# Why Not A 30-30?



## Cooky (Apr 25, 2011)

An old friend (an old guy who is my friend) asked me what I thought would be a good all ‘round truck gun. He spends a lot of time in the hills by himself and feels the need to start packing something besides a revolver. I'm thinking I’ll find him a gently used Marlin and put a peep sight on it. 
What would you recommend?


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## huntingbuddy (Sep 10, 2007)

Sounds like a good idea to me. The cowboys of the old west relied on the them, so there isn't any reason your friend couldn't. They are a very rugged gun. I have an old lever action 30-30 from my grandpa that still shoots true. They are quicker than a bold action and but more reliable than an autoloader. I think it is a good idea.


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## Kevin D (Sep 15, 2007)

Nothing wrong with the .30-30, it remains a capable cartridge. I don't think many of us remember just what a revolutionary cartridge the .30-30 was when it was introduced over a century ago. Compared to it's black powder predecessors, it was a high speed, long range, hard hitting cartridge. It is no wonder to me that it gained the popularity that it did.

That being said, my own truck gun is a Chinese SKS. It is cheap, reliable, and doubles as a jack handle should I ever need it.


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## Cooky (Apr 25, 2011)

Kevin D said:


> That being said, my own truck gun is a Chinese SKS. It is cheap, reliable, and doubles as a jack handle should I ever need it.


That's exactly why I asked the question. I doubt an SKS would have occured to me and it is an excellent option.
Any others?


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## 35whelen (Jul 3, 2012)

Mosin nagant? Cheap gun, cheap ammo, hard hitting, quick handling and rugged. Plenty Accurate for quick 100 yd shots. cons are a sticky bolt, and bizarre safety mechanism. Really any surplus rifle will work. Swedish mauser would be another good option, probably more accurate than mosin nagant.


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## Critter (Mar 20, 2010)

The problem with a 30-30 is that I think that it would be too nice of a rifle for a truck kick around one even if it was a old new beat up rifle. 

I'll second the SKS, you can't hurt them and if you miss the target with it you can always run up to it and beat it to death with it.


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## stimmie78 (Dec 8, 2007)

My truck gun is my Romanian SKS... By turning the gas block it becomes a single shot. It's great for those times I'm driving along and see a coyote that needs too meet it's demise. I take a shot, and another round isn't loaded into the chamber so I don't have a loaded gun in the truck when I get back in.


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## Huge29 (Sep 17, 2007)

That 30-30 is a good one for that purpose, you could even leave it on the seat and no one would bother wasting a rock to break the window and get it. :mrgreen:


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## huntingbuddy (Sep 10, 2007)

Huge29 said:


> That 30-30 is a good one for that purpose, you could even leave it on the seat and no one would bother wasting a rock to break the window and get it. :mrgreen:


 :rotfl:


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## El Casador (Aug 27, 2009)

Ruger 22-250, good gun


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## BPturkeys (Sep 13, 2007)

When you say "truck gun" I guess you mean a gun that you might need for killin something when you're out driving around in your truck. Other than a 12g for birds, seems that the only thing I ever see that I want to shoot when I am out trucking around...when it's not a hunting season...is maybe an occasional coyote. For dogs, I like something that will reach out there a couple hundred yards or so...I carry(in my truck) a Rem model 7 in .223...sweet!


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## sawsman (Sep 13, 2007)

I agree BP. The .223 is the perfect 'truck gun'. 8)


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## Cooky (Apr 25, 2011)

I asked him about an SKS…no autos…”they’re unsafe ya’ know”…yet somehow a lever gun with a half-**** is okay. I agree that a .223 could well be the best cartridge. A bolt action .223 would fulfill his requirement for “might need to shoot a lot ya’ know” since they hold as much ammo as a lever action 30-30. I’m not sure what we’re going to war with. Bolt actions are easier to unload for truck travel. I’ll need one that predates the extinction of iron sights on bolt actions. No scope…”they break easy ya’ know”.


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## stimmie78 (Dec 8, 2007)

I was wrong.. my sks is a Yugo... I was looking at romanian ammo when I commented earlier... it's perfectly safe... has a safety... you can make it a single shot.. and I broke it in today by shooting 2 foxes  It's a great truck gun..


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## wyogoob (Sep 7, 2007)

How about a 30-30 over a 20 gauge?

I always thought the Savage Model 24 over and under combination rifle/shotgun was a great firearm to carry in a truck or boat, especially the fiberglass-stocked models.

No longer produced, the Savage Model 24 came in the following combinations (could be more):
.17HMR/20 Gauge
.17HMR/12 Gauge
.22LR/.410 
.22LR/20 Gauge
.22WMR/.410
.22WMR/20 Gauge 
.22 Hornet/20 Gauge
.222 Rem/20 Gauge 
.223 Rem/20 Gauge
.30-30/20 Gauge 
.357 Mag/20 Gauge
.22 Hornet/12 Gauge 
.222 Rem/12 Gauge
.223 Rem/12 Gauge 
.30-30/12 Gauge










There are still quite a few out there, but they're pretty pricey compared to the original sticker prices.


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## Cooky (Apr 25, 2011)

I haven’t seen one of those cool old Savages for sale for a long time. Many of those combinations would be great for a truck gun. If I were to happen upon one priced reasonably I may have to acquire it… but I wouldn’t be turning it over to that old fart to throw behind the seat of a Ford with a homemade flatbed and different colored doors.
I still kind of like the SKS idea (this gun is going to be abused… bad). I don’t think I knew they could be made a single shot. With that, the price of the gun and price of ammo I think if I could get him to try one we might have a winner. He ought to be able to handle an auto; I believe he carried an M1 Carbine around overseas for a while.


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## massmanute (Apr 23, 2012)

Lever action 30-30, good choice.

Here is another option. Model 92 (also known as 1892) lever action in .357 magnum or .44 magnum. Rossi makes a pretty nice model 92 for a good price. Others market or have marketed the model 92 as well (Winchester, Browning, Chiappa, Navy Arms, and others), in most cases at twice the price or more.

These rifles are very nice, light, and handy, especially if you pick one of the short barrel models.

The .357 can shoot .38 special for economical low-recoil shooting, or you can go all the way up to the Buffalo Bore hot loads that approach the 30-30 in power. The .44 magnum has even more oomph, if needed, but is more expensive to shoot and has more recoil.

Besides, if you get a model 92 people will mistake you for John Wayne, since the model 92 was a standard prop in the old cowboy movies, and there was probably never a better looking lever action rifle ever made.


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## 90redryder (Oct 10, 2011)

I like the idea of a 30-30. But if you want to go with a cheaper option, get a nagant. They are extremely accurate, its basically a .308 round but you can buy the cheap fire starting steel core corrosive ammo if you are trying to keep the cost low.


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## stimmie78 (Dec 8, 2007)

Nagant is cheap at first, but then the ammo is more than the sks... I have both.. I know from experience...


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## Huge29 (Sep 17, 2007)

Cooky mentioned the old Savage 24 and no longer being produced; they do now make the model 42 like this one: Davidson's


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## Bax* (Dec 14, 2008)

massmanute said:


> Lever action 30-30, good choice.
> 
> Here is another option. Model 92 (also known as 1892) lever action in .357 magnum or .44 magnum. Rossi makes a pretty nice model 92 for a good price. Others market or have marketed the model 92 as well (Winchester, Browning, Chiappa, Navy Arms, and others), in most cases at twice the price or more.
> 
> ...


This is a pretty cool suggestion IMO. In addition, Marlin and Henry make rifles that would be chambered in pistol cartridges too.

But the 30-30 will give better range.

Cooky, does it have to be a center fire? Why not a .22 WMR? Cheap to shoot, decent range, and packs a decent thump for varmints.


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## Cooky (Apr 25, 2011)

Actually I’m pretty convinced at this point that it has to be a 30-30. He is familiar with the round and has faith that it will kill whatever he shoots at. I believe he had one at some point and it now lives with a kid, grandkid or great-grandkid. Maybe if I can find a ranger model from the big red safety button era we can hit his price range.


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## Bax* (Dec 14, 2008)

30-30 is a kick-arse round. So I cant talk bad about it


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## Bo0YaA (Sep 29, 2008)

Love my 30-30 but seeings how its over 70 yrs old I wont be letting it bounce around in the truck lol.


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## James (Oct 7, 2007)

A little curious why he wants a truck gun? If its for self defense purposes, a 12 gauge wins the argument. 

If it is a 30-30 a Win 94 is the only option.


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