Best lever action calibers for big game

[edmondshunter]

Got a buddy looking to buy a lever.  Ive only shot the 30-30, and 35-rem.  Told him I could poll the masses here.  So let hear it.  What cal. and why?

[Curly]

I voted for the .444......it just seems cool.

[Red Dawg]

you forgot the marlin 308 express. Not the best all time. YET!!!

[TONTO]

Big Game?....How Big?

[Bookworm]

Have him look into the browning blr's, you can get almost any caliber you want.

[edmondshunter]

Added .308mx just 4 u Red Dawg. 

[actionshooter]

Theres almost a dozen other calibers made in lever actions, tough to pick one. Ive always liked .308 winchester

[jdb]

thats so easy its the winchester model 71 .348 if you know about it you'll agree if you dont know about it you should learn JB

[Red Dawg]

i dont think it will let me change my vote. thanks bro.

[Bookworm]

I've always wanted to get one of the blr's. I don't really need one, just want one!

[edmondshunter]

Red Dawg
I like the ballistics for the .308mx.  Just slipped my mind when I posted options, not sure why either, was just looking at the charts yesterday.

[Red Dawg]

Stainless, green laminate stock, gun metal grey leupold  4X. Would be perfect. = KILLING MACHINE.

[Coasthunterjay]

What about the .300 savage99?   i have one of those. Its just as good as a 30-30. Besides that i dont know I would have to do more shooting with it. But untill i get it fixed it might be some time....

[Sagedawg]

 How about the BLR in 7mm-08. Had one of them a long time ago, still wish I had kept it.


Sage

[actionshooter]

I had a BLR in .243 for a while, cool gun but WAY to heavy!

[bowhuntin]

30-30 for me, it has proven itself over time to be a great cartridge.

[popeshawnpaul]

Man, you left out the .358 Win.  Perfect balance of reach and bullet weight capacity for larger animals. 

[MountainWalk]

i like the 45-70. 
i like the frontal area, bullet weight, bullet mass and moderate speed. all add up for good on game performance....

teh 444 marlin, that sorry old thing is no good unless you handload. they load it with 44 mag pistol bullets... bullets too short for it.

in modest factory loads, for deer and bear , whatever the 30-30 can do, the 45-70 can do better.

[Head-shot]

Almost all the cowboys used it so it cant be all that bad. I have 2 of them, there pre 64 model 94, but they are pretty much safe queens cause I like shooting my other stuff more,

[MikeWalking]

the 444 marlin, that sorry old thing is no good unless you handload. they load it with 44 mag pistol bullets... bullets too short for it.

That was a real problem for a long time, pistol bullets at rifle velocities. SPLAT & no real penetration. But I'm sure it's better now, makers got smarter. Buffalo Bore for one makes some great stuff.

I like the 45-70 for the variety of loads available. I really want one of the new XLR's but I can't decide between the .308mx or 45-70. I'd also like a BLR Takedown...

[Slenk]

I have a Winchester 88 in .308 inherited it never shot it. Don't think it ever killed anything.
Everything else are bolt actions or muzzleloaders.
Slenk

[MountainWalk]

you know all this talk aobut the new 308 marlin has me wondering.... how come the 307 win or 284 didnt take off?... both are better than the new 308... i dunno

444---hornady high energy or light mag,, cant remember, are decent loads for it.. my old b'sun hunted with it for awhile.. lots of bad stories about it, especially with black bears over 50 yards..started hand loading it, and now he has zero penetration issues. the 444 could be really really good.

[boneaddict]

I added two fo the classic Winchesters, 25-35 and the 32.  I voted for the 30-30, but relatively speaking these were right in there.  Lots of classic debate on those three guns.

[huntingnut]

I had to vote 32 win spcl, just because I have one and its the only one I have shot.

[Snowman]

you left out 44rem mag. own one, have had it over 20years best dang lever action rifle in my opion. have killed many animals with it. one shot that's all you need with a 44mag. animals don't ever go far.

[257 Wby Mag]

I too am a fan of the 358 Win, clip fed it has the advatage of spitzer boolits, which results in higher B.C.'s, ie. energy, velocity,etc. This one will shoot with most bolt guns, the BLR ain't to bad either....

[MikeWalking]

you know all this talk aobut the new 308 marlin has me wondering.... how come the 307 win or 284 didnt take off?... both are better than the new 308... i dunno

I'm pretty sure when a round fails it's because it's performance is too close to another.

Would you buy a 31-06?

[Curly]

Since I'm the only one to vote for the 444, so I'm going to defend my choice; I'll let someone else defend it though, here is an article by Glen Fryxell: 

So where does the .444 Marlin fit in, in terms of big-game lever-gun cartridges? Well, let's start with the .30-30 family of cartridges that are easy to find, easy to shoot and have been reliably killing deer and black bear for many, many decades. This power level is typified by 170 grain bullets at about 2150 fps. While the .30-30 certainly can kill elk and moose, most hunters opt for something a little more powerful for these beasts to drop them as quickly as possible and avoid losing the animal. The next step up in power is found in the .33, .348, .35 and .356 Winchester group of cartridges. With these rounds we are generally talking about 200-250 grains bullets at 2200-2400 fps.  They have established themselves over the years as reliable black timber elk rounds. The next step up the power ladder, we find the .444 Marlin loaded with 300 grain bullets at 2100 fps (cast or jacketed), providing the hunter with a great deal of power and versatility. This level of performance is riding hard on the heels of the revered .405 Winchester (300 grains at 2200 fps), with a better (i.e. less abusive) stock design, easy to find strong brass, and out of a levergun that won't crush the family budget. This power level will handle anything in North America, and would not be out of place in Africa. Yup, the .444 Marlin is a keeper. You might even call it modern-day big medicine...

 - Glen E. Fryxell

Reloading would be best for the .444 Marlin, however if someone doesn't reload there are other options for getting quality ammo.  If you check out MidwayUSA you can find premium cartridges made by custom ammunition companies.  http://www.midwayusa.com/eproductpage.exe/showproduct?saleitemid=642589&t=11082005

Bottom line, it depends on what you want out of your lever action rifle.  I think the .444 Marlin would be a decent choice for hunting elk in the brush.  If you're only going to be shooting deer, then go with a 30-30.

[MountainWalk]

mike walking, if that is the correct rationale,, then we would have the 30-06, but no 270, no 308, no 7 rem mag....if they failed because too similiar to 308 win.. then why all the interest in the marlin 308?.. i would take the 284 win any day over the marlin.

[MikeWalking]

mike walking, if that is the correct rationale,, then we would have the 30-06, but no 270, no 308, no 7 rem mag....if they failed because too similar to 308 win.. then why all the interest in the marlin 308?.. i would take the 284 win any day over the marlin.

Not really, the 270, 308, 7 mm are all still here because people buy them.  There could be any number of reasons a particular caliber fails. Marketing, production cost, demand. It's usually a lack of sales. People don't buy a round it goes away.  At the same time the market favors a little variety. People want some choices.  I think the interest in the marlin .308 is in having pointed bullets for a tubular mag.

I've shot a couple boxes of their leverevolution in 45-70 and I'm pretty happy with them.

[boneaddict]

added another one.  How about the .300 Savage.

[MountainWalk]

thats a fine choice.  im still for the 4570. like i said, anything the 30-30 can do, the 45-70 can do better.

[Bigshooter]

Love the 45-70.  Also a big fan of the .444, .348, and the .44mag.

[edmondshunter]

Thanks bone, for adding calibers to the list. Always expanding the knowledge of your fellow hunters

[PacificNWhunter]

I voted for the .300 savage, it was the first gun ever given to me and I killed my share of animals with it. (nothing bigger then an elk) It was the only size gun my grandfather ever shot and he hunted in AK for 30+ years, he always told me it's the shot placement not the size of the gun. I have a .300 savage and a .308 model 99, there great little guns.

[Coasthunterjay]

love my savage99 in 300. just cant figure out what model it is? 

[jdb]

what about the 30/40 krag? the model 1895 winchester in this grand old caliber was one of elmer kieth's favorite elk combo's my greatgandpa, granddad and dad all hunted with one JB

[MountainWalk]

how bout the 405,,,,,,,,,teddy roosevelt, father of modern conservation, called the 405 his big bad medicine.. i understand the newer hornady 405's are pretty hard..

or maybe the 50 alaskan......i would like to have one