My go to rifle is the 30-30.. However the areas you’re planning on hunting in is the deciding factor or at least for me. I have 2 Remington 30-06s with one being a bolt and the other being a pump. But, in most places that I am hunting I will take my Marlin 30-30 in a heartbeat. The Marlin is a lever gun with a tip off scope mounted on it. It’s very accurate with that micro grove rifling. Yes it’s slower than a hi powered rifle and it also shoots through the brush much better. That’s basically why they call the 30-30 a brush gun. All of us has likes and dislikes about the rifles we use. But what fits you best and your comfortable with is what counts. Good luck on what you decide on.. No my lever gun is not that light but with shorter barrel you can move it around better in the woods and will shoot straighter threw the brush because of it’s lower power and a 170 grain bullet it carries well. High power rifles tend to get deflected by the branches and the like. Yes there’s a reason they are called brush guns..