My very first gun in 79' was a little single shot 410, but shortly after my dad gave me his 94' 30-30. That same year I shot a bear out of a tree with it. Shot that gun exclusively for 4ish years, before I got my first bolt action (old Rem 721 06'), but being hound hunters, I continued to use the 30-30 for bear. LOVE that gun. It has sat idle for decades and my dads Big Bore 94 in 375 Winchester now sits idle next to it. Really need to break them out and shoot a little bit. Those two guns put bullets in a LOT of bears... a few lions and a few deer!
Now, the BLR and the Henry Long Ranger are calling, in 223! Really loveing both of those. Also loving the looks and feel of the new S&W!