scoped 30-30 or open 303

[new hunter]

Planning an early season alpine hunt with a buddy.
He has pretty much nothing , and a have a suspicion that he'll need to borrow a rifle if he comes .
I have 3 spares , ones an sks , so its more like 2 .
One is a scoped 30-30 that I havent had the best luck with , but I've started reloading for it so I think I'll be able to get it to print better groups .
The other is an old beater 303 that pops milk jugs past 100yrds just fine , if it throws 150grns .
I'll be packing my 06 , once I resight it ( sadly , I dropped it last season , freaking emberassing to say the least ) which is also scoped .
My first thought was to get buddy to take the 303 , for the extra punch should we have a bear issue , as unlikely as that is .
But the 303 seems to jam up every once in a while , the bolt guide slips out of its rail and stops the bolt from closing .
Doesnt happen very often , but once is enough if its the wrong time .
Ive never had an issue with the 30-30 jamming , but I wasnt able to sight in the scope for the longest time ( bad rings and mounts ) , and it didnt shoot great past 50 yrds with Irons ( its probably me , but I can make a drum tobbaco can dance past 100 with my sks , corrosive ammo and Irons , so maybe not ).
Buddy will be right next to me and the 06 for this trip , but if you were planning it , what would you take as the 2nd gun ?

[horshur]

Planning an early season alpine hunt with a buddy.
He has pretty much nothing , and a have a suspicion that he'll need to borrow a rifle if he comes .
I have 3 spares , ones an sks , so its more like 2 .
One is a scoped 30-30 that I havent had the best luck with , but I've started reloading for it so I think I'll be able to get it to print better groups .
The other is an old beater 303 that pops milk jugs past 100yrds just fine , if it throws 150grns .
I'll be packing my 06 , once I resight it ( sadly , I dropped it last season , freaking emberassing to say the least ) which is also scoped .
My first thought was to get buddy to take the 303 , for the extra punch should we have a bear issue , as unlikely as that is .
But the 303 seems to jam up every once in a while , the bolt guide slips out of its rail and stops the bolt from closing .
Doesnt happen very often , but once is enough if its the wrong time .
Ive never had an issue with the 30-30 jamming , but I wasnt able to sight in the scope for the longest time ( bad rings and mounts ) , and it didnt shoot great past 50 yrds with Irons ( its probably me , but I can make a drum tobbaco can dance past 100 with my sks , corrosive ammo and Irons , so maybe not ).
Buddy will be right next to me and the 06 for this trip , but if you were planning it , what would you take as the 2nd gun ?

actually on a backpack trip we have only carried one rifle for two guys.....basically losing about 7-10 pounds of weight doing this. Just need some agreement who shoots first....

[Johnny G1]

actually on a backpack trip we have only carried one rifle for two guys.....basically losing about 7-10 pounds of weight doing this. Just need some agreement who shoots first.... Yes one gun,, He dropped one, the second one jams, 3rd one don't push past 50 yds????? When 2 of us hunt we each carry a gun for those 3 reason's, long back pack with a screwed gun is not my answer????

[horshur]

Yes one gun,, He dropped one, the second one jams, 3rd one don't push past 50 yds????? When 2 of us hunt we each carry a gun for those 3 reason's, long back pack with a screwed gun is not my answer????

is it a really common occurrence your gun going on the fritz....cause it has never happened to me....I am probably due but thirtys years hard hunting I am feeling lucky enough anyway...LOL

[Gateholio]

Sounds like you should take the SKS

[Johnny G1]

Yes one gun,, He dropped one, the second one jams, 3rd one don't push past 50 yds????? When 2 of us hunt we each carry a gun for those 3 reason's, long back pack with a screwed gun is not my answer????
I was refering to the New Hunter. and his 3 guns.

[todbartell]

Sounds like you should take the SKS

:mrgreen: ....

[itsy bitsy xj]

The SKS has about the same ballistics as the 30-30, get some hunting ammo and take it. I bought some 7.62x39 hunting ammo from a local gun shop for about $20 then picked up some at the local gun show for $7.50 a box non corrosive lead tip.

[new hunter]

30-06 is fine , like I said I just need to realine the scope.
And is everone really trying to say theyve never had a sling slip off there soaking wet rain gear as theyre trying to look over some tracks on the side of a hill , last week of the season ?
This isnt , I stepped out of the truck and dropped it on the road .
As for the 30-30 , with my handloads and the scope I'd more accuratly say I could do 100yrds plus .
Taking one rifle does make sense , but it wont be the sks .
I get the idea that carrying a rifle thats only good for 100yrds isnt worth taking for the weight .
Would it be worth the weight to pack a .22 or a shotgun for small game instead ?
I generally end up hunting in steep and overgrown areas ( again the 30-06 ) , I see plenty of fresh sign most of the time , but should I be hunting easier terrain if I'm beating the crap out of my gear , or do I just need to find my feet a bit more .
If its not normal to beat your rifle up during the season , it has me thinking somethings wrong .

[Big Lew]

Is there any chance you could put a scope on your 303? I used a scoped 303 successfully out to 250 yards for many years hunting deer and bear before upgrading to a 30-06. I didn't have jamming problems, but unless yours is completely shot out and not consistent in accuracy, that's the way I'd go.

[new hunter]

303s pretty accurate , I would need to track down a smithless scope mount .
Scoping the 303 was my first thought , but I'd like to figure out a way to prevent the bolt guide from slipping out.

[Gumsehwah]

The ATI scope mount isn't bad.

[Foxton Gundogs]

is it a really common occurrence your gun going on the fritz....cause it has never happened to me....I am probably due but thirtys years hard hunting I am feeling lucky enough anyway...LOL

As the OP said it only takes once at the wrong time. And you can bet that will be a full days pack from nowhere.

[Husky7mm]

niether, tell him to put 50 bucks a month aside and buy a savage pkg new, Lots of time until sept, Non of the 3 spares sound like they are much fun to pack in the mountians.

[horshur]

As the OP said it only takes once at the wrong time. And you can bet that will be a full days pack from nowhere.

do you take two vehicles as well?? Fly in with two planes?? Carry two packs???two boats??

[new hunter]

do you take two vehicles as well?? Fly in with two planes?? Carry two packs???two boats??

1 , no it is not common to have my guns go on the fritz. The 30-30 has given me issues because its a first gen mossy 464 , the rear and front sight were not lined up for elevation properly and hit feet high at close range .
As for the 303 , it was a $100 dollar souvenir from 100 mile house , beat the hell out of a postcard , but shes a little worn . Bores great , but if you close the action fast when shes empty the bolt guide occasionally skips .
2 , you raised a good point about only packing 1 gun , but it is not a practice I would usually do .
The fact that were hunting alpine makes it a consideration , but I wouldnt share my wife and I'm not a big fan of splitting a rifle either .
And yes , we will carry two packs , I really cant see why I wouldnt .
We'll split the weight , but I cant see why he wouldnt carry his own bag , otherwise one guy would have to carry all the weight .
For that matter , I'd rather not split a rifle , at least if he's got one he can get of a quick follow up if I miss , or possibly react faster than me if we jump a buck .
For that matter , I was considering taking the lever gun so we can have a fast action on point while we make our way to the treeline , I have jumped bucks in the thick shit before and being able to get off a quick close range shot could be a good thing .
The reason I wasnt too sure which to take is because we might head into g bear territory , so what would you be more comfortable backing you up , one garunteed 303 , and hope it doesnt jam if I need a second shot , or a mag full of handloaded 30-30s pushing 170grn partitions at 2grand at the muzzle ?

[Husky7mm]

Well are you hunting alpine, Big long bombs from one side over to the other or are you pushing the thick stuff where you are jumping these bucks? It does not matter for G-bear that much cause either its on you before you knew what happened, it skrews off or you shoot it. If you hit it in the right spot with a 303 , 30/30 or sks or a 3006 very likely the same results. Do you follow? The point of the hunt is to have a good time backpacking into the mountains for alpine hunting. You want to be light and comfortable, a grizzly attack is possible but very unlikely.

[new hunter]

I wasnt sure if it was worth worrying about bears or not .
As for the terrain , I havent been to were I want to hunt physically yet , Ive seen the mountain from the valley bottom , but I have never found the route into the alpine ( I think I figured it out this years though).
It looks like it really opens up above the treeline , so once were up top It should be wide open.
My thinking was that its not totally unlikely to run into a buck before we break the treeline , and also that Ive seen photos from similar areas and they usually show little Islands of trees and meadows , if thats the case I didnt think its totally unlikely to be in tree cover even up top .
On a hot afternoon I wouldnt be totally surprised to find a buck bedded down under the trees , but Ive never hunted the alpine , Ive camped in similar areas but thats it .
If I get up there scouting and its treeless were I'm going I may opt for 1 rifle .
Mind you this will be my buddies first trip , if hes cool with not carrying a rifle , cool , but I dont want him to feel like he's spectating and being in charge of his own weapon may make him feel more like an equal and I dont want this to be his only hunt .
That said too , I'm not sure I'm willing to blow a rare oppurtunity by having to take the only gun from him to take a shot he's not ready for .
It kind of becomes a question of whats worse , carrying an extra 8 pounds , or feeling like your just there to watch.

[ursusbait]

Sounds like the .30/30 is fine. If your buddy can shoot then he should take it. .30/30 has worked for a long time.

[vip_ruger]

Sell them both and buy a 270 or a 7mm

Planning an early season alpine hunt with a buddy.
He has pretty much nothing , and a have a suspicion that he'll need to borrow a rifle if he comes .
I have 3 spares , ones an sks , so its more like 2 .
One is a scoped 30-30 that I havent had the best luck with , but I've started reloading for it so I think I'll be able to get it to print better groups .
The other is an old beater 303 that pops milk jugs past 100yrds just fine , if it throws 150grns .
I'll be packing my 06 , once I resight it ( sadly , I dropped it last season , freaking emberassing to say the least ) which is also scoped .
My first thought was to get buddy to take the 303 , for the extra punch should we have a bear issue , as unlikely as that is .
But the 303 seems to jam up every once in a while , the bolt guide slips out of its rail and stops the bolt from closing .
Doesnt happen very often , but once is enough if its the wrong time .
Ive never had an issue with the 30-30 jamming , but I wasnt able to sight in the scope for the longest time ( bad rings and mounts ) , and it didnt shoot great past 50 yrds with Irons ( its probably me , but I can make a drum tobbaco can dance past 100 with my sks , corrosive ammo and Irons , so maybe not ).
Buddy will be right next to me and the 06 for this trip , but if you were planning it , what would you take as the 2nd gun ?

[RoscoeP]

niether, tell him to put 50 bucks a month aside and buy a savage pkg new, Lots of time until sept, Non of the 3 spares sound like they are much fun to pack in the mountians.

X2 I think if your buddy really wants to go hunting he should get his own rifle(1 man, 1 kit) a quote from my military days. Cheers Roscoe