Max effective range with a .30-30?

[wormy]

10thmtn, the 30-30 is defintely a 500 yard gun. With my Winchester I have won several cases of beer shooting humanoid targets at 400 yards, and that is with iron leaf sights.

I use 150 weight Sierra soft points under my reloads of H335 driven at a real world 20 inch barrel and chronographed at 2100 fps. This rifle is sighted in to poi at 75 yards, and crosses the line of sight again at 150.

The trick I use, and it takes a little experimenting, is to see the base of the front sight as aiming reference. If using a scope, for a humanoid target at this range, if you have it dialed in to a 100 yard zero, allow for 1 and 1/2 the height of the target to make hits at 400-500 yards. It can be done all day long, but you have to really tighten up and concentrate on fundementals to do it.

For humans, it will do the job. I'd pass on hunting animals at that range if I had a choice though.

To quote the great Glockman10mm in a recent post in a different thread, " I dont give a DAMN about shooting" humanoid targets at 400 yards. They dont shoot back!

[DefensiveCarry.com]

[Rollo]

To quote the great Glockman10mm in a recent post in a different thread, " I dont give a DAMN about shooting" humanoid targets at 400 yards. They dont shoot back!

Glockman has had some pretty epic quotes in recent weeks!

[bmcgilvray]

Glockman has had some pretty epic quotes in recent weeks!

Which just goes to show that when you've got it, you've got it.

I like the .30-30 cartridge. It's a better cartridge than it receives credit for being. It's the handloader's friend too. Most any decently assembled handload will shoot well.

Of the deer I've taken with a .30-30, 120 yards is the longest shot made. Wouldn't want to tackle deer at 500 yards with it but I've shot at targets of opportunity that far with my .30-30 that far and find that it does not display nearly as much of a rainbow trajectory as it's reputation suggests. Now the .45-70 when loaded to original velocities describes a whopping great arc. The .30-30 shoots comparatively flat and I say that all while preferring to use the 170 grain flat point bullet loaded to 2100.

My .30-30 is more accurate than the usual run-of-the-mill lever action .30-30 as it is a bolt action Winchester Model 54. The Model 54 action is the predecessor of the pre-64 Winchester Model 70.

[C hawk Glock]

Thanks for the chart - very similar to other data I saw.

My choices are a .223 (drop of about 5 feet at 500 yards) or a .30-30 (drop of about 10 feet at same). In either case, you'd need a good deal of "Tennessee elevation" to hit a man sized target. The .30-30 carries more energy.

What I really need to do is work on my range estimation skills. That, and I probably need to make a "range card" for my area with known distances on it.

No problem at all.

[10thmtn]

I just printed a Google Earth map of my house and surrounding area. The farthest I can see is less than 150 yards - and that is straight up the road.

I did find that the RR crossing up the hill is almost exactly 100 yards away - that will give me a good reference for getting better at range estimation.

[C hawk Glock]

I just printed a Google Earth map of my house and surrounding area. The farthest I can see is less than 150 yards - and that is straight up the road.

I did find that the RR crossing up the hill is almost exactly 100 yards away - that will give me a good reference for getting better at range estimation.

With your two rifles you would be easily capable of a defense of your house at those distances. You should be golden.

[KWAG]

I dont know about a defensive weapon in the 30/30,(any weapon I HAVE IS A DEFENSE WEAPON) but the hornaday lever action shell is impressive at adding distance to the 30/30 for deer hunting.That being said I have noticed that the bullet passes through the deer with out doing the damage it should. But I would not want to be on the receiving end of the 30/30 anyway you look at it!

[glockman10mm]

Which just goes to show that when you've got it, you've got it.

I like the .30-30 cartridge. It's a better cartridge than it receives credit for being. It's the handloader's friend too. Most any decently assembled handload will shoot well.

Of the deer I've taken with a .30-30, 120 yards is the longest shot made. Wouldn't want to tackle deer at 500 yards with it but I've shot at targets of opportunity that far with my .30-30 that far and find that it does not display nearly as much of a rainbow trajectory as it's reputation suggests. Now the .45-70 when loaded to original velocities describes a whopping great arc. The .30-30 shoots comparatively flat and I say that all while preferring to use the 170 grain flat point bullet loaded to 2100.

My .30-30 is more accurate than the usual run-of-the-mill lever action .30-30 as it is a bolt action Winchester Model 54. The Model 54 action is the predecessor of the pre-64 Winchester Model 70.

Isn't it amazing what practical application yields in the way of knowledge?
And I still don't give a damn about shooting humanoid targets at 400 yards. Probably couldn't even see the target.

I am getting to the age where my brain still thinks the glory days were just yesterday, but my body says just what in the hell do you think your doin.
Now, if I can just find my glasses, remember where I put my wallet....

[retsupt99]

I think of my Marlin 336ss as a 100 yard rifle, and it's great bush gun. Any bad guys hiding beyond 100 yards...I'll let them stay in hiding.

[10thmtn]

Any bad guys hiding beyond 100 yards...I'll let them stay in hiding.

I agree. The odds of needing to take a defensive shot at longer range is very low, unless perhaps you live out in the open country. Plus, your ability to argue self defense generally decreases as the range to the BG increases - even during periods of civil unrest, there will eventually be a legal reckoning for any shot you take.

My original question was more along the lines of - in the very rare case where it needed doing, could you do it with a .30-30? In skilled hands, yes you can.

In my suburban area, I doubt we would get large foot-mobile crowds in case of civil unrest. It would be too long of a walk, and the population density here is too low. Any troublemakers would likely be in vehicles - hence my desire for something with more weight for better barrier penetration than what a 5.56 can do. We also have a lot of vegetation for folks to use as cover - hopefully the .30 bullet can turn most of it into concealment.

I got the .30-30 mainly for platform costs and ammo availability reasons - turns out I like it. And from this discussion, it really does not look like I "need" a .308 at all.

[glockman10mm]

I don't own a 308. But, in the event of civil unrest where LE is not effective, my plan is to resort back to Recon tactics. One of our first lessons was during a SALUTE mission, if we had to use our weapons, we screwed up. Bad juju.

So, if I have to leave my home, I will take things that can sustain me, and remain invisible. A 30-30 lever would do good here. I can't help but think that even a .22 would work just as well.

[10thmtn]

I hear you - but with 2 small kids and a wife, bugging out is only if absolutely necessary. More likely will be defending in place.

[HotGuns]

When the SHTF, a quiet shot in the dark will work the best.

[AZJD1968]

When the SHTF, a quiet shot in the dark will work the best.

What happens if SHTF in the daytime?

[HotGuns]

What happens if SHTF in the daytime?

A quiet shot in the daylight, of course.
Preferably from a concealed position.