Need some advice on a gun for the mountains

mytiburon

mytiburon

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My pops asked me to see if I could find some ideas from you fellows on what to purchase for the mountains. He wants something with some stopping power, reliable, short,super light, and preferably of larger caliber( but not a shotgun). What do you guys think?

He mentioned to me he was looking at a marlin 45-70 lever I beleive but said reviews he read didn't seem to great.
 
bolt, semi, budget...is it for hunting, walking around, on a horse or ATV? if it was me i would go with a semi of some sort in a 308 with iron sights if i was just out and about, or if i was hunting 300wsm bolt
 
Well,...if he is thinking a bigger bore but not to impressed by the old 45-70, then maybe a Browning BLR in 358 Winchester might do it for him. BLR's are nice and light to carry, and are very accurate. I have the pistol grip model in 358win and I like it alot, and it is very accurate with my hand loads,...I haven't shot any factory stuff, but I think it would shoot just as good as my loadings. The only down side to the 358 is factory ammo can be hard to find,..but if he hand loads than he's all set.
 
Tabacco Brook said:
Well,...if he is thinking a bigger bore but not to impressed by the old 45-70, then maybe a Browning BLR in 358 Winchester might do it for him. BLR's are nice and light to carry, and are very accurate. I have the pistol grip model in 358win and I like it alot, and it is very accurate with my hand loads,...I haven't shot any factory stuff, but I think it would shoot just as good as my loadings. The only down side to the 358 is factory ammo can be hard to find,..but if he hand loads than he's all set.
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if he's up in the mountain i'd stick with a cali. that is a little more readably available in tock in most locations, i don't think they are going to start hand loading for just one gun if its for more of a walk about gun, I'm just saying. but a pistol grip may be fun to have.
 
Thanks please keep the suggestions coming, it is for walking and he is gettin older hence the light weight and short length, probably the most important aspect. I would think he would shy away from single shot but I'm sure is open to it.
 
FromTheNorth said:
if he's up in the mountain i'd stick with a cali. that is a little more readably available in tock in most locations, i don't think they are going to start hand loading for just one gun if its for more of a walk about gun, I'm just saying. but a pistol grip may be fun to have.
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mytiburon said:
Thanks please keep the suggestions coming, it is for walking and he is gettin older hence the light weight and short length, probably the most important aspect. I would think he would shy away from single shot but I'm sure is open to it.
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OK,..maybe a 358win may not be the best choice of caliber,.. but I think a BLR would be a great little light short rifle for him to carry. Maybe the BLR model 81 or pistol grip model in 308win would be a good choice. I think if he handled one he would realy like it.
 
mytiburon said:
My pops asked me to see if I could find some ideas from you fellows on what to purchase for the mountains. He wants something with some stopping power, reliable, short,super light, and preferably of larger caliber( but not a shotgun). What do you guys think?

He mentioned to me he was looking at a marlin 45-70 lever I beleive but said reviews he read didn't seem to great.
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What kind of mountains? Mule Deer Mountains, Sheep Mountains or Goat Mountains? Or Riding Mountain? As you go higher you will feel those superfluous ounces more and more.
 
MiG25 said:
Is this a bear defence thread?
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i think thats the assumption at the moment, so my opinion is a 308 in a BLR is probably the best way to go like Tobacco Brook suggested...if you have a large budget i would go in on a Winchester, or something lower go with a Henry. I would steer away from the Brownings because i feel they are not a reliable when needed as a lever.
 
Winchester just did a run a few years back of 45-70 in an 1886 ELW..........he might be inclined to look for one of those. They are made by Miroku and are a top notch well built rifle you could trust your life with. They are farly light for a 45-70 and fairly short in the ELW carbine.
 
c-fbmi said:
Winchester just did a run a few years back of 45-70 in an 1886 ELW..........he might be inclined to look for one of those. They are made by Miroku and are a top notch well built rifle you could trust your life with. They are farly light for a 45-70 and fairly short in the ELW carbine.
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Now thats a solid rifle
 
FromTheNorth said:
i think thats the assumption at the moment, so my opinion is a 308 in a BLR is probably the best way to go like Tobacco Brook suggested...if you have a large budget i would go in on a Winchester, or something lower go with a Henry. I would steer away from the Brownings because i feel they are not a reliable when needed as a lever.
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I'm kinda curios "FromTheNorth",...why would you consider the Browning BLR not reliable when needed as a lever? It's probly the fastest cycling, smoothest, and strongest lever action ever made. It is actually a lever actuated bolt action. I'm just curios,....not being critical of your post.
 
Tabacco Brook said:
I'm kinda curios "FromTheNorth",...why would you consider the Browning BLR not reliable when needed as a lever? It's probly the fastest cycling, smoothest, and strongest lever action ever made. It is actually a lever actuated bolt action. I'm just curios,....not being critical of your post.
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Im just not a fan of the BLR, my buddy has one and i found just the little's bit of dirt stops it from cycling properly. Im sure a lot of guys have different opinions, and i'm not bashing Browning by any means, but i think they should have stuck with there semis and bolts, thats what there really good at.
 
Thanks for all the replys everyone, pops said he was looking at the blr but was not sure he wanted to spend that much, so he will probably go with a 1895 gs marlin or some other variation of it. Time to scour the ee.
 
The 1895 GS would be very good for what he wants,.....but I think I would be trying to find an older model made before Remington started to manufacture them and wrecked Marlins reputation for good levers. Hopefully Remington has pulled their socks up and are going to build some good Marlin levers again.
 
mytiburon said:
Thanks for all the replys everyone, pops said he was looking at the blr but was not sure he wanted to spend that much, so he will probably go with a 1895 gs marlin or some other variation of it. Time to scour the ee.
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I have spent some time at the range recently with a friend's 1895 GS and I can say that I will likely have to own one eventually. It's short and the quick pointing is great. I am not sure of the weight differences between the models, but it wasn't overly heavy and recoil was manageable with reasonable loads. Cool little setup.
 
Here are 2 sugestions, If he isnt going to take shots beyond 300 yards how about a remington carbine in350 REM MAG. or a kimber montana in 300 WSM, if hes going to shoot longer distances?
 
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