I have to admit, I love the 30-30, even though it’s had a rocky history over the seasons. One season it’s an amazing rifle that’s a “must-have” for any run… while in another season it’s an inaccurate peashooter. Regardless of all that, it’s probably one of the coolest-looking guns in the game, and it can only become cooler with the right skin attached.
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Is the Old School 30-30 Competitive With the Other Weapons?
It’s no secret that the 30-30 is modeled after a lever action rifle, even its namesake is the .30-30 round, a common round used in lever action hunting rifles. So, what is a hunting rifle doing in a game like Apex Legends? A game notorious for its fast-paced and high-octane action, where running and gunning is the modus operandi most of the time. Well, here’s the beauty of Apex. Because of its variety in characters, maps, and weapons; unusual weapons like the 30-30 fit right at home. Plus, if a weapon like the Bocek can find its place in Apex Legends, why can’t this one?
The Stats of the 30-30
Here’s where the 30-30’s unique mechanic kicks in. The longer you aim down sights, the stronger your next shot will be. This mechanic practically emphasizes that you should carefully aim each shot, instead of fanning the trigger.
Here’s the damage table for an uncharged shot:
| Target | Mods | DMG | 100 | 150 | 175 | 200 | 225 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Head (1.75x) | – | 74 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 4 |
| Head | Lvl. 1 | 67 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 4 |
| Head | Lvl. 2 | 58 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 4 |
| Head | Lvl. 3/4 | 53 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 5 |
| Body | – | 42 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 6 |
| Body | Fort | 36 | 3 | 5 | 5 | 6 | 7 |
| Legs (0.85x) | – | 36 | 3 | 5 | 5 | 6 | 7 |
| Legs | Fort | 30 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 |
And here’s what it looks like for a charged shot:
| Target | Mods | DMG | 100 | 150 | 175 | 200 | 225 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Head (1.75x) | – | 100 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 3 |
| Head | Lvl. 1 | 91 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 3 |
| Head | Lvl. 2 | 78 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 3 |
| Head | Lvl. 3/4 | 72 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 4 |
| Body | – | 57 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 4 |
| Body | Fort | 48 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 5 |
| Legs (0.85x) | – | 48 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 5 |
| Legs | Fort | 41 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 6 |
As you can see, you can do about a quarter more damage if you aim down sight until the bar is charged. This is really helpful if you’re skirmishing with enemies at range, but isn’t feasible if you’re in a close-quarters engagement. If you’re waiting for the bar to fill in a close-quarters engagement, then you either have nerves of steel or other organs of steel.
Attachments for the 30-30
No hunting rifle would be complete without the proper attachments.
- Extended Heavy Mag
- Sniper Stock
- Skullpiercer Rifling
- 1x HCOG “Classic”
- 1x Holo
- 1x-2x Variable Holo
- 2x HCOG “Bruiser”
- 2x-4x Variable AOG
- 3x HCOG “Ranger”
Ideal 30-30 Set-Up
Here’s how you should ideally set up your 30-30 in a match. For starters, locate a 3x HCOG “Ranger” or a 2x-4x Variable AOG as soon as you can. You can follow that up with a Legendary Extended Heavy Mag, and round everything off with an Epic Sniper Stock. Grab a Skullpiercer Rifling Hop-Up if you can find it. The thing with Hop-Up is that they aren’t always available sadly. But, if it can’t be found on the ground, then hopefully it can be crafted. Unfortunately, the 30-30 suffers from the same issue as the G7 Scout, in that it can’t fit any optics that are farther than 4x. This hurts this rifle even more than it does the G7 Scout or the Triple Take even.
How Does the 30-30 Fare Compared to the Other Marksman Weapons?
In the right hands, the 30-30 is a devastating weapon. It’s one of those weapons in the game that are “specific”, to say the least. What this means is that it takes a while to learn how to use this gun, and a lot of practice. This gun is a marksman rifle in every sense of the word, you must use it as a marksman rifle; i.e, shoot targets at range. It really doesn’t perform that well in close proximity to the enemy, so you should probably pick up a secondary that has a lot of utility.
A good pick would be the C.A.R. SMG, seeing as both weapons utilize heavy rounds, which means that you won’t have to worry too much about different ammo types. Plus, the C.A.R. is one of the best weapons to bring for a close-quarters fight.
Potential Balance Changes for the 30-30 in the Future
The 30-30 has a turbulent fate. In one patch it’s the king of the marksman weapons, while in another patch it’s just something that you pick up temporarily until something better comes along. One thing that the 30-30 desperately needs is an increase in its rate of fire, with maybe a decrease in its shot dispersion, as the 30-30 is downright ineffective in a close-quarters engagement. And a gun without utility is an unattractive gun.
