Im looking for a good lever action for big game (moose mostly) in a reasonable price range
- Thread starter DigRig
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Welcome to the forum.
Levers and reasonably priced seem to be un realistic these days………
Better yet, how about you put a dollar value to your budget.
Explaining where you’ll be hunting, and what style of hunting you’d be doing, would also go a long way.
Lots of moose have fallen to 30-30’s but let’s face it, that’s from an era when people knew how to hunt, and since most folks don’t live in the bush like they used to, that would be a marginal choice in today’s times.
Head over to the Equipment Exchange, and have a look, think .308 Win, and a Winchester 88, or a Savage 99, or lastly maybe a steel receiver Browning BLR…..
Levers and reasonably priced seem to be un realistic these days………
Better yet, how about you put a dollar value to your budget.
Explaining where you’ll be hunting, and what style of hunting you’d be doing, would also go a long way.
Lots of moose have fallen to 30-30’s but let’s face it, that’s from an era when people knew how to hunt, and since most folks don’t live in the bush like they used to, that would be a marginal choice in today’s times.
Head over to the Equipment Exchange, and have a look, think .308 Win, and a Winchester 88, or a Savage 99, or lastly maybe a steel receiver Browning BLR…..
BattleRife
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Savage 99 in .308 Winchester can still be found at very reasonable prices, $500 to $800 depending on your market and the specific model/condition. Anything else will be higher.
For moose, I'd say something you can scope would be nice. A decent used BLR or Winchester 88, or maybe a Savage 99 if you want to keep it under $800. You can scope a 336 or a Henry, or even a Winchester, but you're limited to flat-nose bullets or those silly Hornady rubber-tipped things.
If I had to pick one of the above, I'd find a BLR in good "shooter" condition. A few scratches and dings won't affect accuracy or function, but will save you a bunch on the purchase price.
Happy hunting
Unfortunately no ,though they may make another run of them again.I wish they would make a special Canadian version in 303 Brit. as the first run was only in 30/06 and 30/40
The bottom rung for lever pricing is considerably higher than affordable bolt guns.
Nothing cheap about a lever so you’ll need to define your idea of affordable and do you mean new only, or new and used?
If dollars are the driving factory likely a used Savage 99 is your only rifle.
Most other platforms in the 99’s price range would be in less than great condition…some of the 99’s probably could be included in that.
So the next criteria if your budget is between $1k to $2k is do you intend to use a scope and do you prefer a tube magazine or a detachable box magazine.
Your question and criteria are largely undefined so it’s a little difficult to recommend anything specific.
Nothing cheap about a lever so you’ll need to define your idea of affordable and do you mean new only, or new and used?
If dollars are the driving factory likely a used Savage 99 is your only rifle.
Most other platforms in the 99’s price range would be in less than great condition…some of the 99’s probably could be included in that.
So the next criteria if your budget is between $1k to $2k is do you intend to use a scope and do you prefer a tube magazine or a detachable box magazine.
Your question and criteria are largely undefined so it’s a little difficult to recommend anything specific.
I’ve never gotten to excited about hunting levers. The old 99C (clip) worked well and was reliable. Win 94 big bore in 307-(308) power kicked lots but killed well. Browning have all been small caliber and also did not stick around. I think you would want 308 energy, at least I would. For me and my experience a good bolt gun wins hands down, but then you are not me
. Good luck
. Good luck
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Blr or sav 99 if your looking for a high velocity. I'd start 308 and go up.
30-30 has killed lots of moose but range is limited.. 45-70 and 444 are fantastic for shorter range. Pretty much all of the levers are going to be more expensive than a bolt gun. Get you a carbine length bolt gun and you have just about every advantage a lever has + some.. heck a $300 enfield in 303 brit sporterized and cut back to 20-22" is a much more affordable option than a lever and plenty capable for swamp donkeys
30-30 has killed lots of moose but range is limited.. 45-70 and 444 are fantastic for shorter range. Pretty much all of the levers are going to be more expensive than a bolt gun. Get you a carbine length bolt gun and you have just about every advantage a lever has + some.. heck a $300 enfield in 303 brit sporterized and cut back to 20-22" is a much more affordable option than a lever and plenty capable for swamp donkeys
