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Originally Posted by taylorce1
I don't think any of us doubt that a .30-30 can be used beyond 100 yards but realistically after 150 yards the power and trajectory really begin to fall off. The power is the biggest factor for me because if you know how the rifle shoots you can compensate for trajectory. I feel that the .30-30 is truly at home in the dark woods where most shots will be limited to around 100 +/- yards.
Look at your own statement and you will see what I'm talking about. You have to zero for 170 to get an extra 30 yards out of the rifle. It drops roughly 3" in 70 yards past 100 and after 170 you drop 3" in 30 yards, that is quiet an accelerated rate. Used within it's limitations the .30-30 Win is a fine deer rifle that can even be used for elk.
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For the .243 to maximize point blank range (pbr) for a 6" vital zone you zero it a 250 yards to get a pbr of 295 yards, so it's dropping 3" in 45 yards.
With the 160gr LeverEvolution ammo and a spire tip on the 30-30 sighted for 3" high at 100 yards it is still .2" high at 200 yards and only down 12" at 300 where it still has over 1000 ft-lbs of energy, as does the .243 at that range. The original 30-30 load I had the trajectory for still has slightly more energy at 375 yards than a .357 does at the muzzle. There is no doubt that the .243 is much flatter shooting and is a fine caliber but out to 200 yards (250 with the right ammo) in actual use both guns can just be aimed and shot with no need to adjust hold-over for the distance.
My point was that even though he said most of the expected shots she would be taking would be within 120 yards she would be in no way hindered by the 30-30 should a longer shot present itself. This made the choice not one of caliber but of platform.
I don't own either of these calibers so I am not trying to play one over the other, I just don't want to see the 30-30 discounted so quickly for longer range work, where it still has plenty of power to do the job should the occasion call for it.