Who deer hunts with a lever action what are some of the best ones out there and in what caliber .

[Jeremy K]

I do have plans to add a Henry 45-70 in the future .

[Robhuntandfish]

5 minutes ago, Jeremy K said:

I do have plans to add a Henry 45-70 in the future .

Same here. That would be my next gun if in I decide to get one.  Def a 45/70 not sure on brand yet though.  

[mlammerhirt]

Dad: 35 Marlin
Myself: 30-30 Marlin
Yes, both levers.
 

Same setup for myself and my dad.

Sent from my XT1254 using Tapatalk

[Bionic]

2 minutes ago, mlammerhirt said:

Same setup for myself and my dad.

Sent from my XT1254 using Tapatalk
 

That's awesome! 

[wolc123]

I went on my first Adirondack deer hunt, about 25 years ago, with my full-sized, Ruger M77, bolt-action 30/06.   While still-hunting thru some thick cover, between the main highway an overgrown pasture, I jumped (3) deer, two of which ran straight away from me, while the third ran off to my left.  I found the two that ran straight away in the scope and neither had antlers.  I swung the rifle towards the one to my left, but the long barrel hit a branch and I was not able to get that one in the scope before it disappeared.  A subsequent examination of the tracks in the mud indicated that one was probably a buck.   I blamed having the wrong gun for missing a chance at that deer.  

When I got home, I bought a new Marlin 336 30/30 with a 3X scope.   That compact, fast-handling gun was fun to shoot.  That fall, I took it for backup on a Colorado elk/mule deer hunt, where I carried it for Elk on the last day.    I fell down on my primary gun the day prior (Ruger M77), while dragging a mule deer carcass thru some rocks, so I was thankful for the backup.   I did not see any elk on that trip, and that turned out to be the only day that I actually hunted big game with it.   The following summer I fired it at a woodchuck from about 50 yards and missed it clean.   I am not sure how I missed, but I did not trust it after that. A friend won a Canadian bear hunt in at a gun raffle later that summer, and I let him borrow it.   He said that it worked very well on his bear. 

I ended up trading the Marlin for a Savage bolt-action 22/250, which I left at my folks place for woodchucks.   I did not miss that gun until I started hunting the Adirondacks again, about 10 years later.   Once again, my heavy, long bolt-action was just not the right gun for many situations up there, especially still-hunting, thru and around heavy cover, in windy, rain/snow conditions.   My father in law has a brand-new, unfired Marlin 336 with a scope still in the box at his house up there.  Looking at it, on a windy snowy opening day a couple years ago, made me miss the one I had. 

Last summer, I traded another scoped Ruger M77 bolt-action 22/250 for a new open-sight, Marlin 336BL 30/30.   That compact lever-action should be ideal for deer hunting in and around the heavy cover in the windy/rain/snow conditions where my 30/06 bolt action is so lacking.  I have yet to carry it on a hunt however, as the weather conditions on all the days I hunted up there last year were ok for a scope, so I carried my  Ruger 30/06 (and did not see any deer).   I am hoping for a little bad weather up there this fall, so I can use that Marlin lever action.  It seems to work real well for popping jugs of water, off-hand from ranges under 75 yards.  I don't really "like" any weapon until I kill a deer with it however. 

 I am also going to try and talk my father in law into letting me use his scoped Marlin 336 up there on "good weather" days.  I have plenty of ammo, and will take some up there and sight it in the next time we head up there on Memorial day weekend.   I got him a nice whitetail shoulder mount up there already, to decorate his house and now he wants a bear rug.    That should be enough to convince him to let me use his rifle rather than just let it sit in a box.    

 

   

Edited March 30, 2018 by wolc123

[Larry]

I use a 444 marlin loaded with 265gr flat points I think it’s the best load for the 444. My shots are less than 100yds. It’s like hitting them with THORS HAMMER

[NFA-ADK]

Lever action is very reliable and pretty much any round will work.  Best bet is to try a few and get one the feels right and is easy to shoulder and sight in.  EX: No head movement needed to line up sights or scope and every time you shoulder it everything is lined up with no adjustments needed.  

This is why I love the model 94 in 44 mag it shoulders perfect and the sight is also perfect so the moment I pull up on a target I just need to aim. 

[sailinghudson25]

I have 2 marlin 336 rifles and a browing blr in 450 marlin.

I use the blr alot, I even take it hunting open fields at times instead of a 3006 or 270 win.

Blr had 1.5-4x scope, one marlin is scoped 3-9x, the other is my backwoods companion when checking trail cameras or scouting, that had a peep sight and big fiber optic front sight. 

 

My advice stick with common affordable calibers.  Especially since you can not order ammo online in ny.

35 remington is a bit better, but not for almost twice the price in ammo.  And it can be hard to find at times.

I'd get a marlin in 3030 or a blr in 3006 if I did it again.   Marlin is the easiest gun to take apart and clean of the lever guns.

Bonus is the hunting stores have seasonal bargains on 3030 ammo.  I've gotten it for 10 bucks a box.  Reloading it's cheap too.  About 230 rounds per lb of powder.

If the gun is scoped, you  can shoot 200 yards without compensation if you zero at 175.  It's a about 2-3 inches high in the 50-100 yard range.

450 marlin isn't that bad 37 a box of 20.  For what it offers its not expensive.  You pretty much have a grizzly bear gun for the price of premium 3006 anmo.  Keep in mind 45-70 and 450 marlin are just heavily necked up 3006 rounds.  About 50-54 grains of smokeless powder fills their cases.  300 win mag is close to 65 grains. 

Avoid 325wsm,270wsm,  they're so hard to find ammo for.

 

Edited March 30, 2018 by sailinghudson25

[Fletch]

I have a Marlin 338 in 30-30. I hunted the Adirondacks every opening weekend from 16 years old for over a decade. All we used were lever guns. Once a couple of my areas around home went rifle I hunt with mine a bit every year. A couple years ago I took a buck with it freehand on a power line at 187 yards. Those new polymer tip rounds can shoot!! Not like the old lead noses. If you use them though aim for shoulder bone because otherwise that tip lends that bullet to zip right through without expanding.

Edited March 30, 2018 by Fletch

[ss444]

.444 Marlin!

[wolc123]

2 hours ago, sailinghudson25 said:

 

I'd get a marlin in 3030  if I did it again.   Marlin is the easiest gun to take apart and clean of the lever guns.

 

 

The Marlin also has few features that make it particularly good with a low-power scope.   Removing the screw that holds the lever, and taking out the bolt lets you look right thru the bore at a target.  Adjusting the scope's zero to that spot usually puts you on the paper, at 50 yards, with the first shot.   A side tang, that mounts to the hammer, is cheap and makes it easy to pull it back real fast with the scope.   Having a side eject, and the ability to mount the scope directly on the top of the receiver is probably the biggest advantage, over most of the other makes, when it comes to mounting a scope.          

Edited March 30, 2018 by wolc123

[G-Man]

I own early.marlins and am a large caliber fan. But if you want versatility the Browning is great as it lets you use any bullet in that caliber. Instead of flat or rubber nosed  bullets in the caliber. This is true of the savage 99's as well but both will set you back quite a bit of green.

If you buy a marlin and go used the serial number that just starts with m is what to look for the rm serial numbers are from Remington buying the company and quality fell. They backed off on materials and went to old.standards where the original Marlins from the 90s and 2000 are built to withstand much higher pressures that would.let you reload to the same as a single shot. ( called them directly when I bought.my 1895 model on .45-70 in 2005) . 

[rachunter]

i picked up a marlin[JM] 3030 a few years ago it's a fun gun to shoot light cast loads. I'm sure i'll hunt with it someday.

[Dom]

Not so sure this fits but I use a lever break 20Guage M-66 SuperSingle shotgun.My area is a shotgun only for big game.

[ATbuckhunter]

I don't have one, but you cant go wrong with a 30-30 or a 35. Both of those cartridges will get the job done in most cases here in NY. My grandfathers marlin 30-30 has taken a lot of deer back when he used to hunt with it interchangeably. Im going to offer to buy it from him now that he doesn't hunt. 

[Lawdwaz]

On 3/29/2018 at 8:35 AM, Storm914 said:

Who deer  hunts with a lever action  what are some of the best ones out there and in what caliber .

 

 

 

Are you buying one?

[Hunter007]

57 minutes ago, Lawdwaz said:

 

Are you buying one?

Thinking about it  

[sailinghudson25]

One thing I like about the 30-30 cartridge.

I load it down to 1300fps with speer 110gr heads and small game hunt with it.  I wait for squirrels to come in at 40 yards.  Coyote, woodchuck, grouse, and a piss ed off beaver with his foot stuck in a 330 conibear.

The gun comes with me on coyote trap lines, but I mostly trap Mink and fisher.

[sailinghudson25]

1 hour ago, Storm914 said:

Thinking about it

I love my guns.  I have too many and I can't think of a particular one I want to part with....

I had too many guns before I had good hunting clothes, an atv, food plot equipment, or deer processing equipment.

I'd easily trade half of them for my canoe and my 13ft hexagonal 2 layered Woodstove tent.  So many awesome hunting memories in that tent.  A real treat is a flintlock rifle.  Christmas day till the end of January I hunt in PA with a gun I built.  Gladly trade a few guns for a custom flintlock. Rock, charcoal, lead, deer....

The equipment provides the experience.  Keep it about the experience...  the equipment you have or not leads to these experiences, or not.

2 deer rifles and your good....  I didn't mention rimfires, varmint guns, target rifles, and your good old campsite pals.  One a 20ga 870 the other my Glenfield model 30.  A marlin 336 with beech wood.  

Cheap game cameras are the bomb.  Awesome to be fearless about putting them in a spot for awhile.  

I got 21 guns.  Wish u could thin them down to a dozen..   I just don't buy new ones....  except for flintlocks,  but they take time to build...

 

Edited March 31, 2018 by sailinghudson25

[Lawdwaz]

1 hour ago, Storm914 said:

Thinking about it  

Great.

What gun and chambering are you thinking now?  Lots of great information here..........

Glass?

[Hunter007]

20 minutes ago, Lawdwaz said:

Great.

What gun and chambering are you thinking now?  Lots of great information here..........

Glass?

Probably 30-06  since I have other deer guns in that caliber already 

But I'm open to trying something new .. 

Preferably light and short 

 

 

 

Edited March 31, 2018 by Storm914

[Hunter007]

27 minutes ago, sailinghudson25 said:

I love my guns.  I have too many and I can't think of a particular one I want to part with....

I had too many guns before I had good hunting clothes, an atv, food plot equipment, or deer processing equipment.

I'd easily trade half of them for my canoe and my 13ft hexagonal 2 layered Woodstove tent.  So many awesome hunting memories in that tent.  A real treat is a flintlock rifle.  Christmas day till the end of January I hunt in PA with a gun I built.  Gladly trade a few guns for a custom flintlock. Rock, charcoal, lead, deer....

The equipment provides the experience.  Keep it about the experience...  the equipment you have or not leads to these experiences, or not.

2 deer rifles and your good....  I didn't mention rimfires, varmint guns, target rifles, and your good old campsite pals.  One a 20ga 870 the other my Glenfield model 30.  A marlin 336 with beech wood.  

Cheap game cameras are the bomb.  Awesome to be fearless about putting them in a spot for awhile.  

I got 21 guns.  Wish u could thin them down to a dozen..   I just don't buy new ones....  except for flintlocks,  but they take time to build...

 

Really i lost count plus my farthers and grandfathers and there ammo lol 

But no lever guns 

[Lawdwaz]

56 minutes ago, Storm914 said:

Probably 30-06  since I have other deer guns in that caliber already 

But I'm open to trying something new .. 

Preferably light and short 

 

 

 

30-06 in a lever gun......ok. 

Oh, light and short too.  Good luck with that!

 

Edited March 31, 2018 by Lawdwaz

[Hunter007]

36 minutes ago, Lawdwaz said:

30-06 in a lever gun......ok. 

Oh, light and short too.  Good luck with that!

 

BLR Lightweight '81 Stainless Takedown

I like a lot actully 

In 300 wsm  

It says it is just under 7 Ib 

 

 

 

 

Edited March 31, 2018 by Storm914

[sailinghudson25]

I'd pass on the takedown part.  If I remember right, you can buy a good scope for the price difference.

I got a browning blr lightweight stainless in 450 marlin.

Kinda pissed my spare magazine jambs on me.  Original mag is just fine.