If you already have a Marlin 30-30.....

J

Jacket67

New member
What would you choose as another lever gun? As the title implies, I already have a marlin 30-30 for hunting. Wouldn't mind getting another lever action at some point but do not know about other options. What recommendations do you all have? Rifle and pistol caliber options welcome!!
 
Love my SBL. More fun than any gun I have ever owned. I load it down to around 900ish fps using 13.0gr of Trail Boss and a 405gr cast lead bullet all the way up to close to 1800 fps using 430 grain hard cast. There is no game in North America, no animal and really nothing on planet earth, past or present that walks or walked, that it cannot take down. It is like a shoulder mounted artillery piece!



And it is accurate, the action is smooth, it loads and fires without fault and it comes into play fast throwing one ounce chunks of lead, what is not to like?

Both rifles use the wonderful Warne QR steel rings so I can switch back to irons if I just want a saddle gun (for my Jeep) or use my scope for increased utility for hunting. The Warne rings do not loose zero. The Nikon African is a 1X on low power, quicker and brighter than irons to get on target, it is especially quicker in low light. I use the 1X with both eyes open, it is FAST on target

3C
 
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A .22 lr would be my first choice if you already have a 30-30. Probably followed by a .357, and then a 45-70. I'm not sure if i would ever bother with a 44 mag or 45 colt. Maybe the 45 if i were reloading and wanted to play cowboy.

I would highly recommend you go for a .22 next. They are fun!
 
I have three Marlin 30-30s, the 45-70 SBL and a long fav my 9422M. So I could go either way and agree!

3C
 
Big bore? Na!! I'm more of a~?~ practical buyer. Although I sure would like to try one of those new Henry's Lone Ranger levers.
20 " tapered barrel 308 clip fed means (spitzer bullet use) with open barrel sights. Uff Da!! what a nice snap shooting walk-about hunting rifle Henry's are.
Ya know OP the Lone Ranger model reminds me of those old Winchester 94s allot. Only difference. Henry's come with a lifetime warranty and their currently made.
 
Get something in 357 Mag. I'd recommend a Rossi but they are difficult to find. I've had mine for ten years and it's been trouble free from day one, contrary to what some people claim. The action is smooth, it's accurate and feeds both 357 and 38.
 
Savage 99 in 300 savage
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Good call. Great rifles that haven't gotten overly expensive yet.

If you like the Marlin you may also like the Winchester 94. The Ford and Chevy of the levergun world.

The Rossi 357s can be great little carbines as well. I really enjoy mine.
 
There are only two other true lever gun cartridges. The rest are impostors or pretenders.

You need a .444 Marlin, or .38-55.
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Both the 44-40 and the 38-40 predate the 38-55. The 444 is a late comer.
 
maybe in the present, but not in the past. there were animals in the past that I would want at least a .50 caliber machine round.
 
I really like the Italian 73' knock offs with a case color hardened fish and octagon barrel. Just beuatiful, I will take mine in .45lc please...:)
 
lever guns are like potato chips. a person should have one in 3220, 218, 4440, a win and marlin in 3030, a 7 30 waters. at least one in either 3855 or 375 win big bore. a stainless marlin in 30 30 for when the weather sucks.
....now a sav 99 is another tangent. win 88 too.....bobn
 
I hunt with my Mossberg model 464 in 30-30. This short carbine features a 16 inch barrel. grey laminated stock, and silvery colored marine-coat finish. This carbine is great for deer and hogs within Florida. The scope is a Simmons Pro Hunter featuring 2-7X settings.

Jack
 
Someone already mentioned the Savage 99... that would be my choice. They also came in any number of chamberings, including the .308... which is what mine is in. You can kick it old skool with the .300 Savage, but the .308 works better for me because I'm already tooled up for it.

Beyond that, one of my favorite rifles is my brother's Winchester Trapper in .45 Colt.... 16" barrel. Not a big Winchester fan, but I love that little rifle. I've had a Marlin 1894 in .45 Colt as well, a fun rifle, too.
 
Both the 44-40 and the 38-40 predate the 38-55. The 444 is a late comer.
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Indeed.
I made no mention of age.
Superiority and availability trumps obsolescence and mediocrity.



(We're in "1911 vs Hi-Power" and "9mm vs .45" territory here... There really isn't any argument.)
 
When I was a kid I thought the mod 99 was the most beautiful rifle in the world. To date I've never owned one or even shot one. Not a big 30-30 fan so would rule that out. I have rifles to cover everything I might ever hunt. A kid showed up hunting deer with us one year with an old Win lever gun, don't know the model number. If I can remember at the time I really felt sorry for the kid, what a dud. I think it was a 25-35? something like that. Now today I'd like something like that. It was a nice little rifle and cool cartridge. Any rifle I might need these days have nothing to do with need!
 
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