would you shoot?

You are in a ground blind 300 yds away from a nice sized South Carolina Whitetail. You have a scoped Marlin XLR 30-30 in your hands loaded with leverevolution ammo. you have a solid rest. Do you take the shot? If so what is your point of aim?
I didn't shoot. Just curious what others would do.

I would have shoot only if I knew where to hold the gun, because at 300 yards there is quite a drop. If you sighted the gun 3 inches heigh at 100 yds, you would be 12 inches low at 300 yds, it you were using 160 grain bullets. Velocity 1699 ft/sec, 1025 ft/lbs. at 300 yds.

300 yards and a 30-30, Not a shot for me.

3006 no worries not a 30 30 but .
the leverevolution is the good round though,many hound hunters use them on samba deer in oz

Originally Posted by TerryR

I didn't shoot.

Good call . I wouldn't have shot either.

I'm not afraid of a shot twice that far under the right conditions with the right equipment, but with that set up, I'd have to be very well prepared for that situation.

I do have an old Marlin in that caliber that I bought off a kid a long, long time ago. First high powered rifle that I ever bought, in fact. He somehow let it go off in his parents home and his mama made him sell it. Paid $100 for it and you couldn't get it off me for nothin' now. It shoots plenty accurate and has the killing power for deer at 300.

Anyway, EVERY single thing would have to be picture perfect, which it seldom if ever is so... I'd not likely shoot.

Of course, that's why you will likely never catch me in a situation like that... I'll have the proper tool for the job almost all the time, if given the opportunity.

bottom line is, you weren't positively sure about taking the shot and didn't, so you did the right thing good man.

Originally Posted by TerryR

You are in a ground blind 300 yds away from a nice sized South Carolina Whitetail. You have a scoped Marlin XLR 30-30 in your hands loaded with leverevolution ammo. you have a solid rest. Do you take the shot? If so what is your point of aim?
I didn't shoot. Just curious what others would do.

If I had practiced with the rifle at that range and it was actually accurate to that range, perhaps. I've shot that far and further at smaller Coues deer, but it was with my 7mm magnum and at that range I'd hold dead on because I've sighted it in that way.

It doesn't seem from your question that you knew your gun well enough to say and as such made what I'd say was the right decision to not shoot.

Well, it does raise the question: If you are in a blind (i.e.predictable environment) and have visibility out to 300 yards, what are you doing with a .30-30? For me, leverevlution or not, that is strictly a bush rifle. No offense meant, I really am curious. Not being American, I am not so hung up on this caliber. I have one that I got initially for NZ bush, but all I use it for today is as my "Big Rifle" in Western Action Shooting.

This was the the first day of my hunt and the the zero of my 30-06 was off, checked it the evening before when we arrived in camp, so I took my back up rifle the 30-30 which I knew was on. Usually the deer come in closer than that,in 10 years of hunting there I have only had a couple of shots longer than 100 yds, so I felt confident with the 30-30. I never really considered the shot. I would have taken a 200 yd shot, but not 300. Re zeroed the 30-06 after the morning hunt and never saw a shooter. That's why they call it hunting. Still I enjoyed the hunt.

Thanks, Terry. I'm glad you enjoyed the hunt anyway.

Originally Posted by TerryR

This was the the first day of my hunt and the the zero of my 30-06 was off, checked it the evening before when we arrived in camp, so I took my back up rifle the 30-30 which I knew was on. Usually the deer come in closer than that,in 10 years of hunting there I have only had a couple of shots longer than 100 yds, so I felt confident with the 30-30. I never really considered the shot. I would have taken a 200 yd shot, but not 300. Re zeroed the 30-06 after the morning hunt and never saw a shooter. That's why they call it hunting. Still I enjoyed the hunt.

You made a really good call. Most lever guns are not MOA rifles. Let's say you typically get 1.5 to 2 inch groups out of that rifle off the bench at 100 yards. At 300 you are now adding an additional 6 inches (in any direction) to the hold-over challenge of that looping trajectory. A fifty yard over or under estimate of range means another 4 inches up or down. Hitting the deer is one thing - hitting the eight-inch square which represents the vitals is another. Absolutely the right call.

And there is nothing wrong with not having the perfect technical solution for every shot. I like hunting with certain weapons because I enjoy the challenge or their beauty more than their efficiency. My Evans Paradox won't help me very much with a 200 yard shot, but gosh it is an elegant thing to take to the woods.

Originally Posted by BRICKBURN

300 yards and a 30-30, Not a shot for me.

Nor me.

You made the right call for sure.
If you hesitate about taking a shot, don't take it.

And I totally agree. 300 yards with a 30-30 is a shot I would never consider to take myself.

Originally Posted by Red Leg

And there is nothing wrong with not having the perfect technical solution for every shot. I like hunting with certain weapons because I enjoy the challenge or their beauty more than their efficiency. My Evans Paradox won't help me very much with a 200 yard shot, but gosh it is an elegant thing to take to the woods.

Red leg nicely put

With that equipment under those circumstances, I would not have made the shot. Maybe with a .30-06 or .308 if the circumstances are are right, but not with a .30-30.
I think you made the right decision.

if I have the dope on the rifle...yep

I think it all comes down to you being a real hunter, not knowing wheather the setup is right for the shot made you not take it.
Put a shooter behind the same setup 9/10 he would have tried a shot and most posibly just wounded the animal.

Real hunters know when to let it go.
If you cant kill it with your first shot, dont take it

Fully agree with Gerrit.

me, if i was in america and using my 30-30, i would use that thing i have heard of called kentuckey windage, and would use that magic sh-t to shoot at whatever distance i wanted to,.... but only in the usa, cos it probably doesnt travel......

::