The versatile lever action.

[330d]

I would have to agree here. 336 summed it up pretty well. There is something to be said for the classic levergun. I seem to always grab one when I go shooting. Although the .450 Marlin isn't as easy or cheap to throw lead with as the 30-30...

 

[bracer]

Wanderinwalker, At times when elk hunting and got into the forest the 26 inch barrel on a 264 Win Mag and 340 Weatherby seems a bit long but just right for the open areas. I own a 336 and 94 rifle , but have never shot any game with them. At one time I was looking for a Remington pump 35 Whealen with a barrel cut down to 20 inches for hunting elk in the forest . Over the years I have tried out bolt, slide,leaver, semi-auto, and single shot action rifles. But for my type of hunting I like the bolt and pump rifles.

 

[dusty14u]

Well put 336A. I just picked up a Mossberg 464 30-30. Going to try it out this weekend if it doesn't snow too badly. I am mainly relegated to shotgun/sluggun in Va but hope to get to hunt in some centerfire counties. The woods are thick here and the 20" barrel with Hornaday ammo seems like a very good choice. Thanks for posting!

 

[wanderinwalker]

bracer, I could see that and agree. I used to carry a 22" barrel .260 Remington Mountain Rifle. (Wish I still had that rifle, but...) All I can describe some of our swamps and ridges as is "grabby" or "sticky". LOL! Imagine walking around on a Christmas tree farm where the trees aren't planted in regular rows. Some of them are close together, some of them are dozens of feet apart. Sometimes I swear anything not my arms or legs is just asking to grab a branch or get stuck on something.

Not saying either of us is right or wrong by any means. I think it's just a matter of personal preference and prejudice in the end!

 

[Water-Man]

Good post and I'm in agreement except for the caliber. My favorite is the .35 Remington and I've been taking deer and black bear with it since the 50's.

 

[Coltdriver]

I have a Marlin in 45/70. Pure nostalgia in a cartridge that has proved to be timeless. Mine has a much nicer forearm that I fitted and stained. Sanded it down to give it that classic narrow profile you see on the older lever rifles. Made a leather cartridge holder for the buttstock and put the right sling on it. Makes for a classic set up.

I am experimenting with a ballistic reticle. The 45/70 will reach way out, it just won't do it flat. But the arc is repeatable if you figure it out.

I have not owned a 30 30 yet but some day I will. For traipsing around the woods all day a light, short lever action is just hard to beat.

 

[Tirod]

While katad isn't wrong - I've said as much and got toasted for it - what's missing is a lever in the gunrack to honestly know where to comment from.

I moved from a real soldier's rifle, the HK91, to a Rem 700, to a '64 Win 94, and each time found better utility and more versatile use by the downsizing in weight and caliber. Sure, if I ever go after antelope or elk, I'd take the bolt gun in .30-06 for it's range, but for general all around game hunting, the lever is a great answer to getting a shot off in our gnarly terrain in SW MO.

Still, I do prefer semi autos - not that hunting really offers the opportunity for a follow up shot when you do the first right. But that is never a guarantee, as any bolt gunner who loads up all four or five rounds admits each day he hunts. Watching them practice at working the action to smoothly reload for a followup shot, which every bolt and lever gunner does almost religiously, makes my point - a reliable semi auto will do a better, faster job and leave you on target in the process.

I don't feel incredibly shortchanged hunting the lever right now, but just understand where the difference is. 22 years of Reserves have left me with a real appreciation of the self loading rifle's advantages, but I'll not likely sell off the lever like I did the overweight battle rifle, and potentially, the bolt gun. They aren't as much fun.

 

[Old Time Hunter]

Everyone does have a right to their opinion....no matter how wrong it is, but I do have a choice of every type of action and quite a few different calibers. I also have the luxury of being able to spend a good portion of my year geared up to hunt various species of game. That being said, it seems my current first grab rifle is a levergun. The last couple of years they have been chambered for .444 primarily, but I have them all from 218 Bee to the 450 Marlin (also the 348 Win which is more powerful yet) in leverguns. It seems as though my auto loaders, pumps, bolts, and straight pulls seem to sit at the side and only do range work. For no particular reason other than leverguns are, for me, handier in all aspects of their usage. As I said before, I am afforded the opportunity to hunt more often than the average person, so that is what I do, I actually "hunt" my game. There is no reason to take a 300 yard shot if I feel that I can get a 50 yard shot taking my time to stalk, whether it takes and extra hour or an extra week. To me there is no challange in 500 or 750 yard shots, I can do that all day long using a .45-70 Trapdoor shooting 500 grain BPCR with 65 grains of FFg.

 

[Freedom_fighter_in_IL]

I also know that the lever action can't hope to match my rate of hitting with repeat shots, on the same or other targets, when I have a good autoloader. That can mean something, often enough that I refuse to be without the potential

Ok "I've stands it and stands it till I cain't stands it NO MORE" <--(dont remember who said that but I still love it) Anyway, Ill tell you what there Katad, you seem to be a youngun and I am an old fart. You bring your precious little .308 semiwhatever on up here to IL and I will take you to my range. I will bring out one of the old girls and we will just see who is "on target" with more hits at 100yds in 10 seconds. I will bet you your rifle that it will be me there. As tirod said, some of us "lever gunners" practice diligently with them. I also practice diligently with my bolt guns and my single shot break opens and my single shot breech blocks. RARELY do I need a follow up shot with any of them because they point very well, come to shoulder well, are balanced well, and most of all I practice hitting what I aim at with them! To me, the semi auto was made for those people that can't hit what they are aiming at the first time! Simple as that. This "run and gun" mentality that you kids seem to have has no place in the woods. Just an opinion of a man with 40+ years experience in the woods with pretty much every kind of firearm you can imagine.

 

[336A]

Thanks for the nice replies folks.

Joel I would never trade a .375 Win in for a 30-30, and certainly not a Marlin .375.

Water- man I really like the .35 Rem cartridge too, some day I'll have me one. I've never shot one myself but the folks that do have them love for a reason cause they just hammer whatever they hit. I think about the only way you could get one from someone is prying it from thier cold hands which says a lot for this great cartridge as well.

Tirod while semi autos certainly have thier place. Generaly speaking they are heavier and bulkier than other action types. One of thier inherent disadvantages that I've seen quite often in frigid cold weather is the bolts tend to freeze up. I've seen this with .22 LR as well as M4 and M16s' out on the firing line.

 

[JoelSteinbach]

I was just kidding about trading my 375, I also have a 45-70 marlin as well as a 44 mag, and I am about to purchase a Browning BLR in 30-06. I really enjoy shooting as well as hand loading for my lever guns

 

[CraigC]

I really don't see that it does anything that a good autoloader doesn't...

I'd love to see a good, reliable semi-auto capable of killing everything up to and including elk that totes as easily in one hand, weighs around 6lbs and is as affordable and handy as a .30-30 carbine. Because there ain't one.....

I also know that the lever action can't hope to match my rate of hitting with repeat shots...

Simply untrue. While you can certainly empty a semi-auto quicker, a rifleman with a fair amount of skill can easily match your rate of accurate fire with a good levergun.

...what's missing is a lever in the gunrack to honestly know where to comment from.

Obviously and my statements above still stand. Anyone who thinks they can deliver accurate follow-up shots more quickly with a semi-auto than a levergun has never spent much time with one. Period.

 

[Freedom_fighter_in_IL]

And us Tennessee boys know our lever guns aint that right Craig!

 

[BrocLuno]

Hey, we all have safes or gun cabs with plenty of choices. It's just sometimes the lever makes sense. Especially if you are hunting from horseback with a scabbard Scopes and bolt knobs don't care for scabbards. Autos might, if they are the right gun? Levers were built for scabbards (be they on ATVs, Jeeps, or horses) and excel at that role.

But I agree with those that hand carry. My Winchester 94 (post 64) had a crappy receiver finish due to all the hand carry (wore it down to the iron with gloves & dirty hands). Had my local smith refinish it with miracle paint (actually KG) in semi black and reassemble. After he got done buffing and filing to knock off the edges, it's even more comfortable and nothing sticks to it. It's my "short range" bang-bang of choice.

Around the neighborhood, you show up with a Winchester 94 and everyone knows what it is, does not intimidate the ladies and the kids think it's cool. Yeah, some of the teens would rather play with a "black gun", but the little ones think the 94 is cool. Mostly they shoot 22, but they all want to graduate to the 94 at some point

 

[76shuvlinoff]

Hell I don't even hunt and I do enjoy my Win 30-30, every home oughta have one.
For a little more versatility I get out the Marlin 357 or for plinkin and varmint control the 39A. The trend seems to lever there.

Auto-loader? The only one I have is a bargain basement Marlin 60. It's annoyingly predictable.

Honestly I would love to play with monster calibers and long range shots but with a wrecked shoulder even a shotgun with mild loads will water my eyes after a few rounds.

 

[oldfool]

I vote with OP and (again ??) w/ Craig C
ain't no "best"
but if ever there was a "90 percenter" than can do 90% of what 90% of people need do with a rifle 90% of the time, the 30-30 is it

unlimited list of great rifle centerfire cartridges for shoulder fired rifles can be named, some made it, some did not (popularity)
if you own a 223, a 243, a 270, and 308 or 30-06, ain't much of anything you really need other for, not in North America
but if you own a 30-30 you have it 90% x 90% x 90% covered

PS
grandson thinks he wants a bolt action 30-30
(after recently deer hunting w/ my low-X scoped Marlin lever 30-30, and having taken his 1st whitetail with my NEF scoped 243 when 10 years old, over 15 years ago)
obviously not mainstream, or pick of the week, but I am looking
anybody know of any ?
(I am real fond of the lad, no apologies for that)

 

[Water-Man]

I don't believe anybody is making one anymore.

 

[Freedom_fighter_in_IL]

Ill look around for you oldfool. I think Water-Man is correct though. I am having a hard time thinking of anyone that chambers for it now in a bolt gun. Thats not to say that you couldn't easily have one built for a pretty reasonable price though. Get yourself a good Savage 110 action or a good K98 action, many various stock makers out there that have very reasonably priced stocks and the same for barrels. As far as magazines, if I remember correctly, an action that will take .308 will take 30/30 but I am not 100% sure on that. They may fit well in the magazine but you may need to get some light work done on the feed ramp. But anyway, it would not be a difficult weapon and you could probably have it done fairly reasonably.

 

[CraigC]

And us Tennessee boys know our lever guns aint that right Craig!

That's right!

 

[grubbylabs]

I have always wanted a lever and I just got my first a Winchester 94 in .444 While it may not be my go to weapon for hunting I think it will see a lot of action. I am an archery hunter at hart so my bow is my go to weapon of choice for hunting, but I have friend who goes with me about once a year and it will make a great carry gun for him. And I will feel better with him having it since I hunt in Grizz country and I often smell and sound like food to them. And thanks to a very kind member of this forum I will have some bullets and maybe some brass to load for it soon.

 

[Gideon]

I agree in so much as I LOVE a good lever action, however, I find them noticeably less accurate then any of my bolt actions but not enough to make a difference for the way I hunt.

I think the 30/30 round is decent enough, but for me, my one and only lever is a Marlin 1894C chambered in .357 magnum.

I had a lot of deer rifles in .308 and .243 so I didn't need another, but I just love the handling of the short (18.5") barrelled .357. Mine loves .38's and there's no kick at all with them. Even with a heavy .357 it's mild.

I wouldn't hesitate to take a deer out to 100 with it but I mainly got if just for pure fun.

Gideon

 

[ChefJeff1]

Bravo! Is it hot in here?

I just got a brand new 336ss. It has a redfield scope for now but will soon wear a Skinner.

I bought this rifle to hunt mule deer. I already have a ruger M77 .270 that works great. However, I decided that I want to hunt from now on with a levergun. I"ll use my 30-30 for my deer and as far as elk, I have to use the .270 until I get a 45-70 or something.

It's just how I want to do it, for nostalgia...

 

[Rexster]

Another BLR fan here! I bought a .308 BLR Lightning in 1997, shortly after I had bought a Winchester '94 Trapper, and had found the Trapper disappointingly rough. When Browning released the stainless-finish laminated-stock .308 BLRs a few years ago, I bought two of them, as it seemed at the time they would be a limited run. I live on the Texas Gulf Coast, and stainless is a good finish for a gun that might be stored for long periods.

When the Takedown BLRs were introduced, with a forward-mount scope rail option, I saw an opportunity for a lefty-friendly lightweight scout rifle that worked just like rifles I already owned and liked. I bought a pre-owned Takedown recently.

I have sold off a couple of lever rifles, that rough Trapper, and a Mirokuchester '92 in .45 Colt that was just too finicky. I may sell/trade off a couple of .357 Marlins soon, leaving me with just the BLRs as my only lever-action repeaters. The Marlins are nice, but I need to reduce the long gun inventory, as a likely imminent marital split will reduce my secure storage space, and four to six long guns have to go. I plan to keep all of the BLRs, as they are so close to perfect for me.

 

[Tinpig]

Archery, shotgun, and muzzleloader only for deer in my part of Massachusetts. Doesn't mean I can't take my old Model 94 to the range and just plain enjoy shooting it!



Tinpig

 

[PR-NJ]

Bravo! Is it hot in here?

I just got a brand new 336ss. It has a redfield scope for now but will soon wear a Skinner.

I bought this rifle to hunt mule deer. I already have a ruger M77 .270 that works great. However, I decided that I want to hunt from now on with a levergun. I"ll use my 30-30 for my deer and as far as elk, I have to use the .270 until I get a 45-70 or something.

It's just how I want to do it, for nostalgia...

My next purchase will be a 336SS in 30-30. It was that or an AR-15, but the 336 is really tugging at me.

It will be my first long gun with a wood stock!