all around lever action rifle

[T.R.]

Savage model 99 has put a lot of meat on our table. Modern ammo elevates .308 to ballistic equal of the famous 30-06. Yet Managed Recoil ammo is available from Remington that tames .308 for kids to handle easily.

This blacktail buck was taken in Napa County, Northern California.

TR

 

[Dr. Tad Hussein Winslow]

and what year was that?

 

[memphisjim]

30 caliber 30 grains of powder

 

[mavracer]

... but I'm still thinking this recently acquired lever gun obsession is going to get expensive.

yes, you'll be the happiest broke guy.
it starts with one and I currently have 7.
I belive you are correct the .357 mag carbine would be an exellent choice for your NEXT lever. marlin winchester or rossi/puma are all nice choices.
BTW my .357 is a marlin 1894CB with a 24" oct bbl. 3-4" groups @ 100 yards W/open sights.

 

[Shawnee]

The first 10 years of my deer hunting was with a 60-lb. recurve bow so the most hilariously insane opinions I hear among riflemen is the scoffing they will do at the 30/30 lever-guns and their "limited" rolleyes range. With archers taking a few hundred-thousand deer every year, and shotgunners take similar numbers - the lads who think an effective range of about 200-250yds. (or even 100yds.) is a handicap are loonier than Barney Fyfe.

The lever-guns' portability and quickness of getting into action, especially for the first shot is (IMHO) woefully undervalued by American hunters who have embraced the scoped bolt-actions because of the perceived need for calibers offering more range.

FWIW... McGunner talked me into getting a 30/30 barrel for my Contender pistol and - with iron sights and one El Cheapo factory 150-grainer - I (legally) dropped a large doe earlier this week at about 160yds. - and it wasn't even a tough shot.

 

[Lovesbeer99]

30-30 with regular 150 grain bullets work great, but to get that .357 level of performance try this hand load, (if you load). 170 hard cast flat point bullet under 7 - 9 grains of Unique powder and a cci large pistol primer. I found this in the Lyman cast book and it works great and it cheap. I use these to practice and plink, but I'm pretty sure they would be good for varmints and maybe even coyote.

Shoot safe -

 

[Gary in Pennsylvania]

Good thread guys!

I'd looooove to have a Marlin Trapper size .30-.30


Gary

 

[Kleanbore]

The property description clarifies your situation.

The .357 may be fun to shoot, as was the old .38-40, but the trajectory is almost a diagram of the St. Louis Arch: 9 inches high at 100 yards and almost three feet low at 300. Even with a rangefinder I think it would be hard for most people to hit a small animal very far out.

If you want to stay within the Marlin family, a 24 inch .30-30 with Hornady pointed bullets would probably be a lot better for the distances you mention. With a BLR or Savage, .22-250 or .243 would probably suit you even better. I've been a .22-250 user for decades and that would be my choice. If a single shot would do, the Ruger is great and it does have a lever!

It might be worth relating the experiences of Jules Sandoz, a Swiss immigrant on the great plains in the late nineteenth century, as recorded by his daughter Marie. "Old Jules" had a single shot .41 Vetterli rifle. He could not hit antelope with it because of the rainbow trajectory. He longed for a Winchester, to provide follow-up shot capability, but he ended up getting a 7MM, if memory serves me, and thereby greatly increased his standard of living. By the way, "Old Jules" and "Crazy Horse" by Marie Sandoz are both worth reading.

Having gone through all that, the above post on the .22 Magnum Winchester 9422M is spot on. It's a great little cartridge for short range shooting at small varmints and it's much more effective than the .22LR. I had a Winchester 61A slide action for it that I wish I still had, and I still regret not buying a 9422M new when I had the chance. Henry makes one that looks pretty good on the web but I haven't seen one in the flesh.

Echoing the sentiment of a few others here, maybe you should buy two more rifles! Perhaps a .22 Magnum, and maybe a higher velocity centerfire.

 

[Shawnee]

The .357 magnum with iron sights and 125gr. JHPs at 1950fps.... sighted in to be 2.5" high at 25 yds.)


5.1" high at 50yds.
6.9" high at 75yds.
7.1" high at 100yds.
6.6" high at 150yds. (energy is inadequete much farther than here)

Which is to say you could use the same sight picture - a hold about 1/4 the way up from the bottom-line of a deer's chest - keeping the entire target in view and score a good hit at any distance out to 150yds. or you could aim just underneath a coyote (also keeping the entire target in view) and accomplish the same thing.

Simple. One sight picture. No fuss. No muss. Works like a charm if you do your part.

It's worth noting that between 75 and 150yds. the elevation deviates a measley half-inch.
Realizing how many deer are taken between 75 and 150yds - all that ".357 has a rainbow trajectory" talk is mostly "rainbow stew". I know a better term for it but the Senator from Tequila, Texas would have to looose the hounds on me for using it.

That is not a jab at "Kleanbore", by the way. The energy level and trajectory of a .357 rifle both limit it to about 150yds.

 

[goon]

The 99 Savage is a great rifle but they haven't been in production in about 20 years (I think).
If you buy one and break something you may have a lot of fun getting another firing pin or extractor.
If they were still in production they'd outclass an awful lot of their competition but as it is, I personally would be afraid to really use one.
I'd take one out for the occasional deer but as far as a rifle you could just stick in the truck with you, I wouldn't want to use one for that.
OTOH, my dad still uses his for stuff like that. His 99 is the only rifle he owned for about 30 years until he got to a point where .300 Savage recoil on a steel buttplate got to be too much on a regular basis. Now he has a .223 to supplement his needs.

 

[Wolfgang2000]

First lever guns are one of the most fun guns to shoot out there. It comes in right after a belt fed FA!

I own a BLR 22, BLR81 308, Winchester 9422 22 mag, Marlin 1894 357mag, Marlin 336T 30-30. I've owned several other caliber levers in the past.

I love my BLR 308. It's my go to hunting gun. The 22 and 357 are really fun guns to shoot. ( I also have a thing for rifle pistol combos.) Both are the kind of guns that after a shooting session you are sorry you ran out of ammo. The 357 out of a 16" barrel is ALMOST as good as a real rifle round. The problem is that Almost only counts in horse shoes, hand grenades and hurricanes.

The old 30-30 is one of the most versatile rounds ever designed. It's been with us since the late 1800's. If it didn't work it wouldn't have lasted. You can get sabot varmint rounds, and the new Hornady rounds, thus continuing to make the 30-30 on of the most used and viable rounds in the USA.

The tube fed levers have 1 major draw back IMO. The fact that you have to cycle all the ammo through the gun to unload it, or clear the chamber.

Everyone has to do what is best for them. But history is on the side of the 30-30.

 

[Kentucky-roughrider]

Another vote for the 30/30, you choose the maker. Henry, Mossberg, and Marlin all make fine rifles.

 

[32winspl]

In the early 60's, my Dad bought a (approx 1949) Mod 94 in .32 Winchester Special. I, of course, at about age 5 was totally in love with it and would handle it absolutely EVERY time Dad would allow. So for my 7th Christmas, Santa (really cool dude) brought me a Daisy "Spittin' Image" Mod 94 BB-gun. It was IIRC dimensionally identical to his. Over the course of the next 5 or 6 years, I surely put 1/2 a million bbs throught it. Imagine the "muscular-memory" developed by shouldering a 94 and working the action of that dimensionally-correct BBgun 500,000 times.
Dad's eyes started going south, and he didn't want to mount an off-to-the-side scope on his, and he bought a Browning BLR in .308. Naturally, I opt to hunt with the old 94.
Even still (I'm 50 yo), it comes to my shoulder soo fast and naturally, and on target, that it blows my mind!
A few years ago, I retired it, and for my Dad's Christmas present, I sent off the metalwork to be re-blued, and I refinished the gorgeous burled stocks. ( Yammer Yammer Yammer, I know you purists are gonna give me a load of crap for doing that. It'll never be sold, so it's value hasn't been hurt, and it's absolutely stunning eye-candy.) I bought a Marlin 1895M and MR in 450 Marlin when my eyes started going south.
Now, my Kiddo's in love with this old '94, and has hunted his first with it. It's the cycle of life. Good lever guns hopefully last forever and will be loved and desired by generations yet unborn.
By the way, growing up a Win 94-o-phile, the first thing I did to my Marlin was to plane down the fore-end to Winchester dimensions because it felt like a (bleeping) '54 Buick.
I have other rifles, but for where I've always hunted deer, (heavy cover and short ranges), I'll likely always be a lever guy.

 

[dmazur]

What, no votes for the Winchester mod. 1895?

Well, I happen to like my Winchester 1895 in .30-06 very much.

However, I doubt very many would agree that it is an "all around lever action rifle", even though it is chambered for an all around cartridge. ( )

The Winchester 1895 just doesn't have the natural carry balance of the Winchester 94.

If you agree that putting a scope on a lever action is a sin, then the difficulty of scoping an 1895 shouldn't be a negative.

I don't know why no votes for the 1895. It's enough of an oddball that I don't consider it "all around". OK as a brush gun for deer, maybe.

 

[paintballdude902]

cant go wrong with a .30-30 in any lever platform

and back to the rule of 3 there is an acceptable waiting period befor purchasing the other part of the 3 i currently have just a .30-30 becasue of lack of money (.45-70 is on the way via brother inlaw )

 

[Shawnee]

Of course there is an acceptable waiting period, PBD. It's 48 hours whether you need all that time or not.

The penalty for violating the wait period is that you have to fire a 5-shot group with your rifle (when you get it) - offhand, unsupported, at 75yds., in 75 seconds - and then post the target on the THR Rifle forum.

 

[jkingrph]

Under the Laws of the (THR) Commonwealth - centerfire lever-action rifles come in sets of three. You are not allowed to buy just one. The set is comprised of...

Part A. Winchester 94 in 30/30 (.32 Special is acceptable IF your model 336 is a 30/30).

Part B. Marlin 336 in 30/30 (.35 Remington is acceptable IF your model 94 is a 30/30)

Part C. Marlin 1895 in .45/70 Gov.

That should be rule of four. Add a Marlin 39

 

[Shawnee]

Hi Jking...


LOL !

It's already up to seven and we may have to add more for the Winchester model 88 and my favorite .22, the Ithaca Saddlegun.

You darned hunters are C.R.A.Z.Y. !

 

[76shuvlinoff]

hmmm I appear to have stirred up some good advice and great stories.

Yes my property length is a good 300 yards but my shooting certainly would not be at 1/2 that distance unless I spotted some wild dog pack attacking the horses at the far end. It's not impossible to consider but not likely to happen and if it did there'd probably be a foot race with horses leading dog pack back to barn. Were I to take that long shot I'd more than likely hit horse if anything at all. ...... somedays I'm not sure if that would be a bad thing. I'M KIDDING HONEY!!

These's a lot of info here to digest but keep it coming, thanks!

 

[Shawnee]

"...somedays I'm not sure if that would be a bad thing."


ROTFLMAO !!


The words of a True Horseman !


ROTFLMAO !!

 

[76shuvlinoff]

I was recently bsing with our farrier, he looked up from his work and asked me "Do you want to know how to make a million dollars in the horse busness? Of course I said "Sure would!

He deadpans "Start with 2 million"

 

[jkingrph]

Hi Jking...


LOL !

It's already up to seven and we may have to add more for the Winchester model 88 and my favorite .22, the Ithaca Saddlegun.

You darned hunters are C.R.A.Z.Y. !

Heck, I was just trying to keep things civil. Currently I have a 1952 vintage 39a( I'm the orginal owner) 336 sc in 35 Rem , 1894 in 44 mag, and 3 variants of the 1895 in 45-70, and a 336 cowboy in 38-55. There is also a Win Canadian Centinneal, purchased in 1968, two 1894-1994 centinnel's in 30 wcf( 26" half octogen half round barrels, button magazines, pistol grip, crescent buttplate, very good wood and Lyman tant sights), 1886 Repro takedown in 45-70, Two 1895's in 405 Win. ( one is high grade) and a nice little Savage 99 eg in 300 Sav. with a Weaver K-4 scope with lee dot reticule. The wife has one of the 1897 Annie Oakley cowboy 22's with Marbles tang sight. I have been keeping my eyes open for a good Win. mod 88 preferablly in 358Win. but no luck so far there!

 

[Shawnee]

Hi JKing...

Sounds like you have a good start on your collection !

I envy your Canadian Centennials. I bought and (stupidly) sold two of them in the early, early 70s. :banghead:


Hi 76...

""Start with 2 million"

ROTFLMAO !!!

Now THAT man knows what he's talkin' 'bout !


ROTFLMAO !!!

 

[goon]

I'd love to be able to obey the rule of three but I can only afford my 30-30 right now.
But I have a stainless Guide gun .45/70 and an 1894 cowboy II in .357 on my wish list.
Some day when I'm rich and famous I'll be able to afford a 1895 Cowboy as well, but that one is way out in the future.

 

[jkingrph]

Join Date: 08-13-08
Posts: 5

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The property description clarifies your situation.

The .357 may be fun to shoot, as was the old .38-40, but the trajectory is almost a diagram of the St. Louis Arch: 9 inches high at 100 yards and almost three feet low at 300. Even with a rangefinder I think it would be hard for most people to hit a small animal very far out.

If you want to stay within the Marlin family, a 24 inch .30-30 with Hornady pointed bullets would probably be a lot better for the distances you mention. With a BLR or Savage, .22-250 or .243 would probably suit you even better. I've been a .22-250 user for decades and that would be my choice. If a single shot would do, the Ruger is great and it does have a lever!

It might be worth relating the experiences of Jules Sandoz, a Swiss immigrant on the great plains in the late nineteenth century, as recorded by his daughter Marie. "Old Jules" had a single shot .41 Vetterli rifle. He could not hit antelope with it because of the rainbow trajectory. He longed for a Winchester, to provide follow-up shot capability, but he ended up getting a 7MM, if memory serves me, and thereby greatly increased his standard of living. By the way, "Old Jules" and "Crazy Horse" by Marie Sandoz are both worth reading.

Having gone through all that, the above post on the .22 Magnum Winchester 9422M is spot on. It's a great little cartridge for short range shooting at small varmints and it's much more effective than the .22LR. I had a Winchester 61A slide action for it that I wish I still had, and I still regret not buying a 9422M new when I had the chance. Henry makes one that looks pretty good on the web but I haven't seen one in the flesh.

Echoing the sentiment of a few others here, maybe you should buy two more rifles! Perhaps a .22 Magnum, and maybe a higher velocity centerfire

.

The Vetterli was not a single shot I cannot remember but it seems as though mine holds something like 11 or 13 rounds. Vetterli is a bolt action repeater with tubular magazine. Lifter was copied from one of the early Winchester/Henry rifle types.