Caliber 30-30 use in Africa???

When Ray brought up using a 30-30 of his grand dad's in Africa for a safari, it got me to thinking about taking mine over there. Mine is also my grand dad's and think it would be awesome to hunt with that gun.

Are lever action rifles allowed into various countries of Africa?

What about the 30-30 for leopard? This would be in an "run over dogs" or bait situation so the shooting would be close. I know there are some very good 30-30 bullets out there and would think they would work nicely.

Or is this just a dream I'm having?:confused:

Heeler75, I think the biggest problem you will have is convencing a PH that the little 30-30 is Leopard medacine!

That being said, with the right bullet, and a good handload the 30-30 will take any leopard that ever lived with the right placement. However if that little bullet isn't placed perfectly, there will be a follow-up that PHs surely do not like. The leoaprd is a nasty little cat when wounded.

I'd take Grandpaw's little saddle rifle, and shoot a couple of warthogs, and an impala with it, and call it good. I'd use a better suited rifle for the leopard, with a good light gathering scope with a lighted reticle zeroed at the exact distance from hide to bait, or dead on at 25 yds for leopard behind dogs.

I understand you wanting to use the little rifle in Africa, and though you will not see the lever actions in Africa, there is no rule against them. It is just that they were never used there, so they were not ever sold there to the locals. Everyone in the USA is used to seeing lever guns all the time. I have several lever rifles in different chamberings, but never thought of takeing one to Africa. If you do take your's, take a lot of ammo for it, because the PH, and other staff will likely want to shoot it some! Just have fun with it!:D

Hi Heeler75,

I've killed quite a few mule deer and two elk with my Marlin 30-30 (was my Grandmother's so it is on a cut down stock and shorten barrel) so I guess it would be good enough for the plains games of Africa & I hope to have my son shoot it over in Namibia in a few years but I plan on backing up his shots with my 300 Win Mag.

I think the African plains animals have much better lungs that our local NA deer and elk so if you don't get a lung shot you may be tracking for quite a while. That said, if you keep the distances short and can place your shot the 30-30 should be enough gun (but keep your walking shoes handing just in case).

Good luck and good hunting with a legacy is really a kick!

Thanks guys for the observations/suggestions. Well, it's one of those "wild hair" thoughts I get from time to time. Don't know that I would end up taking it. I'm too scared to put that rifle on a plane. This 30-30 is a circa 1953 Model 94 and would absolutely kill me if something happened to it. Heck I went to New Mexico on a cougar hunt and drove all the way from KC, MO to Silver City, NM because I didn't want to put that gun on a plane. :D

...I considered taking my 30/30 model 94 to Africa on my last hunt but I was told they were illegal in South Africa!! That's what my PH told me.. Like I said I considered it but it didn't upset me. I have shot several deer with it & I think if the bullet is placed properly & correctly the 30/30 will do a marvelous job on darn near all plains game.
.. As far as leopard it probably would do the job, but if I had the choice bigger would be better!!

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Originally Posted by DUGABOY1

Heeler75, I think the biggest problem you will have is convencing a PH that the little 30-30 is Leopard medacine!

That being said, with the right bullet, and a good handload the 30-30 will take any leopard that ever lived with the right placement. However if that little bullet isn't placed perfectly, there will be a follow-up that PHs surely do not like. The leoaprd is a nasty little cat when wounded.

I'd take Grandpaw's little saddle rifle, and shoot a couple of warthogs, and an impala with it, and call it good. I'd use a better suited rifle for the leopard, with a good light gathering scope with a lighted reticle zeroed at the exact distance from hide to bait, or dead on at 25 yds for leopard behind dogs.

I understand you wanting to use the little rifle in Africa, and though you will not see the lever actions in Africa, there is no rule against them. It is just that they were never used there, so they were not ever sold there to the locals. Everyone in the USA is used to seeing lever guns all the time. I have several lever rifles in different chamberings, but never thought of takeing one to Africa. If you do take your's, take a lot of ammo for it, because the PH, and other staff will likely want to shoot it some! Just have fun with it!:D

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I know a couple of guys here in South Africa that hunt with the 30-30 lever action.

But they use it for small to medium game like warthog and impala.

Forget about using it for a leopard hunt. You need a bit more power behind the bullet to ensure a quick clean kill.

You do not want to wound a leopard trust me....

I've killed more game with a .30-30 rifle than anything else. That includes black bear and moose. But if and when I get to Africa I don't want anything less than a 30-06.

A very famous PH from Nevada, Cotton ?, names slips my mind but I knew the man well enough to have a few cups of coffee with him some years ago..

When he was a young man he talley oh,ed off to Africa and became a PH..His only gun for many years was a 32 Win. carbine..He killed all of Africas game with that gun..probably because he didn't know better..He later went to the big bores but alway insisted the 32 served him well..

I have shot most of the plainsgame with my grandads 30-30 trapper and those fairly heavey 170 gr. slow moving bullet penetrate very well indeed and they kill whatever you shoot with them if you stick the bullet in the right place. I know a lot of guys that have killed most African animals with a bow and even our American Indians knew a 30-30 beat the socks off a bow.

Quite a number of Africans have a 30-30 btw, and its fairly popular in So. Africa and I have seen a few in Zimbabwe.

Bush range hunting is short range for the most part, so Heeler, you will enjoy hunting with your granddads old 30-30.

Not wanting to hijack this thread but I would love to take either my model 71 in 348 my model 86 in 45-90. Either one would be fun but the fear factor of losing or damaging them traveling that far far overrides the fun factor for me. They have been in my family along time and the 86 was made in the late 80s early 90s and is in excellent shape. They have taken many elk and deer through the years. Either of these calibers would do a great job on plains game and be fun in Africa.

I know how you feel about possibly loosing a favorite rifle. I took an original Winchester 1886 in 45-70 (made in 1898) that my parents gave me for a graduation present in 1970, on a hunt in Namibia. Took a three horned Kudu and Cheetah with it. Had no problems with the airlines but I was glad to get it back home safe and sound!

This an old thread.

Since it is up I will weigh in, I don't like the 30-30 being called a little round, personally. It has accounted for A LOT of game and we all know it. I concede that if I were going half way across the world I would have to love the cartridge I was taking, and the 30-30 would be at the lower end of the list, but if i was wanting to take it I think it would be a fine round for plains game. Hornady advertises the 30-30 Winchester Hornady LeverEvolution Centerfire Rifle Cartridge, 160 Grain Evolution Ballistic Flex Tip Bullet, 2400 fps. seems pretty good for a little round. I would stick to plains game with it, shooting something that could bite, scratch or stomp you to death, it would not be my first choice. Then again i would rather have the 30-30 in hand when faced with a Leopard charge than a .222... Remember it is the man behind the rifle, if you are competent and effective with it, then hell, why not.

Now keep in mind that I have never seen a big cat so take this with a grain of salt.

I imagine that they are fairly thin skinned animals and just looking at them I would think if I were to be carrying my 30-30 trapper I would not be under gunned, I have shoot hundreds of pigs and feral cattle with my two 30-30 and a couple of Aussie Buff and the round has always performed well for me.

That being said I am thinking that I would take my Win Mod 71 chambered in 348 and then something bigger for other stuff.

I really like the 30-30 I was thinking a 150gr projectile would be a better choice than the 170gr just from what I have seen over here on pigs the 170gr just punches thru with little expansion but the 150gr leave a nice big exit hole when they come out. Am I missing something are these big cats tougher than they look ? I mean just looking at them I am thinking a 308 would be plenty of gun with a well placed shot.

I would tend to agree with everything you said, except I would recommend the 170 grain bullets and leave a blood trail, not that I doubt the 150 grain wouldn't work too. Like you said cats are not thick skinned or big boned and you are aiming for the lungs anyway.

Yeah I had a think about it and I am now thinking 170gr for the 30-30 just in case you run into something bigger.

250gr for the 348.

There seems to be a time and a place for a .30-30 and Africa doesn't quite seem like it. It's right at home in the northeast US deer woods but I can't conjure up any images of African campfires with model 94's and 336's for some reason.:D

I agree with Moosemike, the 30 30 is a grat round made in some handy packages, but the 30 30 in africa is like scoping a Model 94 can be done, just probably shouldn't.

There's a time and a place for eveything...the 30-30 had it's day and it's place is not in Africa. I'm sure it's killed plenty game over the years but it's heyday is long gone. I've heared the stories of all kinds of things being killed with a .22 long rifle but that doesn't mean it's the practical caliber under the circumstances. Why go to Africa undergunned?...go with the right gun/caliber. I am not by any means an experienced African hunter, but I would certainly not use a 30-30 on leopard or any of the medium/large plainsgame for that matter. Its terminal and exterior ballistics are just inferior to most other cartridges. I'm sure many will disagree with me on this, but that's my 2 cents on the subject.