Lever gun caliber

[peterk123]

I have a .22, 38/357 and 45-70 lever actions. I would hate to have to narrow it down to one

The 22 is just plain fun but not a hunting gun.

The 38/357 is absolutely marvelous. It's accuracy out to 100 yards or so with just iron sights always amazes me. The 38 feels like shooting a 22. The 357 has just barely more kick.

The 45-70 is a different animal. Where it really will shine for you is if you reload. The possibilities are endless. It can be loaded to barely give a jolt or blow your shoulder off. I find that it can be finicky when it comes to accuracy, again it really helps if you reload. My max power load with a 405 grain bullet just would not shoot well. I backed it off and used a different powder and it was spot on at 100 yards with iron sights. The 45-70 has a special place in my heart because I find the history of the caliber fascinating.

For hunting, I think it would come down to a 30-30 or the 357. I think the effectiveness would be close. The 30-30 should be a blunt nose bullet, as should any that goes into a lever action, so you are giving up a little in the ballistics category.

 

[AK Troutbum]

Easy, 30-30 no question.


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[CAH]

30-30 gonna take down an elk out to 100-150 yards?

 

[Laramie]

30-30 gonna take down an elk out to 100-150 yards?

Absolutely. I have seen clean elk kills at 200 yards with one. With the ammo I posted above, you still have over 1500 pounds of energy at 150 yards. Several companies sell premium ammo designed for larger game as well. Nosler makes a 170 grain partition that would be great elk medicine.

 

[ElPollo]

Although, I have a ridiculously long list of levergun wants and needs, I have to agree with most here. If I could only have one, it would be a Marlin or Winchester 30-30. It may not be the perfect cartridge for all game and all conditions, but it covers a heck of a lot of them with cheap ammo and relatively little recoil. Say what you want about it, but it has killed a lot of elk and bears, including grizzlies. I would feel perfectly comfortable hunting elk in the timber with one as long as I could let the long shots pass. If I hadn’t sold my last one, I would probably use it for my black bear hunt next month. Those Remington CoreLokt factory loads do just fine and I fondly remember getting them for $10-12 per box not too long ago. The leverevolution rounds work pretty good and can add a little distance and speed over the Remington stuff, but you likely won’t need it. And the 30-30 makes a great cast bullet round.

Now, if you get beyond need and utility, then there’s with Win 95 I want, several calibers of Savage 99s, a Win 1886, the Win 1892, and Marlin 1894 and 1895, and does a Sharps 1874 count as a lever gun? It’s a big, deep, expensive rabbit hole, and the only thing keeping me from diving in head first is the fact that I live and mostly hunt out on the big, open, windy prairie where levers just aren’t ideal. I recently sold a 1955 Win 94 because my eyes don’t like peep sights as much as they used to and a Savage 99A in 308 because it could not keep up with my bolt guns and never got hunted. But I still love levers.

 

[jKsled]

Have 30-30 marlin with irons as my deer rifle. Great shooting gun. Ammo prices are good & easy to find. I sold my scoped rifle I love it so much

 

[CAH]

I’m glad I started this thread. It’s making me smile thinking about hunting with one. Thanks for the replies guys and keep em coming!

 

[Gsquared]

Marlin 336 in 35 Remington. Topped with a fixed 4x Leupold . 200 grain bullet loaded to the rifle / cartridges potential is powerful medicine. I’ve poleaxed a bunch of deer and hogs with mine. If it had to be straight wall, .444.

Much love for the 35 Remington!

 

[Benzy2]

30-30 or .357 threaded with a suppressor (if it’s legal where you are). I’ll never go back to shooting without a suppressor.

 

[Maki35]

From your 3 choices: 30-30, 45-70 or 45C. Depending on where you live and what you intend to hunt. Do you live in grizzly country? Are you hunting moose/ grizzly? If so, I would choose 45-70.
45-70 cartridges will be the more expensive choice ( +$2.70/rd) and can be difficult to find in some areas. But it is fun to shoot.

A 30-30 lever-action has been a very popular deer rifle in my neck of the woods.

My lever-actions are in 30-30, 35 Rem, 44mag and 45-70 in Marlins.
But my favorite is 336 in .35Rem for hunting (it has a little more punch than 30-30).

 

[Clarence]

35 Remington. Big enough but still manageable. Pretty solid out to 100yds.

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[sodaksooner]

30-30 with williams peep. Shot my first deer 40+ years ago with that combo. Still sitting in my dad's gun cabinet. Beautiful gun. It ain't right to scope an old lever action a thin blade up front and even with iron sights it's a 200 yard + guns. Shoot we shot M16's at 500 meters with iron sights in the old days.

 

[splinter]

Have quite a few lever guns and I would have no problem using a 30-30 for elk , deer , whatever as long as range was realistic. It’s a fun gun to shoot , that won’t break the bank even now . I got a really nice 94 xtr couple years back and put leupy 2.5 on it for blacktail in the woods and it is just a great gun to shoot and pack.


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[minengr]

I have a Win 94 30-30, a Marlin 1895 45-70, and a Rossi/EMF/Navy Arms 45 Colt.

If I was looking to keep something handy in the truck. I'd probably go with the 45 Colt. Do some research on "Ruger only loads".

 

[Rock-o]

30-30 compared to the other two is apples and oranges. Between the straight wall cartridges, hands down I'd go 45-70. So, now we're down to 45-70 and 30-30. Depends on what you're doing with it.

My lever action is a 308 Win.

 

[Salmonchaser]

I have or have owned a bunch from .25/20; .25/35 a great deer rifle; 30/30;32special .35 and a 45/70 I need a a 95 in 405 or .30/40 Krag. .44mag and .45lc
tough to beat a 3030

 

[pk_]

Wouldn’t trade my .32wspl for none of em.

 

[JBradley500]

You might as well plan on getting a couple of them now. It probably is going to happen anyway.

 

[AK Troutbum]

Okay, so since we’re on the subject, let’s see a few of those levers. Lever actions hold a special place in my heart.


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[marshland_max]

The 30-30 is hard to beat for overal versitily. I like my 94 a lot.

Theres a lot of solid choices. If i was going with a pistol cartridge id go 357 mag. I had a 44. Mag lever gun i like but ultimately preffered other rifles to it and sold it off.