Hello all,

I've been dancing around this question for a while now. I'd like to get a lever action rifle, but I'm not sure what chambering I need. I just want an easy-shooting piece that will perform reliably on deer and maybe pigs. Maybe something my wife could handle. I already have a big .30 so I don't need another thumper. About 2000-2500 ft/lbs at the muzzle seems like a good idea for use on deer out to 200 yards.

I want something a little more than a 30-30. I've wondered about a 7-08. The 270 seems to exceed the ME above. As for the rifle, a Browning BLR is attractive because of its box mag. I also like stainless barrels/actions and synthetic stocks, but that's not too common yet on lever actions. I'll take whatever will deliver the ME specs.

Any input will be much appreciated. Thanks.

[ 02-04-2003, 05:04: Message edited by: Gonzo FreakPower ]

Take a hard look at the 45/70. There are factory loads from mild to wild. If you reload then you can taylor bullet to velocity to recoil level.
With the standard 300gr. loads, recoil is mild and they work real good on deer. For pigs I would use the Winchester 300gr. Nosler Partition for an effective mild load.

NE 450,

Can you specify just how mild you load a 45-70 and still get decent accuracy from a typical lever action? The wild end I've already heard about. Also, are there non-ported, SS barrel Marlins available?

I'll take a closer look at the 45-70, since I want one of those as well. Who am I kidding, I want one or two of everything.

Thanks

You should be able to get good accuracy with 300gr. bullets at 1600 to 1800fps with mild recoil. I always use IMR 3031 in the 45/70.
55gr. of 3031 with 300gr. bullets shot good in my brothers Marlin Guide gun.
With the Remington 405gr. bullet 53 gr. of 3031 also shot good. These are not light loads.
Start at 45gr of 3031 and work up till you find an accurate load at a recoil level that suits you.
I think the last SS Marlin Guide guns I saw did not have ports.

How about a Savage Mdl 99 in .300 Savage?

Elmo

There it is!! Elmo has your solution. A 99 in .308 would work great too.
Jerry/AK

[ 02-04-2003, 09:44: Message edited by: Jerry/AK ]

They do indeed offer the Marlin non-ported in stainless, thats what I have.

AS a owner of a BLR 81 in 7MM 08, I don't think you can go wrong. Although I was amazed at how fast I could empty a 4 round mag at a running doe this year I carried this sucker for miles and miles in Oct.
Recoil should be slightly more than a 30/30

I like the idea of a 7mm STE. It's based on the 307 case. I'd think it'd be an easy rechamber of a 7-30 waters.

If this is going to be for occassional use by your wife, I don't think a 45/70 would be the way to go. I do know that I have been "fooling around" with a 7-08 since back when it was still a wildcat and it is one dandy cartridge. I have used a bunch of different cartridges on my various hunts out west and if I was going hunting in Colorado/Wyoming tomorrow, and didn't plan on elk, I would take a 7-08. Two years ago, my son accounted for a large bodied mulie at 285 long steps using a model 7 (18" barrel) in 7-08 with a 140gr partition. It is the ballistic twin of the 7x57, which has been used to kill just about everything on the planet. A tribute to the effectiveness of the round or the foolhardiness of the hunters, take your pick.