In the world of deer cartridges, the .30-30 Winchester is an old king.
This early smokeless powder cartridge still is going strong.
Larry Potterfield of Midway USA inducts the .30-30 Winchester cartridge into the Hall of Fame.
Way back in 1895, a new cartridge came out, using smokeless powder instead of black powder: the famous .30-30 Winchester cartridge.
With a .30 caliber bullet and 30 grains of early smokeless powder, this cartridge caught on like wildfire. The Winchester Model 1894 lever-action rifle was the catalyst for this rifle ammunition's fame. Deer and bear hunters quickly took notice.
The Winchester Model 94 became the go-to rifle for deer hunters where shots were within 200 yards or less. At those distances, the blunt-nose .30-30 proved deadly for big-game hunting.
The blunt- or round-nose bullets are necessary for tubular magazines commonly found in Winchester lever guns. It's still a force to be reckoned with for big game, and it's certainly enough gun for black bears with a careful shot. With modern hot loads now available from the Hornady Leverevolution load, this cartridge has a new life. Whether your lever gun of choice is the Marlin Model 336, the Winchester 94 or something by Henry Arms, the .30-30 is simply an American classic.
Larry Potterfield of Midway USA has taken the .30-30 Winchester into consideration and decided to add it to his Cartridge Hall of Fame. The .30-30 cartridge's popularity is set to continue for another hundred years without a problem.
Do you like articles about the outdoors? Click here to view more articles by Eric Nestor. You can follow him @ericthewoodsman on Twitter, The Classic Woodsman on Facebook, and @theclassicwoodsman on Instagram. You can view more Nestor Photography photos at Nestor Photography.
NEXT: 7 TIPS FOR BUYING A NEW HUNTING RIFLE
