re: 30-30 vs 35 Whelen Question

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Almost any center fire caliber easily kills deer.

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That’s not an answer

This is a pretty weird flex.

[quote]I’m not arguing that it’s the best cartridge you can get for deer hunting. But I will say it is still very useful for deer hunting.[/quoteI
I have several and use them all the time. If I know my shots are gonna be under that 125-150 yard range and most of the lease is like that then I carry one. They are compact, set up with low profile low power scopes with qd rings. When I’m sitting in a thicket and shoot a deer at 50-75 yards I never think to myself “ I wish I had my 26in barrel 7mm mag with a 4-16 scope”!!
That being said if I could only buy one gun or hunt with one gun it wouldn’t be a 30-30 nor would I recommend it as a persons only gun.

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But what if I’m hunting in an area where I can’t shoot 150 yds?

I’m not arguing that it’s the best cartridge you can get for deer hunting. But I will say it is still very useful for deer hunting.

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Again, if you want to hunt it, then by all means go ahead.

There are just a lot of other cartridges that are better.
You want compact rifle with a low power scope?
An AR would fit that perfectly and give faster follow up shots.

I have a 6.5 grendel that will easily do the same and has better ballistics and better effective range.

I have an AR-10 in .308. Will beat the .30-30 in every way.


All that said, if you want a .30-30 and you know the limitations, then by all means, get a .30-30.

What's up Tiger 79. Hope your Thanksgiving was great.

If you don't mind the recoil, then by all means, use it. I don't have one but I also don't hunt primitive weapons season.

If you just want another gun, the .308 is available in many different platforms and is as close to a perfect southern whitetail cartridge as you will find. The only thing that's close in my mind would be a .270 or .30-06 but they aren't available in near the platforms the .308 is.

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It's barely a 150yd caliber and that's stretching it's capabilities.

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Yeah, it's like shooting a BB gun.



If you know what you're doing, its plenty capable.

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Is this the gun for me oe is there something else I should be looking at.

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For 200 yard deer, a 35 remington would be fine. It's legal for primitive and not abusive to shoot. It doesnt shoot flat by modern standards but it is plenty flat enough to shoot from spitting distance to 200 yards without compensating. If you are not recoil sensitive and/or might one day make a hunt out west the 35 whelen is a better choice. It is a legitimate mid range elk cartridge. It's a steroided .30-06 and very much more than necessary for deer, but it's about as sweet of an elk caliber as there ever was.

If you are not concerned with primitive season, any bolt gun in 270, 30-06, 308, etc will easily cover your needs. The options available are endless and most all are very good.

People go shopping thinking they need a 500 yard elk gun to deer hunt with when in reality they have no business shooting past 150 yards at anything alive. The truth is that deer are not very tough and pretty much everything .260 and up will kill deer out as far as you can land the bullet on them, .30-30 included.

Semantics. Its effective on deer out to way the hell out there, but shooting way the hell out there with it is beyond most people's capabilities.

Consistently making good hits past 150 with a .300 win mag would be difficult for many though.

I really need to trade mine for something I would use.

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If you just want another gun, the .308 is available in many different platforms and is as close to a perfect southern whitetail cartridge as you will find.

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Not too worried about recoil since I shoot a 12 gauge smooth bore with slugs. Never had to look for a deer too far after you hit it with a 500 grain slug. Had a Weatherby Vanguard in .308 with a 3x9 Bushnell Banner scope. Really didn't care for the rifle so I gave it to my son who has killed a lot of deer in Mississippi and Tennessee with it.

I still have an old Model 100 Winchester semi auto in .308 that was my Dad's. It doesn't cycle the rounds and jams. I tried to get it fixed but no one would fool with it. With all that said, I guess I'll get the Scout with a Leopold scope on it and see if I can shoot / like that one. If I don't like that one I'll give it to my other son.