Best hunting lever action calibre

405 Winchester (Teddys big medicine)
For most “normal” hunting a 30-30,or 32 special or some thing similar is probably enough plus your shoulder will thank you lol
 
Well this thread sure has given the OP Jkelowna alot to think about.... :)

Sounds like J is not new to Hunting based on one of his other 4 posts, He's got most of the bases covered with a 30-06, Moss 500 and a 10/22.

Based on that info the .44mag is likely a good choice other then rising cost of ammo.


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remington jim said:
Had 1958 Win M88 308 and Sold it - i much prefer the BLR rifles - jmo RJ
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I own both, and each has its pros and cons...I like them both, for what they each provide! (But this is just my personal preference.)
I only have one BLR - the pre-81 in 358 Win...but still want a 284 Win and a 257 Roberts!
I have 3 M88's: all rebarreled - a 250 Savage, a 7mm-08 and a 338 Federal. One day, I may have a 308 that doesn't get rebarreled! :LOL:
The 250 Savage has produced groups of 0.209" w/ HSM 100 gr SGK ammo at 100 yards!

M88 had longer barrels and a one piece stock, for better velocity and accuracy potential.
BLR is shorter, lighter and handier in the thick timber. (Has been my back up hunting rifle for archery, camp, and saddle/atv, and guiding rifle for more than 20 years. Will shoot handloaded 220 gr Hot Cors into an inch and 225 gr Partitions into 1.1" at 100 yards.)
Both have terrible factory triggers...but if you find the higher s/n 88's (post 64) they have the "improved" triggers compared to the earlier versions...but are easier to tune and improve by stoning the trigger assembly (trick learned from the great gunsmith Joe Balickie).
 
Based upon the details given in the OP about the intended purpose...or in other words, since we know virtually nothing about the type of hunting involved...I think the obvious answer would be to get a "modern" leveraction like a BLR, Win 88 or 1895, Savage 99, etc. and then take advantage of the box magazine to use a modern bottleneck cartridge loaded with spitzer bullets; .308, .30-06, .270, etc. You will get all the versatility, range and other benefits of bolt actions, but you still get to crank a lever to work the rifle. Of the above, the BLR is my hands-down favourite.

But, if the question is implying that the lever will be a "traditional" levergun with an underbarrel tube magazine, then IMHO the discussion begins and ends with the .45-70, which can be loaded up as high or down as low as you wish.

And...saying that the .44mag can compare is wishful thinking. You can certainly load the .45-70 down to levels approximating typical .44mag power levels, or even below that...but you sure as hell can't load the .44 up to anywhere near what the .45-70 can offer.
 
For no particular reason I have a hankering for a 444 Marlin. So my vote goes to that caliber. To me, a lever action is a short to mid range gun, yes I know there are ones available in 308win etc etc making them plenty capable at 300yds+, but I like more traditional styled cartridges in lever actions - for me, that means bigger bore, heavier bullets, and rimmed cases.

348win would be my choice if rifles were more available/affordable. Awesome caliber, but it's expensive to get into.
 
Suther said:
Yeah i could go for one of those! It's too bad 303brit never became popular in any lever actions...
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It’s a shame! It’s a pretty damn capable round. Prices are actually pretty good where im at too. There’s been 130 years of ammo evolution since .303 British, but nothing in North America has evolved quite as fast for me to call it an obsolete round yet.
 
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