Most accurate cartridge for lever guns w/ tubular mags?

[spalit]

I guess the title somewhat explains it. I've been curious for a while about how accurate a levergun could get; particularly the ones limited to flat or round-nosed bullets due to a tube magazine. For example, I know most people think of the 30-30 as a 150yd gun in the max. So my question is; if accuracy is the goal, and a lever rifle with a tubular magazine is the limitation, which would be the most accurate cartridge for long-range shooting/hunting purposes that one could pick out for it? Would it be the 30-30, 45-70, 44Mag, 35Rem, or some weird wildcat calibre?

 

[db_tanker]

there has been more work done with the 30 WCF and the 35 Remington...I would flip a coin on those...

I prefer my Winchesters, but a Marlin or newer 94 AE accepts scopes to get more accuracy out of said cartridges...

Of course, you can always check out that new Hornady ammo with the soft pointy tips...

D

 

[mustanger98]

I have nothing negative to say about Marlin 336, but I like my Winchester '94 in .30-30 with aperture rear sight. (Both makes/models will take an aperture.) Mine has a Lyman #2 and I can easily mount a Williams Foolproof with target knobs. This type sight has made it much easier to shoot a '94 accurately.

A scope don't help the size of your groups with any particular rifle. It just gives you a closer look at your target.

 

[nipprdog]

http://www.hornady.com/story.php?s=198

 

[AH-1]

in 30+ years of hunting I have only shot twice over 100 yards.get a win 94 30-30 and a williams reciever sight.
pete

 

[Don't Tread On Me]

Check out that Hornady link that was posted above. These should make lever calibers even more accurate, and flatter shooting.

 

[rbernie]

First, you have to remember that accuracy is a measure of the repeatability of the system. Any of these chamberings can be reasonably accurate, but leverguns in general don't give the accuracy comparable to a good bolt gun simply because the levergun's workings do not provide the same mechanical repeatability as does a boltie.

Having said that - it's been my experience that larger/slower chamberings don't work as well over longer distances when shot offhand as do faster chamberings. If you're shooting from a rest, you'll probably find that any of 'em will be accurate enough when shooting to a known distance and using known external ballistics data for the load. Of course, get the distance wrong and none of them will seem to be accurate, since you won't hit what you're aiming at. Again, the faster/smaller chamberings will shoot flatter and therefore be more forgiving of distance estimation errors than will the bigger/slower chamberings.

 

[mustanger98]

And... check out Jim Carmicheal's article on Point Blank Zero in Outdoor Life.

 

[Jim Watson]

Marlin got a 336 down to MOA with factory .30-30 to prove their microgroove barrels would hack it. But they left off the magazine tube and used a partly inletted foreend blank on the sandbags.

At one time there was some work done on accurizing tube magazine rifles but unless you can find one of the old gunsmiths or old articles, it is pretty much a lost art in an era of bolt actions in plastic stocks.

As far as a current production cartridge goes, figure .30-30 or .45-70, they are the best developed. I never got the accuracy out of a .35 that some magazine writers claimed for it and I tried with three different ones, lever, auto, and bolt. And a pistol round like .44 magnum just isn't in the running.

A sound .32-40 or .38-55 might well beat them all, they are mild rounds that don't shake up all the loose parts like a larger or higher pressure cartridge.

 

[Preacherman]

Don't forget that you can reload spitzers for lever-action rifles - just don't load more than two rounds in the gun (one in the chamber and one in the magazine). By doing this, you can tailor bullet selection to your needs, and get a super-accurate load that isn't restricted to flat- or round-nose projectiles.

 

[MNgoldenbear]

First, you have to remember that accuracy is a measure of the repeatability of the system. Any of these chamberings can be reasonably accurate, but leverguns in general don't give the accuracy comparable to a good bolt gun simply because the levergun's workings do not provide the same mechanical repeatability as does a boltie.

The cartridges are capable of more accuracy than the typical lever gun can supply, as noted above. The .30-30 is very accurate in single-shot pistols. It's been used fairly successfully in IHMSA production division, though there are many better suited rounds for that. Hey, 200 meters, standing, off-hand, with 10" barrels -- if it'll do the job in that scenario, gotta be inconsistency in the lever gun's lockup that keeps most of them from being super accurate.

 

[dodge]

Out of my Marlin guide gun in 45/70 I have on more than one occassion had three round into one hole. I have since removed my scope and replaced it with a William's peep sight. I have never put a scope onto my 336 so I don't know how well it will do.

 

[Darth Ruger]

The current issue of Shooting Times has an article about the new Hornady loads in .30-30, .35 Rem, and .444 Marlin. They compare them to standard loads. The conclusion for the .30-30 was that it doubles the killing range and cuts wind drift in half. There's also an article about the new .444 load being used on an elk hunt.

 

[mainmech48]

Don't forget that you can reload spitzers for lever-action rifles - just don't load more than two rounds in the gun (one in the chamber and one in the magazine). By doing this, you can tailor bullet selection to your needs, and get a super-accurate load that isn't restricted to flat- or round-nose projectiles.

I've heard of that being done, but always wondered if the much lower velocities obtainable in standard LA actions (excepting to a degree the Winchester XTRs) due to pressure limitations might yield disappointing bullet performance. Most of the spitzers in .30 and .35 are designed for cartridges averaging 300-600 f/s more MV, IIRC. The 150 gr. spitzer intended for the .35 Remington is the only exception that I can think of right off.

Come to think of it, didn't they have to come up with special bullet designs for factory .356 and .307 Win. ammo for the XTRs so the tube mag wouldn't be a factor?

Also wondered about OAL becoming a factor with some spitzers when seated to crimp into the cannelure. Some LAs have pretty limited tolerance windows for functional reliably.

 

[triple4]

Go over to www.Marlinowners.com and ask this question, you will be surprized at the answers. In Ranch Dogs postal match groups from 444's and 45-70's were running .75 and smaller and most times thats with Hardcast bullets. If you know how to get a marlin too shoot they will do their part.

 

[Brian Williams]

Accuracy is part of a system that includes, the cartridge, the gun and the shooter. I feel that a few cartridges tend to be right there in the accuracy column, it still takes a good load, a good gun and a good shooter to make consistent hits on target or on game.

I you want to hear about some good levergunners and accuracy, check out these guys also
http://leverguns.sixgunner.com/forum.asp?FORUM_ID=2