The cool factor is to the moon on either, both do a superb job up to black bear and hogs and beyond depending on the rifleman using them.


38-55 takes over with bullet wgt when needed with standard wgt running at 250gns vs 170 for the 30-30.

Most reborers re stamp the gun with the rebore cal.

 

Dead is dead and the 30/30 makes things dead. BUT the 38/55 has been making things dead even longer than the good ol' 30/30 and is in fact the parent case for the 30/30. I cannot "prove" it but happen to believe that larger diameter/heavier bullets kill with more authoity than those of smaller diameter/less weight if they are both shot at the same velocity. I will open a BIG can of worms and say that in my limited experience small bullets at very high velocities do kill very well. I hunted with a 25/06 for several years and kills were swift and certain with the maximum velocity I could get. Then I came to my senses and started toting leverguns and have found that the "old" calibers kill well too and I don't have all that bloodshot meat to contend with either. You will do well with either the 30/30 or the 38/55. My personal choice of the two is the larger bored 38/55. While I may be chastised for it I will admit I have never killed a deer with a 30/30 but have seen many deer that they have taken. As long as I have other rifles to choose from I will likely never hunt with the 30/30 Texan I bought a couple of years ago.
Pick the one you want and use it a while then try the other one! I strongly believe that it is more where you hit 'em than what you hit 'em with.
Goat

 

I have a couple of 30/30's. Mainly wondering about the advantage of having one of them rebored. But thanks for the answers.

I already have a 44 magnum, 454 Casull and a 45/70 in lever guns. So I am thinking that heavier might already be covered? Been considering reboring my 30/30 cowboy to 38/55.

 

I like the 38-55 as it has been killin critters for a long time now. I am not sure about this new fangled 30-30 designed for the new improved smokeless powders they have out now.

Now to be a bit more serious lol. If you reload then the 38-55 can be loaded with a heavier bullet and loaded to its full potential out of the New Marlin design 336 rifle. Plus I think it is kinda neat when someone asked so what are you shooting in that ole Lever Gun and I get to say 38-55 and watch confusion set in lol.

But as said the 30-30 has been used for a long time to good effect on all kinds of game. The plus is you can find factory 30-30 ammo anyplace and it is darn cheap as well.

But for some odd reason I do not own a 30-30 but do have a 38-55 lol. And the 45-70.

 

If I had a 30-30 cowboy I would leave it has is or trade it for a 38-55. 30-30 ammo is cheap and easy to find and flat out works for all medium game. The 38-55 works good for the heavier end of medium game but you have the 45-70 and have that covered in spades.

 

I wouldn't rebore a 30-30 cowboy. I would sell it or trade it for a 38-55. If your serious I have two 38-55 cowboys.

 

I have been going to the post office pretty much every day on my lunch hour trying to get a money order. The lines were more than an hour long until today. My 336 30-30 is headed to JES Boring ASAP not because the 38-55 is a better caliber, it's because I'm nostalgic old shooter and hunter. I really like keeping the great old calibers alive and hope to pass them on to the next generation of shooters.

Anybody can put meat on the table with the latest big boom magnum but only a few in the know will send a cast lead bullet in an arch down range toward the intended game. There's nothing like it.

 

Jes does a great job. My first 38-55 was one of his now I have three ;D

 

I have 7 Winchester 30/30 cal guns in 1894 carbines and rifles dating from 1895 to 1961. I also have a Browning Traditional Hunter high wall in 38/55. All are excellent guns. The 38/55 shooting hand loads is the most accurate gun of the bunch. In the old days the 38/55 was used a lot for a target rifle. Mine has a 28" octagon barrel with a Marbles tang peep sight on the rear and a Lyman 17AML globe sight on the front end. It will shoot 1" groups at 100 yards.

maxmo

 

JMO but I think the bigger the bore the faser it DED! Anybuddy ever see a 30 caliber stopping rifle in Africa or used on dangerous game? stopping rifle = BIG bore! get you a 38-55 and you never go back to smaller bores!

T-o-m

 

The primary advantage of a 38-55 is you can give all the rest of your guns a good cleaning, well, except for your 22 long rifle, and then retire them to your safe. Check on them every six months and shoot your 38-55 for everything from mice to moose. Keep some ammo handy for the 45-70 in case you get a chance for a big bear. The more you shoot a
38-55 the more you will like it. Shenandoah

 

JMO but I think the bigger the bore the faser it DED! Anybuddy ever see a 30 caliber stopping rifle in Africa or used on dangerous game? stopping rifle = BIG bore! get you a 38-55 and you never go back to smaller bores!

T-o-m

Mistake Tom, thousands of dangerous African game were taken with the 303 British and Bell killed hundreds of elephants with a 7 mm Mauser and 303.

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