30-30 or 7mm-08

[AzDak42]

As a stalk and carry gun in the woods, a 30-30 lever action is very hard to beat. Either for easy of carry or on target performance. But as others have said, the 7mm08 will do more, at longer range with a much bigger bullet selection. For pure nostalgia, if I was in the deep eastern woods hunting deer, it would likely be a lever gun of some sort.

But if there were any huge open areas like fields, I wouldn't trade the ease of carry on the risk of having to try and take a long shot with a 30-30.

 

[bullet]

I have killed four deer with a 30-30 and all were under a 100yds.

 

[cloverleaf]

Like I said, the deer wont know the difference if you hit 'em. As far as shooting goes the 7mm-08 would get my vote. At 200 yards the 7 is a "point and shoot" proposition. Roosevelt praised his 30-30 for it "flat trajectory" as a his pronghorn rifle. Thge 7mm-08 will do it better. To many folks on this board have had good luck wuth the 7mm-08 to discount it. Were Roosevelt hunting today he would have a 257 Weatherby. :grin: All that said, IF all I had was a 30-30 and an antelope (or deer) tag you would not find me in the house :wink: CL

 

[SJB358]

WM, check out some Hodgdon LVR with any decent 170 grain bullet. I get an easy 2300 out of my little Winchester M94 and accuracy is very good for peep sights. It is my son's rifle of choice when the deer are likely to coming moving through fast and in a hurry. Bullet performance out to 150 yards is going to be excellent and final.

Same can be said for your 7-08 as well, but the 30-30 is sure a nice carrying rifle and very handy when pushing the bush.

 

[Mountain Goat]

I don't like the 30-30. If forced to carry a lever gun it will be a '99 in 300 Savage. Okay, so I'm partial to the '99 since it was my first deer rifle. The 7-08 is one of the more versatile cartridges around and can handle just about any big-game situation. As far as Teddy goes, I'm thinking he'd be in the 35 Whelen or 338 Win mag camp.

 

[Wincheringen]

Teddy was in the .405 camp. Big Wampum.

 

[SJB358]

I don't like the 30-30. If forced to carry a lever gun it will be a '99 in 300 Savage. Okay, so I'm partial to the '99 since it was my first deer rifle. The 7-08 is one of the more versatile cartridges around and can handle just about any big-game situation. As far as Teddy goes, I'm thinking he'd be in the 35 Whelen or 338 Win mag camp.

Good point MG.. I would be okay with packing my 358 Win for most of my hunting too....

Yeah, I think TR would have been a Whelen fan too!

 

[SJB358]

Teddy was in the .405 camp. Big Wampum.

I think Teddy really dug the 50-70 too.. Or something like that. Reading his books, he was really liking the 1886..

 

[Oldtrader3]

His favorite rifle was the 1886 in .45-70 I believe. He had a lot of neat shooting instuments, especially for those of us who use 80 year calibers like my 9.3x74R to 140 years old for the .45-70.

 

[SJB358]

Was it Charlie? I know it was something in that realm like a 50-90 or something like that. I know he talked alot about a 405 grain bullet being pushed about 1500 being elk medicine..

Not much has changed huh? HA!

 

[Wincheringen]

A friend has a .405 Winchester in a 1886 and its quite a fun gun to shoot. I would like to have a No. 1 in .405.

 

[Oldtrader3]

Not much has changed!

He did have one in .50 caliber and a .405 but I would have to find data on case specs. I will do more research tomorrow.

 

[SJB358]

Not much has changed!

He did have one in .50 caliber and a .405 but I would have to find data on case specs. I will do more research tomorrow.

I will check my old books too Charlie. I remember something about the 45-90 or something along those lines while elk hunting in the Rockies. I am pretty sure it was an 1886 though. Either way, he carried big sticks!

 

[Antelope_Sniper]

I would let the terrain decide.

For thick woods with few clearings, I'd take the 30-30.

In broken country with more chances for a longer range shot, I'd take the 7mm-08.