LEVER ACTION - Best caliber for Deer and Black Bear

You can kill a deer or bear with a .22 calibre. Most hunters are overpowered and under skilled. (I think it has something to do with ##### size) Pick a firearm and practice and you will be able to kill anything that walks buy,
 
If you don’t mind the Ammo availability a Winchester model 71 In 348 win gets my nod. If you want something or need some thing with a little more range a blr in 308 is as good as any as already mentioned.
 
If you are leaning to a lever action with a box magazine as mention before there is the Winchester model 88 and the Sako Finnwolf
That is chambered in 243 or 308 win.
 
Congrats on 32+ years. If you want a classy lever as a gift, the blr white gold medallion in 308 would work great. Pictures don't really do it justice.
If you want something more subdued, the takedown in 358 win would be my 1st choice followed by the takedown in 308 if you don't reload or want to be able to find ammo everywhere (though commercial 358 is findable through cgn vendors). Aside from the no-more-than-acceptable trigger, cleaning the blr is the biggest gripe, something that is helped by the takedown feature.
 
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My one and only complaint with the otherwise fine BLR is magazine quality.
I have one out of three magazines made in Japan and it's damn stiff but most importantly the mag lips out of alignment.
Never had a 222 rifle so hard on the brass cases.

It's my singular and vague impression the earlier mags with multiple calibers engraved on the lifter seem to be of a superior quality.

Like I said before otherwise it's very nice.
 
For your uses, a 94 or a 336 in 30-30
Plenty of other only slightly less optimal choices out there if you’re a contrarian
If you’re looking for a heirloom, I advise to wait for the best condition pre 64 94 you can find.
 
I'm with the "classics" crowd, so would suggest, as a few others already have, a 99 Savage, preferably in Savage's own classic deer cartridge, the 300 Savage. It'll do black bears quite handily, and is very easily scoped. Even if you find one that is not d&t'd, it is a simple matter to have it done. Add Weaver bases, and top it with whatever glass you like. Your eyes may be good with open sights now, but ...
 
icedog said:
I'm with the "classics" crowd, so would suggest, as a few others already have, a 99 Savage, preferably in Savage's own classic deer cartridge, the 300 Savage. It'll do black bears quite handily, and is very easily scoped. Even if you find one that is not d&t'd, it is a simple matter to have it done. Add Weaver bases, and top it with whatever glass you like. Your eyes may be good with open sights now, but ...
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This evening on our EE there's a circa 1965 Savage 99 in caliber .284. I don't think it will be for sale very long.
Looks like it's d&t for optics.
 
fljp2002 said:
Fellows

I am getting close to retirement from the forces and I am looking at option for a suitable retirement gift to myself to mark 35 years of service (I'm now at 32.5 years).

I am thinking that a lever action would be such a memento to mark my career but I have little to no knowledge on these guns.

I will use the rifle to hunt deer and bear and my plan is keep it within 150m or less.

Any advise is appreciated.
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It'll have to be secondhand: Marlin 336 chambered in .35 Remington.
 
I can’t stand the BLR for the reason I’ve had to put a few of them back together for people who couldn’t figure it out. They’re excessively difficult to put back together. So, don’t ever drop one in the dirt and if you hate the trigger pull, too bad live with it.
 
Mumbles Marble Mouth said:
I can’t stand the BLR for the reason I’ve had to put a few of them back together for people who couldn’t figure it out. They’re excessively difficult to put back together. So, don’t ever drop one in the dirt and if you hate the trigger pull, too bad live with it.
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The one I have has had some special attention by a previous owner. Nice crisp trigger pull about 3.5 pounds. Not sure how he did it.
 
fljp2002 said:
Fellows

I am getting close to retirement from the forces and I am looking at option for a suitable retirement gift to myself to mark 35 years of service (I'm now at 32.5 years).

I am thinking that a lever action would be such a memento to mark my career but I have little to no knowledge on these guns.

I will use the rifle to hunt deer and bear and my plan is keep it within 150m or less.

Any advise is appreciated.
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Are you a handloader? How much selection for ammo do you have in Moncton these days now that Green Diamond is out of it and Cabelas gone?

They should have left that Cabelas open by the highway. Can't see BassPro getting more traffic in town.
 
I already retired from the CF (I joined about two years ahead of the OP) but if I were retiring from my PRESENT job tomorrow, and wanted a lever rifle I'd actually use for deer/black bear, I'd get myself a rally, really clean Savage 99EG in .300 Savage. Lots of power for deer and black bears, accurate rifles, no-drill scope mounts are out there, and much as people say you can't find ammo, my local Canadian Tire has six boxes and can get more.

If I wanted a lever gun that I'd shoot paper with, and MAYBE hunt with, I'd buy the nicest Winchester or Browning 71 available.
If money were no object, I'd have Turnbull do me up a really nice 1886 in .40-82 Winchester.
 
My first thought was Savage 99 in 300sav or 250sav. Winchester 88 in 7-08 or 308. And Henry makes some fine centerfire options. First two rifle suggestion are not tube magazines/respective cartridges simply because we do not know what distances will be shooting and it made sense not to exclude +200y.
 
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