Lever vs. Bolt Action - Which do you prefer?

bWONGER

bWONGER

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Looking at buying a hunting rifle and I am torn between a lever action or a bolt action; will mainly be used for deer. I like them both, but can only have one for now.

Which style of action and caliber do you prefer and why?
 
Leveraction for me. Traditional style in 30-30 to 200 yards. 308 in Savage 99, BLR, or Win 88 as far as sensible and includes moose. Be aware some are not friendly to scope use. These choices are the best for common calibers found on the shelf anywhere.
 
All round hunting, 308 bolt action.
If just pushing through the thick stuff with the odd 200y opening, a Marlin 30-30 is nice to carry.
 
Lever Action 92 in .44 magnum. Great for the bush, mine can carry 14 rounds in the tube if need be, quick action and it's plenty of medicine for deer out to 125 yards or so.
 
Own both, and they each have their own application, depending on the type of hunting being done. Bolts tend to be a little more accurate, generally speaking, but are not the fastest for a follow up shot. Field hunting or a stand where you have time and space ( over 200 yards). Levers tend to be shorter and more manageable in the bush, and have the ability to give a quick follow up shot as the deer play hide and seek through the trees. Acceptable accuracy at these ranges, but not a sniper rifle.

Just need to figure out what type of hunting you are it's likely to do, and that should help determine what you are looking for.
 
Most lever actions have open sights. Bolt actions not so much. Depending on the terrain you will be in. It might be a better idea to buy a nice lever action instead of a budget bolt gun and a scope.
 
Bolt action for reliability and accuracy. Levers aren't all that great, a lot of them a piss-poor accuracy wise, more than half of them just don't have a strong action so the rounds are only moderate in power. Just buy a bolt and never worry again.
I own bolt's in almost every caliber , and my favorite wood/blue gun right now is my Browning A-bolt in .270win my favorite Stainless steel/synthetic is my Ruger Alaskan in .375 Ruger
 
Living on VI, when I finally had enough money to buy guns, I was a lever fanatic.

Still enjoy them; but since moving back to AB I have been getting more into the bolts. More variety of calibers I guess. The hunting culture here favours bolts; even if the brush I hunt here is just as thick as on VI.

Now to cheat; single shots have really been growing on me.

Dreaming of my next acquisition and caught between a 7mm rem mag and a 454 casull lever, both ends of the spectrum.
 
Levers are "cool", but unless you are looking at a "Browning lever", which is really just a bolt gun operated by a lever, you are restricted to (old) calibers (30-30, 45-70 etc) - not that they aren't great deer calibers, but might be limiting yourself if you need a "one gun does all".

But there is something just "traditional" about hunting Bambi with a Model 94 30-30 :)
 
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A bolt is the best solution for you. In any of several chamberings they can be the most versatile gun you can own. Easy to clean, disassemble, and lots of interchangeable parts like triggers etc. if you get into it. Accurate as you need; as "fast shooting" as you can actually use (if you practice); able to reach out in open spaces; many are as compact as the levers always claim to be. Anything in a .308 case will be very short and agile, but quite useful to 400 yards (if you know how to do that).
 
Get both. For bush with a few openings I like my 336 or Jungle Carbine due to their short length and faster sights.
For areas with longer shots or from a stand I take a bolt action , usually my scoped 270.
And you will need a decent semi too. You can never have too many tools to choose from.
 
KePet said:
Just need to figure out what type of hunting you are it's likely to do, and that should help determine what you are looking for.
Click to expand...

This is absolutely the case, different calibers, actions and sight combinations lend themselves to different types of hunting. Having only one gun, however versatile can still be very limiting. In the old days, it wasnt so much a choice as it was a fact that a person may only own one gun, not so much anymore. Personally, I usually bring at least 3 firearms with me in the truck when I go out to hunt. My 92 rifle in .44 mag, a 12 gauge shotgun and something more long range, this year it will be a Sharps in .45-70. Reason being that different terrain and hunting circumstances are available in the same woods and it makes sense to be prepared to take advantage of each set of circumstances. If you start out hunting from a stand, a bolt gun is the ticket for longer range, whereas a lever might be better at distances under 50 yards. If your pushing the bush or walking logging roads a shotgun or lever might be the best ticket. There is however, something to be said for taking one gun you're comfortable with and hunting within the ability it provides.
 
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I love lever fast and quick to aim 30-30 is cheap and effective on deer and black bear
But i own a .308 bolt for moose hunt and range trip
if you hunt in thick wood go whit a lever but if you hunt in montain and plane go whit a bolt and buy a tikka action is so smoot and accurate out the box
Or buy a blr in .308 best of all word
 
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