Lever vs. Bolt Action - Which do you prefer?
- Thread starter bWONGER
- Start date
Open sighted I'd say a lever 30-30. But scoped id say a bolt action in .308. I started out with a Marlin 30-30 and felt the need to put optics on it for hunting and it lost all its charm to me. Don't seem right putting a scope on a lever action to me. I now use a .308 Remington 788.
Note that I said hunting "needs" not hunting "wants".
ahh ah Paul, subtility in the choice of words ...
the only way i see a lever action is when i guided and had a take down savage lever action so easy to travel with and not cost comparaison with a modern take down rifle ...
- Location
- The Conservative part of Ontario
I note the OP is from BC. There I would use a bolt. The options for a long range shot are greater.
Here in Ontario, I use a lever gun for 90% of my hunting. But even here, if I were hunting in some areas, a bolt gun would be a better choice.
Where I hunt, a 300 yard shot is a very rare thing. In fact, I've done that only a couple of times in over 40 years of hunting. The majority of game I have shot have been very quick shots inside 50 yards. Many inside 50 feet, and a few inside 10 feet.
The point is, I think you should let the conditions you hunt make the decision for you.
Lever guns can be had that are quite accurate out to 300 yards or so, and in high power cartridges as well, if that's what you want. They can pretty much all be scoped easily, if they have been made in the last 50 years or so.
I am not a proponent of scopes on traditional style lever guns however, as I think the scope takes away the very handling qualities you bought the lever gun for.
Every rule has the exception however, and the 88 Winchester, along with the 99 Savage and the Sako Finwolf wear scopes quite well. The BLR somewhat less so, but the Marlin, and Winchester traditional lever guns are downright clunky with a scope. That is of course just my opinion.
Here in Ontario, I use a lever gun for 90% of my hunting. But even here, if I were hunting in some areas, a bolt gun would be a better choice.
Where I hunt, a 300 yard shot is a very rare thing. In fact, I've done that only a couple of times in over 40 years of hunting. The majority of game I have shot have been very quick shots inside 50 yards. Many inside 50 feet, and a few inside 10 feet.
The point is, I think you should let the conditions you hunt make the decision for you.
Lever guns can be had that are quite accurate out to 300 yards or so, and in high power cartridges as well, if that's what you want. They can pretty much all be scoped easily, if they have been made in the last 50 years or so.
I am not a proponent of scopes on traditional style lever guns however, as I think the scope takes away the very handling qualities you bought the lever gun for.
Every rule has the exception however, and the 88 Winchester, along with the 99 Savage and the Sako Finwolf wear scopes quite well. The BLR somewhat less so, but the Marlin, and Winchester traditional lever guns are downright clunky with a scope. That is of course just my opinion.
