30-30 in Africa

[tarbe]

Some guys choose to stalk plainsgame with bows. I’ve heard it is very hard but folks do it. I would love to give it a go in good stalking country with my .30/30, but when an African adventure is a big reach financially, I prefer to use a scoped bolt-action with more reach. If money and time were no object, for me, sure...

Agree!

Not for everyone...but bowhunting Africa on foot isn't for everyone either.

For those who are willing to live with the restrictions hunting with such a rifle would impose, I say go for it!

Use a 170gr Nosler Partition round nose or a Nosler E-Tip 150gr. Make sure you don't go overboard on range or species.

I plan to take a 45-70 loaded with 405gr Woodleigh Weldcores (at around 1,900 fps) for the Eland portion of my August '19 hunt in the BVC. Yes, I will be limiting myself regarding range, but we all make choices that impact our hunting options.


Tim

 

[Britt Beck]

Has it's place just not Afraica.

 

[Lee M]

I know a lot of hunters who used .30/30 and 35 Rem in PA for deer and bear. Shots are frequently 50-75 yards or less. At those ranges I honestly believe most plains game could be taken cleanly. It would just take away opportunities of med to long range and therefor isn’t a good all around choice. But at 50 yards there are not many PG that it wouldn’t work well on. Particularly a big 200 grain RN pill from a .35 Rem. Great memories from my Rem pump .35 Rem. First rifle for me passed down from my grandfather.

 

[BenKK]

Has it's place just not Afraica.

Wally Johnson might disagree.

My .30/30 has killed four or five big buffalo bulls here in the NT... and then there’s the big boars, bull camels, scrub bull, etc.

 

[IvW]

The only lever action I would take to Africa would be 45-70. My wife and I had a riding safari in Botswana totally wild with tented camps and both the guides had Marlin 45-70,s. We could have had difficult encounters with elephant, lion, hippo ect..
Markcz

And you would have been in deep s..t if one of those decided to invade the party with guides armed with lever 45-70's!

 

[IvW]

THINK SOME OF THE OLD TIMERS WOULD HAVE LOVED TO HAD A '94 30-30 TO WORK WITH. WE HUNT WITH BOWS, CROSSBOWS, PISTOLS, MUZZLELOADER, SPEARS, ETC., IF IT PLEASES YOU, GO FOR IT. BUFFALO BORE LOADS A 150 GRAIN TSX @ 2350 THAT SHOULD HAMMER ANYTHING WITHIN REASON THAT YOU WANT HAMMERED.

I would be very cautions of that combination in a lever gun even with the tipped variety, could be a one shot affair and a lever gun in pieces.

 

[fsrmg1]

Don't listen to a the gun snobs, take it if you want to, that way you'll get more personal satisfaction. Just use it as it was intended for and on the appropriate sized amimal within its capability.

I'm sure you already know about the value of using good peep sights, premium ammo and lots of field condition practice.

 

[SETH RINGER]

I would be very cautions of that combination in a lever gun even with the tipped variety, could be a one shot affair and a lever gun in pieces.

I would be very cautions of that combination in a lever gun even with the tipped variety, could be a one shot affair and a lever gun in pieces.

NOT AN UNTRIED HAND-LOAD, COMMERCIALLY AVAILABLE, TESTED & LABELED " SAFE TO USE IN ANY/ALL 30-30 CHAMBERED FIREARMS IN NORMAL OPERATING CONDITION". BIG FAN OF BUFFALO-BORE AMMUNITION!

 

[crs]

Why do some folk continue to call it a "stunt" when a hunter uses any tool other than a scoped modern big bore rifle?

Let the hunters use what they want so long as it is legal. Pistols, spears, knives ( yes some folk attack and kill wild boars with such primitive tools).

A very experienced acquaintance who killed more than a dozen leopards settled on the lever action .45-70 as his favorite leopard rifle. Had tried all the popular rifles and shotguns, but finally chose that rifle as his favorite. No, he was never injured by a leopard or any of the wild beasties he took.

 

[tarbe]

I would be very cautions of that combination in a lever gun even with the tipped variety, could be a one shot affair and a lever gun in pieces.

Barnes makes a 150gr TSX flat nose HP specifically for the lever guns.

If I was home I’d attach a picture.

 

[mdwest]

Why do some folk continue to call it a "stunt" when a hunter uses any tool other than a scoped modern big bore rifle?

Trophy Quest named their episode "Squirrel Gun in Africa".. and the show starts with the guy making fun of himself for being a redneck and wanting to purposely take an under powered gun and cartridge to South Africa to see how it would hold up to PG..

Calling it a "stunt" isn't a hack at the hunter..

I actually agree with you.. if its legal, and you can hunt with it ethically and humanely.. then by all means, its your $$$.. spend it how you see fit.. and do what you want..

That said, clearly the purpose of the episode titling and the opening couple of minutes of dialogue were designed to draw your attention to something not common or ordinary, and meet the definition requirements of "stunt"...

Websters definition of "Stunt": an unusual or difficult feat requiring great skill or daring; especially : one performed or undertaken chiefly to gain attention or publicity

 

[tarbe]

Calling it a "stunt" isn't a hack at the hunter..

Websters definition of "Stunt": an unusual or difficult feat requiring great skill or daring; especially : one performed or undertaken chiefly to gain attention or publicity

Honestly, if someone called my hunting Eland with my 45-70 a stunt, it is that last sentence of Webster’s definition that would raise my blood pressure....

Is all of our hunting with bow, handgun, muzzle loader or vintage equipment for attention or publicity?

I don’t think anyone here believes that.

This is why I think the word “stunt” should be left out of the discussion.

Tim

 

[mdwest]

The only time the word stunt was used prior to @crs finding it objectionable was when it was used to describe what a television personality did... which was clearly an intentional "stunt"..

I wouldnt hesitate to shoot an eland with a 45-70.. I dont think throwing a 300gr projectile 2200 fps into an eland requires any more skill or daring than putting a 180gr projectile at 2700fps (.30-06).. in fact, I think the 45-70 is probably the better option.. even though people hunt eland routinely with .30-06..

and if you werent hunting eland with a questionable round for the expressed purpose of drawing attention to yourself, I wouldnt think it would qualify as a "stunt" on those grounds either..

 

[CAustin]

Take your 30-30, along with something a bit larger, and have an enjoyable hunt. Use that 30-30 where you can get in close and go for it. Shot placement as always will be critical. It’s your hunt and a good PH will get you in closer to use that rifle and make great memories for yourself.

I’ve had people tell me that my 45-70 Marlin lever action was not good enough for bigger plains game or DG. I took it on my first safari and had a lot of fun having it with me. I intended to use it on close shots in the brush. As it happened most shots were longer and in the clear. So my son and I ended up using the 300 winmag. But that lever would have worked just fine and the other folks in camp including the PH were impressed with the gun and not the least bit concerned with me using it. One PH picked the rifle up and with permission shot it and hit the target bulls eye at 100 yards. By the way I was contacted just yesterday by that PH who had concluded a Cape buffalo hunt with a client Monday. That client used his Marlin 45-70 lever action rifle to take his Cape Buffalo. The PH was reminded of me as it was the same model rifle I brought along on my first safari in 2013.
One can use a lot of rifle combinations in Africa as long as you hit what you aim for and know where to aim in the first place. As always listen to the Professional Hunter.

 

[edward]

TOOK A LIONESS WITH MY .45-70 A COUPLE WEEKS AGO, PH SAID I GOT SHORT CHANGED, NO LEAP IN THE AIR, NO ROAR, JUST COLLAPSED TO THE SHOT.

2007 i got my lioness with spear safaris,shooting my lion with my scope sighted contender in 45-70.big roar,big flip and off to the bush about 35 yards.took 4 of us to carry her out on a stretcher,300 + lbs.as a side,best white meat we ever had.

 

[JakeH]

The .30-30 has taken countless whitetail, elk, moose, and bear here in North America with plain Jane cup and core bullets for 123 years now. To assume that it would somehow fail on African game is simply ludicrous. Pick quality ammo; Federal offers it loaded with both a 170gr Partition and a 150gr Trophy Copper bullet while Buffalo Bore offers a 190gr flat nose and a 150gr TSX, and keep your shots within 150-200yds and you’ll bring home trophies.

It’s probably not what I would take, but if you know your gun then go for it.

 

[flat8]

I think it depends on what kind of territory you will be hunting. During my one and only hunting trip to Africa, we hunted fairly open country and my shots ranged from 100 to 300 yards. I personally wouldn't be comfortable with a .30-30 if I went back, but that's me. But if you like the gun and know what it can do - and more importantly know what it can't do and are willing to pass on animals because of that, why not?

 

[Art Lambart II]

Hunting Warthog with a 30-30 in the Limpopo Bushveld would be a blast, great fun for you and your PH. Hunting a waterhole from a bow blind would allow you take your time and pick your shot. However, Africa is truly the land of opportunity for a hunter and is best experienced on your feet. That being said most of those opportunities occur at odd angles and distances and may require more penetration than the 30-30 can provide. If you want to hunt with a classic cartridge try the 7x57 with a 175 grain bullet, I know your PH will be happier and so will you.

 

[crs]

Tarbe said that he is taking his .45-70 and 405 grain Woodleigh Weldcore to AFRICA.

The buff just to the left of this post was taken with a Miroku made Winchester Model 1895 LEVERACTION rifle in .405 WCF with a 400 grain .411 Weldcore bullet. It penetrated from the rearmost left rib, through the internals, the heart and out between the front legs and was not recovered. Another clean kill from an old fashioned, wimpy lever action rifle.

 

[Dr Ray]

BenKK sums it up perfectly.