30-30 lever action...How about the BLR in 308?

[NWAttorney]

The 30-30 vs. .357 was VERY instructive for me. Thanks to everybody who contributed to that thread. I learned a lot from it.

Now I have another question that sort of requires a painful amount of honesty: If your 30-30 lever action could shoot 308Win, would you switch? The Browning BLR does, and comes with a 5 round magazine in lever action.

SO, with the price of 308Win Surplus so inexpensive (like 10 to 20 cents a round (military 308Win surplus) vs. 50 to 60 cents a round for 30-30...since there is no military surplus in 30-30), and so powerful and flat-shooting, would any of you 30-30 lever guys (and gals) switch if you could? Or is the 30-30 that perfect all-around lever caliber anyways, expensive though it is?

I'm looking for that "one perfect rifle" that I now doesn't exist, but I want to get close...

I'm really looking forward to all your thoughts.

NWAttorney

 

[SSN Vet]

I think the BLR is pretty darn cool....but they sure aint cheap (unlike Marlins and Winchesters).

I'm interested in where you got the $.10-.20/round .308 WIN mil. surp. info.

I'm not tryin' to bust your chops.....I don't own a .308 WIN.....but there's been a lot of posting from people bemoaning that all the cheap .308 has dried up.

Personally, I have a beauty of a 336C that I'm striving to learn to shoot well.

There's a one word short answer to solve the cost of ammo. issue....RELOAD!

I got into a very nice reloading set up for $350. It's a LOT OF FUN and my total firearms knowledge level has grown by leaps and bounds in just a few months.

I'm developing my own high quality .30-30 load that is very accurate and custom tailored to my rifle for $.22/round.

 

[NWAttorney]

As to the price, here is one spot: http://www.cheaperthandirt.com/AMM711-45025-122.html

 

[fal 4 me]

That is blank ammunition. Makes a good bang, good for simulating the noise of live fire, but does not fire a projectile.

As for .308 in a lever actioin, I'm waiting to see about the new .308 Marlin round. I might switch to that.

 

[goon]

If we are looking for options other than the 30-30, my first choice would be a .308 Savage Model 99. Even in .300 Savage they are pretty cool rifles.

Step it up to a flatter shooting round that is often cheaper (not as cheap as it used to be though). Why not?

As for handloading, it is great! I have been doing it for about 7 years now and you can shoot way more for the same amount of money. I have had my handloads mistaken for factory loads in a side to side comparison.
My brother could always tell them apart because I was using CCI benchrest primers.

 

[Charshooter]

For some reason, men either like the BLR or they do not; I have met BLR owners that swear by them and are not really Browning proponents and some, like me who are. My personal experience has been good with the Browning lever action; mine was a 308 with a Leupold 2-7 scope that I picked up in a pawnshop in Texas in the late 90s for less than $400 out the door!

I had never before thought I needed a lever action 308, but the deal was too good to pass up. As to its shooting, it was fairly accurate and good enough for hunting. I thought it kicked a bit for the 308 cartridge, but it was handy and added distance on the what I feel comfortable with using my 30-30.

I kept the rifle just a few years mainly because I had the Remington Automatic and a bolt action, I just did not see the need for having all three rifles. I kept the scope and sold the rifle in early 2000, sold it for $425 private sale.

I would say it met the needs it is intended for and would be a good longer-range lever action. However, I think, at least in the past, most shooters were satisfied with the 30-30 velocity and if they wanted something different, they went to a bolt action or an automatic. The one rifle that contradicts this is the Savage model 99 that sold well in 250 Savage, a light fast caliber. The model 99 was very popular for years in 300 Savage and the 308; it seems some hunters really like them. The ones I have known who have the BLR swear it is the best lever action made, while many say nothing about it. All I can say is it worked for me.

 

[redranger1]

I would have a BLR before any of the other levers.

 

[Ndenway]

If we are looking for options other than the 30-30, my first choice would be a .308 Savage Model 99. Even in .300 Savage they are pretty cool rifles.

I've got an E in 308win that I picked up in a pawn shop for $135otd, great handling rifle, 2 1/2lb trigger and when I'm on my game, I can get 2" @100 with open sights,

I've found that it likes Blc2, WLP and the winchester bulk pack 180gr PP loaded out to 2.80".

 

[scrat]

i will stick to the 30-30. first of all who cares about the price of ammo when you are making your own. Yes i reload my own.

when you are making your own it really depends on what components you use. i mean i bought a box of 500 bullets for 24.00. Now thats just the bullets so now you need primer and powder..... However i have fireformed cases i develope a way better round than any factory grade out of the box ammo. However unless you know a thing or two about reloading you will not understand. Then i dont expect you to. So with that i will stick to the 30-30.

 

[rbernie]

I have a handful of Savage 99Fs in 308. I like 'em a lot. But truth be told, most times the 308 is more rifle than I need. There's not much inside of 150 yards and under 400lbs or so that a 30-30 can't take.

 

[Bearhands]

30-30 vs 308

Personally.... I think it comes down to what you'd like to lug around the woods for hours...... a nice light Model 94 Winchester? or a heavier gun?

Seems like folks always want to slam the 30-30...... the round thats taken more large game than any other. Not tryin to slam the 308 (I love it) or any other cartridge..... but sheesh...... there's just too much data not to realize that the 30-30 is a hellova round.

 

[terry264]

Have you weighed a Browning BLR in .308 lately?

 

[scrat]

well since the NW attorney has not been on here since he posted this i guess we scared him away.


sorry sometimes the truth hurts

 

[NWAttorney]

No, I'm here, trying to think of something legally witty to say in response...but I can't. I’m just watching my ego plummet day by day reading the responses to my posts.

I do appreciate these comments, though, except for the one pointing out what an idiot I was by pricing the blank ammo(!). I deserved that! At least it will make my decision easier knowing I can’t buy cheap .308 for 10cents a round!

I do like the fact that I can easily keep a lever-action “topped off” (if I’m a REALLY bad shot), and will probably go with a 30-30 Marlin 336SS or 336C. I just don't want that "buyer's remorse" when I really want to shoot something way out there, or WTSHTF and I'm wishing I had a more readily available round like a .308Win or 30-06, especially in TEOTWAWKI. On that note, I’m probably asking the wrong thread-crowd, except that everybody reading these threads is concerned about protecting their families and friends from whatever comes our way. I just want a rifle I can enjoy hunting with, too.

As to re-loading, that will be a long term goal for sure.

NWAttorney

 

[go_bang]

I've been kicking these two options back and forth for a while. Probably will be for a while longer until I've saved up the funds to get one or the other.

It seems the big deciding factor is what do you want to do with the rifle? How far do you expect to be shooting? The 30-30 seems to be good out to 200-300 yards depending on the load. A .308 could easily go farther and it shoots flatter. Both can be loaded down for lighter work. Overall, the .308 is more versitile. The question is whether you need that much versitility.

If you want the option of a scope the your best option in 30-30 is probably the Marlin.

If you plan to use the rifle as a defensive arm, then the .30-30 might have an edge. Because of the tube mag you can easily top off the mag as you go. The BLR uses a small box mag and no one makes a high-cap model for it.

I checked out a few BLR's and a few Marlin 336's at a recent gun show. Both seemed to handle easily enough. The BLR's action felt a lot smoother than the Marlin, but considering that the gun sells new for twice what the 336 does it should. I cycled a new 336 and the action required a bit of force to get it to break free and cycle, but the older one's a tried cycled better.

 

[doubleg]

Well what it comes down to is where are you going to be hunting? It the middle of the woods or in open fields? If the woods go with the lever, vise versa for the fields.

 

[RCdeck]

If you are interested in older guns the Savage 99, previously mentioned, were available in quite a few calibers. I have always been a fan of the 99s. A Winchester model 88 levergun was available in .308, .243, .284. They are currently getting more expensive as well as the Savage 99s.

I personally have a few of the Savage 99s and Winchester 88s. My favorite is the Marlin 336 in .35 Remington. You have a choice of round or pointed bullets up to 200gr. Note: The pointed are recommended tobe loading seperately. I like it because it is something less comman and I like Marlin leverguns.

 

[Old Time Hunter]

With the Hornady Leverevolution ammo, there is really no reason not to just get the tried and true .30-30.

 

[Essex County]

Probably a dozen years ago I found a belgian BLR on the used rack. Price and condition were right so I bought it on the spot. Kept in a few years, but it wasn't like the 336 I had grown up with. A private party heard I had one and came to visit. He offered Me a rediculous sum for it and it accompanied Him back to his pick up. A good rifle but I haven't missed it. Essex

 

[lesgeaux]

NWAttorney, you can not go wrong getting a Marlin 336 in any config. I was interested in shooting the 30-30 round and was able to pickup a 336w that was barely used for a nice price. What I found is this: handles well, quite accurate, iron sight are good, installed the weaver scope rail and still can use iron sights with out removeing rail, when I want to use my 1.5 x 4.5 scope with medium scope mounts I just tip it on and the zero does not change and can sight target with both eyes open, when I want to go back to irons, just tip it off. Cleaning is a breeze since the bolt comes straight out and cleaning rod cleans from the breach to the muzzle. Bought a Lee classic loader, followed instructions supplimented by a reloading manual and can shoot a lot cheaper. Factory ammo is Very easy to find. You won't be disappointed.

 

[Cosmoline]

For a .308 levergun, there's no contest. The BLR has NOTHING on the Savage '99. It's bulkier, clunkier and looks a lot less pretty.

 

[TnBigBore]

I have never warmed up the BLR either, but I have to admit that it is a very smooth operating, accurate rifle from what I have seen. My father-in-law hunts with an older steel receivr BLR 308 and an old Weaver 4X. It is a deadly rig in his hands.

With that being said, I think the Marlin 336 looks and feels better in the hands and in my neck of the woods the 30-30 is all I have ever needed for whitetail hunting. Even better would be a Marlin 336 in 35 Remington.