[citation needed] The .30-30 Winchester is typically limited to short ranges, primarily because of the relatively small case capacity and the 150-grain and 170-grain bullet weights.
Muzzle energy is just over 1900 ft-lbs for both of these loads, but the lighter weight 7 mm bullet has a higher velocity and flatter trajectory.
[5] It has a sectional density of 0.213 Hornady Manufacturing Company's 2020 new products catalog does show 7-30 Waters LEVERevolution ammunition which would allow the safe use of pointed, ballistically efficient spitzer bullets in tubular magazines.
It has a sectional density of 0.23 and a ballistic coefficient of 0.257[7] Hornady Manufacturing Company now offers a 120 grain FTX bullet in 7mm/.284" caliber.
[T]he 7-30 Waters cartridge, with its flatter trajectory and higher velocity, have made [the Winchester Model 94] what many consider to be an ideal mountain rifle: lightweight, but capable of reaching out for the longer shots.
[10]By 1982, Waters had perfected his new cartridge, firing a 139-grain flat-point bullet at a muzzle velocity of 2600 ft/s from a lever-action rifle with a 24" barrel.
For whitetails, the 120-grain Nosler is an excellent performer, but when greater penetration is needed for Mule Deer and Black Bear, the 139-grain Hornady is a better choice.
[citation needed] With the long barrel, however, the 7-30 provides flatter trajectory, and a longer effective range, as well as reduced recoil from the lighter bullets.
In the field of handgun metallic silhouette shooting, a suitably loaded 7-30 Waters provides performance equal to other 7mm wildcats, such as the 7mm International Rimmed, but without the work of forming cases.