Ahhh, so many guns, so little time...

The only thing a mossburg 30-30 is going to be better at than a Marlin 30-30 is using it as a canoe paddle. Not that i am a anti-mossburg person but more of a marlin fan.

I have seen the mossburg at gander mountain the mossburg did have a nice walnut stuck and did not look bad.
I do have to say i think you might get a better deal on a marlin and i think it would be easyer to find.

It's hard to find bad things to say about a Marlin. The thing that makes me hesitate about Mossberg's 464 is that it's new. I don't like being a guinea pig. Marlin has been around forever. I already know they have good stuff.

But now I'm going back and forth on the calibers. I need one gun that will do well for me with grizzlies as well as deer. And I don't want the recoil to knock me on my butt. I keep telling myself if I can handle a 12 g with slugs I'll be okay, but you never know...

30-30 medicine gun
 

Yukon Girl, If you can handle that mossberg 500 with slugs, the 30-30 or 35 Rem will be easy on your shoulder. A 45-70 might give you cause to regret with heavy bullets close to 1900 fps, but that is real bear medicine, and if needed when a bear was coming your way wouldn't be noticeable. Adrenaline (sp) does that to the body.

A friend of mine has a .30-30 Marlin he was kind enough to let me try out this weekend.

Sweet!!!! I'm sold. Now I just have to find someone foolish enough to part with one.

Check your local gun and pawn shops. Particularly after hunting seasons the 30-30 winchester gets VERY reasonable. I spotted a good shaped Marlin 336 in 30-30 this weekend at a shop for $220. For cash I probably could have talked him into $200 even plus tax. Be patient while you look. About a month before hunting season people will start posting them in want ads for dirt cheap around here so that they can try to buy a new goody for season. Shops don't tend to give a great deal of value to a used 30-30. It's a shame really. I have yet to meet one I didn't like.

GoodOlBoy

GoodOlBoy-- excellent advice. Thanks!

I'll give another vote for the Marlin 336 30-30. I picked one up a few years ago, and it's fast becoming my second favorite deer rifle (can't replace the 7 mag, but it's a close second). The compact size and quick handling characteristics, along with minimal recoil make a perfect hunting package. With the right bullets it would work for bear in a pinch, but if that's going to be a regular issue, get the .35. JMHO

gd