30-30 in the UK
- Thread starter Heym SR20
- Start date
enfieldspares
Well-Known Member
I'll answer your question by asking going back in history. What practical benefit did it offer?
Traditionally stalking in the UK was either Highland stalking "on the hill" or, pretty much, shooting "park deer". Woodland stalking as we know it today didn't exist. Muntjac hadn't yet escapee from Woburn Abbey and roe deer were considered as vermin. That a person would use leisure time to shoot either for recreation would have been though distinctly odd. That anyone would pay money to shoot either was unheard of.
So therefore the .30-30 in the UK had no role. It wasn't ideal for highland stalking as it didn't do anything that 6.5x53R, 6.5x54 or .303 didn't do better. And for "park deer" it didn't do anything that the .300 Sherwood or BSA's equivalent the .300 Extra Long did do more efficiently or less expensively to purchase. And nobody used them for pleasure or competition target shooting. So what lever action rifles that were in the UK were usually in the "self defence" calibre of .44-40.
So yes, lever action rifles were imported here before WWI and WWII but not the .30-30 as it offered nothing to British customers. Whereas the .44-40 did but for self defence not stalking. remember a 30-30 holds only six rounds the .44-40 held ten rounds. An Enfield rifle holds ten rounds and for reloading any clip loading Mauser or Mannlicher was quicker to load and more practical to carry extra ammunition in chargers.
Indeed one branch of the British military issued them in .44-40 Winchester rifles in WWI and I personally knew someone who carried one in .44-40 WWII whilst fighting in North Africa. So the .30-30 not popular (and I've yet even mentioned that it fails the 1960s 2,450 fps velocity requirement in Scotland) is that as it had no benefit to British deer "hunters" either those shooting them for leisure or for gamekeepers controlling deer.
So it never historically had in the UK the following it did in the USA and after 1960 why would you buy a rifle to shoot deer in Britain that was illegal to use immediately it went north of the River Tweed? So simply put it it was a rifle without a purpose here in UK. So it has never had any real tradition of widespread use in shooting deer. It's a good rifle for the purposes you've said. But until recently that sort of deer hunting didn't really exist in the UK.
Traditionally stalking in the UK was either Highland stalking "on the hill" or, pretty much, shooting "park deer". Woodland stalking as we know it today didn't exist. Muntjac hadn't yet escapee from Woburn Abbey and roe deer were considered as vermin. That a person would use leisure time to shoot either for recreation would have been though distinctly odd. That anyone would pay money to shoot either was unheard of.
So therefore the .30-30 in the UK had no role. It wasn't ideal for highland stalking as it didn't do anything that 6.5x53R, 6.5x54 or .303 didn't do better. And for "park deer" it didn't do anything that the .300 Sherwood or BSA's equivalent the .300 Extra Long did do more efficiently or less expensively to purchase. And nobody used them for pleasure or competition target shooting. So what lever action rifles that were in the UK were usually in the "self defence" calibre of .44-40.
So yes, lever action rifles were imported here before WWI and WWII but not the .30-30 as it offered nothing to British customers. Whereas the .44-40 did but for self defence not stalking. remember a 30-30 holds only six rounds the .44-40 held ten rounds. An Enfield rifle holds ten rounds and for reloading any clip loading Mauser or Mannlicher was quicker to load and more practical to carry extra ammunition in chargers.
Indeed one branch of the British military issued them in .44-40 Winchester rifles in WWI and I personally knew someone who carried one in .44-40 WWII whilst fighting in North Africa. So the .30-30 not popular (and I've yet even mentioned that it fails the 1960s 2,450 fps velocity requirement in Scotland) is that as it had no benefit to British deer "hunters" either those shooting them for leisure or for gamekeepers controlling deer.
So it never historically had in the UK the following it did in the USA and after 1960 why would you buy a rifle to shoot deer in Britain that was illegal to use immediately it went north of the River Tweed? So simply put it it was a rifle without a purpose here in UK. So it has never had any real tradition of widespread use in shooting deer. It's a good rifle for the purposes you've said. But until recently that sort of deer hunting didn't really exist in the UK.
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My old Head Keeper had one in the 60s never used in anger but shot a few tin cans with it he ended up doing a swap with it for a new BRNO .22
mereside
Well-Known Member
I use one all the time, you can get it deer legal in Scotland with homeloads, although I don't need to using it for dispatch with cast lead shoots very nicely indeed. I do use full loads to legally take deer and have had no issues at all with any species including wild Boar, the action is a little agricultural but works well and I shoot open sights, regards Wayne.
reloader54
Well-Known Member
Good shooting, I've seen people fail to do that with a scoped rifle, needless to say I never let them anywhere near living quarry.
enfieldspares
Well-Known Member
A hundred yards is a long way RORO. You can, with skill, stalk deer on the hill to within that distance or not much beyond if the approach is suited to do that. Re my earlier post BTW by "park deer" I meant fallow deer in open, but nevertheless enclosed, parkland in stately homes or similar large country estates.
Thank you. If I cant do that im not using it on deer.
The exact reason I got mine
alberta boy
Well-Known Member
That's exactly what it is . It isn't a spectacular round , but it does what it should ......... plus , I love lever guns ......... and the single shot I have in 30-30 .
AB
I shot a few deer with a 30-30 and a lightweight 94 is a dream to use in heavy cover however I was not so convinced of the knock down power, certainly not a 308. Also my other short range rifles can still take a 300m deer whereas with open sights 94 I stayed under 100.
The 165 Leverevolution was good but every second case split??
edi
The 165 Leverevolution was good but every second case split??
edi
I had a Winchester 30/30 for a while with a four X scope. A very effective rifle in thick cover. I used to carry it with me if feeding in Sitka woodland where we had a lot of Sika. I would quite often see deer on crossing a ride or track and found it very quick to mount and shoot for shots out to 100 yards. Quite a good knockdown effect too.
John Gryphon
Well-Known Member
Why would you handicap yourself with a 30/30 when you have far better calibres to choose from that will enable you to reach out further if needed.
As far as ease of use one can put a short barrel on a .308 for instance.
As far as ease of use one can put a short barrel on a .308 for instance.
Roro
Well-Known Member
John Gryphon
Well-Known Member
But at a longer range the 30/30 has the trajectory of a brick.....Why would you handicap yourself ?
Roro
Well-Known Member
Cannot be that bad over 120 yards or so.
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