[Black92LX]

Just looking for suggestions.

Guy at the gun shop suggested a .357 mag/ .38 Special

but other say i should go with the .30-30.

i would be using this for the occasional deer hunt when i go to Kentucky. since we can't hunt with rifles here in Ohio.

i would also plink with it occassionally just to keep a good shot with it.

i just really enjoy the feel of a lever action and would like to own one of my own.

Thanks for the suggestions
Jeremy

[Atticus]

I would go with a 30/30 or .35 Remington if you plan on deer hunting with it.

[Jim K]

IMHO, he who goes to the trouble of carrying a rifle and then uses a pistol cartridge in it has got his thinking cap on backward. Go with the .30-30 or .35 Remington. Either has lots more soup than .357.

Jim

[Atticus]

A .44 Magnum lever gun may be the exception to the rule ...if your going after KY or WV Whitetail.

[clem]

.30-30, because I'll bet that anywhere in the U.S. where ammunition is sold, there will be a box of .30-30s in stock. Heck, I'll bet even some small Mom & Pop General store in "Go to Hell, XX" would even have a box of .30-30s for sale.:D


So, ammo should not be a problem.

[Gary A]

I now have accumulated a few lever-actions. Some are pistol-caliber because they are handy and fun and cheap to shoot, but when I bought the first one (not knowing if there would be a second one) there was only one choice for me - a Winchester 94 in 30-30. Too many movies I guess.
I will never get rid of it, but am becoming more and more fond of a levergun in .44 magnum. But, you can't go wrong with a thutty-thutty.

[H&Hhunter]

If your planning on hunting the 30-30 would be the best choice.

[David4516]

.30-30, much better deer round.

I'd recomend the Winchester model 1894 over the Marlin, but there are alot of Marlin fans out there. The Winchester just feels better to me, and it looks more "classical", but your results may vary...

[dude]

.44mag

...no better excuse to start reloading!! Get yourself a cheap single stage RCBS rockchucker and soon enough you will happily be able to load up what ever you want---from el-cheapo lead plinker rounds to beastly things that will be able to take down most any game in North America.


Of course you will soon 'need' a .44mag wheel gun so any cost savings will vanish............... but what the hell!

[Steel]

we can't hunt with rifles here in Ohio.

That's ridiculous

Does that mean no rifle rounds or literally no long arms / carbines ?

[foghornl]

Last time I checked a few years back, shotguns ONLY for deer in Ohio.

[boo586]

Steel,

Yes, is is quite ridiculous that one can not hunt with a rifle in Ohio, Indiana and the Lower half of the Lower Penisula of Michigan. However, one can use a shotgun with rifled barrel and saboted slugs oralso the new muzzle loaders, which can launch a 45 or 50 caliber bullet at nearly 2,000 fps. I have frineds that have taken deer with both of the above at distances greater then 125 yards and one approaching almost 200 yards (called lucky shot with a muzzle loader).

Each state does allow one to use handguns to hunt deer with. Indiana also allows the use of the single shot contender style pistols as long as the bullet is at least .35 caliber or larger.

The DNR of each state claims that it is for safety because rifle bullets are more dangerous to greater distances. I just wish the DNR in these states would allow the use of pistol caliber rifles to hunt deer as long the ranges of the pistol caliber rifles are no greater than the new muzzle loaders. I think that only the .454, 45-70 and the 444 marlin in lever guns would exceed the practical range of the new muzzle loaders.

What does everyone think?

Boo586

[Newt]

I have a Winchester Model 94AE 30-30. I have tagged a couple deer with mine, and a friend even got one with it one time. They make good brush guns. They're certainly not a long range round though. The gun is very light and easy to carry. They're fun to shoot too. Haven't had much experience with a 44 or 357 in a rifle, but for what it's worth, I like my 30-30. If you plan on taking some long shots, it would certainly be easier if you went with something like a Browning lever action in a .243 or 7mm. That's my 2 cents.

Newt

[mrstang01]

Paco Kelly says a 30-30 doesn't hit much harder than a hot loaded .357 out of a rifle. On his advice, I'm sure the .357 will take any of our deer here in KY.

My own preference would be for a .44 Mag. With a matching caliber pistol, there's not anything east of the Mississippi that I can't hunt at reasonable ranges.

[iamkris]

Based on your intended uses (occasional deer hunting in a state where you will see few if any shots over 100 yards) I'd vote for the pistol caliber rifle. Nothing wrong with the .30-30 but if your primary use is going to be plinking...you don't do that with a rifle cartridge.

Stout .44 Mag, .357 Mag, .45 Colt will all take a deer at <100 yds or less with no problem. In addition, any of them can be downloaded for fun, cheap plinking, cowboy shooting, etc. 44 Mags typically shoot 44 Specials with no problem, ditto 357 shoot 38 Specials and the 45 Colt can be downloaded so it recoils like a light 38 (185 gr RNFP over 5.5 gr Unique for about 600 fps) or firebreathing (300 gr FP hardcast over 18 gr 2400 -- whoomp!).

Then again, if you want rifle ballistics, buy the .30-30.

[Black92LX]

with the long gun hunting, i believe as long as the round doesn't tavel faster than 2,000 fps it can be used. (but don't quote me on that) and i believe the season for handgun hunting in ohio is only 1 week long if that. i am leaning towards the .30-30. because i want to start doing hunting in Colorado maybe some elk here or there, but i think i wiould need a .30-06 for that.

i need to check colorados deer hunting regulations before i make a final decision. anyone happen to know them.

Thanks everyone
Jeremy

[mrstang01]

The rifle you need for hunting Colorado elk is different (most of the time) than the one you need for hunting Kentucky deer. I wouldn't let the CO. possibility impact your decision for this.

[Joe Demko]

Find thee a Savage Model 99 in .300 Savage. It is not only the greatest lever rifle ever, it is the greatest rifle ever.

[Black92LX]

i know that a .30-06 would be better for the elk. i meant to say i have one the i would be able to use anytime i needed for that. i was trying to say i was going to hunt whitetails in Colorado mostly so i not sure if a handgun cartadge would be right for me.

(it's amazing what proofreading does i need to do it more.)

[Atticus]

You could go the Browning BLR route and choose from a multitude of rounds/calibers. I'd like to have one in .308 myself. The new ones now have a straight stock (big improvement) like the old ones used to, and they come in a bunch of flavors.

http://www.browning.com/products/catalog/firearms/detail.asp?value=003B&cat_id=034&type_id=006

BTW -no rifle hunting in Ohio is a misnomer. No deer hunting yes. But there are still a few rifle hunting opportunities here, which might be something you want to consider when choosing this rifle. I think you ought to start thinking about what caliber your second rifle will be ha ha!

[Black92LX]

what are some of those other opportunities? i am new to the hunting scene. but have always been interested just no one to really go with.

[blue86buick]

I just got a lever action, Marlin 336W .30-30 for 195. I have no need for one, don't hunt, shouldn't have spent the money, and would prefer a caliber where I can get FMJ "pointy" ammo (.308, 30-06, etc). BUT, I was at WalMart, and saw this rifle in a slot for a 109 dollar .22 rifle...asked, while feigning ignorance "is that price right? i'd like one, but that seems a little low." Long story short, the store manager OK'ed a $275 rifle for half the difference less, so $195.

I kinda feel like an a** for doing this...was I? :( Like I said, I had no need for a 30-30, but a new gun is a new gun, right? :D

[Majic]

If I'm going to use a lever action for deer hunting I'm going for what the old timers used. I'll grab a Marlin in 38-55. The one I have shot was amazingly accurate for a levergun with plenty of power. It would require handloading for plinking loads, but with handloading and casting capabilities the cost would be very low.

[Atticus]

"what are some of those other opportunities?"

Varmits (groundhogs to coyotes) - Small game (rabbits, squirrels,coons,etc.) - Assorted pests (usually the four legged variety).

[Dr.Rob]

I hunted deer and elk for years with a 30-30. Load it with 170 grain bullets and you are good to go. (I've even see one young fellow take that same scoped Marlin Antelope hunting.)

No way a .357 fired from a rifle anywhere NEAR the ballistics of a 30-30. I mean sure, an eastern whitetail will drop to a 357... but in Colorado .357 pistols are NOT legal.

Show me where a 357 gets 2200 fps with a 170 gr bullet? (will 180 gr 357 even chamber in a levergun?)

You want a rifle you can take hunting both places, the 30-30 is the way to go.

[Rebeldon]

Marlin 1894 in either .357 mag/.38 spec or .44 mag/.44 spec. can do the job. Marlin makes the .44 mag. 1894 in stainless steel. It's a beaut'! I'd like to have one.

I've got the stainless steel Marlin 336. .30-30 has better range than a .44 magnum, and it's more accurate. I've owned both so I can say that with some experience. But the 1894 is really a fun rifle to shoot. It makes a good home defense weapon as well. It has a 10+1 round capacity with the .44 magnum.


http://www.marlinfirearms.com/firearms/images/firearmImages/1894ss.jpg