Best cal. of the leavers?
 

what is the best leaver action caliber for longer ranges and has the most knock down power?
also wich is your favoirte, why?
This is only using factory loads also, none of these hot handloads .

Edited to add: by longer ranges i mean farther then the 3030 Ive herd that there not realy good past 100 or so yards

RE: Best cal. of the leavers?
 

I'm wondering how long a range you are thinking of.

I immediately thought of the Savage lever rifles if you can find one yet. Other than that, maybe a browning lever. The tube feeds can get you a fat, crushing bullet but after a bit they run a rainbow on the trajectory.

RE: Best cal. of the leavers?
 

for long range lever gunning i dunno what id go with, probably the 7mmSTE (shooting times easterner)

120 grain bullet at 2900 fps, 140 grain at 2700

RE: Best cal. of the leavers?
 

if you want a long range leaver gun you'll want a long range caliber. in that case i would go with a blr, you can get just about any caliber for it. i'm not sure what the prices are but for long range shooting that's what i would go with and just pick the caliber of your choice.

RE: Best cal. of the leavers?
 

yea true but it was my understanding that he meatn something other than a blr, like normal lever gun calibers

RE: Best cal. of the leavers?
 

ohhhhhh. ok then. i'm not really sure then. one of my friends has a scoped 30-30 that shoots very well out to 125+yards. my lever gun is a 16 inch barreled 44 mag. it definately isn't a long range gun. it's ok out to 125 or so. but i didn't get if for long distances.

RE: Best cal. of the leavers?
 

The Browning Lever is about your only option. The are clip fed so you can use pointed bullets. I think it comes in 22-250 and 243 as far as varmit rounds.

RE: Best cal. of the leavers?
 

I didn't get that out of the question at all. Unless he changed his original post.


Sounds to me like he wants a lever gun in a factory loading for longer ranges than normally associated with them.

RE: Best cal. of the leavers?
 

for longer rang i mean just over 100 yards, like people say the 30 30 is only good for 100 yards or so. so im just thinkin just past that

RE: Best cal. of the leavers?
 

With a nice 4X scope, the classic 30-30 can go well beyond 100 yards. It can easily put down a deer at 150 yards, even 175 yards, whatever......

Butch A.

RE: Best cal. of the leavers?
 

longrifle i dunno about you but i do not consider the 22-250 or 243 "lever action calibers"

the BLR is the only exception

Thats just the way I comprehended his post.

If your set on a long range(200 yard+) lever gun go with a BLR.

RE: Best cal. of the leavers?
 

Sighted in 2" high at 100 yards the typical 170 grain .30-30 load ought to be zeroed at 150 and only 5" low at 200, A center of the chest hold at that range would result in a good hit. The deer would definetly die, even if some folks doen't think much of the bullets energy at that renge. It don't affect me much I can't see well enough at 200 yards to shoot anything other than paper with iron sights. [X(]
For something really hot a Savage 99 in .300 Savage or .308 Winchester is pretty good, If you don't like either design you still run across bib bore 94s at gun shows and the .307 is the cartridge every .30-30 wishes it was with 300 fps more velocity with any bullet weight. The BLR is available in 7mm Mag.

RE: Best cal. of the leavers?
 

I certainly see where you are coming from. The Savage lever rifle along with the winchester model 88 are also other options that were chambered to non traditional lever cartridges. But those can be trick to find.

RE: Best cal. of the leavers?
 

You can get the 308 also in the Browning Lever gun. I had one in 7mm-08. It has been made in almost all the modern calibers. I see quite a few Savage lever guns at gun shows. I had a few of those, 300 Savage and 243 as well as the old takedown 303 Savage.

RE: Best cal. of the leavers?
 

You have been misinformed. The 30/30 is most definitely good past 100yds. In fact, if the rifle is accurate enough the 30/30 can realistically be used out to 200yds., but should probably be kept within 150yds. for best results.
Now, for longer range use, and for use with more powerful cartridges, you can get a Browning BLR in std. chamberings such as 243Win., 308Win., etc., or even in magnum
such as 7mmRem.Mag.
Another option is to find a good used Savage 99 in 308Win., or an old Winchester 88 in
308Win.
My personal favorite would be a Marlin in 356Win. Unfortunately, sales weren't what they hoped for, and that model was discontinued. The Marlin, I think, is about the best of the "traditional" style lever actions to be had, and the 356Win. had enough power to take on about any game in the lower 48 out to 200yds. (maybe 250). If you can find a good used one, and not have to pay an arm&leg for it, go for it. Ammo is still available from Winchester (200gr.).
Given what's available in the way of new lever actions I'd take a Marlin 30/30, and put a
Weaver 1-3x scope on it (or maybe a Leupold 1-4x). I'd not feel handicapped at all for shots on most deer sized game out to 200yds.

RE: Best cal. of the leavers?
 

Excluding hot handloads, I would look at the 450 Marlin. It wouldn't be too hard to get your dope on up to 200 yards. Enjoy.

RE: Best cal. of the leavers?
 

Nothing wrong with a 30-30 to 200 yards, IMO. The bigger question I have is WHY do you want a lever to shoot 'long range' as you call it?

RE: Best cal. of the leavers?
 

gopher slayer,
If you could find a lever in .284 winchester you'd be filling the task you asked for in your first post in this thread. There are others that would do fine...but the .284 doeseverything the .280 can and in a slightly shorter package. a Model 88 in .284 would be REAL sweet...if you can find one for a decent price...that will be the hardest part.

RE: Best cal. of the leavers?
 

Out of the lever guns I have I would think the ones that shoot flat enough to be a "200 yard gun" would be my .348 win model 71, my 45-70 1895 but that is hand loaded hot, my .300 savage 99 and a blr in .308 ..there are many others that I don't have. there are many older ones that have been discontinued, like .356,.358, .33.35 and many more ..Bill

RE: Best cal. of the leavers?
 

Browning makes lever guns in .243 and .308, those are both good performers.

RE: Best cal. of the leavers?
 

Marlin 1895 guide rifle in 45-70.

RE: Best cal. of the leavers?
 

Marlin 1895. 22 inch barrel, 45-70.

[Deleted]
 

[Deleted by Admins]

RE: Best cal. of the leavers?
 

The .30-30 or the .444marlin.

RE: Best cal. of the leavers?
 

Gopher Slayer,
What is your reason for choosing a lever gun? It is my favorite action, and my favorite caliber is 30-30. In my opinion, the 30-30 covers lever action range perfectly especiallyon whitetail deer.
If I want longer range, I shoot my .270 bolt action, but the 30-30 Marlin will reach any deer that comes around all of my stands in the woods.

If you are after long range gophers, a lever action might not be your best bet, but the above mentioned do offer long range calibers.

C. Davis

RE: Best cal. of the leavers?
 

I have a 30-06 ,243,and 308 in a lever action and all threeare good to 200 yrds or more .

RE: Best cal. of the leavers?
 

go for a browning BLR in 7mm rem mag, thats probably the best lever gun period for long range shots.

Boy do I miss savage mod 99's though I borowed one from a friend in 308 win for a deer hunt a fews years ago I fell in love with it, I tried to find one and could never find one. I offered my buddy 600 bucks for his, he looked at me and said "seriously?" I was never more serious in my life, he turned it down LOL I dont blame him a bit.

RE: Best cal. of the leavers?
 

When Savage came out with their model 99 lever action it was chambered in .303 savage, .300 savage and then 250/3000. The whole idea was to have a lever action (which was very popular back then) in a cartridge with sme more power and "reach" than a 30/30. Then came the .308 and .284 chamberings and they are very decent moderately long range numbers.

A winchester model 88 or a Browning BLR in .308(the BLR also comes in 30/06 and I think 7mm Rem Mag.) would be a good choice. Sako made a lever of a similar stile at one time (in 308 and 243)

I have a Savage 99 in .300 savage which I used to shoot a moose a white-tail and two wolves last fall.

Robin.

RE: Best cal. of the leavers?
 

I'd also go with the Marlin in 444.

RE: Best cal. of the leavers?
 

I have a Browning BLR in .308 and have dropped several deer and Elk with it. The longest shot was at 250yds. It also comes in a long action version in 30-06 and 7mm Mag. As well it is now being offered in all of the WSM calibers. If you want a long range lever gun they would be tough to beat.

RE: Best cal. of the leavers?
 

I've taken a deer at 225 yards with the 30-30 so it can be done. At that range it still has the energy a .44 mag pistol at the muzzle. Just know the range, the drop, and hold high and steady. Heck at 250 yards it still has more energy than a .357 mag pistol at the muzzle. A lever gun in 30-30 should still be able to put a round into the heart lung area very easily at that range if you're a decent shot.