"Weapons Expert" surprised by 30 carbine performance

[DaveHH]

Years ago I was watching a program on Polar Bears. One of the guys in the film was an Eskimo. He ventured out from his hut without a firearm and was caught by a full grown Polar Bear. As the bear was trying to get hold of the guy's head he remembered a thing that his grandfather had told him, specifically, a bear would not bite anything that was wider than his open mouth. As his grandfather had told him, he raised his forearm which was wider than the bear's open mouth and put it in front of his face, elbow down fist up. The bear was apparently confused by this and was turning his head side to side trying to fit this object into his mouth. While the bear was distracted, he kicked it with his leg. The bear jumped back and the Eskimo bolted for his cabin door. He closed the episode by saying that he had to get outside with his "Big Gun", a 30-30.

Anyone who's ever dressed a deer killed with a 30-30 knows the reality of what it can do. The carbine shot into the skull of a bear at close range kills it. Several well placed shots would definitely kill it. All 15 in the wrong places wouldn't kill it.

[browningautorifle]

a 30-30

Yep, I've done lots of that.

The carbines I always noticed hit the steel plates with serious wallop at 200 yds. Every bit as hard as other .30 cal bullets.

[Badger]

Sticky thread in the M1 Carbine Forum.

Infantry Weapons and their Effects (WWII and Korean era U.S. Training Films)

Regards,
Doug

[imarangemaster]

From what I have read, 30-30s are still very popular with the Inuit and Inupiat in Alaska and Canada who shoot deer, Elk, Moose, bear, seal, and wolves with the round.

[browningautorifle]

30-30s are still very popular

I have one in the locker right now, 1902 made '94 rifle, round barrel that started it's life right in this area. I wouldn't part with it, they work fine.

[imarangemaster]

I have a Marlin 336 30-30 in the safe. Dead accurate!

[painter777]

Zone 1: UP of Michigan
Zone 2: Upper Lower Michigan
In Zone 1 and 2: The Rifle Zones, 30-30, 30-06 and .308 among the top 5 here for Deer hunting.
It's said the 30-30 has taken the most deer in Michigan overall.
I still use my Marlin 336RC 'Waffle Top' when hunting above the rifle line.
Zone 3: Most use their Slug guns. I prefer my .50 Cal Muzzle loader longer reach, less drop.

Now older I admit to figuring the length of drag out before shooting.



Here was a bow kill. Lucky cause I didn't gun hunt that year.
Following year no kills bow hunting but during gun season I scored.
The 2 on the old couch behind the barn were shot with the muzzle loader. Shot the one on the left first right next to my yardage marker 175yrds. Reloaded and walked over to tag it when the one on the right stepped out of the tree line about 65 yrds away. 2 tags filled in 15 minutes and the great part was I could drive our old Gimmy right to them !!

Excuse the PB Adds....



Year later:

[browningautorifle]

Did you poke 'em as they were crawlin' out of that sofa Charlie?

[painter777]

If I could add 1 more picture.
I would always take 'My Little Crippled Buddy' out for a day or two if he was up for it. He was injured in Vietnam and Wheelchair dependent, I built a special ramped hunters blind that was 6' off the ground but he could still wheel up in to. Had a small wood stove with a cook top made up for it by the local farm equipment repair shop guys. So we always had a pot of something and coffee ready. Also hooked up a 12 volt battery to run lights and a converter to charge field radios. Had bought a older beat up GMC Gimmie that used more oil than gas. You had to laugh at the smoke rising above the tree tops when seeing it from across the farm chugging down a trail. I'd get him in it and bungee his chair on the tailgate. He'd get his whole deer processed in to jerkey and burger. He lived alone so even a small deer would last him a long time, he'd save some jerkey for our spring perch trip. Most of the time I'd be across the farm and with him being in the lofted blind he'd call out what and where he was seeing deer. One day while we were both in there trying to avoid the freezing rain this small buck stepped out from the side of 'The Scuttle Buck Lodge'. It stepped right in front of the main shooting window, looking away giving us a good look at it's rear end. Too hard to swing his long barreled slug gun around he pulled his Beretta .32 Auto and shot it in the back of the head. That was about a 8'-9' shot. It face planted right there A$$ up. Man I can still hear him laughing. I stepped out to tag it and drag it farther away from the shanty to gut it when he chirped out to take my muzzle loader. He was handing it out the window and telling me to look towards the Hickory trees. Before I could tag his for him I drew down on this other one pictured. We had a good day. I was able to get both deer in the Gimmie and his Wheelchair tied to the top. We still laugh about that day. Even though a Tornado hit the blind leaving only the posts in the ground.

[painter777]

Did you poke 'em as they were crawlin' out of that sofa Charlie?

They'd been hanging in the barn. He had a buddy that came by to pick them up to process at his shop. Ended up nailing them on the side of the barn for that sun bleached look.
That old couch was shot up with a Thompson and IIRC a Uzi. Short bursts......... then stow the arms and go back to bench or skeet. Neighbors about 1-1/4 mile away thought every boom was illegal. So every now and then we'd send them a little serenade to welcome them to the country. Types that bought an acre but thought they run the county. Every time they'd call the police it would be 1 of the 2 or 3 County LEO's that my buddy did Smith work for back in his working days. Sometimes they'd pull something from their trunk and take a few shots.


SORRY IRM, I was on a roll. Didn't mean to get your Topic so Off Topic !