Lever action

SimpleSimon

Well-Known Member
I know it's been discussed before, but I'm starting a new thread anyway and you can't stop me...

Talk to me about lever action stalking rifles.

I vowed a couple of years ago that I would treat myself to a brand new rifle and scope combination to cover every UK stalking eventuality, and that I'd get good at shooting it, and be happy that whenever I booked stalking or received an invitation, or even got asked to go and look for a fox, I'd just reach in to the cabinet and pull out the only CF in there.
So, I bought brand new Tikka T3x in 308, a brand new meopta 3-18 scope, and had my moderator Cerakoted to match the barrel of the rifle. Job done. I'll never need another rifle for anything larger than a rabbit, anywhere in the UK.

Never need another rifle.

Still, those lever actions look really cool, don't they? And I bet they'd be a lot of fun to shoot. And it's not the same as just buying another bolt action in a different calibre. And even though my Tikka has an 18 inch barrel and a slim, over-barrel moderator it's still a bit long and it's quite heavy...

You can see where I'm going with this.

I know there are a few folks on the forum using various lever action rifles for stalking. I see the 30-30 and 45-70 mentioned a fair bit. I'm not sure if there are other deer-legal chamberings in lever action flavour?

I suppose to make it worthwhile, I'd have to make it quite a specialist tool for close-up woodland stalking. I'm thinking of occasions when I've bumped deer from basically under my feet, or when you stick your head around a rhododendron and theres a deer there staring back at you! I've seen a few on US sites with either reflex/red dot sights or very small, low-mounted scopes. A few seem to prefer the long eye relief models mounted forward of the hammer.

Talk me into doing something silly...
 
I looked at a Marlin dark in 30-30 for woodland deer, and whilst you can use it for muntjac and cwd you can’t hit the magic 1700ft/lbs ME for anything bigger without getting silly with the loading!

Shame as I would have bought one in the blink of an eye if it had passed muster - tacticool, short barrel, threaded for a mod - what’s not to like??

I ended up chopping 10” off my 308 barrel, dropping it into an oryx stock and making that a super short woodland rifle that will take anything i choose (still does the business on the range at 600yds as well).
 
I looked at a Marlin dark in 30-30 for woodland deer, and whilst you can use it for muntjac and cwd you can’t hit the magic 1700ft/lbs ME for anything bigger without getting silly with the loading!

I'm surprised to hear that, my casual research found Hornady factory ammo for the 30-30 at over 2000ft/lbs. That's from a 24 inch barrel, though, and I don't know if that's a typical load or not...

I understand nothing makes the velocity required for Scotland, but that doesn't worry me too much, Scotland is a log way away!
 
45/70. That will do the job on anything in England. Rabbit to boar. A marlin or No1 and load hot. 😎😎
 
I know it's been discussed before, but I'm starting a new thread anyway and you can't stop me...

Talk to me about lever action stalking rifles.

I vowed a couple of years ago that I would treat myself to a brand new rifle and scope combination to cover every UK stalking eventuality, and that I'd get good at shooting it, and be happy that whenever I booked stalking or received an invitation, or even got asked to go and look for a fox, I'd just reach in to the cabinet and pull out the only CF in there.
So, I bought brand new Tikka T3x in 308, a brand new meopta 3-18 scope, and had my moderator Cerakoted to match the barrel of the rifle. Job done. I'll never need another rifle for anything larger than a rabbit, anywhere in the UK.

Never need another rifle.

Still, those lever actions look really cool, don't they? And I bet they'd be a lot of fun to shoot. And it's not the same as just buying another bolt action in a different calibre. And even though my Tikka has an 18 inch barrel and a slim, over-barrel moderator it's still a bit long and it's quite heavy...

You can see where I'm going with this.

I know there are a few folks on the forum using various lever action rifles for stalking. I see the 30-30 and 45-70 mentioned a fair bit. I'm not sure if there are other deer-legal chamberings in lever action flavour?

I suppose to make it worthwhile, I'd have to make it quite a specialist tool for close-up woodland stalking. I'm thinking of occasions when I've bumped deer from basically under my feet, or when you stick your head around a rhododendron and theres a deer there staring back at you! I've seen a few on US sites with either reflex/red dot sights or very small, low-mounted scopes. A few seem to prefer the long eye relief models mounted forward of the hammer.

Talk me into doing something silly...
I believe them to be an excellent tracking rifle for short distance woodland work. That's what I tell myself anyway as always wanted one!

I'm in the process of refurbishing a 1967 marlin 336 in 30.30 as I type. Should be ready this week and will post pics. Ammo can be tricky to find, but federal, Winchester and hornady all running at 2200fps. Mine has a 20" barrel.
Mine has skinner express sights with integrated scope mount at the rear and a skinner bear buster front sight in bright white at the front. I can also carry a small Swarovski 4x 32 on QD Talley medium rings which suits the rifle perfectly.
 
I'm surprised to hear that, my casual research found Hornady factory ammo for the 30-30 at over 2000ft/lbs. That's from a 24 inch barrel, though, and I don't know if that's a typical load or not...

I understand nothing makes the velocity required for Scotland, but that doesn't worry me too much, Scotland is a log way away!
Yup, with a 24” barrel it’s ok, but the stumpy 16” one in the Marlon dark can’t get there.
 
I see the 30-30 and 45-70 mentioned a fair bit. I'm not sure if there are other deer-legal chamberings in lever action flavour?
.
There are heaps of chamberings, even if you stay within the traditional actions (ie Winchester 92/94/86 or Marlin). Eg 356, 307, 375, 38-55, 444, 45-90, 45-110 etc.. then if you look at BLRs you get all the standard rimless cartridges
 
357 win legacy.
View attachment 303327
30-30 legacy.
View attachment 303328
View attachment 303329
And a YouTube clip of me shooting a 94 30-30 circa 1966 with half power loads out to 300yards or so. It's up for sale by the way


Good to see shooting with open sighted rifle and using your own body as support to get a steady hold, instead of needing a truckload of scafolding poles and a scope big enough to study stars with :).

Sadly up here in Scotland the 2450 fps min muzzle velocity pretty much precludes thr 45/70, 30-30 Marlin and Winchester type lever actions, although I do know of the odd Savage 99, Sako Finnwolf or Browning BLR being used with 243, 308 etc.
 
Good to see shooting with open sighted rifle and using your own body as support to get a steady hold, instead of needing a truckload of scafolding poles and a scope big enough to study stars with :).

Sadly up here in Scotland the 2450 fps min muzzle velocity pretty much precludes thr 45/70, 30-30 Marlin and Winchester type lever actions, although I do know of the odd Savage 99, Sako Finnwolf or Browning BLR being used with 243, 308 etc.
30-30 with 130gn bullets no problem.
When I took mine to Scotland, no one asked or cared. It worked just fine.
 
Yup, with a 24” barrel it’s ok, but the stumpy 16” one in the Marlon dark can’t get there.
I'll maybe have a poke around and see if I can find any data for shorter barrels. I don't reload so I'd be relying on decent factory ammo. Hornady seem to be the ones making the best attempt at modern-type hunting ammo for lever actions.
 
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