.30-30 as a calling gun

C

capstick

New member
I have started calling for coyote with no success so far but am not discouraged yet. My weapon is the only centerfire I have which is a Marlin .30-30 with a 3x9 scope. I am not sure how this will work for coyote but I think it will do okay especially with the new Leverevolution ammo that has came out. I had to make a decision as I had a little money burning a hole in my pocket so I passed on getting a new gun with a more predator acceptable caliber and ordered a foxpro 416 instead. Man am I taking the abuse from my friends on not getting a better gun instead. They ask me what am I going to do when I call in a yote? Swing my slow shootin' gun at it /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grinning-smiley-006.gif Hopefully I will come across a used gun later on and be set but for now it is the ol .30-30.
 
Welcome to the board capstick! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/ooo.gif

Your 30-30 will work just fine. Most called coyotes are shot at pretty short ranges.

Jack
 
Welcome to PM capstick.

I have several very fine (and expensive) rifles. I will still sometimes take my Marlin 30-30 with peep sights, just for grins. It works great.

Leon
 
Your Marlin 30-30 will put down every Coyote that comes within 100 yards if you do your part. The 30-30 was killing Coyotes long before the 22 centerfires entered the game.
 
I think I will do okay as I live in an area that is pretty well populated with coyotes. I have a friend that is going to take me out and give me some pointers. Nobody around here calls for coyotes they run them with trucks which I have done in the past but didn't really care for it. If you have never been on a coyote chase with a truck it is quite an experience. Little too wild for me though.
 
You guys are making me look bad. I have been tryiing to convince one of my hunting partners that he HAS to get a good coyote gun, but he insists on using his Marlin 30-30. I hope he doesn't read this, LOL.

Seriously though, you'll do fine with that. If you can hit a watermelon at 100, you can hit a coyote.
 
As Jack said above, most called coyotes are shot at fairly short ranges. Someone above mentioned your .30-30 would put down every coyote that comes within 100 yards, I'd double that if you know anything about trajectory and how your rifle shoots. BTW, there are 125 grain hollowpoints in factory loaded form and they should make especially good coyote fodder if your rifle shoots them accurately. And, hides don't make much difference to you... /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif
 
When you start taking them with the 30-30 and your buddies aint gettin anything see whos laughing then.When the 30-30 blows a quarter size hole all the way through and they have a splash or something then you can laugh and ask them why there pee shooter with warp speeds just makes the ole yote mad.I lke my 223 ,243 and 204 but have always wanted a 30-30 and just may have to get one.That gun with a low power scope will gettem real good so just keep on goin at it and sucess will come soon.
Daryl P.
 
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You and your 30-30 will do just fine. Far to many people put to much stock into a LONG RANGE rifle and don't hone their hunting skills. truth is, a lot of time the best weapon isn't a rifle at all, it's a 12 guage.
 
I use a Savage 340 bolt action 30-30 loaded with 125 grain bullets and it will knock down the song dogs with the best of them out to 200 yards and a little further...I have a fixed 6 scope and its fine...I am looking forward to the .243 getting coyotes...but the 30-30 has already proven itself
 
hello..i wouldn't worry about using your 30-30..we as a hunting society it seems are "hell bent" on firing laser round's at coyote's...why has the 30-30 been killing deer "forever"...as mentioned most called coyote's are fairly short range shot's anyway...
 
I've heard good things about the new Hornady "Leverevolution" ammo... supposedly allows you to stretch the 'ol deerslayer out there a bit more?
 
Capstick you'll do fine with the 30-30 and your friends that don't have callers will be envious of you and want to hunt with you.

Str8 Shooter

The Hornady Leverevolution Ammo isn't going to do as much for you as the Hornady Hype would like you to believe. At 30-30 ranges the better BC of that bullet isn't what I'd call significant. If you don't believe me run the numbers through a ballistics calculator using a realistic range for the gun which is well short of 300 yards.
 
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Capstick what part of Ks are you in? I used to hunt yotes with an lod H&R hadi rifle in 30-30, they work just fine if you aren't worried about the pelts.I have beenyote chaseing too and it is a bit to much for me as well, your much better served as a sprotsman with sitting and calling them.
I think Remington used to make what was called an excellerator for the 30-30 it was a sabotted bullet I think in 22 caliber that has a sort of sleve fitted to it so it could contact 30 cal rifleings they made them in 308,30-06 and I think in 30-30. But I haven't seen any in a long time. and they had a bad reputation for long range accuracy.
When you can afford one i would suggest something in the 25-06 243 or 270 flavor as these will do double duty on coyotes and deer. Or you may want to just go the a 30-06 since that will do anything in North America
 
When I was cowboying in the 70's and 80's I carried a Model 94 .30-30 in my truck as a coyote rifle for nearly seven years until I was told it wasn't a good choice. I never had a problem with the rifle or the round... it would have been nice if it had a scope. Frankly, I'd extend effective distance out to 150 yards for a .30-30 even with open sights and with a scope I'd say it is a good 200 yard coyote getter.
 
Hell, the 30-30 will work just fine for close-in shots. I used my Model 92 Rossi in 45 Colt a few years back to take a few dogs. Pelts were not too bad after each shot. Fox shot front to back even turned out pretty good. Definitely "DOG DOWN"!.....JOHN
 
You guys are inspiring me to break out one of my lever guns. I'm a little .30-30 rich in my gun collection, 1954 model 94, 1974 model 94, and a 1970's model 336. All are guns passed to me by my father and father in law, so they really don't get too much hunting time anymore. Really a shame if you think about it.

In the right hands I'm sure the .30-30 will take a coyote out to some pretty good yardages. Also, I'm sure the .30-30 caliber has racked up more kills over the decades than most any other caliber (besides .30-06).
 


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