The experts will tell you.
You need a bolt action for top accuracy.
And accuracy can be measured many ways.
But i am astonished at my 1950s vintage savage 99f .308. I,m almost 57 , and have owned and loaded for more rifles than i can remember.
And truly the most accurate rifle i ever owned
was a model 70 classic in 7mmstw. I remember shooting a .17 inch 3 shot group , once I deliberately shot a tack that was holding my target up of a bench at 100 yards.
That rifle only liked a 160 grain accubonds.
But this 99 has shot every load i have put through it into 1.25 or better.
Factory 150s 3 hand loaded 150s and 2 hand loaded 165s. And most are right at an inch.
I am tempted to try some 180s just see how she likes them.
I want to find another in .250/3000 , and or .243.. The .358win would be grate too but the are too rich for my blood.
I have a marlin 45/70 that out shoots a lot of bolt guns too. ...tj3006

I have to say, My Marlin XLR in 308 Marlin Express will shoot 5 shots at 100 yards with all the holes touching using the Hornady Gummie bullets. The idea that it has to be a bolt gun to be accurate is not always true.

Agreed Buckeye !

I agree whole heartedly, I have seen many super accurate lever action guns..Win. mod 94s are claimed to be inaccurate, but that has not been the case with me, "most, but not all" have shot quite well..I have owned many Savage 99s and they all shot real well, if they didn't I glass bedded the forend and butt stock and then they shot well indeed..I have glass bedded a few Win. mod. 94s and they went from 4 inch groups to 1.5 or better inch groups..I don't look forward to glass bedding Win. 94s, its a lot of trouble and borders on scary.

By the same token Ive seen a lot of bolt action rifle that didn't shoot well at all, and again glass bedding usually fixed the problem.

Bottom line, some rifles shoot better than others, some will never shoot well and others will drive tacks..

I agree with all you guys.
The conventional wisdom would have yo believe that the bolf gun is needed to shoot moa. Nonsense.
I would like to find a 99 from the 1950s in .250/300 or .243.
...tj3006

My 9422M shoots minute of angle groups at 25,50,and 100 yards, even with the "old cheap" Tasco 4 power scope that came on it. It is not intended to be a target rifle and is plenty accurate enough for hunting.
My larger bore levers all wear aperture sights and have been proven to be plenty accurate for hunting.

An old guy I worked with asked me to sight in a Browning lever action in .308 for him but wanted me to use military ammo for sighting in and save his soft pointed hunting ammo for hunting. I told him it should be sighted in for the hunting ammo but he didn't care. I think the scope was a 4X fixed power. I got 1/2-inch 3-shot groups at 100 yards. It was as accurate as my 7MM STW with its best loads! I could hardly believe my eyes.

I've owned four BLRs, in .243, .358 and .308 and all were/are sub MOA shooters.

+1

I've owned one in .243, two in .308 (but one got rebored to .338 Fed), and two in .358. I currently have only a .358. All were/are pre-81 versions with steel receivers.

I recently sold a mint as new 1950 250-3000 for $3000 plus shipping, this model is the hardest to find, and higher n cats back when you do. contrary to what some who didn't know suggested on AR...I have another one in 1950 99F in 250-3000 that I paid $1000 for, and its rough as a cob,at about 50 percent blue I suppose and its shoots little bity groups. Then there is my old 99EG that belonged to Bill in Organ, and its a real shooter, but the grandson latched on ti it.

I have a mint 1929 Savage mod. E takedown, that is like new in 250-3000. It shoots 1/2 inch all day long with 87,100 Gr. flat base, 117 gr. RN Hornadys and Rem and WW factory ammo..Its amazing for a takedown..I love this one, its my mule deer and whitetail gun.

I have a 99F in 308 and it shoots an inch to an inch and a half..Its my saddlel gun, its rough as a cob but the bore is excellent and it shoots great.

Yes, the levers can shoot as well as a bolt action sometimes. Guess you figured out by now that I like 99s real well, they go along with my bolt guns just fine. I havn'ty even touched on the 94s in 30-30 and 25-35, they all shoot great, I con't care for rifles that don't shoot.

TJroberts,
I might sell the 1850 99F in 250-3000 (shooter only) its a little rough but its super accurate and a great little hunting rifle. If interested email me or call. Also sent you PM..

I have found that most of my Marlin lever rifles seem to think they are bolt guns.

I had two BLR's in 308 Win and both were more accurate than most over the counter bolt rifles made for hunting. I still own own of those BLR's and don't think I will ever sell it.

Steve.........

I have a BLR in 358 Win that surprised the heck out of me when sighting in, 3 shots all touching at 65 yards. 100 yards it was easily MOA. I also have one in 250 Savage I re-barreled. That one needs a little load work as it is about 1 1/2- 2 MOA right now, but I only tried one load/bullet with it and I'm sure I'll find something it will like.

Matt,
Im betting on you and the 250-3000. I have never seen or owned a 250-3000 that wouldn't shoot great.

It's a top quality muller works barrel and it cleans up easy enough....it'll shoot, I think I've put all of 20 rounds through it so far.

quote:

Originally posted by Grenadier:
+1

I've owned one in .243, two in .308 (but one got rebored to .338 Fed), and two in .358. I currently have only a .358. All were/are pre-81 versions with steel receivers.

A steel receiver BLR in 358 is a thing of beauty, congrats!

I tried 165 grain bullets in my 99 last weekend
Sierra boat tails over IMR 4064 , I got A group of 1.25 and another of 0.45
I think i will try RL15.
...tj3006

I typically have to load my 99s two grs below book with RL-15..I guess most books use test barrels for pressure or bolt action guns it seems to me..Basically I have found two grs below book max to be max in a 99with the exception of WW-748...What say you?