Lever Gun Hunting

[bigsplash1]

What calibre is preferred for deer and black bear hunting from a lever gun? .357mag, .44mag, .45LC, 30-30win? Do the pistol rounds pack the punch of the good old 30-30????

 

[Ben Shepherd]

My 2 favorites are 30-30 and 44.

The 44 and 45 Colt have comparable energy to the 30-30, but the ballistics are a little different.

And, even though the raw energy numbers are similar between the calibers mentioned above, they have totally different terminal effects due to differing bullet construction.

 

[Smoke]

45-70 is my preferred lever gun round. Followed closely by .300 Savage, then .30-30.

Smoke

 

[Zeke Menuar]

I only have one lever-action. So I must pick 300 Savage.

ZM

 

[Dave McCracken]

30-30. IMO, the handgun cartridges work best inside 75 yards. The old 30-30 is good out to 100 to 125 as is, and a few more yards with glass and load development.

Not the only choice, but the msot common.

As for the 45-70, there's often a fair number of almost new ones for sale, only shot a few rounds. There's a lesson there..

 

[Wildalaska]

Its called ouch


WildamnlyyetmanageableAlaska

 

[Smoke]

As for the 45-70, there's often a fair number of almost new ones for sale, only shot a few rounds. There's a lesson there..

The lesson is: fit and form. 45-70 is not much different in felt recoil than a 12ga with a standard slug.

Smoke

 

[sitkablacktail]

I use the Marlin 1894S in 45 Colt for Blacktail deer and the 1895SS in 45/70 for Moose, Blacktail deer and Bears. As far as the 45/70 kicking too much I'll have to let my wife know that so she will stop using it since it's too much gun for her. The 44 mag and the 45 Colt are on par with bringing down deer as the 30/30, dead is dead. The 357 is kind of on the light side but with the right bullet will do the job.

 

[KaceCoyote]

.30-30 has taken more deer than any other cartridge, and its good for blackbear.

 

[David4516]

My personal favorite is .30-30

But what about .444? I've never shot one, but it looks (on paper at least) to be a very interesting lever gun round...

 

[smokemaker]

I have to put a vote in for the .405 Winchester, just so it won't die again.

 

[jimbo]

Considering bear, I'd have to take .35 Remington over a .30-30.

 

[AKAMac]

308

I just love the BLR for those quick close up brush hogs and the ability to do the 200 yard shot when required. Magizine makes for fast re-load too.

 

[Joe Demko]

357mag, .44mag, .45LC, 30-30win?

I'd prefer a .300 Savage over any of those for deer and bear, though all of them can be used, if not optimally. If you start looking at lever actions like the winchester Model 88, Winchester Model 95, BLR, Sako Finnwolf, and Savage Model 99 (some of these are available only on the used market) then you have a really wide variety of cartridges available above what you listed there.

 

[Kingcreek]

I have a .44 winchester that is loads of fun. I once had a .357 marlin that was a fun plinker but not very serious as a game rifle. The one I wish I never sold was the .444 Marlin- a pretty solid critter thumper.

 

[sturmruger]

I juust bought a nice .44 mag. I used a Marlin .44 to shoot my very first deer and am a little sentimental about .44s.

 

[cooch]

I like my .444.

With the heavier pills it should still run close to 2100fps.
Very similar to the old Nitro-Express recipe which killed so much big game.

Nothing I've shot with it goes very far and it shoots reasonably flat in comparison with the pistol rounds

 

[Mannlicher]

I am very partial to the Marlin 1894S in .44 Mag for deer. I hunt mainly in North Central Florida, and in that heavy, close terrain, where ranges are almost always short, the .44 works well. I like the 270 grain Speer GDSP over a good shot of H-110. My Chrony shows over 1600 fps with this load.
The other lever gun I hunt with is a 1954 Marlin 336, rechambered to 30/30 Ackley Improved. Now thats one sweet lil rifle.

 

[H&Hhunter]

I am quite fond of the Savage 99 in a .308. I consider it my 06 power level saddle rifle in a really neat small package.

My second favorite is my 1895CB in .45-70.