Agreed, I only use it for mine now and paired with a 1-4 LPVO, it's fantastic for the type of hunting a 30-30 was intended for. With the Hornaday ammo and a 50m zero, it's POA/POI from 25-100m and still in kill zone at 150. I have a BLR in .308 and I find myself grabbing the old Marlin more often.
@@thorseim7177 just had this experience took a niece out shooting recently roughly 15. For the second time and started to figure out what firearms she likes. 38 special revolvers, and my 22lr walther 1911a1, and bolt action 22lr, marlin model 60. Those all passed the test The sks didn't leave a real good impression. On the second trip I tried a mosin nagant just to see her reaction not really recoil sensitive. and my marlin 336cs. A lever action 22lr is right up her alley. The 30-30 marlin she liked alot. I need to get some 30 carbine I think the m-1 carbine will be a favorite. And we have new lady in the hobby.
7.62x39 and 300 blackout using the same bullet weight are statistically even. 300 blackout is less than 10 fps off the venerable 7.62x39 but it is more versatile and with modern bullets Flys truer I can only speak for myself but if you shoot me with a 7.62x39 or a 300 blackout I'm not going to be able to tell which one hurt more
I am now 65 years old. I remember being about 8 years old and my uncle talking to my father about his 30-30 and how sorry he did not buy a 30-06, the 30-30 too weak etc. etc.etc. Today I hunt with my uncles 30-30 which I inherited along with his 30-06 that he eventually purchased. I can honestly say, I have never lost a single deer with that old Marlin and I am still using the same ammo that my uncle purchased when he first got the rifle and never used. Guess what it still goes bang and the deer still go down. The 30-30 will outlast every single person living on this earth today and they will be still talking of the demise of the 30-30 when we are all gone.
I'm 54. My Granny bought a Model 94 Winchester .30-30 from my uncle and gave it to me for my 14th birthday. I've put much venison in the freezer with that rifle. NEVER lost one. I can't say the same for my Remington .270, which I bought for myself when I was 18. I was looking hard at a Remington 7mm mag, but I consulted an expert, my Dad. He liked the looks, but had me compare the price of 7mm mag to .270 ammo. That's why I have a .270. When it comes down to simply picking one or the other, I'm gonna take that .30-30 out for a walk most every time.
Granted my father reloads and has created specific bullets for each weight, but he my entire immediate family has harvested animals as small as a coyote with a 90g all the way up to an elk with 165g out of the exact same 30-06.
In reality, I don't think anybody comes down to 300blk vs 30-30 and decides based on ballistics. Hunting with one of these is a function of choosing the style of rifle, not the round.
I thought you were talking about putting the 300 bo in a lever gun at first. The 30/30 ballistics are better and more comparable with the flex tip. I think. I would prefer the 300 hammer over the 300 bo. The one thing I don't like about the 30/30 is it headspaces on the rim. No offense, but comparing the lever gun to that AR makes me want to barf. Have a good one.
30-30 is great for the woods but 300blk has some advantages that can’t be ignored. Ron talked about handy shirt rifles yet talked about a 300 blk with a 16 inch barrel? The 300 blk was optimized for shorter barrels than 16in. A 9 or 10 inch 300 blk is very effective and much more handy than a 16 or 20 inch barrel.
I have been using 300 black out for 3 years now on white tail I have taken 2 deer over the 3 years and dropped them at 75 and 90 yards I just love it I’m not changing any time soon
I have a bolt action 30-30 with a 24" nicke-steel barrel. I load 5-10% over and it has outstanding performance and increased accuracy. Also, being a bolt rifle I use spire point/ballistic tip bullets.
I used some Leverevolution powder for the 30-30 with a 150gr Hdy RN. Found a happy accuracy node and the chrono average was 2445fps. This was from a Henry, 20inch barrel. Groups average .5". This load has taken hogs, a few deer. For a 100yd cartridge, it works fine.
@@joewoodchuck3824 100yds. using a lead sled. It has a Vortex 2-7 scope. Minus the lead sled...then my old self comes into play. Just about everything I have fed that rifle has performed well. Factory or hand loads. Some guns have a lot of overbore. They used a new reamer when mine got made I suspect. If you seat all bullets to their maker's load manual, it works well. It does not like 170gr bullets at all. Does very well with the Speer 130gr FN as well. Drop down to 110gr and it does poorly. Since I was a kid, I have taken a LOT of deer with a 30-30 of some sort. Given the brush and cedar and rolling hills it is unlikely I need a long shot.
A better comparison to the 30-30 is the 300 HAM'R by Wilson Combat. One of the main goals in development was to mimic the 30-30 in an AR platform. He almost called it the 30-30AR.
Still not a great comparison since you're talking about a rimmed, short-action length round primarily for lever guns against an intermediate, rimless, semi-auto round. That said, I'd stick with the earlier 7.62x40, as it has a wider range of usable bullet weights.
30-30AR was the original name of the 300 Ham'r. There's a video where someone was shooting and they said "this thing hammer's" or something like that. I love my 300 Ham'r and wanting to build a 20 inch boltgun if a barrel mfger ever produce them without ordering a reamer to send them.
I live in an area that is very wooded and the 300 Wisper (300 Blackout) is and has been very popular for years in a 125gr loading. I built one for my brother, I wanted a little something extra so I built a Wilson Combat 7.62x40. Just a stretched 300 Blackout. That extra 5mm is good for another 150fps at least but my favorite truck gun is my Marlin 30/30. As a handloader I can tailor my loads and that old 30/30 with a Sierra 125gr HP/FN bullet (#2020) and a good charge of Ramshot TAC powder creeps right up on 2600fps and shoots flat as a ruler out to as far as I can see. Taken many whitetails with it.
I've harvested 22 deer and1 bear with my 14" Thompson Center Contender 30-30. Leverevolution was a game changer and extended the range to 200yds. Honest. It's been my go to for 40 years. Many Coyotes with the 223 also.
We used .30-30 and .25-35 Winchesters at the ranch when I was growing up in the '60s. We had lots of pine and fir woods and I liked both these rifles for mule deer when I was a kid. I'd really like to see a new and very good bolt action rifle chambered in .30-30.
I have a Marlin 336, 30-30. I love shooting the 160 gr Hornady Leverevolution. It groups incredibly and I have shot it over 200 yards very accurately. The big difference is what platform do you prefer. I know a few guys that use the 300 black out for pigs and have great success.
Released in 1895 friend. Close but it’s been in American sportsman’s hands since 1895 and it’s been wildly popular from inception. Rightly so. When I was a young boy all the boys in deer camp were there with mostly Marlin 336’s in 30-30. I hunt with a Winchester 94 in 30-30 now. Want another presafety 336.
@@constitutionalrepublican1611 they been doing that for all cal. It dont matter what gun you got its getting a lil better but price is up by 3 to 4 dollars more but thats everything right now food,gas,taxes,could keep going on
The 30/30 is so good that manufactures are always trying to knock it down for one reason or another. I’ll keep my Marlin in 30/30 regardless of what you so called experts say. I like it and it’s a great whitetail cartridge.
@@BudgOutdoors There’s nothing wrong with technology as you put it. But sometimes in life you reach a point when you realize you don’t need anything better, bigger, or faster to do a job than what you’ve had all along.. it’s a personal thing. I’m sure that one day you will find that out. I’ve taken so many deer with my 30-30 it isn’t funny. It works very well.
@@BudgOutdoors Why do stupid people arrogantly call everyone they disagree with “Boomer” or “Fudd”? Do you think we should hate our father’s or old Elmer to please a bunch of gender confused sissies who can’t kill an animal with a tank and blame the cannon? Learn to shoot, then you’ll see you don’t need to “improve” the 50 BMG cartridge to kill a white tail, or even a moose or grizzly. Eskimo’s have been killing polar bears with 22lr for a very long time! 30-30 is PLENTY on whitetail in the hands of anyone who can shoot to at least 200 yards. That’s my personal limit with it on that application because I don’t fancy long tracks and suffering animals. New cartridges don’t actually do anything that wasn’t already done with previous cartridges. 6.5 Creedmore attempted to be “better” than 308 Winchester in the same case. But it’s slower, and only cuts drops by a few inches at extreme ranges but doesn’t retain velocity to be worth a shit at hunting at 308 max hunting ranges 500-600 yards. Partly because of lighter bullets and partly because of bullet construction it won’t punch through and expand both functions, every shot. You’re falling for marketing. They change the cartridge slightly, give it a new name and sell it claiming it’s the answer to lack of marksmanship, but we’re all “old” because we don’t fall for it. Ok. I like my cartridges like gender, without any variation.
@@BudgOutdoors Cartridge advancement hasn’t really happened in a very long time. “New” cartridge isn’t new technology, and my favorite cartridges (because I like them and they do the job excellently) are all old. Even 223 Remington/5.56 NATO was around in the 50’s, 308 Winchester was released in the early 50’s, all the 06 variants were around before then, with 25-06 being invented around 1912 or so if memory serves. It wasn’t adopted by Remington until the 60’s and didn’t really take off until after WW2 but when the war ended and the Army started selling off stockpiles of slower powders the cartridge took off as its performance potential was really optimized by slower powders. Mine loves H4831. I mean loves it! There hasn’t been an honest innovation in firearms design since the AR pattern which was submitted for testing first innthe 1940’s and again by Amry request in the 50’s. You don’t own anything that wasn’t already done and likely better before your copy came around! “Even the fool is considered wise when he holds his tongue”. I’ll explain it for you lazy mellinial, that means even fools are considered wise (smart and intelligent beyond his years) when he doesn’t speak at all. The reason is you’re learning to just shut up. Enjoy that “high tech new” rifle that was developed in the 50’s at the latest. Genius
My first fifteen years of deer hunting were with a 30-30 lever action. Every deer my daughters have taken have been with an AR in 300BLK. BOTH DO THE JOB EQUALLY WELL! Thanks Ron for challenging norms and I agree that the 300BLK is better at extended range because of bullet options. I prefer the 125gr Nosler BT @ 2300fps for whitetail.
My first 25 years of hunting I took my deer with a Ruger mini 30, whereas all of my friends were shooting lever action Marlins. So I guess now I get my revenge
@@phild9813 I've shot deer with a 110gr V-max hot loaded at Hornady's recommended spec for 3400fps out of a remington 700 30-06 and at that speed it was like a lightning strike. No pass throughs, but extreme organ damage. If the barnes 110 is a monolithic bullet I'd imagine it would have plenty of penetration.
There are more and more bolt guns being made in 300 blackout 20 " barrel 5 round mags for states like pa that don't allow semi auto rifles to hunt deer with I use 300 blackout for home defense and I'm seriously considering going to it for whitetail because when you look at the numbers the 300 blackout is just more versatile put a can on it and then you can forgo the hearing protection and use all 6 senses when you are out in the woods
Cartridge aside, I've just never had an interest in an AR style rifle of any kind. I'm 57 and from my first Red Ryder to my current Marlin 336 I just prefer ease of carry of a lever gun with iron sights. Don't mind a bolt action too much if I need to reach out with precision . I find the AR types clunky and the large mags get in the way . But of course to each their own, I just love the old time classics .
My personal preference is lever action as well. It's just dang enjoyable to shoot. The rifles have character and love put into them, and manual actions just connect woth something primal in me. But AR's CERTAINLY have their place.
Well… even after 30 year in the U.S. Army… I still overwhelmingly prefer my mod 94 carbine in .30-30… 18”x18” gong @ 300yd all day long. - no AR platform with a scope hunting for me. 😎
Lever actions suck. They are clunky as hell, have aweful triggers, take eons to reload, can't be operated well from prone and have a pitiful rate of fire. There is a reason the whole world ditched levers for other designs. They are 1850s technology. Move into the 20th century guys.
Problem with them is they're so damned expensive. My son's first hunting rifle is an AR because you can buy a Palmetto Freedom Rifle kit for less than $375. All of the boomer rifles cost a fortune now. 5.56 too small? Swap out a couple of components and it's a .300 Blackout.
Biggest disappointment for me has been how slow 30-30 has been coming back from the ammo shortage. 300blk actually came back faster because of the AR market. Guess the manufacturers see more people going to the range and burning through 300blk than going to the woods with 30-30. One of the things that made me adopt 30-30 was because (pre shortage) it was the cheapest deer caliber that was on shelves near me. Good old coreloks could always be found for about $11 a box. Now forget it. 223, 308, 3006, 6.5cm are mostly what you find. I go to ammoseek to find 3030, but it's usually up there around $30 or more. Hopefully it comes back in time.
I haven’t seen a single box of .30-30 in probably two years. It’s my one of my favorite so I’m well stocked but can’t replace it and I don’t like that.
@@blueoval250 Try ammoseek. Cheapest on there right now is Fiocchi at $27 and coreloks are $30 (at cabelas and sportsmans warehouse). So yeah, I'm with you. I have my current stock, but everytime I take a box of $11 ammo to the range, I know I have to spend $30 to replace it
We went to 4 different sporting goods/hunting stores in 2 different towns last weekend and could not find a single box of 30-30, 30-06 or 7mm-08. I’ve been looking for the last couple of years and cannot find any of them. Yep, there are plenty of .223, .308 and 5.56 but most of them are FMJ. Where are the deer hunting rounds?
Great data, but the hunting loads by Federal, etc. for the 7.62 X 39 should be part of this study as they must be close. Not from an AK- but from the 20-inch barrel of an SKS.
Talking about a slow bullet, my cousin used the 30-40 Krag. He used to say that it was so slow that he would shoot at the deer and then go stand by the deer and wait for the bullet to get there. But, when it finally got there it really meant business.
Now there is some exaggeration. The modern factory load is 180 gr bullet at 2400 fps. The original military load was a 220 gr bullet at 2000 fps. Your cousin must walk really fast. 😉
The beautiful part of short range woods hunting is carrying a short lever action rifle….point and shoot, no scope….so I’ll take the ballistics of a 94 everyday…. Don’t want either of them for over 150-175 yards…JMO… Another great vid as always
My favorite whitetail calibers are 30-40 Army Krag. The 30-06 150gr lightly loaded 2 up from the minimum Lee Manual as shots in my wood farm averages 30 yards max 80. I don't want to waste meat. I have full loads for hunting open land.
Great video Mr. Spomer. I use the Prvi Partizan (PPU) Soft Point Round Nose 7.62X39 ,123grain , and I have dispatched everything from coyote, medium sized Black Bear, Cougars, and Mule Deer and Black Tails. I have never thought of using 300 Blackout. I have a Norinco Polytech (386) AK Hunter (hunting rifle stock and for end). I have also used an SKS for hunting the previously mentioned game as well.
X39 and 300 blk perform so similarly that picking between the 2 should instead be relegated to the old AR15 vs AK47 debate. Pick which rifle you like best and rock it in its respective cartridge
Nice to know. I live in Alberta so I have my all around 308 that can take deer, elk, moose and bear. Given I'm in bear country I can encounter one at any time regardless of what I'm hunting. I'll take the bigger bang. Also if I wanted to use a smaller cartridge I have some Ruag 7.62x39 soft points a small ffl sold for 12 bucks $CAD for 20 rounds. Picked some up anyway for non corrosive rounds on the cheap for the SKS and can legally hunt with it. Where I hunt I've never had a shot over 150 yards yet.
I was brought up on a 30-30 lever action winchester. Deer, Hog and even Gators. Its a great brush gun/woods gun for romping around with something reliable that doesnt reek of oil. I will still use one for such activities. A 300 BLK, subsonic suppressed, on an AR platform is my Home Protection. For me these will remain in these categories. I sincerely appreciate the ballistics data, I learned a lot - Thank you. I believe both will be with us for a long while to come.
I've been hunting for 50 years with a 30/30, but I also hunt with a 7.62x39 AR, both with scopes, 30/30 for deer an 7.62x39 for hogs, just feel real comfy with my 30/30 tho, it just feels right, but I'm old school anyway.
@@forkthepork thought was supposed to be the whisper quiet round out to 100 yds with a Hollywood whisper quiet silencer, an use 220 gr bullets, not 125 gr which would make a sonic crack when you light it off, correct me if I'm wrong.
@@williammccaslin8527 you're wrong 😂 It's for all of that, plus shooting supersonic bullets accurately out to intermediate ranges with deadly terminal ballistics.
73 yo I inherited my grandfather's 35 Remington years back. About 10 years ago my son gifted me a 300 bo and I love both rifles for whitetail here in Wisconsin. My go to round is 210 grain.
I have had lots of different caliber guns. And I still do. My favorite for deer hunting is the 350 legend. 170 grain. My bear gun is a 30/06 160 grain.
My first deer here in Maine was with a Winchester model 94 in 30/30. I will always have a lever gun for that reason in that caliber. I just refinished a nice old Marlin in 30/30. I can't wait to get it out in the woods this season. I am slowly getting around to purchasing my first AR platform. For me being a paraplegic hunter I have always found the AR a little gommy with the extended hand grip and the long magazine compared to the bolt action and lever action guns. I do like how you can customize the AR to your heart's desire. My first one will be in .556 caliber and I will move on from there. Thank you for another great video Ron. Maine North Woods Hunter (Shane)
Ron, thanks for sharing the newer stuff as well as the traditional. I know you don't love the AR, but there are good reasons why it's so popular. I can get multiple uppers delivered straight to my door without fro paperwork and turn my registered loans er into a 22lr for practice, or 300blk for hunting. 223 is good for couples too. Cheers!
I reload for and love both cartridges. A 30-30 with some Leverevolution powder and a Hornady flex tip bullet really takes this cartridge to the next level. Just really depends on the hunter, though, as to what they choose to take with them and what their equipment is capable of. With the right shot placement, both cartridges are capable of taking white tail. My AR is scoped for distance shooting, but my lever action has a Skinner peep sight that I prefer for short to intermediate distances.
Yeah, just depends on speed. Lest we forget the M16a1 and it's 3200 fps 55gr bullet doing massive damage on soft tissue due to many factors, but mostly speed.
@@life_of_riley88 You bet he was using good 55 gr Nosler bullets at aroun3300 fps. The deer weren't extremely large but they died like struck by lightning. Seriously they dropped in their tracks. When rolled over the damage done by the bullets exit was massives.
300 hamr is a better AR hunting cartridge for comparison to the 30-30 than the 300blk. But it’s not nearly as popular as the blk. The hamr was optimized for 30 cal supersonic performance on game. The blk was a compromise between subsonic and supersonic performance and falls about 200fps short of the hamr.
300 HAM'R is everything a 300 Blackout super sonic wishes it was. 300 HAM'R is arguably superior to 30-30 because of the advantages of the AR15 platform. The 30-30 lever action is limited by bullet design due to the tubular magazine and the manual action cycling limiting quick/accurate follow up shots.
I've killed alot of deer with my 30.06 but this year I decided to switch to hunting with an AR platform, I picked up a 300blk upper from bear creek arsenal for a great price, haven't heard of 300 hamr, can it be fired out of a 300 blk barrel? P.s. drew from S.buff ? Like bread of life ?
Lots of ammo here, not at the prices I want but a little of everything. East Dallas Academy has 3030, 3006, 270, 2506, 308, 300 Win Mag and a whole lot more.
Very interesting. I never grew up hunting and have been teaching myself all the “how-to” along the way in my adult life. As a veteran, my hunting rifle of choice was an AR-15, short barrel, that I have since suppressed. Very satisfying to hear guys like Ron demonstrate the validity of such an option. Thanks for putting out all the great content!
If you ever feel like you need more rifle than 223 step up to an AR-10 same feel and controls and you can get those in 308, 6.5 creedmoor as well as a few other cartridges all the way up to 300 win short mag if you are fine with reloading but either 308 or 6.5 are great options if you need something more
Check out the Henry long ranger, new twist old dog. Removable mags. Scope mounts. Not all states let you hunt with a semiautomatic. Old is good.. Learn hunting from the old timers, and 2 apples for hunting, I'll let them explain. Used surplus guns, mosens, SML mk 2 Enfield, 303 Brit. ( corrosive primers in surplus ammo) . Fun journey. Check out Paul hurrell , uses chronograph, and answers the questions we always wondered, no hype just facts. Could win a bar bet.check out the meat target. Enjoy the woods, and the solitude.
If you still wanted to have more flexibility but a small package a 16 inch 308 would be a good choice or if you want more of a brush gun 450 bushmaster offers great performance at or above many factory 45-79 loads
30-30 been doing it for me for years thick burst/ woods under 100 yard shot most of the time in my area and lever actions just look good and feel good and it works for me I’d take a ak over a ar just simply because I like the look of wood furniture
That’s a 223 Remington R-15 I have the same one It’s a tack driver for sure Great video Love the 30-30 But the 7.62x39 is my favorite old school semi auto “deer” rifle But now the 6.5 Grendel is gaining popularity So the old calibers have lots of new competitors
The previous "new 30 30" was the 303 Savage, in a better lever action Savage model 99- available in several calibers including 308- Today I'd choose a levergun like the Henry long ranger or the one I actually got, the Browning BLR- in 308. Pretty much covers it. But as you say, for those guys bent on shooting a AR type, you definitely have a point.
That's all good information and I appreciate you bringing the two cartridges out and showing off the blackout. My first deer gun was an M-1 carbine. I only had two 15 round magazines so I had to just load 5 rounds to hunt with it. I had a 30-30 at the time too and used it but I always loved the little carbine. Later on I also trained in the military with the old M-14 and 1911. This during the police action in that wicked, nasty, little country. Later we qualified with the M-16, so I am thoroughly familiar with these weapons too. What I wanted to bring up is that there is another cartridge that matches and at some scores exceed both of these bullets. Take the old 7.62X39 with a good quality bored rifle and you have yourself a cartrifge that in certain ways outperform both of these cartridges and the cost per round is still so much cheaper to use
I think the 300 hamr from wilson combat rivals the 30-30 more than the 300blk. 300blk is only popular because you can run it suppressed or unsuppressed and still get good velocities out if an 8 or 12in barrel.
I shoot cast bullets. 30-30 with a 175 grain cast bullet and a push from a little IMR 3031 says it all. Javelina, Antelope, Whitetail, Mule, Arizona Coues, and two cow elk up in the Mogollans. Not to mention being my Cowboy Assault Rifle and serving me well around the ranch. Serves me very well. 300 Blackout has a place and I own a Ruger Mini 14 Tactical in. But it is NOT a deer rifle. Never will be.
Awesome stuff! I love a semi auto rifle chambered in 300blk or 6.8spc for deer or black bear. I’m very much looking forward to the new 8.6blk in a semi auto rifle for bigger game.
@@winstonjones7519 use a tipped bullet not just a hollow point. I had some issues with hollow points not expanding early on. Thankfully it seems like manufacturers saw that too because I haven't seen any HP ammo in awhile.
Only showed up to snoop the comments on my 300 hamr lovers…. Was glad to see plenty of love. I own 350 legend, 762, and hamr. Can’t beat the 762 ammo availability and price point… but in an AR, they are not reliable… you WILL break an extractor eventually… overall mine is very accurate on hogs. 350 is a thumper! You’ll run into some cycling issues with straight wall ammo, but it can be worked out… overall… puts some huge holes in animals and does dump energy. 300hamr is just hands down superior so far for me. Very accurate and can shoot a wide range of bullet weights. 6.8spc is solid but doesn’t have a demand due to all it’s history. Grendel is also solid, but can also run into extractor issues since it’s a 762 parent case in a AR but overall a sweet round.
Love the 300blk. I have a 16" and it would be pushing it to get a 150gr going 2100fps. Unfortunately there isn't enough velocity to get the larger supersonic projos to expand. If you want to go heavy you need to go subsonic with very heavy projos designed to open at those velocities. I think the 110 Tac-TX is the only super I would trust to take medium game. With that said, I think you're correct about the comparison. I like comparing different cartridges with the velocity and projo weight that the cartridge was intended/designed for. Great show.
I agree and given the fact that the vast majority of 150 gr spire point bullets don’t expand below 1900 fps it’s a terrible choice for deer hunting. Your basically hunting with fmj. The 30-30 with Hornady 160 gr FTX will wallop deer out to 250 yards. Totally agree on the lighter Barnes for the 300 Blackout. You have to be careful looking at energy only when choosing hunting loads. The bullet has to expand otherwise you’re going to lose an awful lot of deer.
No offense, but have you hunted with any load you’re talking about? I have, and on a LOT of different game. 90% of subsonics will NOT expand, I have tried majority of subsonics hunting loads and literally 90%-95% of the time it ice picks the animal. Hell, I use the cheapest Barnes hollow point on the market you get from academy, it’s 120 grain and it’s their poor boy hollow point, cheapest one they make. I have consistently dropped HUGE game and only needed one shot. Matter of fact I put down a 300 lb boar with one shot at 120 yards last weekend. Dropped him instantly, one kick and he was dead. 300 blackout is very capable if you know how to shoot. I’ve literally never heard a real hunter say use subsonics lol, the exact opposite actually, and I’m one of those hunters that actually practice what I preach.
@@RepublicofTX I was talking about subsonic specific projectiles. Go look at Maker Rex bullets. They make projos that expand at sub velocities. I believe I said "designed to open at those velocities". You need to read the entire post before you comment.
@@RepublicofTX Yeah and all the bow hunters are terribly unethical for shooting deer at 300 FPS. I also don't believe anything after someone says, "as a matter of fact". My guess is that you are 12 or at least that level of aptitude.
I think one point missed here is that 300 BLK does NOT have to be in an AR-15 style platform only. Many bolt, short action rifles can be chambered in it as well, and if you want to talk about handy rifles then take a look as some of the modern offerings from places such as black collar arms. Extraordinarily compact style bolt guns that could prove very handy in the woods
Some people say also that 7.62x39 has similar ballistics to 30-30 I do not know but I have a Howa mini in 7.62x39 with suppressor and up to 150 meters it shoots straight after that starts to drop, also is very cheap ammo an very accurate at those distances even with the cheapest also Ruger American is very good as well
X39 mimics the speeds of the 30-30 in it's two popular bullet weights, 123-125 and 150. 30-30 150gr generally 2350-2400 fps, 170gr generally 2100-2200 fps. The 7.62x39 does the same numbers with 20-25gr lighter spritzer bullets. Both are solid all around 150 yards caliber for medium sized game.
I think Henry firearms has made lever action rifles all the rage once again. Now that Henry offers dual loading/unloading capabilities with its lever action, They have become very desirable.
I would lean more towards the 350 Legend being the new 30-30/35 Remington. Have always considered 7.62x39/ 300BLK to be like 30-30 lite calibers. And again all are popular rounds. I just like that I can find 350 legend everywhere in multiple options from practice to freezer filling.
@@asherdie why would you ask that? if you're shooting the 350 legend in the 150 grain whitetail season XP from Winchester sight in 3 inches high you're going to be about dead on at 200.
@@asherdie Hmmm 🤔 ? Since the 30 30 Winchester has got a 127 Year Headstart and there's Probably around 20 million rifle's floating around out there chambered in it . How could ballistics mean a damn thing anyway ?
I think the 300 ham'r is more of the new 30-30, it has a larger powder capacity than the 300 blackout yet its still compatible with 223 rifles, all you'd need to do is a barrel swap. Only issue is that it's super new
Typically 110grn. flex tip bullets are the best performing for hunting game. Those figures look a little strong for a 150grn 300blk. Leveroution Hornaday hunting rounds changes things heavily in 30-30s favor. Hand load with a strong marlin action, even better yet. I own and enjoy both but I think 300 comes up short to 30-30 with modern tech rounds.
Strong actions are only half of the equation. The case on a 30-30 is not built for high-pressure loads either. I have hand loaded the 30-30 in the 99 Salvage, the Thompson Center, Stevens single shot, and of course sever versions of lever action rifles. None were capable of much of an increase in performance.
@Paul Barnes 110 grain TTSX or TAC-TX hand loaded in a 300 blackout can be a mean deer, hog, or home defense load. I am really rooting for 300 blackout to become a mainstream caliber. It is stupidly versatile! Best part of the blackout is that because it uses pistol powders, you don't lose a whole lot when shooting it from short barrels. My blackout is a pistol and I would take it hunting with absolute confidence.
If you want a deer and hog gun on the AR platform consider stepping it up a notch to a .350 legend. Easily handles hunting bullets in the 170 grain range and offers all the other advantages of the 300 BlK.
There is just something in the 30-30 ballistics profile that seems to make it optimal beyond how it looks on paper. IDK, something about the coefficient of a 170 grain, traveling at the velocity it is, just seems to penetrate and expand more optimally than you would ever think. I was a late adopter, but when I did, I was hooked. I just always get through and through with a good size hole, but yet not a lot of bloodshot meat. It's been a Goldilocks cartridge for me.
Glad to hear it. Yes it doesn’t tear up a lot of meat, but provides more than adequate penetration and recoil so moderate I think all 10-11 year olds in the woods were shooting 30-30
I am a handloader and with the 300blk a 16" barrel is max. All the powder is burnt up before the bullet leaves the barrel. There is no advantage using a barrel longer than 16". I always load 110gr bullet and 22grs of powder and I am getting 2,500 fps.
The powder in a 300BLK is gone after about 8 to 10 inches of barrel. There is no need for such a long barrel so a compact gun for close in deer hunting would be nice.
Didn't we try this before with the 30ar? I have one! Love it! Reload it ect... It took the place for my Marlin 30/30 from my teens. That's saying something. Its my go to rifle. From mule deer in Montana to hogs in Georgia. 125 grain nosier bt at 2903 fps. Put that up against a 30/30 round. But, love the lever action 30/30. First love!
@@LRRPFco52 😂 yeah. Fat fingers and little buttons. Yeah. I love my Remington 30 ar. It shoots right at 1moa at 100 yards. Shoots 150 grain cor loct and 125 bt within an inch of one another at 100 yards. Never understood why it didn't take off. Maybe it was timing thing.
@@jackvaniciaadams4089 Freedom Group bought Remington and DPMS. DPMS had been working on the GII, which was a really small frame AR-10. That sucked up all the wind behind the R-15 in 30 RAR. 30 RAR is a great little hunting cartridge for sure. I'm looking for a complete rifle. My buddy bought cases upon cases of ammo for it that our LGS had in the back.
@@LRRPFco52 yeah I purchased mine in 2015 and stocked up on ammo. Still have a bunch of factory ammo. Good luck finding a complete rifle, hope you get one.
I like my old 336 in 30-30, it has been in my family since forever. But I have to say that in fact, I love my AR15 in 300BLK... it's my do it all combo for most of my "normal" applications. So yeah... I'll keep them both, but it's the 300BLK that I shoot the most and the first one I reach for if I think a rifle is what I need.
With all the talk and enthusiasm pertaining to lever action rifles, I was thinking about the .357 Mag caliber. What are your thoughts regarding that caliber being capable, or not capable, of ethically hunting deer? Keep up the great work...I love your videos!
I think the .357 mag could kill a deer if you keep it within 50 yards. If you choose that route, I would recommend Hornady LEVERevolution loads. They seem to be the hottest loads. You could take a deer a little farther than that but I think I would keep it within 50 yards as I would with archery equipment.
If you are running full power 357mag out of a rifle you will have no trouble out to 100 yards easily, just put the bullet in the right place. Remember that the 357mag got its reputation from being used for big game hunting, at range, from an 8" revolver, and in a rifle it becomes a whole different animal. With a slow powder like Lil'Gun you can get performance on par with 300blk without exceeding factory pressures, and with custom bullets you can load heavier subsonic bullets than 300blk can handle. I have a 12" Encore in 357 which will push 245gr cast bullets to 1400fps with "+P" loads and 310gr bullets to just below the sound barrier. More barrel length would do even better.
@@Daekar3 With the Marlin 1894 In 357 mag that I own the maximum overall cartridge length is limited to 1.6 inches. If it is longer than that the cartridge nose will hang up in the receiver at the end of the magazine tube and cannot be lifted up to feed into the chamber effectively jamming the rifle. When loading with heavy bullets it is important to know the maximum cartridge overall length the rifle can handle.
Both cartridge offers so much, that its really a personal choice, and not quite about the ballistic. If we talk ballistic only, then I would compare it to 7.62x39, or 6.5 Grendel or 6.8 SPC... those are the mini action cartridge that share the same market place.
I'm not quite sure how you can have this discussion without even mentioning the 7.62x39, but I guess maybe you didn't want to muddy the waters? I keep a couple 10rnd mags for my AK and it's very handy in the woods and like the blackout (which is essentially the same cartridge numbers wise) it's got 30-30 power in a small package and a small platform. Also you can get bolt guns in both, obviously, also not mentioned but hey, whatever, it's your channel. Just thought I'd toss it up here for people looking into this.
Great video Ron! I'm not a huge fan of "modern" cartridges, or using an AR for hunting, but I love the 300 blackout! Got my daughter into hunting with the Ruger American bolt action.
There are some really good newer cartridges like 6.5 creedmoor which are great longer range cartridges for medium game but there are some good advantages to a AR platform rifle over a bolt action but each definitely have their place.
I will have to hold onto the 30-30 and my 340-C. I scanned the title for any additional craziness like "tofu replaces bacon" or "compressed air replaces powder"!! Keep it up Ron, you're a wealth of knowledge in a crazy world.
My daughter had trouble with length of pull on rifles when she started hunting (around 9). I solved for that by building a 300BLK upper for my AR-15. The collapsible stock and pistol grip made it far easier for her to use. After a bit of research, I selected the 120gr Barnes TAC-TX load. Over the past 5 years she’s killed a pile of whitetail and a few pigs with it. Everything she has shot (save for one doe that lunged forward at just the wrong moment and took a round that shattered both hips and caused massive bleeding) has died within 40 yards of where they stood. Even the doe that was hit badly was tracked within 80 yards and finished with a second shot. Inside of 150yds, the 300BLK is a surprisingly capable whitetail and hog gun.
Nailed it on the MSR’s. I use that rifle because my hands know the form intimately. That said, I am not a fan of the .300 BLK. Not enough case capacity. It’ll do the job at close ranges but the 350 Legend will do it better ESPECIALLY with a shorter barrel! I’ve watched a HUGE number of videos on cartridges and probably the most important lesson I’ve taken is Mr. Spomer’s approach that rather than using the smallest cartridge you can get away with, the more ethical choice is to use the most powerful cartridge you can shoot straight. With this in mind I’ll probably practice with my AR-15 and take my AR-10 carbine in .308 to the field.
I hunt with both the 30-30 and the 300 blackout. If I'm in dense woods I'll always grab the 30-30. I've taken deer with the 300 in the woods but I've found deflection is a lot more likely. I've had deer that I know I've had a good bead on that the bullet hit 8 inches high and 10 inches back blowing the backbone out with a bullet that hit sideways. The 30-30 I've only had that problem once and I was hunting a particularly nasty section of woods.
I love my 30-30, I've never seen much use for a 300blk even though I'm sure I'll get heat for saying it. I did purchase a 350 Legend in 2020 solely because there was nothing else on the self for ammo. I still can't find 300 blk and I don't reload, 350 L is currently still plentiful and I dropped a 10 point buck in his tracks with it last year. Where I hunt 100 yds is about as long a shot as I'll get so it does just fine.
I’ve hunted my entire life in Wisconsin with a 30-30 Winchester lever action and I just bought a 300 blk upper for my AR. Can’t wait to take my first deer with it! Great video, Ron!
I like my 30-30 but I like my Savage model 99 lever in 300 savage the best. Was my great grandpa's gun. Never selling. Great information I like how you give data side by side. Keep up the great work.
It would take many years and thousands of thousands of trophies to catch up with the 30/30. My first deer rifle was one with the scope that set to the side of the gun. I used it then and would still carry it with confidence again 40 years later. Thanks Ron for fun and informative outdoor Post. 🎥💯👍
30 30 performance is better than the Russian cartridge ecpecaily with spritzer bullets and most definitely more effective on game so why would you think that ?
Michigan woods. 30-30 still a great choice. Carrying the model 94 is like the difference between a full-dress Harley and a bicycle. Hard to give up the light weight of the 94 with a negligible kick.
Hornady 30 30 leverevolution is a hell of a round. Modern powders have really changed the game.
Yep. 30-30 will still be relevant when my grandkids have grandkids
@@thorseim7177 Funny because we all hunted with Marlins and never had any problems beyond our constant squirming making it hard to see deer.
Agreed, I only use it for mine now and paired with a 1-4 LPVO, it's fantastic for the type of hunting a 30-30 was intended for. With the Hornaday ammo and a 50m zero, it's POA/POI from 25-100m and still in kill zone at 150. I have a BLR in .308 and I find myself grabbing the old Marlin more often.
@@thorseim7177 just had this experience took a niece out shooting recently roughly 15. For the second time and started to figure out what firearms she likes. 38 special revolvers, and my 22lr walther 1911a1, and bolt action 22lr, marlin model 60. Those all passed the test
The sks didn't leave a real good impression. On the second trip I tried a mosin nagant just to see her reaction not really recoil sensitive. and my marlin 336cs. A lever action 22lr is right up her alley. The 30-30 marlin she liked alot. I need to get some 30 carbine I think the m-1 carbine will be a favorite. And we have new lady in the hobby.
Hits the still like a brick from 500 feet up and hitting the grand
I'll stick with the good old 30-30!!!!!! There is just something about that nostalgic lever action that makes me happy.
you could always have both.
Then there is that dang 32 Special................................
@@garyh1449 Or that blasted .35 Remington.
@@garyh1449 plus the older 38-55 , I have the .375 Winchester, a little used round but higher pressure.
My thoughts exactly!
7.62x39 is a much closer comparison. But a 30-30 with modern powders and bullets steps it up another level.
300 Ham’r in ARs is also a better comparison.
@@echofoxtrotwhiskey1595 30 AR too
7.62x39 and 300 blackout using the same bullet weight are statistically even. 300 blackout is less than 10 fps off the venerable 7.62x39 but it is more versatile and with modern bullets Flys truer I can only speak for myself but if you shoot me with a 7.62x39 or a 300 blackout I'm not going to be able to tell which one hurt more
@@1metalg0d Not true. x39 is anywhere from 100-200fps faster. 300 Ham’r is closer to x39
@@1metalg0d I disagree. 7.62x39 is a much bigger case. A 125 is going over 2300fps
I am now 65 years old. I remember being about 8 years old and my uncle talking to my father about his 30-30 and how sorry he did not buy a 30-06, the 30-30 too weak etc. etc.etc. Today I hunt with my uncles 30-30 which I inherited along with his 30-06 that he eventually purchased. I can honestly say, I have never lost a single deer with that old Marlin and I am still using the same ammo that my uncle purchased when he first got the rifle and never used. Guess what it still goes bang and the deer still go down. The 30-30 will outlast every single person living on this earth today and they will be still talking of the demise of the 30-30 when we are all gone.
Those Marlins are VERY strong actions! A real solid piece of engineering.
I'm 54. My Granny bought a Model 94 Winchester .30-30 from my uncle and gave it to me for my 14th birthday. I've put much venison in the freezer with that rifle. NEVER lost one. I can't say the same for my Remington .270, which I bought for myself when I was 18. I was looking hard at a Remington 7mm mag, but I consulted an expert, my Dad. He liked the looks, but had me compare the price of 7mm mag to .270 ammo. That's why I have a .270. When it comes down to simply picking one or the other, I'm gonna take that .30-30 out for a walk most every time.
Hitting the right spot is more important than which round you use ..
@@richardsolberg4047 Agreed. It's comes down to what you are most accurate with, and how confident with it that you are.
Granted my father reloads and has created specific bullets for each weight, but he my entire immediate family has harvested animals as small as a coyote with a 90g all the way up to an elk with 165g out of the exact same 30-06.
In reality, I don't think anybody comes down to 300blk vs 30-30 and decides based on ballistics. Hunting with one of these is a function of choosing the style of rifle, not the round.
Different rounds for Ar 15 now like the 224 Valkyrie
Nailed it.
Ballistics is everything. If we can get the same outcome with a relatively smaller round that's important.
Totally. Give my an old lever action for the woods and a suppressed 300 blk for home/property defense.
I thought you were talking about putting the 300 bo in a lever gun at first. The 30/30 ballistics are better and more comparable with the flex tip. I think.
I would prefer the 300 hammer over the 300 bo. The one thing I don't like about the 30/30 is it headspaces on the rim.
No offense, but comparing the lever gun to that AR makes me want to barf. Have a good one.
I have a pre 64 Win 30-30. Great gun for short shots in thick brush. My dad shot many moose with it.
30-30 is great for the woods but 300blk has some advantages that can’t be ignored. Ron talked about handy shirt rifles yet talked about a 300 blk with a 16 inch barrel? The 300 blk was optimized for shorter barrels than 16in. A 9 or 10 inch 300 blk is very effective and much more handy than a 16 or 20 inch barrel.
I have been using 300 black out for 3 years now on white tail I have taken 2 deer over the 3 years and dropped them at 75 and 90 yards I just love it I’m not changing any time soon
I have a bolt action 30-30 with a 24" nicke-steel barrel. I load 5-10% over and it has outstanding performance and increased accuracy. Also, being a bolt rifle I use spire point/ballistic tip bullets.
Do the same in a circa 1911 Savage 1899 takedown. Still perfectly functional and accurate.
Amen
I have taken 5 deer so far with my .300 blackout. I’m very happy with it. It’s very pleasant to shoot when suppressed.
I used some Leverevolution powder for the 30-30 with a 150gr Hdy RN. Found a happy accuracy node and the chrono average was 2445fps. This was from a Henry, 20inch barrel. Groups average .5". This load has taken hogs, a few deer. For a 100yd cartridge, it works fine.
0.5" groups at what distance?
Wow that is nearly 308 performance!
@@joewoodchuck3824 100yds. using a lead sled. It has a Vortex 2-7 scope. Minus the lead sled...then my old self comes into play. Just about everything I have fed that rifle has performed well. Factory or hand loads. Some guns have a lot of overbore. They used a new reamer when mine got made I suspect. If you seat all bullets to their maker's load manual, it works well. It does not like 170gr bullets at all. Does very well with the Speer 130gr FN as well. Drop down to 110gr and it does poorly. Since I was a kid, I have taken a LOT of deer with a 30-30 of some sort. Given the brush and cedar and rolling hills it is unlikely I need a long shot.
@@sisleymichael Very good!
A better comparison to the 30-30 is the 300 HAM'R by Wilson Combat. One of the main goals in development was to mimic the 30-30 in an AR platform. He almost called it the 30-30AR.
Wish more people would talk about the 300 HAM'R!
Absolutely
Still not a great comparison since you're talking about a rimmed, short-action length round primarily for lever guns against an intermediate, rimless, semi-auto round.
That said, I'd stick with the earlier 7.62x40, as it has a wider range of usable bullet weights.
30-30AR was the original name of the 300 Ham'r. There's a video where someone was shooting and they said "this thing hammer's" or something like that. I love my 300 Ham'r and wanting to build a 20 inch boltgun if a barrel mfger ever produce them without ordering a reamer to send them.
@@chrisp556 Wilson Combat makes a 300 HAM'R barrel for the Ruger American Ranch now
I live in an area that is very wooded and the 300 Wisper (300 Blackout) is and has been very popular for years in a 125gr loading. I built one for my brother, I wanted a little something extra so I built a Wilson Combat 7.62x40. Just a stretched 300 Blackout. That extra 5mm is good for another 150fps at least but my favorite truck gun is my Marlin 30/30. As a handloader I can tailor my loads and that old 30/30 with a Sierra 125gr HP/FN bullet (#2020) and a good charge of Ramshot TAC powder creeps right up on 2600fps and shoots flat as a ruler out to as far as I can see. Taken many whitetails with it.
I've harvested 22 deer and1 bear with my 14" Thompson Center Contender 30-30. Leverevolution was a game changer and extended the range to 200yds. Honest. It's been my go to for 40 years. Many Coyotes with the 223 also.
Whoa badass
We used .30-30 and .25-35 Winchesters at the ranch when I was growing up in the '60s. We had lots of pine and fir woods and I liked both these rifles for mule deer when I was a kid. I'd really like to see a new and very good bolt action rifle chambered in .30-30.
Keep the .30-30 in T/C contenders. 125 grain Nosler ballistic tip bullets out of a16" barrel. 2
Multiple 200 yard plus one shot kills on deer.
300 blackout does good with a 16”barrel and the Hornady 110 gr. V-max
35 Rem is a great caliber as well, sadly ammo being hard to find
Sad, but true. Finding brass, bullets, and ammunition for the 35 Remington is a bit hard.
Starting to see it again in my area finally. But still hard to find. But at least now they can order it.
7.62x39 is already there , and there is tons of cheap surplus out there still
Very few rounds for hunting though…
@@g-man2228 FMJ 124 gr steel case at 50 cents a shot...What a bargain.
I have a Marlin 336, 30-30. I love shooting the 160 gr Hornady Leverevolution. It groups incredibly and I have shot it over 200 yards very accurately. The big difference is what platform do you prefer. I know a few guys that use the 300 black out for pigs and have great success.
First Lever action in 30-30 was the Winchester Model 1894. The round was introduced in 1896. They're still shooting.
Released in 1895 friend. Close but it’s been in American sportsman’s hands since 1895 and it’s been wildly popular from inception. Rightly so. When I was a young boy all the boys in deer camp were there with mostly Marlin 336’s in 30-30. I hunt with a Winchester 94 in 30-30 now. Want another presafety 336.
I wonder why nobody compares the 30 30 and 300blk to the 300 Hamr?
The 30-30 will never go away
theyll just stop the ammo supply of it.... they know it works well at its job.
@@constitutionalrepublican1611 they been doing that for all cal. It dont matter what gun you got its getting a lil better but price is up by 3 to 4 dollars more but thats everything right now food,gas,taxes,could keep going on
Gotta keep buying it
The 30/30 is so good that manufactures are always trying to knock it down for one reason or another. I’ll keep my Marlin in 30/30 regardless of what you so called experts say. I like it and it’s a great whitetail cartridge.
That makes exactly zero sense lmao. Keep your 30/30 then, Boomer. Just don't knock those of us advancing in technology
@@BudgOutdoors There’s nothing wrong with technology as you put it. But sometimes in life you reach a point when you realize you don’t need anything better, bigger, or faster to do a job than what you’ve had all along.. it’s a personal thing. I’m sure that one day you will find that out. I’ve taken so many deer with my 30-30 it isn’t funny. It works very well.
@@hawkenman.549 and add hornady lever evolution if you need range. 90% of deer are taken under 90 yards anyway
@@BudgOutdoors Why do stupid people arrogantly call everyone they disagree with “Boomer” or “Fudd”? Do you think we should hate our father’s or old Elmer to please a bunch of gender confused sissies who can’t kill an animal with a tank and blame the cannon? Learn to shoot, then you’ll see you don’t need to “improve” the 50 BMG cartridge to kill a white tail, or even a moose or grizzly. Eskimo’s have been killing polar bears with 22lr for a very long time! 30-30 is PLENTY on whitetail in the hands of anyone who can shoot to at least 200 yards. That’s my personal limit with it on that application because I don’t fancy long tracks and suffering animals. New cartridges don’t actually do anything that wasn’t already done with previous cartridges. 6.5 Creedmore attempted to be “better” than 308 Winchester in the same case. But it’s slower, and only cuts drops by a few inches at extreme ranges but doesn’t retain velocity to be worth a shit at hunting at 308 max hunting ranges 500-600 yards. Partly because of lighter bullets and partly because of bullet construction it won’t punch through and expand both functions, every shot. You’re falling for marketing. They change the cartridge slightly, give it a new name and sell it claiming it’s the answer to lack of marksmanship, but we’re all “old” because we don’t fall for it. Ok. I like my cartridges like gender, without any variation.
@@BudgOutdoors Cartridge advancement hasn’t really happened in a very long time. “New” cartridge isn’t new technology, and my favorite cartridges (because I like them and they do the job excellently) are all old. Even 223 Remington/5.56 NATO was around in the 50’s, 308 Winchester was released in the early 50’s, all the 06 variants were around before then, with 25-06 being invented around 1912 or so if memory serves. It wasn’t adopted by Remington until the 60’s and didn’t really take off until after WW2 but when the war ended and the Army started selling off stockpiles of slower powders the cartridge took off as its performance potential was really optimized by slower powders. Mine loves H4831. I mean loves it! There hasn’t been an honest innovation in firearms design since the AR pattern which was submitted for testing first innthe 1940’s and again by Amry request in the 50’s. You don’t own anything that wasn’t already done and likely better before your copy came around! “Even the fool is considered wise when he holds his tongue”. I’ll explain it for you lazy mellinial, that means even fools are considered wise (smart and intelligent beyond his years) when he doesn’t speak at all. The reason is you’re learning to just shut up.
Enjoy that “high tech new” rifle that was developed in the 50’s at the latest. Genius
My first fifteen years of deer hunting were with a 30-30 lever action. Every deer my daughters have taken have been with an AR in 300BLK. BOTH DO THE JOB EQUALLY WELL! Thanks Ron for challenging norms and I agree that the 300BLK is better at extended range because of bullet options. I prefer the 125gr Nosler BT @ 2300fps for whitetail.
My first 25 years of hunting I took my deer with a Ruger mini 30, whereas all of my friends were shooting lever action Marlins. So I guess now I get my revenge
I like the idea of the 110 barnes load, but haven’t tried it yet on deer or antelope.
@@phild9813 I've shot deer with a 110gr V-max hot loaded at Hornady's recommended spec for 3400fps out of a remington 700 30-06 and at that speed it was like a lightning strike. No pass throughs, but extreme organ damage. If the barnes 110 is a monolithic bullet I'd imagine it would have plenty of penetration.
@@paulcallicoat7597 just remember that lever action was an army weapon at one time and I don't think any Indians will be attacking anytime soon
@@phoghat the US military never used a lever gun. not officially. maybe an officers special carry. the first repeater the Army used was the .30 Krag.
There are more and more bolt guns being made in 300 blackout 20 " barrel 5 round mags for states like pa that don't allow semi auto rifles to hunt deer with I use 300 blackout for home defense and I'm seriously considering going to it for whitetail because when you look at the numbers the 300 blackout is just more versatile put a can on it and then you can forgo the hearing protection and use all 6 senses when you are out in the woods
Cartridge aside, I've just never had an interest in an AR style rifle of any kind. I'm 57 and from my first Red Ryder to my current Marlin 336 I just prefer ease of carry of a lever gun with iron sights. Don't mind a bolt action too much if I need to reach out with precision . I find the AR types clunky and the large mags get in the way . But of course to each their own, I just love the old time classics .
My personal preference is lever action as well. It's just dang enjoyable to shoot. The rifles have character and love put into them, and manual actions just connect woth something primal in me. But AR's CERTAINLY have their place.
Well… even after 30 year in the U.S. Army… I still overwhelmingly prefer my mod 94 carbine in .30-30… 18”x18” gong @ 300yd all day long. - no AR platform with a scope hunting for me. 😎
Fuds... 😂
Lever actions suck. They are clunky as hell, have aweful triggers, take eons to reload, can't be operated well from prone and have a pitiful rate of fire. There is a reason the whole world ditched levers for other designs. They are 1850s technology. Move into the 20th century guys.
Problem with them is they're so damned expensive. My son's first hunting rifle is an AR because you can buy a Palmetto Freedom Rifle kit for less than $375. All of the boomer rifles cost a fortune now. 5.56 too small? Swap out a couple of components and it's a .300 Blackout.
Biggest disappointment for me has been how slow 30-30 has been coming back from the ammo shortage. 300blk actually came back faster because of the AR market. Guess the manufacturers see more people going to the range and burning through 300blk than going to the woods with 30-30. One of the things that made me adopt 30-30 was because (pre shortage) it was the cheapest deer caliber that was on shelves near me. Good old coreloks could always be found for about $11 a box. Now forget it. 223, 308, 3006, 6.5cm are mostly what you find. I go to ammoseek to find 3030, but it's usually up there around $30 or more. Hopefully it comes back in time.
I haven’t seen a single box of .30-30 in probably two years. It’s my one of my favorite so I’m well stocked but can’t replace it and I don’t like that.
@@blueoval250 Try ammoseek. Cheapest on there right now is Fiocchi at $27 and coreloks are $30 (at cabelas and sportsmans warehouse). So yeah, I'm with you. I have my current stock, but everytime I take a box of $11 ammo to the range, I know I have to spend $30 to replace it
@@blueoval250 Try finding .35 Remington!
We went to 4 different sporting goods/hunting stores in 2 different towns last weekend and could not find a single box of 30-30, 30-06 or 7mm-08. I’ve been looking for the last couple of years and cannot find any of them. Yep, there are plenty of .223, .308 and 5.56 but most of them are FMJ. Where are the deer hunting rounds?
Save your brass and reload or find a friend to reload.
Great data, but the hunting loads by Federal, etc. for the 7.62 X 39 should be part of this study as they must be close. Not from an AK- but from the 20-inch barrel of an SKS.
Talking about a slow bullet, my cousin used the 30-40 Krag. He used to say that it was so slow that he would shoot at the deer and then go stand by the deer and wait for the bullet to get there. But, when it finally got there it really meant business.
Those are neat old guns that slung that lead too.
Now there is some exaggeration. The modern factory load is 180 gr bullet at 2400 fps. The original military load was a 220 gr bullet at 2000 fps.
Your cousin must walk really fast. 😉
The beautiful part of short range woods hunting is carrying a short lever action rifle….point and shoot, no scope….so I’ll take the ballistics of a 94 everyday….
Don’t want either of them for over 150-175 yards…JMO…
Another great vid as always
perfect for urban combat too.... behind every blade of grass.....
My favorite whitetail calibers are 30-40 Army Krag. The 30-06 150gr lightly loaded 2 up from the minimum Lee Manual as shots in my wood farm averages 30 yards max 80. I don't want to waste meat. I have full loads for hunting open land.
Great video Mr. Spomer. I use the Prvi Partizan (PPU) Soft Point Round Nose 7.62X39 ,123grain , and I have dispatched everything from coyote, medium sized Black Bear, Cougars, and Mule Deer and Black Tails. I have never thought of using 300 Blackout. I have a Norinco Polytech (386) AK Hunter (hunting rifle stock and for end). I have also used an SKS for hunting the previously mentioned game as well.
Mr. Spomer is this you or some hacker?
@@Thetailofthetrident No, it is not him. These scammers are plague on UA-cam at the moment.
@@jic1Thanks man! Those scammers will burn in the hereafter! 🔥
X39 and 300 blk perform so similarly that picking between the 2 should instead be relegated to the old AR15 vs AK47 debate. Pick which rifle you like best and rock it in its respective cartridge
@@TheGunNerd Thank you!
Loved my 30 30 back in the day I've since switched to a lever action 44 mag and I love it
Nice to know. I live in Alberta so I have my all around 308 that can take deer, elk, moose and bear. Given I'm in bear country I can encounter one at any time regardless of what I'm hunting. I'll take the bigger bang.
Also if I wanted to use a smaller cartridge I have some Ruag 7.62x39 soft points a small ffl sold for 12 bucks $CAD for 20 rounds. Picked some up anyway for non corrosive rounds on the cheap for the SKS and can legally hunt with it. Where I hunt I've never had a shot over 150 yards yet.
I was brought up on a 30-30 lever action winchester. Deer, Hog and even Gators. Its a great brush gun/woods gun for romping around with something reliable that doesnt reek of oil. I will still use one for such activities. A 300 BLK, subsonic suppressed, on an AR platform is my Home Protection. For me these will remain in these categories. I sincerely appreciate the ballistics data, I learned a lot - Thank you. I believe both will be with us for a long while to come.
Then there is the 300blk bullet options. I've loaded 90gr and 220gr, that's a big variety of options.
I load a 125gr SST going 2,300 out of a 10.5 suppressed 300blk. Its whitetail kryptonite
I've been hunting for 50 years with a 30/30, but I also hunt with a 7.62x39 AR, both with scopes, 30/30 for deer an 7.62x39 for hogs, just feel real comfy with my 30/30 tho, it just feels right, but I'm old school anyway.
If you can drop hogs with 7.62x39 then 300blk would drop a deer
@@HUNTERCOPELR Oh I'm sure with in 100 or so yds
@@williammccaslin8527 more like 300 yards, with 125 grain bullets...
@@forkthepork thought was supposed to be the whisper quiet round out to 100 yds with a Hollywood whisper quiet silencer, an use 220 gr bullets, not 125 gr which would make a sonic crack when you light it off, correct me if I'm wrong.
@@williammccaslin8527 you're wrong 😂 It's for all of that, plus shooting supersonic bullets accurately out to intermediate ranges with deadly terminal ballistics.
73 yo I inherited my grandfather's 35 Remington years back. About 10 years ago my son gifted me a 300 bo and I love both rifles for whitetail here in Wisconsin. My go to round is 210 grain.
I have had lots of different caliber guns. And I still do. My favorite for deer hunting is the 350 legend. 170 grain. My bear gun is a 30/06 160 grain.
My first deer here in Maine was with a Winchester model 94 in 30/30. I will always have a lever gun for that reason in that caliber. I just refinished a nice old Marlin in 30/30. I can't wait to get it out in the woods this season. I am slowly getting around to purchasing my first AR platform. For me being a paraplegic hunter I have always found the AR a little gommy with the extended hand grip and the long magazine compared to the bolt action and lever action guns. I do like how you can customize the AR to your heart's desire. My first one will be in .556 caliber and I will move on from there. Thank you for another great video Ron. Maine North Woods Hunter (Shane)
Interested to see how the stack up would be with the 7.62x39 in the mix ...
Problem with that round its
.310 cal and little bullet selection bound fmj
Exactly my thought, especially with the Barnaul soft point rounds , The 7.62x39 has a ton of knockdown power.
@@bluesbondsman check out Tula’s HP, I really like them and they are priced right
Federal Power-Shok 123g 762x39 SP is the perfect round for deer in woods. If you can't see more than 150 yards you don't shoot more than 150 yards.
@@Logan-zz5vg 308 bullets shoot fine in my rifles
Good comparison. Good video, as always.
x39 is also a viable round in this category especially with a bolt gun such as Ruger or CZ using a nice scope.
Ron, thanks for sharing the newer stuff as well as the traditional. I know you don't love the AR, but there are good reasons why it's so popular. I can get multiple uppers delivered straight to my door without fro paperwork and turn my registered loans er into a 22lr for practice, or 300blk for hunting. 223 is good for couples too.
Cheers!
I reload for and love both cartridges. A 30-30 with some Leverevolution powder and a Hornady flex tip bullet really takes this cartridge to the next level. Just really depends on the hunter, though, as to what they choose to take with them and what their equipment is capable of. With the right shot placement, both cartridges are capable of taking white tail. My AR is scoped for distance shooting, but my lever action has a Skinner peep sight that I prefer for short to intermediate distances.
The 300 Ham’r is my Favorite.. in my opinion the cartridge out performs the 300 Blackout by far.. it basically is a 30-30 in a MSR
My grandson started with a single-shot 223 and the speed that it killed deer was amazing. Don't knock it if you haven't tried it.
Yeah, just depends on speed. Lest we forget the M16a1 and it's 3200 fps 55gr bullet doing massive damage on soft tissue due to many factors, but mostly speed.
@@life_of_riley88 You bet he was using good 55 gr Nosler bullets at aroun3300 fps. The deer weren't extremely large but they died like struck by lightning. Seriously they dropped in their tracks. When rolled over the damage done by the bullets exit was massives.
@@radamson1 I believe it. It's an absolutely devastating little bullet at that speed.
Not allowed here in Canada. Got to be 24 calibre minimum
300 hamr is a better AR hunting cartridge for comparison to the 30-30 than the 300blk. But it’s not nearly as popular as the blk. The hamr was optimized for 30 cal supersonic performance on game. The blk was a compromise between subsonic and supersonic performance and falls about 200fps short of the hamr.
Good info thank you
300 HAM'R is everything a 300 Blackout super sonic wishes it was.
300 HAM'R is arguably superior to 30-30 because of the advantages of the AR15 platform.
The 30-30 lever action is limited by bullet design due to the tubular magazine and the manual action cycling limiting quick/accurate follow up shots.
300 Ham’r is bad ass. I have developed 155gr and 160gr.
I've killed alot of deer with my 30.06 but this year I decided to switch to hunting with an AR platform, I picked up a 300blk upper from bear creek arsenal for a great price, haven't heard of 300 hamr, can it be fired out of a 300 blk barrel?
P.s. drew from S.buff ? Like bread of life ?
@@dickbiggerjr3613 lol yes the very same. And no it’s a different barrel. Wilson combat makes them.
Lots of ammo here, not at the prices I want but a little of everything. East Dallas Academy has 3030, 3006, 270, 2506, 308, 300 Win Mag and a whole lot more.
Very interesting. I never grew up hunting and have been teaching myself all the “how-to” along the way in my adult life. As a veteran, my hunting rifle of choice was an AR-15, short barrel, that I have since suppressed. Very satisfying to hear guys like Ron demonstrate the validity of such an option. Thanks for putting out all the great content!
Get yourself a 30-30 too and you won’t regret it! I use both but definitely like having the 30-30. They are pretty cheap if you grab a used Marlin
If you ever feel like you need more rifle than 223 step up to an AR-10 same feel and controls and you can get those in 308, 6.5 creedmoor as well as a few other cartridges all the way up to 300 win short mag if you are fine with reloading but either 308 or 6.5 are great options if you need something more
Check out the Henry long ranger, new twist old dog. Removable mags. Scope mounts. Not all states let you hunt with a semiautomatic. Old is good..
Learn hunting from the old timers, and 2 apples for hunting, I'll let them explain.
Used surplus guns, mosens, SML mk 2 Enfield, 303 Brit. ( corrosive primers in surplus ammo) . Fun journey.
Check out Paul hurrell , uses chronograph, and answers the questions we always wondered, no hype just facts. Could win a bar bet.check out the meat target.
Enjoy the woods, and the solitude.
@@imperialwhovian3461 I’d love one! Just haven’t wanted to drop the money on one. I live in the south East so we don’t get crazy long shots
If you still wanted to have more flexibility but a small package a 16 inch 308 would be a good choice or if you want more of a brush gun 450 bushmaster offers great performance at or above many factory 45-79 loads
30-30 been doing it for me for years thick burst/ woods under 100 yard shot most of the time in my area and lever actions just look good and feel good and it works for me I’d take a ak over a ar just simply because I like the look of wood furniture
That’s a 223 Remington R-15
I have the same one
It’s a tack driver for sure
Great video
Love the 30-30
But the 7.62x39 is my favorite old school semi auto “deer” rifle
But now the 6.5 Grendel is gaining popularity
So the old calibers have lots of new competitors
Look into 6mm ARC. Imagine necking down 6.5 Grendel to 6mm, and as a result skyrocketing the energy
The previous "new 30 30" was the 303 Savage, in a better lever action Savage model 99- available in several calibers including 308- Today I'd choose a levergun like the Henry long ranger or the one I actually got, the Browning BLR- in 308. Pretty much covers it. But as you say, for those guys bent on shooting a AR type, you definitely have a point.
My Remington 700 in 300 BLK dropped a Colorado bull elk with a 110 grain Barnes FTX at about 150m. I intend to use that same bullet for prongies.
Sure you did!
Barnes FTX, eh?
@@shaunsonus They're actually Barnes VorTX or something. Something TX.
My favorite blackout bullets are 125 grain ballistic tips and 125 grain accubonds...on top of a case full of H110.
That's all good information and I appreciate you bringing the two cartridges out and showing off the blackout. My first deer gun was an M-1 carbine. I only had two 15 round magazines so I had to just load 5 rounds to hunt with it. I had a 30-30 at the time too and used it but I always loved the little carbine. Later on I also trained in the military with the old M-14 and 1911. This during the police action in that wicked, nasty, little country. Later we qualified with the M-16, so I am thoroughly familiar with these weapons too. What I wanted to bring up is that there is another cartridge that matches and at some scores exceed both of these bullets. Take the old 7.62X39 with a good quality bored rifle and you have yourself a cartrifge that in certain ways outperform both of these cartridges and the cost per round is still so much cheaper to use
We need a comparison of the 300 Ham'r. Not enough information on this cartridge.
I think the 300 hamr from wilson combat rivals the 30-30 more than the 300blk. 300blk is only popular because you can run it suppressed or unsuppressed and still get good velocities out if an 8 or 12in barrel.
I agree
👍👍🇺🇸🇺🇸
I shoot cast bullets. 30-30 with a 175 grain cast bullet and a push from a little IMR 3031 says it all.
Javelina, Antelope, Whitetail, Mule, Arizona Coues, and two cow elk up in the Mogollans.
Not to mention being my Cowboy Assault Rifle and serving me well around the ranch.
Serves me very well.
300 Blackout has a place and I own a Ruger Mini 14 Tactical in. But it is NOT a deer rifle. Never will be.
Congratulations Ron as always perfect, best regards from Brazil
Awesome stuff! I love a semi auto rifle chambered in 300blk or 6.8spc for deer or black bear. I’m very much looking forward to the new 8.6blk in a semi auto rifle for bigger game.
Been using a 300blk for 8 years on deer, hogs and axis in Texas. It does the job and does it well.
@@winstonjones7519 use a tipped bullet not just a hollow point. I had some issues with hollow points not expanding early on. Thankfully it seems like manufacturers saw that too because I haven't seen any HP ammo in awhile.
@@winstonjones7519 is that the vor-tx or tac-tx one? Thats my go to load.
So would a 50 bmg.
Only showed up to snoop the comments on my 300 hamr lovers…. Was glad to see plenty of love. I own 350 legend, 762, and hamr. Can’t beat the 762 ammo availability and price point… but in an AR, they are not reliable… you WILL break an extractor eventually… overall mine is very accurate on hogs. 350 is a thumper! You’ll run into some cycling issues with straight wall ammo, but it can be worked out… overall… puts some huge holes in animals and does dump energy. 300hamr is just hands down superior so far for me. Very accurate and can shoot a wide range of bullet weights.
6.8spc is solid but doesn’t have a demand due to all it’s history.
Grendel is also solid, but can also run into extractor issues since it’s a 762 parent case in a AR but overall a sweet round.
Love the 300blk. I have a 16" and it would be pushing it to get a 150gr going 2100fps. Unfortunately there isn't enough velocity to get the larger supersonic projos to expand. If you want to go heavy you need to go subsonic with very heavy projos designed to open at those velocities. I think the 110 Tac-TX is the only super I would trust to take medium game. With that said, I think you're correct about the comparison. I like comparing different cartridges with the velocity and projo weight that the cartridge was intended/designed for. Great show.
I agree and given the fact that the vast majority of 150 gr spire point bullets don’t expand below 1900 fps it’s a terrible choice for deer hunting. Your basically hunting with fmj. The 30-30 with Hornady 160 gr FTX will wallop deer out to 250 yards.
Totally agree on the lighter Barnes for the 300 Blackout. You have to be careful looking at energy only when choosing hunting loads. The bullet has to expand otherwise you’re going to lose an awful lot of deer.
No offense, but have you hunted with any load you’re talking about? I have, and on a LOT of different game. 90% of subsonics will NOT expand, I have tried majority of subsonics hunting loads and literally 90%-95% of the time it ice picks the animal. Hell, I use the cheapest Barnes hollow point on the market you get from academy, it’s 120 grain and it’s their poor boy hollow point, cheapest one they make. I have consistently dropped HUGE game and only needed one shot. Matter of fact I put down a 300 lb boar with one shot at 120 yards last weekend. Dropped him instantly, one kick and he was dead. 300 blackout is very capable if you know how to shoot. I’ve literally never heard a real hunter say use subsonics lol, the exact opposite actually, and I’m one of those hunters that actually practice what I preach.
@@RepublicofTX I was talking about subsonic specific projectiles. Go look at Maker Rex bullets. They make projos that expand at sub velocities. I believe I said "designed to open at those velocities". You need to read the entire post before you comment.
@@RepublicofTX And, no offense, but your a tool.
@@RepublicofTX Yeah and all the bow hunters are terribly unethical for shooting deer at 300 FPS. I also don't believe anything after someone says, "as a matter of fact". My guess is that you are 12 or at least that level of aptitude.
I think one point missed here is that 300 BLK does NOT have to be in an AR-15 style platform only. Many bolt, short action rifles can be chambered in it as well, and if you want to talk about handy rifles then take a look as some of the modern offerings from places such as black collar arms. Extraordinarily compact style bolt guns that could prove very handy in the woods
Some people say also that 7.62x39 has similar ballistics to 30-30 I do not know but I have a Howa mini in 7.62x39 with suppressor and up to 150 meters it shoots straight after that starts to drop, also is very cheap ammo an very accurate at those distances even with the cheapest also Ruger American is very good as well
X39 mimics the speeds of the 30-30 in it's two popular bullet weights, 123-125 and 150.
30-30 150gr generally 2350-2400 fps, 170gr generally 2100-2200 fps. The 7.62x39 does the same numbers with 20-25gr lighter spritzer bullets. Both are solid all around 150 yards caliber for medium sized game.
I think Henry firearms has made lever action rifles all the rage once again. Now that Henry offers dual loading/unloading capabilities with its lever action, They have become very desirable.
I would lean more towards the 350 Legend being the new 30-30/35 Remington.
Have always considered 7.62x39/ 300BLK to be like 30-30 lite calibers. And again all are popular rounds. I just like that I can find 350 legend everywhere in multiple options from practice to freezer filling.
Ballistics not in your consideration.
@@asherdie why would you ask that? if you're shooting the 350 legend in the 150 grain whitetail season XP from Winchester sight in 3 inches high you're going to be about dead on at 200.
@@robertchapman4488 wasn't a question.
@@asherdie Hmmm 🤔 ? Since the 30 30 Winchester has got a 127 Year Headstart and there's Probably around 20 million rifle's floating around out there chambered in it . How could ballistics mean a damn thing anyway ?
@@jerrystone8856 try again, this time make sense.
I think the 300 ham'r is more of the new 30-30, it has a larger powder capacity than the 300 blackout yet its still compatible with 223 rifles, all you'd need to do is a barrel swap. Only issue is that it's super new
Typically 110grn. flex tip bullets are the best performing for hunting game. Those figures look a little strong for a 150grn 300blk.
Leveroution Hornaday hunting rounds changes things heavily in 30-30s favor. Hand load with a strong marlin action, even better yet. I own and enjoy both but I think 300 comes up short to 30-30 with modern tech rounds.
Those 150gr 300blk ballistics are totally achievable and you can even close that gap more with the right hand load
Strong actions are only half of the equation. The case on a 30-30 is not built for high-pressure loads either. I have hand loaded the 30-30 in the 99 Salvage, the Thompson Center, Stevens single shot, and of course sever versions of lever action rifles. None were capable of much of an increase in performance.
@Paul
Barnes 110 grain TTSX or TAC-TX hand loaded in a 300 blackout can be a mean deer, hog, or home defense load. I am really rooting for 300 blackout to become a mainstream caliber. It is stupidly versatile! Best part of the blackout is that because it uses pistol powders, you don't lose a whole lot when shooting it from short barrels. My blackout is a pistol and I would take it hunting with absolute confidence.
Depending on what “game “ your hunting for and most important the environment
how is it more energy at same weight and slower moving, that dont add up in the world of physics?
.223 is the new 30-30. Cheap, available, extremely accurate to 300 yards and drops everything I need to drop. I live in Australia by the way 😉
I am in the business and the 300 Blackout is surprisingly VERY popular.
Just choose your load carefully and match it to the task at hand...
Thinning out the herd, 220 gr ballistic tip. Are you against using subs?
If you want a deer and hog gun on the AR platform consider stepping it up a notch to a .350 legend. Easily handles hunting bullets in the 170 grain range and offers all the other advantages of the 300 BlK.
The .30-30 can't be replaced. What are you talking about? Just because something is new, doesn't mean it's better!
With just a few clicks of elevation I go from subs to supers in my bolt action 300blk. Awesome little rifle.
There is just something in the 30-30 ballistics profile that seems to make it optimal beyond how it looks on paper. IDK, something about the coefficient of a 170 grain, traveling at the velocity it is, just seems to penetrate and expand more optimally than you would ever think. I was a late adopter, but when I did, I was hooked. I just always get through and through with a good size hole, but yet not a lot of bloodshot meat. It's been a Goldilocks cartridge for me.
Do you reload or use factory ammo?
Glad to hear it. Yes it doesn’t tear up a lot of meat, but provides more than adequate penetration and recoil so moderate I think all 10-11 year olds in the woods were shooting 30-30
@@ashleywoolnough4884 I use Hornady 150 grain round nose interlocks with BLC(2) powder. Works really well in the woods for me.
@@308dad8 ..yep, many a YOUNG hunter’s been in deer camps handling the .30-30 Win over the generations.
@@Lauterbach24 I have some BLC(2) powder that I'll have to try. I've been using IMR 3031 with 150 gr. Hornady's.
I am a handloader and with the 300blk a 16" barrel is max. All the powder is burnt up before the bullet leaves the barrel. There is no advantage using a barrel longer than 16". I always load 110gr bullet and 22grs of powder and I am getting 2,500 fps.
Ron I love all the videos you put out. We really appreciate you and the hard work
Thanks David. I appreciate it.
The powder in a 300BLK is gone after about 8 to 10 inches of barrel. There is no need for such a long barrel so a compact gun for close in deer hunting would be nice.
Didn't we try this before with the 30ar? I have one! Love it! Reload it ect... It took the place for my Marlin 30/30 from my teens. That's saying something. Its my go to rifle. From mule deer in Montana to hogs in Georgia. 125 grain nosier bt at 2903 fps. Put that up against a 30/30 round. But, love the lever action 30/30. First love!
Didn't you mean 2903fps? 30 RAR is a great little cartridge.
@@LRRPFco52 😂 yeah. Fat fingers and little buttons. Yeah. I love my Remington 30 ar. It shoots right at 1moa at 100 yards. Shoots 150 grain cor loct and 125 bt within an inch of one another at 100 yards. Never understood why it didn't take off. Maybe it was timing thing.
@@jackvaniciaadams4089 Freedom Group bought Remington and DPMS. DPMS had been working on the GII, which was a really small frame AR-10.
That sucked up all the wind behind the R-15 in 30 RAR. 30 RAR is a great little hunting cartridge for sure. I'm looking for a complete rifle. My buddy bought cases upon cases of ammo for it that our LGS had in the back.
@@LRRPFco52 yeah I purchased mine in 2015 and stocked up on ammo. Still have a bunch of factory ammo. Good luck finding a complete rifle, hope you get one.
I like my old 336 in 30-30, it has been in my family since forever. But I have to say that in fact, I love my AR15 in 300BLK... it's my do it all combo for most of my "normal" applications. So yeah... I'll keep them both, but it's the 300BLK that I shoot the most and the first one I reach for if I think a rifle is what I need.
With all the talk and enthusiasm pertaining to lever action rifles, I was thinking about the .357 Mag caliber. What are your thoughts regarding that caliber being capable, or not capable, of ethically hunting deer? Keep up the great work...I love your videos!
I think the .357 mag could kill a deer if you keep it within 50 yards. If you choose that route, I would recommend Hornady LEVERevolution loads. They seem to be the hottest loads. You could take a deer a little farther than that but I think I would keep it within 50 yards as I would with archery equipment.
If you are running full power 357mag out of a rifle you will have no trouble out to 100 yards easily, just put the bullet in the right place. Remember that the 357mag got its reputation from being used for big game hunting, at range, from an 8" revolver, and in a rifle it becomes a whole different animal. With a slow powder like Lil'Gun you can get performance on par with 300blk without exceeding factory pressures, and with custom bullets you can load heavier subsonic bullets than 300blk can handle. I have a 12" Encore in 357 which will push 245gr cast bullets to 1400fps with "+P" loads and 310gr bullets to just below the sound barrier. More barrel length would do even better.
@@Daekar3 i agree, 100 yds no issue ive done it with a marlin 357....
I have a Marlin 1894 in.357 and was wondering the same thing. I got it because it is fun to shoot but I might use it this fall.
@@Daekar3 With the Marlin 1894 In 357 mag that I own the maximum overall cartridge length is limited to 1.6 inches. If it is longer than that the cartridge nose will hang up in the receiver at the end of the magazine tube and cannot be lifted up to feed into the chamber effectively jamming the rifle. When loading with heavy bullets it is important to know the maximum cartridge overall length the rifle can handle.
I have a Marlin 30-30
and Mini 14 300 BO
love both use both for hogs and deer eastern Kansas rolling hills and timber
Suppresser used on both
Both cartridge offers so much, that its really a personal choice, and not quite about the ballistic. If we talk ballistic only, then I would compare it to 7.62x39, or 6.5 Grendel or 6.8 SPC... those are the mini action cartridge that share the same market place.
I'm not quite sure how you can have this discussion without even mentioning the 7.62x39, but I guess maybe you didn't want to muddy the waters? I keep a couple 10rnd mags for my AK and it's very handy in the woods and like the blackout (which is essentially the same cartridge numbers wise) it's got 30-30 power in a small package and a small platform. Also you can get bolt guns in both, obviously, also not mentioned but hey, whatever, it's your channel. Just thought I'd toss it up here for people looking into this.
Great video Ron! I'm not a huge fan of "modern" cartridges, or using an AR for hunting, but I love the 300 blackout! Got my daughter into hunting with the Ruger American bolt action.
There are some really good newer cartridges like 6.5 creedmoor which are great longer range cartridges for medium game but there are some good advantages to a AR platform rifle over a bolt action but each definitely have their place.
I will have to hold onto the 30-30 and my 340-C. I scanned the title for any additional craziness like "tofu replaces bacon" or "compressed air replaces powder"!! Keep it up Ron, you're a wealth of knowledge in a crazy world.
My daughter had trouble with length of pull on rifles when she started hunting (around 9). I solved for that by building a 300BLK upper for my AR-15. The collapsible stock and pistol grip made it far easier for her to use. After a bit of research, I selected the 120gr Barnes TAC-TX load. Over the past 5 years she’s killed a pile of whitetail and a few pigs with it. Everything she has shot (save for one doe that lunged forward at just the wrong moment and took a round that shattered both hips and caused massive bleeding) has died within 40 yards of where they stood. Even the doe that was hit badly was tracked within 80 yards and finished with a second shot. Inside of 150yds, the 300BLK is a surprisingly capable whitetail and hog gun.
Nailed it on the MSR’s. I use that rifle because my hands know the form intimately.
That said, I am not a fan of the .300 BLK. Not enough case capacity. It’ll do the job at close ranges but the 350 Legend will do it better ESPECIALLY with a shorter barrel!
I’ve watched a HUGE number of videos on cartridges and probably the most important lesson I’ve taken is Mr. Spomer’s approach that rather than using the smallest cartridge you can get away with, the more ethical choice is to use the most powerful cartridge you can shoot straight. With this in mind I’ll probably practice with my AR-15 and take my AR-10 carbine in .308 to the field.
You can drastically improve the ballistics of the 30/30 by using the Hornady FTX bullet.
Hornady too, lol
@@reloadnorth7722 lol
Why they all three are so close a deer will never know the difference.
Now this it true and disclaimer I own both but to really get all of the 30/30 with the ftx’s you about need 24 inches of barrel
@@365674 that’s just not true
I hunt with both the 30-30 and the 300 blackout. If I'm in dense woods I'll always grab the 30-30. I've taken deer with the 300 in the woods but I've found deflection is a lot more likely. I've had deer that I know I've had a good bead on that the bullet hit 8 inches high and 10 inches back blowing the backbone out with a bullet that hit sideways. The 30-30 I've only had that problem once and I was hunting a particularly nasty section of woods.
I think the 350 legend is the new deer slayer choice, also boar, bear, and bad guy's.
I love my 30-30, I've never seen much use for a 300blk even though I'm sure I'll get heat for saying it. I did purchase a 350 Legend in 2020 solely because there was nothing else on the self for ammo. I still can't find 300 blk and I don't reload, 350 L is currently still plentiful and I dropped a 10 point buck in his tracks with it last year. Where I hunt 100 yds is about as long a shot as I'll get so it does just fine.
I’ve hunted my entire life in Wisconsin with a 30-30 Winchester lever action and I just bought a 300 blk upper for my AR. Can’t wait to take my first deer with it! Great video, Ron!
I like my 30-30 but I like my Savage model 99 lever in 300 savage the best. Was my great grandpa's gun. Never selling. Great information I like how you give data side by side. Keep up the great work.
It would take many years and thousands of thousands of trophies to catch up with the 30/30. My first deer rifle was one with the scope that set to the side of the gun. I used it then and would still carry it with confidence again 40 years later. Thanks Ron for fun and informative outdoor Post. 🎥💯👍
Not dissing the new one, some of these new calibers are for sure good and thought out with years of experience to look at. Thanks again Ron 🎥💯👍
old pachmayr mount? i liked those too
Took my first deer, blacktail, with a 30-30 some 25 years ago. Wow seems like yesterday!
I think the 7.62x39 is a better alternative to the 30-30. Especially shot from the Ruger Mini 30.
100% I use the same mags but in the American ranch bolt action. Both are great and the ammo is still easier to find than for my Marlin.
30 30 performance is better than the Russian cartridge ecpecaily with spritzer bullets and most definitely more effective on game so why would you think that ?
@@jerrystone88567.62x39 provides many more bullet choices than a 30-30.
@@jerrystone8856Just wondering, did you message all the other people that made similar comments?
@@jerrystone8856 Shoot what ever you want, I couldn't care less!!!
Michigan woods. 30-30 still a great choice. Carrying the model 94 is like the difference between a full-dress Harley and a bicycle. Hard to give up the light weight of the 94 with a negligible kick.