Re: Firearms (Rifle) question......
...and I will add this to what bomar says: it's about the ballistic coefficient of the bullet also---the blunt shape of the bullets used in .30-30 cartridges causes them to shed velocity relatively quickly. This leads to an even more rainbow-like trajectory.<br /><br />HOWEVER, there's not a thing wrong with the old .30 WCF. When it was introduced way back in the earliest days of smokeless powder, it was on the cutting edge and was considered to be a screamin' mimi at 2300 (or so) feet per second. When compared to the old black powder cartridges (@ around 1600 fps), it was indeed a screamin' mimi.<br /><br />As others have said already, it's about using the right bullet for the job and putting it in the right place. I wouldn't take a .30-30 on a grizzly hunt, but it would sure beat using a sharp stick do defend one's self from griz. And a properly used .30-30 is a fine deer getter too.<br /><br /><br />-dd-
The shells are so big you can shake them and hear the powder shake around inside. 
