a lever gun.


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## rubberducky (Mar 19, 2010)

When we first moved to our place in Livingston I was riding the 4 wheeler around the back and jumped a little 6 point. Killed him standing on top of the 4 wheeler at about 50-60 yards.
James


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## kweber (Sep 20, 2005)

maybe we need a new .30-30 harvest thread.....
.32's, .35rems and about any other lever-gun..
vintage guns w/pics of game...
big bores, too...
.44's, 45-70 and up.
I have an old Colt Lightning .38-40 pump.
who's heard of a .32-20?
spot and stalk...


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## tpool (Aug 21, 2005)

Not gonna win this "contest" but have a story. 15yrs old and in a homemade tree stand out of Centerville. Evening hunt, sun hitting me just right in one spot. Probably 60 degrees. Fell right asleep for a nap (like tends to happen when in an open stand in the evening for me). Woken up to crunching leaves. Slowly open eyes to try and find the squirrel crunching the leaves. See nothing, but realize the crunch is right underneath me. A 3pt is directly under the tree stand, 10ft below me. Let him keep working behind me till I can't stand it. Slowly turn to see his rump - he is feeding on acorns. He pauses to turn around and lick his hip. That's when I let him have it with the .30-30. Folded up 15yrds from the stand...

T-BONE


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## yorky54 (Aug 10, 2012)

*Bear*

I know this is a deer thread but I figured I would post these as well. Shot this bear in New Mexico in 2013 with my 45-70 lever gun open sight. Estimated weight close to 400 lbs and it squared out at 7.5'. My wife was with me.


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## Fishtexx (Jun 29, 2004)

My sons first deer, he was 7, gun is a Marlin in .357 Mag shot at about 70 yards. That was the first time he shot at a deer, after sending hundreds and hundreds of .38 rounds at the range. Dang they grow up quick!


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## Blue Devil 7 (Aug 25, 2005)

I few years ago I injured my trigger finger right before deer season. Had to have reconstructive surgery and everything (it is a little shorter then it used to be). I wasn't going to let that stop me from hunting, so I borrowed my dad's Ruger #1 and taught myself to shoot left handed. Then it occured to me that I could shoot a lever gun south paw too, so I found a Winchester 94 30-30 on gunbroker with a really pretty wood stock. We were driving around the ranch one day and see a doe standing in a a tree line near one of our feeders. She just stood there and watched us, so I stopped the truck and hopped out with my 30-30 and popped her with my new left-handed skills. Not the biggest deer, but the only one I've killed shooting lefty. I'm back to shooting right handed now, but I still like that Winchester. I actually had it out last weekend and fired some shots off at our range. I think I'll carry it some this season. Lately I've had the itch to buy another lever, maybe a .25-35, just for kicks.


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## kweber (Sep 20, 2005)

I learned more sneaking/crawling fence-lines on oats patches w/ Daddy's 30-30 carbine/weaver 4x in 2 seasons than a lifetime sniping w/my Savage 270 at up to 300yds from a stand...the 270 was aquirred from hauling hay when I was 15..
at 13/14 I learned w/ the marlin.
one cousin had a .35 rem.. some other kids had a .32-20...
too bad we couldn't hunt in Black Bear areas...
we'd gave 'em hail, too.
laying down in the weeds on a fence-line will make you learn or bust.
MY maternal Grandfather got a huge buck hunting Camp Bullis NW of SA... he sat in trees w/his long barrel 30-30.


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## kweber (Sep 20, 2005)

hey, bears is cool, too..
when I wish we had them, I quickly visualize 2-300lb *****.. maybe not :rotfl:


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## AvianQuest (Feb 7, 2006)

kweber said:


> no blind. no corn.


Taken from my blind.....you can't see the deer because after drilling it with my .30-30 it slide off the other side of the pile...


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## daddyeaux (Nov 18, 2007)

Now* THAT* is a feeder.......:cheers:


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## artys_only (Mar 29, 2005)

I shot my first deer a 6 point , with iron sights and 375 H&H mag bolt action model 70 back in 1982 in grayling Michigan . it was 45 yards , I will see if I can find the picture , my uncle gave me the only gun he had that no one was using , I CAN UNDERSTAND WHY !!! after I got back up off the ground from the recoil . I seen that I had got a deer . I was a big kid and they thought I could handle the recoil........LOL


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## wet dreams (May 21, 2004)

Pretty sure my first 4 deer was with a 30-30, 54yrs ago on the Y/O. 4 does at 25$ each, the next yr I used a 243 for 4 more...


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## barbless (Jul 27, 2004)

shot my first deer 51 yrs ago with my Springfield 840 bolt action 30-30. It scared me more than the deer. I was walking to my blind and he jumped out of the brush and stopped. Iron sights at the time. Last year I wanted to kill another buck with this rifle as it was my 50th anniversary of shooting my first deer. Got a 10 pt, really brought back some memories.


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## KIKO (Oct 24, 2006)

Back in the 90's when I hunted in Mexico I bought an old 1894 Winchester 30-30 from old man in a neighboring ranch. He said his father had used it the Mexican revolution. He probably did, we would find 30-30 and 7mm shells all over the ranch. 

I kept it there to hunt with it whenever I went and took several deer and javelinas with it. Things got ugly down there and never went back. Never had the courage to hide it in my truck and bring it with me to the US.


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## kweber (Sep 20, 2005)

AvianQuest said:


> Taken from my blind.....you can't see the deer because after drilling it with my .30-30 it slide off the other side of the pile...


they do that at Lubbock but with milo on a good year... piles 50ft high and covers several city blocks...
not enough room in grain bins...
no worry about *****... plenty for everyone...


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## wampuscat (Jun 30, 2009)

kweber said:


> maybe we need a new .30-30 harvest thread.....
> .32's, .35rems and about any other lever-gun..
> vintage guns w/pics of game...
> big bores, too...
> ...










32/20 CM whitetail


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## kweber (Sep 20, 2005)

wampuscat said:


> 32/20 CM whitetail


 very nice Carmen buck..
.32-20.. extra cool.
did ya walk up on him?


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## wampuscat (Jun 30, 2009)

kweber said:


> very nice Carmen buck..
> .32-20.. extra cool.
> did ya walk up on him?


 Saw him up on the side of a mountain and had to move fast to get in front of him, where there was a clear shooting lane. Shot when he walked into the clearing, up hill at about a hundered yards. Hit behind the shoulder and the bullet was mushroomed well, under the opposite side skin. Was impressed with the little cartridge.


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## wet dreams (May 21, 2004)

Here's one of my dad in 1951, 1 1/2 yrs before I was around, deer was from Scrapping Valley in Jasper Co taken ahead of hounds. I have another somewhere taken after he got back from Korea BUT he used a Rem 740 30-06.....


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## coogerpop (Sep 3, 2009)

sgrem said:


> https://www.magnumresearch.com/Firearms/Magnum-Research-3030-Win-Revolver-75-inch-Barrel.asp
> 
> How about with a .30-.30 revolver......


Never seen a 30-30 revolver.....I've taken a couple of deer with a T/C Contender with a 14 inch barrel.....


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## sotexhookset (Jun 4, 2011)

wet dreams said:


> Here's one of my dad in 1951, 1 1/2 yrs before I was around, deer was from Scrapping Valley in Jasper Co taken ahead of hounds. I have another somewhere taken after he got back from Korea BUT he used a Rem 740 30-06.....


That is a cool pic. I like the way he's got him standing up.


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## POCsaltdog (Nov 26, 2014)

I have a .44 Mag Winchester Lever Action Trappers rifle that I love. Open sights and extremely smooth action. Used it all the time to control does. Took it last year to shoot just for fun. 100 yards free hand 8" groups all day long. It's not me. The gun is that good. I bought it for $179 in 1986 new at Carters Country.


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## Jack's Pocket (Jul 16, 2014)

He was just a sorry spike I shot with a Browning 1885 high wall in 30-30
28 inch barrel. Spike was standing in a pipeline dropped him at 190 steps.


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## Enjoylife (Nov 19, 2014)

*30-30*

Shot my first buck in an open blind with a 30-30. 6 point- no corn used, in Comal County.


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## bigdaddy67 (Oct 30, 2012)

my first deer was just a baby doe.open sites about 120 yards aiming at her head and hit her ear. sorry no pic. I killed her in jack county about 20 yrs ago.


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## Jack's Pocket (Jul 16, 2014)

My first deer was killed with the 30-30 parent case the 32-40
at about 70 yards when I was nine a 4 point still have the rack.


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## kweber (Sep 20, 2005)

Jack's Pocket said:


> My first deer was killed with the 30-30 parent case the 32-40
> at about 70 yards when I was nine a 4 point still have the rack.


I have an old Colt Lighting pump in 38-40...
maybe a little stronger than a .38sp....
shooting deer w/old cals/guns is cool...
that said... I drag away several hit w/ pick-ups not far from my mailbox..
more taken out that way than w/ any gun... 
easing thru the oak-bottoms/mesquite brush flats and what-not is tuff huntin' but will make a fellow better...


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## Castaway2 (Aug 8, 2013)

i got one but there were no animals killed.... my old man 69 has an open sight 30-30, we shot alot of long shots durning the day to kill time... i had been shooting my .22-250 at 400 yds when he came out and said " any body can do that with a scope. boy if you could hit that milk jug at .....375 yds with my 30-30 i will fill your feeder the rest of the year!" i looked at him and cockily said "no problem old timer." he replied with a laugh saying I could have 3 shots and he wasnt the least bit worried. i ran a fresh milk jug down range to about 385 yds, he said no excuses that your 10 yds further than we said. i replied again cockily no worries old man sit right there and watch what you cant do anymore. i took the 30-30 and on the first shot that milk jug exploded ( frozen water) he looked at me and said BULL S***, do that again i replied cockliy again Why.... no need now go a fill my feeder it is running low." that was about 3 yrs ago. i still catch him every year trying to make that same shot he will sit there and put 20 rds down range trying still hasnt hit it yet ( he doesnt realize that he cant see that far) lol. may not have a kill with it but for the 4 or fifth time shooting that rifle i honestly impressed myself and wont attempt it again. some days your just dead on!!!!!


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