The .30-30 Winchester/.30 Winchester Center Fire cartridge was first marketed
in early 1895 for the Winchester Model 1894 lever-action rifle. The .30-30, as
it is most commonly known, was the USA's first small-bore, sporting rifle
cartridge designed for smokeless powder. In Mexico and Latin America, it is known
as the treinta-treinta. Naming
The .30 Winchester Smokeless first appeared in Winchester's catalog No. 55,
dated August 1895. As chambered in the Winchester Model 1894 carbine and rifle,
it was also known as .30 Winchester Center Fire or .30 WCF. When the
cartridge was chambered in the Marlin Model 1893 rifle, rival gunmaker Marlin
used the designation .30-30 or .30-30 Smokeless. The added -30 stands for the
standard load of 30 grains of early smokeless powder, according to late-19th
century American naming conventions for black powder-filled cartridges. Both
Marlin and Union Metallic Cartridge Co. also dropped the Winchester appellation,
as they did not want to put the name of rival Winchester on their products.
The modern designation of .30-30 Winchester was arrived at by using
Marlin's variation of the name with the Winchester name appended as originator
of the cartridge, though .30 WCF is still seen occasionally. This
designation also probably serves to avoid consumer confusion with the
different, yet similarly shaped .30-40 Krag, which has been referred to as ".30
US" and ".30 Army". Characteristics and use
As originally produced by Winchester Repeating Arms and Union Metallic
Cartridge Company, it was manufactured with a "metal patched" lead bullet
weighing 160 gr. One year later, UMC produced a 170-gr bullet offering, which
is still the most popular loading for the cartridge. Both 150-gr and 170-gr
bullets continue to be very popular, as seen in the number of these weights
offered by current manufacturers, although the 160-gr bullet weight has
reappeared in modern cartridges from Hornady, as noted below. Jacketed
bullets for the .30-30 are .308 inches in nominal diameter. Cast lead bullets
for the .30-30 are also popular, and usually are dimensioned to .309 inches
in diameter for use in the .30-30. The .30-30 is considered to be the
"entry-class" for modern big-game hunting cartridges, and it is common to
define the characteristics of cartridges with similar ballistics as being in
".30-30 class" when describing their trajectory. While it is very effective
on deer-sized and black bear-sized game, most commercial loadings are limited in
effective range to about 200 yd for that purpose, except when using ballistic-tip
ammunition. The cartridge is typically loaded with bullets weighing between 150
and 170 gr, but lighter loads are possible. Bullets of up to 180 gr can be
used, but the overall length restrictions of the lever-action rifles
most commonly chambered for this round limit their usefulness.
In Canada and the U.S., the cartridge has also been used on moose, caribou,
and pronghorn. Modern opinions in Canada on its suitability for moose are mixed.
Paul Robertson, a Canadian hunting firearms columnist, says, "Too many
moose have been taken with the [.30-30] to rule it out as good for this purpose,
as well." In both Canada and the U.S. it has a long history of use on moose. It
is generally agreed that the .30-30 is not a good choice for hunters who wish
to shoot animals at longer ranges. The cartridge, with flat- or round-nosed
bullets, does not meet minimum energy standards required for moose hunting in
Finland, Norway, or Sweden. Hunting technique and style, as well as law and
culture, dictate cartridge choices. Thor Strimbold, a Canadian who has made more
than 20 one-shot kills on moose with a .30-30, advises most moose hunters to
use more than minimal power if they can handle the recoil. While the .30-30 is
legal for hunting moose in Newfoundland, Canada, game authorities do not
recommend its use. One of the primary reasons for the
.30-30's popularity amongst deer hunters is its light recoil. Average recoil from
a typical 150-gr load at 2,390 feet per second in a 7.5 lb rifle is 10.6
foot-pounds of felt recoil at the shooter's shoulder, about half that of a
comparable rifle chambered for the .30-06 Springfield.
Because the majority of rifles chambered in .30-30 are lever-action rifles with
tubular magazines, most .30-30 cartridges are loaded with round-nose or
flat-nose bullets for safety. This is to prevent a spitzer-point bullet from
setting off the primer of the cartridge ahead of it in the magazine during
recoil, resulting in potentially catastrophic damage to both firearm and
shooter. The Savage Model 99 was introduced in 1899 with a rotary
magazine, in part to avoid that issue. When used in single-shot rifles or
handguns, such as the Thompson Center Arms Contender or Encore series, it is
common for shooters to hand load the cartridge with spire-point bullets for
improved ballistics. A notable exception to the "no pointed
bullets" guideline for bullet selection in rifles with tubular magazines are the
new flexible "memory elastomer"-tipped LEVERevolution cartridges as produced by
Hornady. The soft tips of these bullets easily deform under compression,
preventing detonations while under recoil in the magazine, yet also return
to their original pointed shape when that pressure is removed, thus allowing
for a more efficient bullet shape than previously available to load safely in
such rifles. The more aerodynamic shape results in a flatter bullet trajectory
and greater retained velocity downrange, significantly increasing the effective
range of rifles chambered for this cartridge.
Rifles and handguns chambered in .30-30 The .30-30 is by far the most common
chambering in lever-action rifles such as the Winchester Model 1894, and the
Marlin Model 336. Some earlier Savage Model 99 rifles were chambered for this
cartridge, as well. Mossberg also came out with lever-action rifles in the
chambering, the Mossberg models 472, 479, and newer 464. One can also find
these Mossberg rifles under the brands of Western Field. The 472 was only
produced from 1970 to 1979, and the 479 until 1983 - both of which are rare and
often confused with the Marlin 336 due to their similar appearance. The Roy
Rogers edition has a gold trigger and butt plate, and Roy Rogers' signature on
the stock. Rossi of Brazil has recently started offering what is essentially a
clone of the Marlin 336 series in .30-30, as well. Winchester produced a
simplified and more economical version of their popular Model '94 through Sears
under the Ted Williams name, and through Western Auto under the Revelation label.
The rimmed design is also well suited for various single-shot actions, so it
is commonly found there, as well. Rimmed cartridges are chambered in bolt-action
rifles, but .30-30 bolt actions are uncommon today. “At one time Winchester
turned out the Model 54 bolt-action repeater in this caliber [.30 WCF], but
it was a decided failure, chiefly because the man desiring a bolt action
preferred to take one of the better and more powerful cartridges. However, in
this particular caliber, the .30 WCF cartridge proved to be decidedly
accurate.” In addition, rimmed cartridges typically do not feed well
with the box magazines normally found on bolt-action rifles. Other examples of
bolt-action rifles offered in .30-30 Winchester are the Stevens Model 325,
the Savage Model 340, the Springfield/Savage 840, and the
Remington 788. In the sport of handgun metallic
silhouette shooting, the .30-30 has been used. The Thompson Center Arms Contender
pistol, with its compact frame and break-action design, is available for
the .30-30 cartridge. The .30-30 will produce velocities of nearly 2000 f/s
out of the 10-in Contender barrel, though recoil and muzzle blast are
stronger due to the short barrel. The longer barrel results in significant
reductions in felt recoil and muzzle blast, with higher velocities,
especially if factory-loaded rifle ammunition is used. Magnum Research
offers their five-shot BFR revolver in .30-30.
Derivative cartridges In addition to the most common factory
derivations, the .25-35 Winchester, 6.5x52R, and the less well known .219
Zipper, the .30-30 has also spawned many wildcat cartridges over the years. One
example is the 7-30 Waters, made by necking the .30-30 case down to 7 mm.
The 7-30 Waters eventually moved from a wildcat design to a factory chambering,
with rifles being made by Winchester, and barrels made by Thompson/Center for
their Contender pistol. Other .30-30-based wildcats are used almost
exclusively in the Contender pistol. One of the more notable examples is the .30
Herrett, a .30-30 case necked back to reduce case capacity for more efficient
loading with fast-burning powders. The .30 Herrett produces higher velocities
with less powder than the larger .30-30 case in the short 10- and 14-in
Contender barrels. Other examples are the .357 Herrett, developed to handle
heavier bullets and larger game than the .30 Herrett, and the 7mm International
Rimmed, a popular metallic silhouette cartridge. Bullberry, a maker of custom
Contender barrels, offers proprietary .30-30 wildcats in 6 mm, .25 caliber,
and 6.5 mm diameters. In addition, P.O. Ackley used the cartridge as the basis
for the .30-30 Ackley Improved. See also
7 mm caliber Table of handgun and rifle cartridges
References External links
Chuck Hawks article on the .30-30 Leverguns.com history of the .30-30