I don't actually use a .30-30; I use .30-30 bullets in a .30-40 at .30-40ish speeds. Mainly because they are cheap and they work; at the slightly higher velocities (than a .30-30 factory load) they open up more reliably but at those moderate speeds they also still penetrate both sides of the critter. For some odd reason, I've never even owned a .30-30; don't know why. I don't like the Win '94 action much, but have seen plenty of '99s (which I do like) in that caliber....hmmmm, wonder if I could afford one? (Probably not.). My Hi-wall has its original Marbles tang rear, and I'm damned if I will mutilate an original Winchester with a scope mount. So when the front sight post needs to be as wide as the dovetail for me to get a sharp focus on it, I'll pass the gun on to a museum or something.
Why use "archaic" rimmed rounds? My Hi-wall was chambered for them; first smokeless factory sporter in the US. But even my Ruger #1s all end up chambered for rimmed rounds, except for a .250-3000. I'm a hunter, not a sniper. I get as close as I can--usually really close. Don't need a magnum, nor even a "hotshot" like the .250 most times. I could use my Martini .25-35 or my GP-100 for most of the deer and coyote shooting I do. To me a scope is a necessary evil brought on by my aging eyes. Don't need it for big things like deer (yet).
Guess I'm just a hopeless ballistic fundamentalist; hooked on "The Gospel According to Ned Roberts"! Many of the first generation of smokeless sporting cartridges have just the right combination of qualities for killing ordinary North American game at ordinary distances. And most of them are rimmed.
