What caliber in a lever action would be your pick for all your hunting?

[shoot-n-lead]

.357 with a 358429 will cover all of the deer and hogs that I hunt.

[Geezer in NH]

What cailber lever action would you pick, if you could only have one hunting rifle in ______ cailber for your hunting needs, where you live. What would it be?

45-70 of course

[Gunnut 45/454]

Since I'm such a fan of the .30 caliber I'd have to go dirty thirty. Load light or heavy it can take anything from feathered table fare to Griz and it has. From RB's to 170 + cast bullets that will go through the toughest of critters!

[woodbutcher]

45-70 all the way.IF I was`nt limited to lever guns only for choice,I would have a 45-70 built on a Siamese Mauser action.
Nice thing about the 45-70,is the selection of bullets/boolits from the collar buttons of IIRC 185gr to 500gr truck killers.
Good luck.Have fun.Be safe.
Leo

[Lead Fred]

Being that it will kill everything that walks on the planet. 45/70
Ive been experimenting with paper patched .452 cast, for them wee critters that dont need to be hit by a freight train

[Markbo]

Question for you .45-70 guys. Now I am a fan though I didnt choose it as my ONE lever gun...this talk about light to heavy bullets.. do you have a lever or single shot that will actually shoot all the bulket weights accurately?

[TXGunNut]

Question for you .45-70 guys. Now I am a fan though I didnt choose it as my ONE lever gun...this talk about light to heavy bullets.. do you have a lever or single shot that will actually shoot all the bulket weights accurately?

All? That's quite a few boolit weights. Some levers won't even chamber some of the heavies designed for single shot rifles. All rifles have their preferences but it seems the 1895 Marlin has a pretty wide comfort zone starting around 300grs and going up past 400grs. Seems to be happy with everything from mild to wild as well. Hard to match that kind of versatility.

[oscarflytyer]

Oh so easy! Savage 99 in 284 Winchester! First lever gun I ever owned! It is a true beat up truck gun (before I got it) but I love it. Second would prob be same platform in 300 Savage - and have that one too. Next would be a tie b/n Marlin 336 in 35 Remington and Marlin 1895 in 45-70, both of which I have. 30-30 is a distant tail end for me. And looking to put together a 375Win/38-55 Jes rebore on a Marlin 336 - which would fall into the 35 Rem/45-70 grouping. yeah, I have and love my levers!!!

[Lonegun1894]

Question for you .45-70 guys. Now I am a fan though I didnt choose it as my ONE lever gun...this talk about light to heavy bullets.. do you have a lever or single shot that will actually shoot all the bulket weights accurately?

I have a H&R BC that has shot everything I have tried from 300-460grs very well, but I have also read of a few that wouldn't chamber a 405gr load, so I may have just gotten lucky.

[Gaterskiner]

One rifle? Tough choice. My choice would have to be .45 Colt. It can do all I need it to and I hate reloading rifle cartridges. If I lived farther north Would be between .356 Win and 45-70

[T-Bird]

35 Remington. Shoot Straight, T-Bird

[Markbo]

Seems 300-400gr bullets on anything from deer on down is way overkill. What would a rabbit look like? Or a squirrel? AND until I read oscar's post I smooth forgot... I have an old Savage 99 in .308. That would be even better that the .30-30!

[dlbarr]

Question for you .45-70 guys. Now I am a fan though I didnt choose it as my ONE lever gun...this talk about light to heavy bullets.. do you have a lever or single shot that will actually shoot all the bulket weights accurately?

Markbo, I have shot 300-400 gr bullets accurately from my 1895 with a variety of light-heavy loads. My HandiRifle in 45/70 also shoots a wide variety, even a light 143gr HBWC (for small game like rabbit or squirrel), with great accuracy. My BC barrel has chambered anything I put in it so far. I have not shot the bigger bullets such as 500gr but have heard enough HR shooters that have and like their results. Yep, you can shoot many light to heavy loads in 45/70 and do so accurately from one rifle.

[flint45]

no.1 .45-70 no.2 .22lr that covers it all for me.

[Clark]

I have a Savage 99 in 308 that went to the range with 10 other rifles to see what I would use for hunting in 2006.

8) Savage 99 308, 22" barrel, 7 pounds, new unfired Savage barrel,scope
mounts may be pointing to the right
8.6 # with 2.5X Weaver German reticle scope.

Quickload 47 gr. IMR4895 150 gr. Sierra 2125 with moly, 2.810", 2871
fps, measured 3050 fps 1.2" 5 shot group @ 50 yards 3100 loose primer pockets

That was MY fault, but I was out of time, and went hunting with all 11 rifles in the back, but used a different rifle.

[Motor]

One rifle for all? I'm tempted to say .300 mag BLR and as a hand loader and boolit caster I could but the .308 Win would probably make better sense all around. Don't really matter if its a Savage or BLR or what ever.

[Markbo]

Clark...you took 11 rifles hunting? What do you use for a camp vehicle?




Heck I dont take that many prairie dog shooting!

[Clark]

I did build a 360 degree turret.

[dh2]

if I was only going to hunt NC you are either in the mountains or the swamp, shots are close bear are becoming more common, I would have to go tried and true 45/70 you hit you killed it

[vietnam71]

If only 1 Choice would be 45/70.

If had 2nd 30-30 easy to find Brass Bullets and powder.