BigGameHunt.net Hunting Forums

[GBoyd]

This is just idle curiosity.

Has anyone here seen an elk hit with a 30-30 or comparable cartridge? I could read up on proper cartridges on the internet, but I thought hearing some first-hand experience could be more interesting.

[7mm Magnum]

I imagine you could,... but shot placement would be critical,.. as would your distance to the elk. It certainly wouldn't be my first choice in weapons to use on em'. :sad:

A 30-30 would be better off for whitetail or similiar type game. If I HAD no other choice I'd personally limit my yardage to something in the neighborhood of point blank,.. on up to 75 yards.

[WesternHunter]

Keep shots inside of 100 yards. I do know of one hunter who has used .30-30 a few times on elk. I also have seen elk taken a few times with a .243 and shots in the 100 yard area. Though I don't recommend using these cartridges on elk. There simply is too many better choices out there.

[jim muir]

Hornady's leverevolution cartridges would extend that distance some or if you had a remington 788 or savage 99 you could handload spitzer 165gr pills that would probably do the job, still its not gonna have the umph of a .308 or similar .30 cal but it would do the job under 200 yards.
I did see a red deer that escaped from a farm around here that had been shot with a .30-30 it was as dead as it needed to be.

[7mm Magnum]

jim muir wrote: Hornady's leverevolution cartridges would extend that distance some or if you had a remington 788 or savage 99 you could handload spitzer 165gr pills that would probably do the job, still its not gonna have the umph of a .308 or similar .30 cal but it would do the job under 200 yards.
I did see a red deer that escaped from a farm around here that had been shot with a .30-30 it was as dead as it needed to be.

Jim,... I'm not sure you caught his intentions,.. He wants to use a 30-30 for ELK, not deer. :o

[GBoyd]

I was just wondering.
I'll be out of town again for next year's elk season, so I have no immediate plans. It's interesting because I like using the lightest gun that I can because I don't want a bunch of bloodshot meat, but a 30-30 seems to be right on the line.

Now, I've never used those Leverevolution bullets. How would they help? I've heard that they're accurate, but accuracy isn't much of an issue for me. I prefer hunting tight cover, real close. Should I still check them out?

[jim muir]

Red deer are the same as elk essentialy, possibly slightly bigger.
Would i recomend a .30-30 no, not if you have another rifle available to you but then again plenty of people use bows and they certainly don't have nearly the energy at any point that a .30-30 has at 100 yards
The leverevolution rounds use different powders that cause higher velocities and do to their soft balistic tip are capable of a much flatter trajectory.

I wouldn't want to say the .30-30 is ideal but in the hands of a good rifle man who is going to pass up ANY shot that isn't ideal it would be acceptable but thats my opinion. I don't want to have to travel through time and tell everyone who killed a elk with a .32 special or .30-30 that they didn't use enough gun cause lets face it between 1895 and the end of WWI Those 2 cartridges probably acounted as much game than any other.

[fuzzybear]

I know someone that must belong to a 30-30 only club and uses it for all of his big game hunting in western Washington. He does very well with that little lever action with open sites. No bells and whistles for this guy.

[WesternHunter]

jim muir wrote: Red deer are the same as elk essentialy, possibly slightly bigger.
Would i recomend a .30-30 no, not if you have another rifle available to you but then again plenty of people use bows and they certainly don't have nearly the energy at any point that a .30-30 has at 100 yards
The leverevolution rounds use different powders that cause higher velocities and do to their soft balistic tip are capable of a much flatter trajectory.

I wouldn't want to say the .30-30 is ideal but in the hands of a good rifle man who is going to pass up ANY shot that isn't ideal it would be acceptable but thats my opinion. I don't want to have to travel through time and tell everyone who killed a elk with a .32 special or .30-30 that they didn't use enough gun cause lets face it between 1895 and the end of WWI Those 2 cartridges probably acounted as much game than any other.

I agree. Well said :thumbsup1:

[remington]

170 gr nosler partions and the 30/30 is a sweet brush rifle for elk.

[jim muir]

If I were going to create my ideal bush elk/ moose rifle there is a very good chance that i'd try to base it on a .303 lee enfield jungle carbine with iron sights. These rifles are fairly light wieght, very accurate in good condition and quick handling. That or a .38-55 lever action with a 22" barrel or model 7 in 350 rem magnum.

[WyoJoe]

remington wrote: 170 gr nosler partions and the 30/30 is a sweet brush rifle for elk.

Yeppers. I'll agree with you.

[ELK-AHOLIC]

My dad shot a Elk back in 1999 with a 30-30. No problems to report, it ran about 45yds and died. The 30-30 works fine for Elk up to 100yds.

[numbnutz]

I shot my first elk with a 30-30 with 165gr bullet, 150yrds out 1 shot down it went. this was 13yrs ago. now i use 30.06 for all hunting

[onesonek]

WyoJoe wrote: remington wrote: 170 gr nosler partions and the 30/30 is a sweet brush rifle for elk.

Yeppers. I'll agree with you.

Me too,,,,starting out at 2200 fps, it has roughly 2000 fps and 1500 ft/lbs left @100yds. More than adequate in my opinion. On broadside shots, one might push the range a bit farther, but I certainly wouldn't hesitate using it for short range, 100yds or less.

Dave