308 Lever Gun
- Thread starter Twud
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Heavy Metal Hero
Member
Browning makes a BLR lever gun in .308.
http://www.browning.com/products/catalog/firearms/detail.asp?value=003B&cat_id=034&type_id=006
http://www.browning.com/products/catalog/firearms/detail.asp?value=003B&cat_id=034&type_id=006
Harve Curry
Member
Savage 99. I guess there not made anymore, but there's plenty out there. I have a 99A cal.308, I bought new when I was 18.
Tubular magazines of Winchester 94 and Marlin 336 is what keeps them being chambered for cartridges with pointed bullets. There was also a Winchester 88, but I'm not sure if it was chambered in .308 Win.
Tubular magazines of Winchester 94 and Marlin 336 is what keeps them being chambered for cartridges with pointed bullets. There was also a Winchester 88, but I'm not sure if it was chambered in .308 Win.
Shawnee
member
Yep... the Winchester 88 was chambered in .308.
Had one for about four years and it was a dandy.
Had one for about four years and it was a dandy.
TCB in TN
Member
Love my little BLR 308. Great, great gun.
Griffin1340
Member
Winchestor 88 came in .243 .308 and I think 7mm08.
I like the new Marlin .308 but it has a one brand [Hornady]manufacture cartridge.
I would love a .308 [Win]caliber lever rifle, but I think since that the major companys have a wide variety of rifles across the board they don't feel the need to have another chambering in a set [deer hunter's]market rifle.
Lever rifles have the stigma of being underpowered 'brush' rifles, as well as the lack of accuracy that comes with that.
But more deer and bear have been dropped with 30/30 and 35 rem. than probibly all other calibers [except the 30-06] combined.
Winchestor had a 30-06 lever rifle avalible for years and still might be a few around.
The Savage 99 is still around a gun shows.
I like the new Marlin .308 but it has a one brand [Hornady]manufacture cartridge.
I would love a .308 [Win]caliber lever rifle, but I think since that the major companys have a wide variety of rifles across the board they don't feel the need to have another chambering in a set [deer hunter's]market rifle.
Lever rifles have the stigma of being underpowered 'brush' rifles, as well as the lack of accuracy that comes with that.
But more deer and bear have been dropped with 30/30 and 35 rem. than probibly all other calibers [except the 30-06] combined.
Winchestor had a 30-06 lever rifle avalible for years and still might be a few around.
The Savage 99 is still around a gun shows.
The .308 Marlin Express is a .308-like cartridge. I think traditional lever gun design wants rimmed cartridges.
The BLR, Browning's lever gun, is more like a bolt gun inside a box, operated by a lever. It looks traditional, but there's a modern gun in there. Kind of like an AR is a semiauto with a rotating bolt.
Of course, the Marlins work very well. A design that dates back to the 19th century isn't a bad thing, if it does the job well.
The BLR, Browning's lever gun, is more like a bolt gun inside a box, operated by a lever. It looks traditional, but there's a modern gun in there. Kind of like an AR is a semiauto with a rotating bolt.
Of course, the Marlins work very well. A design that dates back to the 19th century isn't a bad thing, if it does the job well.
Griffin1340
Member
Armed Bear, I see where you are coming from. My point is that if you are two hours from home and realize that the ammo is home on the kitchen table[ ok that never happened!] can you just go to the corner hardware and get ammo [.308 Marlin ]. I doubt it.
I once went hunting with a SWEET .300 Savage 99 and found that when I got to the woods I had picked up a box of .308's...:banghead: and all I had was the ammo in the guncase pouch. All worked out well and I made it through the day without firing a shot...but still, I want a common caliber that is avalable.
I've been in northwoods Wisconsin stores and have been able to find 30/06 30-30 and .308 & .270 and other than 12 ga not much else.
] can you just go to the corner hardware and get ammo [.308 Marlin ]. I doubt it.I once went hunting with a SWEET .300 Savage 99 and found that when I got to the woods I had picked up a box of .308's...:banghead: and all I had was the ammo in the guncase pouch. All worked out well and I made it through the day without firing a shot...but still, I want a common caliber that is avalable.
I've been in northwoods Wisconsin stores and have been able to find 30/06 30-30 and .308 & .270 and other than 12 ga not much else.
In a nearby thread, one guy stated that ammo availability has NO relevance to hunting in the real world, and he would never base a choice of cartridge on that.
I said, "Why not use 8x56 Hungarian, then?"
You've got a real point.
That's one reason why excellent cartridges can have a hard time getting traction.
Interestingly, it seems that the .280 Remington is finally picking up some steam after decades on the back burner, at least judging by what ammo and rifle makers are offering. You never know. Until I'm sure, though, it'd better be the best damn cartridge ever invented, if I'm going to commit to something new and rare.
R.W.Dale
Member
Then you'd be wrong. Even the marlin 336 just plain works that much better with rimless rounds. It's much easier to cram rimless 35rem shells into a 336'es loading gate than rimmed 30-30 rounds.
I suspect that a lever action's weak primary extraction coupled with a somewhat springy rear locking bolt has much more to do with limiting the pressure rating for these guns.
although you can buy a puma92 in 454 casull with it's 65,000 psi pressure rating. But in order to achieve this puma uses especially hardened high strength steel for the receivers on the 454 models
Being as how I'm a lefty I've had a couple of BLR's, nice short rifles IMHO, Also have a Winchester 88 in 308, and have shot Savage's 99 in 308. So far all I have had the pleasure of shooting were good shooters. This 88 I have is sub MOA with a clip full if I do my part.
I really don't understand Marlin's new cartridge, Winchester came out with the 307 with almost identical ballistics a few years back that is all but forgotten nowadays. Why does Marlin think this one will succeed, because it isn't rimmed?
I really don't understand Marlin's new cartridge, Winchester came out with the 307 with almost identical ballistics a few years back that is all but forgotten nowadays. Why does Marlin think this one will succeed, because it isn't rimmed?
stormspotter
Member
Wasn't the Sake Finnwolf chambered in 308???
If I remember it was a lever gun.
If I remember it was a lever gun.
Harve Curry
Member
ACCURACY OF LEVER ACTIONS
I only have the one Savage 99A in 308, it is a 1 1/2" shooter at 100 yards with handloads. I used it one summer in hunters metalic sillouette, and could hit half of the 500 meter rams. But that was me and a K3 Weaver scope. That winter I used it to shoot a coues deer at a measured 625 yards.
I only have the one Savage 99A in 308, it is a 1 1/2" shooter at 100 yards with handloads. I used it one summer in hunters metalic sillouette, and could hit half of the 500 meter rams. But that was me and a K3 Weaver scope. That winter I used it to shoot a coues deer at a measured 625 yards.
R.W.Dale
Member
That and false perceptions like
Why do magnum rifle rounds with a shoulder still use a belt?????
oddly i believe I read somewhere that it's not uncommon to use 308 brass when handloading for rifles chambered for 307/356 win
Well, I wouldn't be influenced by that perception when choosing a gun. There's no real difference between a cartridge with a rim or no rim, really, but the size/shape of the chamber face, bolt, etc. that coincidentally exists in Marlins and Winchester-design rifles might favor a rim. If not, I'm not surprised either.
WRT the belted magnums, hell, I'm still trying to figure out why some of them exist at all. Marketing and image?
WRT the belted magnums, hell, I'm still trying to figure out why some of them exist at all. Marketing and image?
ADKWOODSMAN
Member
Three brothers in our hunting camp use .308 Win. model 88's--one also has the 88 in .243,.284,.358. Win.
SageMonkey
Member
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Yes. The Finnwolf is a lever action using a box magazine and with no external hammer. Neat gun, I've always wanted one, though I gather spare magazines are even harder to find than the rifles themselves.
Wolfgang2000
Member
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- 376
The BLR !!!! It's very handy, very accurate and easy to use. Mine it the older all steel BLR 81. The new one have an aluminum alloy receiver that will make it easier to carry. I thought they ruined it when they put the pistol grip on it. Luckily they offer both, straight and pistol grip stocks, now. In some magazine I even saw a take down model. Way cool!
dmazur
Member
"...Is it the bolts don't lock up as securely as a bolt gun?"
I'm not an expert, so bear with me -
John Browning was one of the first to cook up a lever action design that would handle spitzer bullets. I believe the Winchester 1895 was eventually chambered for the .30-06. I've read that the early ones didn't like this as the locking mechanism is at the rear of the bolt. Load manuals sometimes recommend staying away from maximum loads for historical 1895's. Modern reproductions (Browning mfgr, Mikoru) are supposedly OK, due to stronger steels.
So, the Browning company (not John Browning) eventually solved this with a lever action that uses a rotating bolt that locks up like a bolt-action. Their modern BLR is offered in all sorts of modern, high power chamberings. The bolt locks into the barrel, not the receiver, so they can even offer a lightweight model with an aluminum receiver (!)
However, most lever-actions, such as Winchester 94's and Marlins, lock up at the rear, I believe. The actions just aren't strong enough for .308's and their kind.
Hornady is pulling clever sleight of hand with carefully formulated powders that offer extended range by burning slower, without exceeding SAAMI pressures for Winchester and Marlin lever action designs. Combined with a higher BC (ballistic coefficient) bullet with a soft tip for tubular magazine safety, this does revolutionize lever action capabilities.
It's not chambering a .308, however, for good reason.
I'm not an expert, so bear with me -
John Browning was one of the first to cook up a lever action design that would handle spitzer bullets. I believe the Winchester 1895 was eventually chambered for the .30-06. I've read that the early ones didn't like this as the locking mechanism is at the rear of the bolt. Load manuals sometimes recommend staying away from maximum loads for historical 1895's. Modern reproductions (Browning mfgr, Mikoru) are supposedly OK, due to stronger steels.
So, the Browning company (not John Browning) eventually solved this with a lever action that uses a rotating bolt that locks up like a bolt-action. Their modern BLR is offered in all sorts of modern, high power chamberings. The bolt locks into the barrel, not the receiver, so they can even offer a lightweight model with an aluminum receiver (!)
However, most lever-actions, such as Winchester 94's and Marlins, lock up at the rear, I believe. The actions just aren't strong enough for .308's and their kind.
Hornady is pulling clever sleight of hand with carefully formulated powders that offer extended range by burning slower, without exceeding SAAMI pressures for Winchester and Marlin lever action designs. Combined with a higher BC (ballistic coefficient) bullet with a soft tip for tubular magazine safety, this does revolutionize lever action capabilities.
It's not chambering a .308, however, for good reason.
The Deer Hunter
Member
My dad has a Winchester 94AE in .307WIN. Its the same thing as a .308 except with a rimmed case and a blunt bullet.
dmazur
Member
Winchester offered the .307 in their Big Bore 94, which was a strengthened Model 94.
It's not that lever-actions can't handle cartridges with pressures like the .308 if they are designed for it. Most were not, so the idea of "souping up" lever-actions should be approached with some caution...
It's not that lever-actions can't handle cartridges with pressures like the .308 if they are designed for it. Most were not, so the idea of "souping up" lever-actions should be approached with some caution...
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