Lever or bolt action?

[Ewing2007]

im gonna be new to hunting this year and im going to buy a rifle for deer. the only problem is i dont know what to get i know im not going to be shooting a deer more than 300yds away and where i live there is alot of woods. so what do you guys think is best a 30-30 lever action or get a bolt action in .243 or .270

Edited June 7, 2012 by Ewing2007

[bubba]

single shot 270. A great all around deer caliber and a single shot makes you a better shot as you know what you have to do do get the harvest.

[erussell]

Semi auto 30-06, so you can clear a few trees out 1st then shoot the deer. All joking aside buy the best you can afford in a caliber that with take a deer down clean.

[Early]

Visit a few gun shops...handle several different guns; When you find one that feels right, then you can think about caliber. A .30-30 in a lever gun makes a good deer rig...A .35 is even better. If I was looking for a bolt action deer gun

(whitetail only), I'd consider .260 and 7mm-08. For an all-around bolt gun, I'd think .308 or .30-06. My opinions.......

[Ewing2007]

I shot a bolt action before ive never shot a lever action but everyone i talk to loves their lever action and wont give it up for anything. Im sort of leaning towards a lever action because of its faster reload and since im not that good of a shot nor will i be shooting at a crazy distance i think a 30-30 might be fine for me im thinking a marlin but who knows. Is there any good calibers in a bolt action that compares to a 30-30 at close distance?

[Gthphtm]

Bolt action 30 -06,You can get factory ammo from 110 grain to 220 grain.Plus a bolt action is easy er to brake down and clean then a lever action.There is also a large selection of brands and models in 30 -06.

[virgil]

I think the best advice so far is to pick the gun that feels most comfortable and fits your budget. You mention that your shooting needs work. If so, I'd go with the 30-30 or 35 as opposed to the 06- simply because the lighter recoil will probably make you more comfortable practicing and sighting in and should make you a better shot. Doesn't matter what gun you're carrying if you're not able to shoot it accurately.

[Uncle Nicky]

_{Bolt action rifles are usually more accurate, lever action rifles are faster on the reload...so take your pick.}

[Elmo]

Im sort of leaning towards a lever action because of its faster reload and since im not that good of a shot nor will i be shooting at a crazy distance i think a 30-30 might be fine for me im thinking a marlin but who knows.

That's just the wrong attitude to have. No caliber replaces accuracy. I'm not shooting 1 inch groups out to 300 yards either but I know what I can shoot accurately and stick to those limits. With that said, a larger caliber will be harder for you to get use to and as a result, harder for you to shoot accurately in the beginning. Whatever caliber or gun you choose, practice the heck out of it. 30-30 lever action works. So does a .270 or .308 bolt. Bubba has a great idea as well. Single shots forces you to focus on your shot.

[adirondackbushwhack]

I shot a bolt action before ive never shot a lever action but everyone i talk to loves their lever action and wont give it up for anything. Im sort of leaning towards a lever action because of its faster reload and since im not that good of a shot nor will i be shooting at a crazy distance i think a 30-30 might be fine for me im thinking a marlin but who knows. Is there any good calibers in a bolt action that compares to a 30-30 at close distance?

The lever action rifle will serve you well and was my choice for many years prior to my going to a single shot rifle. When I was in your shoes I chose the lever gun and loved it and always used it as my go to gun even though I own many bolt action rifles. The 30-30 though, in my experiance, is a bit under powered and you would do well to get your lever gun in 35 rem. rather than the 30-30.

[WNYBuckHunter]

I would advise you to handle and possibly shoot a few different guns before you make a decision. Dont count out semi autos or pump action guns either. If I was going to buy a new rifle, strictly for deer hunting, it would be a bolt action or single shot in .260 Remington. The only downside to .260 is factory ammo availability, or lack of it. Whats out there works great, I was using Remington Core-Loct 140 Grain out of my TC Encore handgun, and it grouped and performed very well. The caliber of choice would change if I were planning on using it for larger game, like Elk, etc.

[Culvercreek hunt club]

EWing...where are you located?

[NFA-ADK]

Caliber is not as importiant if you can make a good shot!!! Like many have said make sure the gun feels good in your hands, I think that is VIP. And shoot the gun/rounds before buying to make sure the recoil is manageable...

I used a 30-06 for the versitility of the caliber grains, you can shot varmit up to moose with that gun. Yet as I have aged and my interest have changed I went to a 44 Mag in a Model 94AE winchester. Mainly for the easy of use and follow up is excellent.

Just like buying a car it is personal preferance... No one answer here will be right or wrong. Do your research and make a educated choice based on Feel, recoil, easy of use, cleaning and in particular the area of use you will be hunting in. 30-30 has taken many deer down over the years and is more powerfull than my 44 mag so it is more than capable of taking a deer. 35 is a round I have contemplated gettting for a long time as I feel it is a ideal round for hunting in NY. Again it is a personal choice, do you like the blue camaro or the red firebird, both will get you from point A to point B...

[GreeneHunter]

Military Snipers use Bolt Action , but of course its one shot one kill . That being said I love my Lever 30-30 and have so for over 30 years ! Whatever your comfortable with .

[Elmo]

I've talked to few people who are new to shooting and/or hunting. Every single one of them seem to fall in love with bigger and further. I guess from watching too many movies and playing too many video games. I betcha if money was not an issue, they would try to hunt deer with a .50 BMG or a .338 Lapua Magnum. I'll be completely honest, I was the same way though the most recoil I've shot so far is the 7mm rem mag which is a touch harder than the 30-06. After going into the woods a few times and spending some time at the range, that macho bravado is now gone. I also realized that it's going to be rare for me to shoot beyond 200 yards. I actually prefer rimfires and the 223 when at the range. I enjoy the challenge of trying to get a pin point accurate shot without much over kill. I use 308 during big game season though.

[Culvercreek hunt club]

to add to Elmo's post. I would really do two things. One has been touched on and that is to handle as many guns and type of guns that you can. Second I would sit down and list what you want from the gun. How far do you anticipate shooting. how much will you be shooting. what $$$ factors are there for the gun priuchase and the ammo purchases. Are you willing to buy used or is New your pick. will you be trying optics or iron sights. Wat type of hunting do you think you may be doing? alot of walking? stand hunting?FIelds? thick brush on the land you plan on hunting? Any questions you can think of. The answers will help form your pick or lead to more questions.

next for my 2 cents on the caliber. I started rifle hunting with the 30-06 because it is what my father used. If I had a child hunting I would probably not go that route anymore. I would also agree with Elmo I think. .308 win. easy to find ammo, wide range of bullets. surpluss FMJ can be had at reasonable price for plinking. moderate recoil.

[Ford]

300 yards is a long way for most lever rifles.

[adirondackbushwhack]

300 yards is a long way for most lever rifles.

I agree ford but also 300 yards is too far for most hunters.

[Elmo]

Also worth noting...I believe you can't use ballistic tips on a lever action while with a bolt action, you can pretty much use anything. Correct me if I'm wrong. Maybe modern bullets now allow ballistic tips on tube feeds?

[Culvercreek hunt club]

Ballistic tips...no. THe Flex tips ...yes. and any pointed bullet is a no no in tubular mags not just ballistic tips.

[Elmo]

Only lever action I know that's not tube fed is the Browning BLR. Again, something worth considering when deciding between bolt versus lever.

[Ewing2007]

EWing...where are you located?

thanks guys for the info and I am located in troy ny so I would be hunting the state land prolly in Brunswick

[Uncle Nicky]

Only lever action I know that's not tube fed is the Browning BLR. Again, something worth considering when deciding between bolt versus lever.

The Savage Model 99 is box-fed, but they stopped making them years ago. I still have mine, it's a tack-driver.

[Early]

My old Winchester model 88 lever gun in .308 has been a great deer gun for over 50 years. With its rotary bolt lockup, dtaachable box magazine and one-piece stock, it compares favorably with bolt guns when it comes to accuracy.

[adirondackbushwhack]

thanks guys for the info and I am located in troy ny so I would be hunting the state land prolly in Brunswick

Ain't no state land in Brunswick. Have to go to Grafton or Tibbits forest for that.