I agree. In about 1952, I remember my dad looking at an ad in "True" magazine about the Savage 99 in 300 Savage. He said that he'd like to have one. Today people don't recall how popular lever action guns were in the last half of the 19th Century and the first half of the 20th.
The Winchester Model 70 had stiff competition from the lever actions rifles of the day, some, other Winchesters, such as the Model 71 which was considered a real whiz bang when it came out. It is still considered an adaquate big bear rifle. When Teddy Roosevelt went to Africa in 1910 he carried a customized 03 Springfield, but did much of his hunting with his "lion medicine" rifle, the lever action Model 95 in .405.
There are still some things that, IMO, lever rifles do best. They are easy to carry and quick to bring to shoulder. They are plenty accurate for other than extra long range hunting. One of the best is the old Savage 99 and in .300 Savage or .308 it just about all of the rifle that most hunters will ever need.
The Winchester Model 70 had stiff competition from the lever actions rifles of the day, some, other Winchesters, such as the Model 71 which was considered a real whiz bang when it came out. It is still considered an adaquate big bear rifle. When Teddy Roosevelt went to Africa in 1910 he carried a customized 03 Springfield, but did much of his hunting with his "lion medicine" rifle, the lever action Model 95 in .405.
There are still some things that, IMO, lever rifles do best. They are easy to carry and quick to bring to shoulder. They are plenty accurate for other than extra long range hunting. One of the best is the old Savage 99 and in .300 Savage or .308 it just about all of the rifle that most hunters will ever need.