new whitetail rifle
 

I already have a bolt action 30-06 and want to get a new rifle for hunting whitetail and occassionaly black bear. I want a lever action and was thinking of the browning blr, what caliber do you think is best. i was leaning towards the .270 or the 7mm mag. any suggestions??

Shot two of these about three weeks ago with my uncle. One was a 7mm-08 and the other was a .300WSM. They both shot well and are nice rifles. You have a .30-06 already the .270 and 7mmmag are pretty close to the '06. I would switch it up a little and look for something I don't basically have. But, both of those would still be good choices if that's what you want.
-Jake

45-70, 45 colt, 30-30 at the least for bear. You could go less, but unless the recoil is a problem why would you want a low powered gun?

The BLR is a fine rifle. 7mm is plenty for deer as well as bear , just use different ammo. A few guys I hunt with have BLRs in different calibers and they all think that the one they have is perfect for everything lol

i have a .270 and my dad has a 7mm mag. some people say the 7mm might be a little overkill for deer but i dont think so and its good for anything you would really hunt in the states. another round good for deer and bear is .308, if you want that in a lever marlin makes a nice one. never shot a blr so cant help you there.

I have taken my BLR in 308 into the deer woods for the past 24 years (It was a gift from my dad...I think it cost about $250). Never once has it failed to perform. It has taken well over 20 deer and 2 bears 250 lbs and over a shade under 400 lbs. Great rifle. I also love the look of the Marlin Guide Gun...don't know just like it...

Some say that a .270 & a .30-06 is the "perfect pair".

You are basically talking about three calibers that are very similar. All three calibers can take deer and black bear without any problems.

Let's face it, I would not hesitate to use my 7mm08 to hunt black bear with. I almost feel overgunned with it for whitetail in Wisconsin.

I know people who have been using .243s for years to hunt black bear with. That says a lot about how tough they are if you can do your job and make a good shot.

If I was going to get a BLR, it would be in 358Win. This round will easily take care of deer and bear and is "different" from your run-of-the-mill bolt gun rounds ('06, 7Mag, 270, etc). Plus, I think a short-action round would handle better in a lever, but that's just me.

np2004, what is your predicted average shot distance and what is the terrain you'll be hunting?

i love my .280. not a ton of people have them. its like a 270 with a little more knock down power. id get a .300 win if i bought another gun. if i ever wanted to go on a bigger game hunt. mossberg 4x4 is a beauty of a gun

I second that! A Marlin 45/70 is just what the Dr. ordered. You can buy more kick with the proper amo but it really isn't needed.:s4:

Look for a used .444 Marlin. I hear the newer Marlins have quality issues. I have a 99 Savage in .358 WIN, but it is almost impossible to find one of those.

Marlin 45/70!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

If you want the BLR because you want a lever gun, then you have made a good choice in that aspect. However, you said that you already have a 30-06. The 30-06 is a 30 caliber projectile measuring .308. You said you where looking into getting a .270 or a 7mm? As far as performance goes, they ALL can perform extremely similar depending on your ammo choice. And on paper, ballistically the 7mm and 270 are viewed as flatter shooting rounds. The 270, 7mm and 30-06 are very close in projectile size and will provide marginal, if any difference at all in the results of you harvesting the animals you intend to pursue up to 450 or 500 yards. Beyond that, some would say the 7mm or 270 would out perform the 30-06 because of their flatter shooting characteristics. ( I feel these are perceived by people ) On paper it looks good, but in real life hunting situations how much more trajectory does the 7mm or 270 have over the "06" before it drops significantly? 40-70 yds? To some I guess it does matter, but for most, it wouldn't. I doubt you will be hunting for black bear over bait where the bait barrel is 700 yds. away will you? How long will your shots typically be where buying a 7mm or .270 will make a difference? If you want a lever gun that is VERY different ballistically and in size of projectile, I would recommend upping to a larger bore like 35 whelen, .405 winchester, .444 marlin, .450 marlin, or 45-70 gov. These rounds are great for larger game.... EVEN UP TO THE BIG STUFF, they are offered in lever actions, and they perform VERY different than the 30-06 you have now. If you get any of those mentioned above, you will have a very different type of gun than you have now. But if you just want another gun to add to your collection....get whatever you want and keep building your collection.

Having both the .270 and 7Mag, Id go .270. The 7Mag is a GREAT gun but it kicks a little harder and is ALOT more expensive to shoot. The .270 is a PERFECT deer calliber, a joy to shoot. Flat Trajectory, and dead is dead so the 7 isnt necessary .... UNLESS you are serious about reaching out past 500 yards; Then the 7MM offers enough more to make it worth while but that is typically very unlikely.....

also remember without a great scope even the best rifle is just garbage.

A 45-70 lever is a set up you will never need more power. I have a .270 win. but nabbed a 45-70 Encore barrel. It will be my back up deer gun and my main bear gun. Perfect for Wisconsin.