Spend money or save money ? ?

[Ben]

I looked at a Ruger American 300 AAC today.

I was thinking of buying it and putting it away for my grandson to target practice with and deer hunt with here in AL. He would be shooting cast bullets at 1,400 - 1,600 fps. Won't be very long until he is 15 - 16 yrs. old.

As far as firearms safety is concerned, it won't get too much simpler than a break open Handi. Obviously firearms safety is a MAJOR concern of mine for my grandson.

I got to thinking that there wasn't much he could do with the 300 AAC that he can't already do with the Handi - 30-30 Win.
I have over 1,000 pieces of once - fired 30-30 Win. brass. Shooting this brass with mild cast bullet loads and never dropping a case on the ground, this supply should last a couple of lifetimes.

I talked myself out of the buy.
How do you see it with the two different calibers for what I want to accomplish with my grandson ?

Here is the Accurate 212 gr. cast bullet that Tom Ellis designed for me recently.

Here the bullet is being shot out of my Handi Rifle , chambered in 30-30 Win.

 

[Will]

Ben your thinking way to rationally.

There’s really not much difference in what they can do other than shooting heavy subsonics in the blackout which I’m not sure the 30-30 will allow you to do.

I have a Ruger American in 300 blackout that shoots great. I have no purpose for the rifle but it’s fun to shoot.

One day if I decide to quit being a tight wad and buy a suppressor the Ruger would definitely be quiet.

 

[Ben]

Thanks for your comments.
The suppressor thing isn't on my radar screen right now.

Ben

 

[Brad]

Wait a second, let me get this straight.

You came here to ask US to talk you OUT of buying a new rifle?

 

[Ben]

I want the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth............

 

[Brad]

Get the 300.
Simple to load for. Small capacity made for small charges. So simple to get good loads.

In time a 115-130 gr bullet at 1800-2000 would be good for deer hunting too.

 

[KHornet]

Hard to beat the tried and true old 30-30 for a youngster.
Good one to teach a youngin how to reload via 310 tool
also, for appreciation of the whole process.

Paul

 

[Will]

I have to agree with Brad on the easy to load for.

For me it seems like when I get to about 95-100% case fill with 1680 or H110 the groups tighten up and standard deviations get very low.

Don’t have pics of cast groups but here is a pic of a 12 shot group at 100yds using 125gr ballistic tips and AA1680. This group was shot pretty fast maybe 10 seconds between shots minus mag loading time.

I was just burning through this ammo Dad gave me so I would have some empty brass.

 

[Ian]

Ben, it's a no-brainer. Stick with .30-30. The .30-30 will do MORE than the blackout will do, the only advantage of the BLK to a cast bullet hand loader is that they make AR-15s so chambered, and a few other .223-based platforms that some people like.

.30-30 will shoot heavier bullets, faster, and at lower pressure than the BLK can. Both can launch 250-grainers at 1K fps with aplomb. Both can be very accurate. Both are easy to load for. If you are not planning on a suppressed, semi-auto, stick with the .30-30.

 

[Ben]

Thanks Ian.

Ben

 

[fiver]

I have 2 of one and 4-5of the other.
the 30-30 has been bunny hunting and deer hunting, the 300 has been ground squirrel and rock chuck hunting.
I wouldn't hesitate to take the 300 deer hunting anyplace I would take the 30-30,
but my chances at the smaller stuff with the 30-30 would surely be in their favor.

 

[RicinYakima]

The cost of the rifle will buy your grandson a life time supply of primers and powder for the 30/30, so he can practice.

 

[358156 hp]

Ben, it's a no-brainer. Stick with .30-30. The .30-30 will do MORE than the blackout will do, the only advantage of the BLK to a cast bullet hand loader is that they make AR-15s so chambered, and a few other .223-based platforms that some people like.

.30-30 will shoot heavier bullets, faster, and at lower pressure than the BLK can. Both can launch 250-grainers at 1K fps with aplomb. Both can be very accurate. Both are easy to load for. If you are not planning on a suppressed, semi-auto, stick with the .30-30.

I couldn't say it any better than Ian already has.

 

[Ben]

After reading everyone's comments, I've about decided that I did the right thing today by " walking ".

Many Thanks,
Ben

 

[uncle jimbo]

At the expense of sounding like a smart a**. Buy them both, spend the spring and summer shooting both and then make a education decision about which one you like the best. Sell the other one if you need to or want to. My guess is you will have a hard time selling if you like it.

I want the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth............

 

[fiver]

it is hard to explain a round that takes over at the low end of another one.
the 30-30 doesn't do anything you can't do with a 308 and then again the 308 doesn't cover any ground the 0-6 doesn't cover.
but here we are.

 

[KHornet]

Well said fiver! Thanks to the marketing of the
gun makers we have at times to many choices.

Paul

 

[Pistolero]

Not a giant fan of the break action rifles, but they are definitely safe, and there is
nothing that a .300 BLK will do that a .30-30 won't do better, other than fit into a
M16/AR15 magazine.

You made the right choice, IMO. I have an AR in .300 BLK, but that is only because
I have a suppresor for it.

Bill

 

[Ian]

The 300 Blackout is a delightful little cartridge, very versatile, surprisingly capable, accurate, very cast bullet "friendly", and I have now built three rifles in that chambering and run many thousands of rounds through them in recent years. However, the Blackouts haven't caused much dust fall on my three .308 rifles or my five 30-30s, and I wouldn't miss them at all if it weren't for my fondness for the AR-15 platform (in calibers other than the usual one), the advent of the 80% lower receiver, and especially my NFA trust.

 

[Uncle Grinch]

Ben, I think you made the right choice, at least in my opinion. Both the 30-30 and the Handi Rifle are time proven and are hard to beat. The real reason for my opinion is the picture you posted. Great pic, but there’s something about that plastic mag opening and plastic trigger guard that just screams “NO” to me. That probably tells a lot about me... I don’t own any plastic, synthetic, or polymer firearms. No AR’s either. My only semi is a Garand. Not to say I haven’t purchased or tried them, I just didn’t care for them.
Short story.. I think you made the right choice.