Big Slick
Well-known member
huntRme I love a peep sight if I'm going with open sights!
Dying Breed
- Thread starter Mikeflies
- Start date
Calif. Hunter
Active member
I agree with peep sights. Open sights are hard for me to use anymore past about 50 yards. I have never been much of a lever gun fan for hunting - I grew up with bolt guns. I do have a couple Model 94s but I don't use them much for hunting. I have a couple rimfire levers that get more use.
Big Slick
Well-known member
I miss my Marlin in .44 mag. What a fun gun!
COmarshrat
New member
- Joined
- Dec 10, 2011
- Messages
- 11
Is shot my first deer with a Marlin 336c in .30-30. A few years later I sold it. Is used to go to an open woods shooting range and hit the bottom of pop cans at 100 yards with open sights. Then I had to move on to "bigger and better" (even though I was in the Midwest at the time) and moved through the .308 family up to the .300 Win Mag. Then it was on to the 7mm Rem Mag, which I bought because it was made in the same year I was....1962.
I was a wildlife manager in one of the Midwest states for a decade and ran a check station during deer season. I checked a couple thousand deer every year and always engaged hunters in conversation about tactics, calibers, etc. It always amazed me that folks were using big calibers and cartridges to shoot white-tailed deer, and the gaping exit holes on them and the associated bloodshot meat jut made me scratch my head. It also made me start to wonder about the "power" of center fire rifle cartridges and what is really necessary to do the job of humanely and quickly dispatching critters.
Since then, I have thought that "power" is centered around a baseline of sorts, with that baseline being, in most circles, the .30-'06 because of its standard usage as a military cartridge...the standard by which others were judged. I believe the logic progressed to the belief that if the .30-06 was used in war to kill humans, something larger was then necessary to kill animals which were bigger than humans. And the race was on to bigger, faster, "better", while smaller cartridges or less-powerful cartridges got pushed aside as being for varmints and other small stuff.
So what does this all have to do with lever actions? Well, hunting for me was never more fun than carrying those light .30-30's, and sneaking around the woods. When I pulled the trigger, it never failed. The many deer I shot with a .30-30 all expired very quickly, without much weight, without much recoil, without as much noise, and without as much ruined meat as the other calibers. None required a second shot and they were shot at ranges up to a little over 200 yards with peep sights - although most were less than 75. I haven't ever really been in a situation where I missed the flatter trajectory that the other cartridges I've hunted with provided. That same trend has been my experience as I have aged...the .30-30 is plenty of cartridge for anything that I hunt (whitetails, mule deer, pronghorn and elk) when I get close enough (200 yards), its easier to carry than ANY bolt gun and I believe it's easier to shoot as well, whether in Marlin or Winchester flavor. Plus...they're just plain FUN!
I was a wildlife manager in one of the Midwest states for a decade and ran a check station during deer season. I checked a couple thousand deer every year and always engaged hunters in conversation about tactics, calibers, etc. It always amazed me that folks were using big calibers and cartridges to shoot white-tailed deer, and the gaping exit holes on them and the associated bloodshot meat jut made me scratch my head. It also made me start to wonder about the "power" of center fire rifle cartridges and what is really necessary to do the job of humanely and quickly dispatching critters.
Since then, I have thought that "power" is centered around a baseline of sorts, with that baseline being, in most circles, the .30-'06 because of its standard usage as a military cartridge...the standard by which others were judged. I believe the logic progressed to the belief that if the .30-06 was used in war to kill humans, something larger was then necessary to kill animals which were bigger than humans. And the race was on to bigger, faster, "better", while smaller cartridges or less-powerful cartridges got pushed aside as being for varmints and other small stuff.
So what does this all have to do with lever actions? Well, hunting for me was never more fun than carrying those light .30-30's, and sneaking around the woods. When I pulled the trigger, it never failed. The many deer I shot with a .30-30 all expired very quickly, without much weight, without much recoil, without as much noise, and without as much ruined meat as the other calibers. None required a second shot and they were shot at ranges up to a little over 200 yards with peep sights - although most were less than 75. I haven't ever really been in a situation where I missed the flatter trajectory that the other cartridges I've hunted with provided. That same trend has been my experience as I have aged...the .30-30 is plenty of cartridge for anything that I hunt (whitetails, mule deer, pronghorn and elk) when I get close enough (200 yards), its easier to carry than ANY bolt gun and I believe it's easier to shoot as well, whether in Marlin or Winchester flavor. Plus...they're just plain FUN!
RUT JUNKEY
Well-known member
I have the .30-.30, .357, .22, won a .44 mag Henry last spring, and just bought the .35. I love the lever gun! Lots of fun.
DSull
New member
I always bring my Marlin Guide Gun in .450 Marlin as my back up rifle for elk season.
BrowningBLR
Active member
Newer lever action... Browning BLR, .300WSM, had it for 4 years and will use it for another 40
putm2sleep
New member
That sounds like a nice weapon right there stud.
BrowningBLR
Active member
It's an amazing rifle! Hopefully I won't need it and can find a bull to get with my bow! Had a couple close calls so far... have you been out at all?
hornart
New member
my son killed a cow elk with his opensighted 30-30 last fall
HSi-ESi
Well-known member
I have always had a thing for levers. Right now I have 3. A Browning BLR 81 in .308 (bought it when I was 12, have taken countless Deer, Elk and Antelope with it). A .444 Marlin (only shot paper) and a Rossi .45 LC (modeled after the Winchester Model 1892).
I still use the BLR81 for Deer and Antelope, but retired it from Elk (moved on to a 300 WM and 338 WM)
I still use the BLR81 for Deer and Antelope, but retired it from Elk (moved on to a 300 WM and 338 WM)
MW357
New member
Marlin 1894c year model 1977. .357 mag. Hunt with it to this day for whitetail in the mountains.
PsRpOiGrRiAtM
Well-known member
- Joined
- Aug 28, 2017
- Messages
- 359
My bruthah.....
As my moniker suggests, I've got a 444. JM Stamped, micro groove. I love it--it's the last gun my dad gifted me after I begged for a gun for thick-timber elk hunts. It shoots the Hornady 265gr flat points into tiny groups at 100yds, and is just plain cool.
I also have an original Winchester 71 in .348 that my brother in law gave me, and a Winchester 88 in .243 that my brother gifted me this past Christmas, as I'm the "gun-guy" of the family.
Edited to add: Also had a Savage 99 in .300 Savage that my dad had bought from his late friend. No longer have it as I was able to gift that to our late friend's son this past Christmas. It ended back in its rightful place with an heir. That was a pretty special moment for me.
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BrentD
Well-known member
I own only 4 multishot lever guns and compete with three of them. They hunt too.
I have a bunch of single shot lever guns too, but they are probably not what you had in mind.
I have a bunch of single shot lever guns too, but they are probably not what you had in mind.
BigUncleLeroy
New member
- Joined
- Sep 27, 2017
- Messages
- 10
I a BLR lightweight in 325 wsm, and 2 savage 99's, one in 303 british and one in 300 savage
Jamen
Well-known member
My grandfather always had his 30/30 with him in his truck. I do not know how many deer laid victim to that rifle. He is gone now and the rifle is with my uncle. I hope ND will someday have some extra doe tags again I would like to shoot a deer with that rifle one day.
MThuntr
Well-known member
I've shot several deer with my Marlin-Glenfield 30-30 and on a rare occasion I carry a Marlin SBL in 45-70. I cast bullets for both though haven't seriously invested time into load development. My goal is to hunt dark timber elk with the guide gun and am proficient out to 200 yards with it.
Boarmaster
Well-known member
I use a 444 Marlin lever gun in Ohio. I own a 30/30 but havent shot it or hunted with it since I
Got my first bolt action in the late 80's.
Got my first bolt action in the late 80's.
widnert
Active member
I use this exact rifle. Had a 30-30 since I was a kid and couldn't resist buying this one when they came out. Bought mine the year they were released and it has a lot of miles and blood on it since. Honestly, one of the best shooting rifles I own. Everyone at the range is always amazed at its accuracy when sighting-in before rifle season. I use the factory Hornady loads in mine.
Looking at trying the Browning BLR in 300 Win Mag soon. I'll be dropping by Shedhorn Sports in Ennis soon to get one ordered - unless they have one in-stock. Just like my lever rifles.
Cerebral Stalker
Active member
I deer hunt with a marlin 1895 45-70. No tracking required. Everybody ought to have a lever action. They just have that "it" factor.
