I used the 94 in the past but rarely get it out anymore. I can't really tell you why I don't use it. It is very light, plenty accurate for what I need, recoil is light, handles fast, cycles fast, and the ammo is cheap. What's not to like. I hope you like yours. Let us know how it shoots.

got my 30-30 great gun shoots good

i own the 30-30 trapper bout the shortest 30-30 you cna get i believe love the gun small light yet carrys a great punch and is accuaracte for many yrds. Also have a .307 winchester which is a bigger gun but also i love it winchester guns are just nothing but Greatness in my opinion

I picked up a Ranger Compact last fall for my son. I agree it's a nice, small, light package. I noticed it's no longer in Winchester's catalog, though. As a kid's gun I'm not so convinced. A .30-30 is an easy going round, but when you fire it out of a 5.25 pound gun it gives more of a jolt than I (or my first-time hunting son) expected -- especially with 170 grain loads. The net result is that the lightweight gun thumps the shooter with recoil equivalent to a more potent round in a heavier rifle. I haven't done a distinct comparison, but it seemed like the 94 with 170s recoiled about the same (or more) than my scoped Model 70 Featherweight in .308. Not a big deal to me, but it matters to an 11 year old new to centerfire rifles.

saying the 30-30 as a kids gun is a negative thign to say about that gun

It is a great GUN as long as your not shooting increedibly long yrds this gun will do the job for a lot of different animals, little gun big impact love the size to power ratio of this gun. My 30-30 has killed 9 deer and a beer if anyone interested in that

I got my first (and only) deer with a Win 32 special at about 70 yards. That's a similar gun to the 30-30. I love the thing!
John-

If you want to have fun, ask over on the elk forum whether or not a 30-30 is good enough on elk. Or just state out right that it is enough, wait awhile, and then watch the sparks fly.... Or for some real fun ask about a 45/70 (or /90 /120) and somebody will eventually tell you its not right because it "ain't got the oppphh at range" or some such wisdom.

At any rate, I like the 94 30/30's. The 92's when you can come by them as well.... Winchester hit a home run with the 94 as evidenced by the sheer number of them sold over the years.

Everybody should at least hunt big game once with an iron sighted big bore lever action. Its more American than the Super Bowl.

30-30 wcf. Yes sir ree. 150gr Speer flat nose and a deer or a 170gr Speer flat nose and an Elk and you'll have some good eating.
Oops, I mentioned Elk and 30-30 wcf in the same sentence. I hope you all will forgive me.
Of course we're talking about a 30 cal. which happens to be my favorite bullet diameter.
When loaded as a single shot it's right up there with the 300 savage.
All in all, great round.

Ok guys lets be real here, I've got a Winchester 94 30-30 & it's a great fun gun for Deer, hogs, etc but I hunt Elk with my 7mm Rem Mag. I really don't think the 30-30 is much good over 100 yards, not when compaired to the other calibers available. Just my .02

I think the model 94 is a lot better-looking than the Marlin version, I forget what the model was for it.