Savage 30-30 Bolt Action

USMC0332 · 05-31-2006, 06:53 PM

I just saw a Savage bolt action 30-30 at a shop. Are these good rifles? I have had some issues with some older Savage .22s and would hate to have them with a centerfire. It was a nifty little rifle. It had a birch stock, an older Bushnell 3x9 on a Weaver sidemount, and a very nice bore. It is a short and light rifle, something like I was looking at for my daughter for deer hunting. Is $279 a decent price? The only issue I saw was that the sear needed polishing.

mr mom · 05-31-2006, 09:20 PM

GET IT !!!!!!!!!!!!!!. i picked up 1 for my son a few years ago. and a buddy of mine has 1... good little rifles !!!!! its a good little brush gun.. you can carry it all day ...
my son was messing around with his and stuck a cheap trashco 2.5x10 on it and used it for high power silouettes .... when he first got there and was sighting in with it , 1 of the guys that shoot with him knew what he was doing ... then some of the other guys starting to look at what he was doing ... by the time he got to the turkeys he had everybody on the range watching him.... but the best was when he hit the ram at 550 yds !!!! he has also used it in a few 200 yd matches.. and won with the other guys useing their fancy rifles...
play around with loads and that thing WILL shoot.....
i know where there is a remington 788 in 30/30 and they want 375.00 for that 1 , but the savage was in better condition..
brownell has clips for them... i think they were around 30 bucks ?????

1 other thing i forgot to say was you can reload other than the normal round nose and flat tip bullets for this.... look on the web and you can find loads for liter bullets..... and the can be pointy !!!!!!!! and you can even use some lite cast bullets

i think i gave 250 for the 1 i got ... we got it while we were in the u.p.

Pumpkinheaver · 05-31-2006, 11:41 PM

I assume you are talking about the savage 340, good little rifles, great for newbies. They where also made under the stevens name model 325a, b or c. My buddy has 2 of these in 30-30, I had one in .223 when I was younger.

USMC0332 · 06-01-2006, 02:26 AM

I told my Dad about it on the phone last night. He said he has always liked them. Today he called and said he bought it. He said he had to pay asking price and they threw in a box of shells. The shop owner said he wished they still made them, as he could sell a dozen every year. He said he couldn't believe how light the recoil was, and he hunted with a model 94 for about 30 years. I have started reloading recently. I look forward to cooking up some pointed loads for it. Grandpa is pretty excited for my daughter. What is more fun than buying a new gun.

Big Dog · 06-01-2006, 05:13 AM

I'm another lover of the Savage 340. Great little deer rifle for my area. It outshoots my Marlin 336 by a small margin, and seems to have a bit less felt recoil - something in the stock shape I think.
Two limitations though:
1) The sidemount is low, and you can't put on a scope with a big bell. Weaver may make an extended upper mount, I think.
2) Be careful with handloads - the chamber on mine is fairly tight and some of my loads wouldn't chamber. I was using range-found brass, instead of the brass fired thru this rifle. Also, the heavier 150 grain Spitzer bullets were a tad too long for the magazine.

I need to try some hotter 110 grain loads for 'varminting'.

Sportsman's Guide has spare magazines for these rifles.

mr mom · 06-01-2006, 06:44 AM

here is another little tip for that rifle !!!! be careful when trying to load it 1 at a time or when a case gets stuck ... ive have seen both my son and his buddy rip the top of their thumbs open . it dosent like to be feed without the clip in it ....
and yes use an o.a.l. so it fits in the clip....
big dog try some of thise 125 tnt speers in there .... use the load for the 130 gr. and back it off just a little.. i use those 125's out of my .308 .. couldnt ask for a better target or varmint round .....

Big Dog · 06-01-2006, 11:39 AM

Thanks, MM! I'll give that a try.

utahvarminter · 06-01-2006, 04:57 PM

Don't see any point in a 30-30 bolt. Ballistics aren't as good as say... a .308

mr mom · 06-01-2006, 05:28 PM

30/30 has killed more deer in the state of michigan than any other rifle just about .... just about everybody you see in the woods has 1 of some kind or another......

N2914J · 06-01-2006, 07:12 PM

I'd have to agree with Mr. Mom. I recall reading sometime ago in a magazine that the .30-.30 caliber has killed more deer than any other, and I have to trouble believing it. I love brush guns, its all I use to hunt with. A Marlin 336 in .30-.30 was my first gun, and I wouldn't hesitate recommending it any day of the week to someone as a first rifle.

USMC0332 · 06-01-2006, 07:26 PM

My daughter weighs about 90 lbs. She will be happy to use a rifle that she can carry and shoot comfortably. Deer aren't the hardest to kill, and the 30-30 sure has done its job in this part of the country. Plus now my Dad has a new toy.

mr mom · 06-01-2006, 09:35 PM

usmc: my son has some load data somewhere around the house for lite loads and even a bunch of loads with cast your own bullets...

when we got the 1 we have my son was about that same size.... he would shoot that thing till the bdl. was hot , then let it cool down and use his marlin. then he would pick it back up......

he took the stock into shop class and stripped it all the way to bare wood then put a clear coat on it ..... now it has a blonde stock on it and his name burned into the forend.....

kids !!!!!!!!!!!!!

onetime · 04-01-2007, 05:54 AM

I found this thread just looking to understand why a 30-30 is called that, while reading a Tony Hillerman story. I notice people here talking excitedly about using pointed bullets. You might like to read this other article that turned up in the same search. Gunner's 30-30 Rifle FAQ This guys says the following, which I quote: NOTE Only flat point or round nose bullets should be used in a lever action. In the tube magazine, the point of one bullet is up against the primer of the next round. A chain fire is possible, and while it may not kill you, will probably blow off your forend hand, and ruin your day. If you must shoot pointed bullets, only keep one in the mag, and one in the chamber!!! You can reload a single round very quickly, and the chances of you needing multiple shots is pretty small. Don't take the chance. A dear friend of mine did, once, and now has a really nice hook where his left hand used to be. That's it. I hope you find this.

rfranklin · 11-06-2007, 10:12 PM

I own a 1954 model 340 that I restored from a hunk of rust I found in an estate sale. After six seasons with this gun seven kills were made in or around 350 yrds. No scope needed just a range finder to check my distance. This can be a childs gun but when you have an eight point at about four hundred yards facing you it does not matter how old you are. It's called a brush gun for a real reason, you should be down wind and in its path for this gun to earn its keep.

p.s. onetime, you are not talking about the Savage 340 30/30 because it is a box mag 3 shot so no matter what load you use the bullet is spent and removed before the next one is in the barrel.

billy · 11-06-2007, 11:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by utahvarminter

Don't see any point in a 30-30 bolt. Ballistics aren't as good as say... a .308

there are literally MILLIONS of 30-30 rifles that have taken deer.
dead is dead

Big Dog · 11-07-2007, 05:16 PM

Most deer are taken here in my AO under 100 yards. The .30-30 is VERY popular. Lighter recoil, proven performance, good accuracy and cheaper ammo - what's not to like?
I find I like shooting my M340 more than my Marlin 336 - I'm just a boltie guy at heart. They are pretty much equal in accuracy.

Bravo · 11-07-2007, 05:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mr mom

30/30 has killed more deer in the state of michigan than any other rifle just about .... just about everybody you see in the woods has 1 of some kind or another......

You have to put into consideration how old the cartridge is. If you go by deer killed in the past 10 years, I don't think the 30-30 would be the #1 cartridge.

rfc357 · 11-07-2007, 07:23 PM

I have experimented with pointed bullets in the .30-30, and have concluded they are not worth the trouble. If you load them to the same OAL as the flat points, you actually have less powder space, (bullet is longer) so lower velocity. If you load them longer, a 94 will not even feed one from the mag.

If the 340 will allow you to load longer, go for it. Just don't expect a noticeable bump in performance.

Now the way to juice up a .30-30 is to rechamber for the improved cartridge. Friend of mine has one (a 94) and it turns out almost .300 Savage ballistics.

Or get a 7-Waters.

I had a 340 in .222. Wish I still had it. It was dynamite on chucks, cheap scope, crummy trigger, and all. I paid 35 bucks for it in the late '60s.

A .30-30 is what it is, a perfectly adequate deer cartridge.

Bravo · 11-07-2007, 08:46 PM

See, now I use ballistic tip bullets in my Marlin 336, and it feeds like a charm. It also holds 1.5 inch groups at 100 yards. Good enough for me

I never though I would get that out of a 30-30

05-31-2006, 09:20 PM	#2
mr mom Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2005 Posts: 217	GET IT !!!!!!!!!!!!!!. i picked up 1 for my son a few years ago. and a buddy of mine has 1... good little rifles !!!!! its a good little brush gun.. you can carry it all day ... my son was messing around with his and stuck a cheap trashco 2.5x10 on it and used it for high power silouettes .... when he first got there and was sighting in with it , 1 of the guys that shoot with him knew what he was doing ... then some of the other guys starting to look at what he was doing ... by the time he got to the turkeys he had everybody on the range watching him.... but the best was when he hit the ram at 550 yds !!!! he has also used it in a few 200 yd matches.. and won with the other guys useing their fancy rifles... play around with loads and that thing WILL shoot..... i know where there is a remington 788 in 30/30 and they want 375.00 for that 1 , but the savage was in better condition.. brownell has clips for them... i think they were around 30 bucks ????? 1 other thing i forgot to say was you can reload other than the normal round nose and flat tip bullets for this.... look on the web and you can find loads for liter bullets..... and the can be pointy !!!!!!!! and you can even use some lite cast bullets i think i gave 250 for the 1 i got ... we got it while we were in the u.p. Last edited by mr mom; 05-31-2006 at 09:32 PM. Reason: Automerged Doublepost

05-31-2006, 11:41 PM	#3
Pumpkinheaver Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Missouri Posts: 1,340	I assume you are talking about the savage 340, good little rifles, great for newbies. They where also made under the stevens name model 325a, b or c. My buddy has 2 of these in 30-30, I had one in .223 when I was younger. __________________ Just because your paranoid doesn't mean they aren't out to get you!

06-01-2006, 05:13 AM	#5
Big Dog Moderator Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Tallahassee, Florida Posts: 10,213	I'm another lover of the Savage 340. Great little deer rifle for my area. It outshoots my Marlin 336 by a small margin, and seems to have a bit less felt recoil - something in the stock shape I think. Two limitations though: 1) The sidemount is low, and you can't put on a scope with a big bell. Weaver may make an extended upper mount, I think. 2) Be careful with handloads - the chamber on mine is fairly tight and some of my loads wouldn't chamber. I was using range-found brass, instead of the brass fired thru this rifle. Also, the heavier 150 grain Spitzer bullets were a tad too long for the magazine. I need to try some hotter 110 grain loads for 'varminting'. Sportsman's Guide has spare magazines for these rifles. __________________ Moderator of: AR15/M16, M14/M1A, New/Beginning Shooters and Militaria/Collectables.

06-01-2006, 11:39 AM	#7
Big Dog Moderator Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Tallahassee, Florida Posts: 10,213	Thanks, MM! I'll give that a try. __________________ Moderator of: AR15/M16, M14/M1A, New/Beginning Shooters and Militaria/Collectables.

06-01-2006, 04:57 PM	#8
utahvarminter Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Utah Posts: 487	Don't see any point in a 30-30 bolt. Ballistics aren't as good as say... a .308 __________________ My Photo Album

05-31-2006, 06:53 PM	#1
USMC0332 Member Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: East Central Minnesota, USA Posts: 53	Savage 30-30 Bolt Action I just saw a Savage bolt action 30-30 at a shop. Are these good rifles? I have had some issues with some older Savage .22s and would hate to have them with a centerfire. It was a nifty little rifle. It had a birch stock, an older Bushnell 3x9 on a Weaver sidemount, and a very nice bore. It is a short and light rifle, something like I was looking at for my daughter for deer hunting. Is $279 a decent price? The only issue I saw was that the sear needed polishing.

06-01-2006, 02:26 AM	#4
USMC0332 Member Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: East Central Minnesota, USA Posts: 53	I told my Dad about it on the phone last night. He said he has always liked them. Today he called and said he bought it. He said he had to pay asking price and they threw in a box of shells. The shop owner said he wished they still made them, as he could sell a dozen every year. He said he couldn't believe how light the recoil was, and he hunted with a model 94 for about 30 years. I have started reloading recently. I look forward to cooking up some pointed loads for it. Grandpa is pretty excited for my daughter. What is more fun than buying a new gun.

06-01-2006, 06:44 AM	#6
mr mom Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2005 Posts: 217	here is another little tip for that rifle !!!! be careful when trying to load it 1 at a time or when a case gets stuck ... ive have seen both my son and his buddy rip the top of their thumbs open . it dosent like to be feed without the clip in it .... and yes use an o.a.l. so it fits in the clip.... big dog try some of thise 125 tnt speers in there .... use the load for the 130 gr. and back it off just a little.. i use those 125's out of my .308 .. couldnt ask for a better target or varmint round .....

06-01-2006, 05:28 PM	#9
mr mom Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2005 Posts: 217	30/30 has killed more deer in the state of michigan than any other rifle just about .... just about everybody you see in the woods has 1 of some kind or another......

06-01-2006, 07:12 PM	#10
N2914J Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Little Rock, AR Posts: 391	I'd have to agree with Mr. Mom. I recall reading sometime ago in a magazine that the .30-.30 caliber has killed more deer than any other, and I have to trouble believing it. I love brush guns, its all I use to hunt with. A Marlin 336 in .30-.30 was my first gun, and I wouldn't hesitate recommending it any day of the week to someone as a first rifle. __________________ God Bless America

06-01-2006, 07:26 PM	#11
USMC0332 Member Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: East Central Minnesota, USA Posts: 53	My daughter weighs about 90 lbs. She will be happy to use a rifle that she can carry and shoot comfortably. Deer aren't the hardest to kill, and the 30-30 sure has done its job in this part of the country. Plus now my Dad has a new toy.

06-01-2006, 09:35 PM	#12
mr mom Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2005 Posts: 217	usmc: my son has some load data somewhere around the house for lite loads and even a bunch of loads with cast your own bullets... when we got the 1 we have my son was about that same size.... he would shoot that thing till the bdl. was hot , then let it cool down and use his marlin. then he would pick it back up...... he took the stock into shop class and stripped it all the way to bare wood then put a clear coat on it ..... now it has a blonde stock on it and his name burned into the forend..... kids !!!!!!!!!!!!!

04-01-2007, 05:54 AM	#13
onetime Registered User Join Date: Apr 2007 Posts: 1	Pointy bullets dangerous I found this thread just looking to understand why a 30-30 is called that, while reading a Tony Hillerman story. I notice people here talking excitedly about using pointed bullets. You might like to read this other article that turned up in the same search. Gunner's 30-30 Rifle FAQ This guys says the following, which I quote: NOTE Only flat point or round nose bullets should be used in a lever action. In the tube magazine, the point of one bullet is up against the primer of the next round. A chain fire is possible, and while it may not kill you, will probably blow off your forend hand, and ruin your day. If you must shoot pointed bullets, only keep one in the mag, and one in the chamber!!! You can reload a single round very quickly, and the chances of you needing multiple shots is pretty small. Don't take the chance. A dear friend of mine did, once, and now has a really nice hook where his left hand used to be. That's it. I hope you find this.

11-06-2007, 10:12 PM	#14
rfranklin Registered User Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Southeast Texas Posts: 1	Savage 340 30/30 facts I own a 1954 model 340 that I restored from a hunk of rust I found in an estate sale. After six seasons with this gun seven kills were made in or around 350 yrds. No scope needed just a range finder to check my distance. This can be a childs gun but when you have an eight point at about four hundred yards facing you it does not matter how old you are. It's called a brush gun for a real reason, you should be down wind and in its path for this gun to earn its keep. p.s. onetime, you are not talking about the Savage 340 30/30 because it is a box mag 3 shot so no matter what load you use the bullet is spent and removed before the next one is in the barrel.

11-07-2007, 05:16 PM	#16
Big Dog Moderator Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Tallahassee, Florida Posts: 10,213	Most deer are taken here in my AO under 100 yards. The .30-30 is VERY popular. Lighter recoil, proven performance, good accuracy and cheaper ammo - what's not to like? I find I like shooting my M340 more than my Marlin 336 - I'm just a boltie guy at heart. They are pretty much equal in accuracy. __________________ Moderator of: AR15/M16, M14/M1A, New/Beginning Shooters and Militaria/Collectables.

11-07-2007, 07:23 PM	#18
rfc357 Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Posts: 741	I have experimented with pointed bullets in the .30-30, and have concluded they are not worth the trouble. If you load them to the same OAL as the flat points, you actually have less powder space, (bullet is longer) so lower velocity. If you load them longer, a 94 will not even feed one from the mag. If the 340 will allow you to load longer, go for it. Just don't expect a noticeable bump in performance. Now the way to juice up a .30-30 is to rechamber for the improved cartridge. Friend of mine has one (a 94) and it turns out almost .300 Savage ballistics. Or get a 7-Waters. I had a 340 in .222. Wish I still had it. It was dynamite on chucks, cheap scope, crummy trigger, and all. I paid 35 bucks for it in the late '60s. A .30-30 is what it is, a perfectly adequate deer cartridge.

11-07-2007, 08:46 PM	#19
Bravo Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Maine, USA Posts: 1,897	See, now I use ballistic tip bullets in my Marlin 336, and it feeds like a charm. It also holds 1.5 inch groups at 100 yards. Good enough for me I never though I would get that out of a 30-30