DeadEyeJack
Inactive
Pretty much what the title says, just curious as to what the fine people of TFL have to say. Thinking along the lines of hunting, pest control, home defense, or just wherever you guys feel like taking it.
Lever vs. Bolt
- Thread starter DeadEyeJack
- Start date
Lever is faster than a bolt for the second shot, but as a person who has used Browning B78 single-shots for most of my rifle hunting and varminting, I do not see the need for a second shot if you have exercised due diligence in the first place. So, in my estimation, either is good enough.
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mxsailor803
New member
For me its pretty simple, I like levers and bolts. Each has there own purpose. Granted I do have more bolt guns than autos, mainly so I don't have to chase my brass as much lol.
I have both, but prefer the bolts, and especially the bolts with a stripper guide.
Levers can be quick, but so can the bolts if youve learned to shoot/work them properly, and the bolts dont tend to pull the rifle down out of your shoulder when you work them, especially when done quickly.
Levers tend to not be as robust as the bolts, and the mag tubes can be a weak point. They are also slow to load/reload, and are usually limited in the ammo you use with them.
Levers can be quick, but so can the bolts if youve learned to shoot/work them properly, and the bolts dont tend to pull the rifle down out of your shoulder when you work them, especially when done quickly.
Levers tend to not be as robust as the bolts, and the mag tubes can be a weak point. They are also slow to load/reload, and are usually limited in the ammo you use with them.
Lever vs bolt
I like them both or really all firearms.
My favorite lever is an old Win94 in .32 special. Had an older ole on .30-30 that was great.
Little Browning .22 lever gun is go to gun, for squirrels, with CB caps. Weighs nothing but feels substantial and gorgeous fit and finish and accurate, with iron sights.
I have my eye on a Win71 in .348.
Also looking for an old in Mossberg lever gun in .45-70.
Bolt guns, my little Rem 600 in .308. Weight next to nothing and very accurate with an older steel tube Weaver scope.
Weatherby MkV in . 270 Wby magnum, is so familiar and fit that throw it to the shoulder and put the cross hairs almost immediately on target.
Lever guns won't taake the pressures generally of high performance bolt gun cartridges.
The Win 71 lever gun and a few others will handle higher velocity cartridges.
The 94 feels good, in the hand, all day long as does the Browning lever and
600 bolt gun .
I like them both or really all firearms.
My favorite lever is an old Win94 in .32 special. Had an older ole on .30-30 that was great.
Little Browning .22 lever gun is go to gun, for squirrels, with CB caps. Weighs nothing but feels substantial and gorgeous fit and finish and accurate, with iron sights.
I have my eye on a Win71 in .348.
Also looking for an old in Mossberg lever gun in .45-70.
Bolt guns, my little Rem 600 in .308. Weight next to nothing and very accurate with an older steel tube Weaver scope.
Weatherby MkV in . 270 Wby magnum, is so familiar and fit that throw it to the shoulder and put the cross hairs almost immediately on target.
Lever guns won't taake the pressures generally of high performance bolt gun cartridges.
The Win 71 lever gun and a few others will handle higher velocity cartridges.
The 94 feels good, in the hand, all day long as does the Browning lever and
600 bolt gun .
Brotherbadger
New member
I wouldn't want either for home defense. As for hunting, both work. If you need follow up shots(groups of varmints for example), a lever action would work better.
I'll stand the `92 Winchesters and `94 Marlins in 44 Mag against any bolt action
for short-medium range/fast-reaction reqm'ts East of the Mississippi.
The Savage 99 then takes that lever action to 308Win territory/bolt action accuracy for
any 308Win range/North American game short of Grizzly Bear.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
But give me a 6.5 Grendel on an AR platform as the One Gun to Rule Them All
for short-medium range/fast-reaction reqm'ts East of the Mississippi.
The Savage 99 then takes that lever action to 308Win territory/bolt action accuracy for
any 308Win range/North American game short of Grizzly Bear.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
But give me a 6.5 Grendel on an AR platform as the One Gun to Rule Them All
I used to lust after the Model 88 Winchester, but outgrew it after working on them. If you don't have a parts drawing or directions, they can keep a person busy for hours, trying to put one back together.
The bolt rifle is simple, safer than most other actions, and after lots of practice, fast enough on subsequent shots for me. Stocks are more likely to align the eye with a scope, (provided a see-through mount isn't used)
After hunting over nearly 60 years, sometimes with guys who had lever-actions, usually with open sights, I believe that more deer are missed by people with lever actions than any other type of action. Why? Because many people who hunt with them don't do much shooting and tend to look way-over the open rear sight. Seen it happen and "cured" several guys by mounting receiver sights on their lever rifles.
The bolt rifle is simple, safer than most other actions, and after lots of practice, fast enough on subsequent shots for me. Stocks are more likely to align the eye with a scope, (provided a see-through mount isn't used)
After hunting over nearly 60 years, sometimes with guys who had lever-actions, usually with open sights, I believe that more deer are missed by people with lever actions than any other type of action. Why? Because many people who hunt with them don't do much shooting and tend to look way-over the open rear sight. Seen it happen and "cured" several guys by mounting receiver sights on their lever rifles.
I have and like both for different things. Depending on what its purpose is, the Savage and Ruger levers never quite appealed to me, prefer the older tradidtional looking models. If I had to defend home with a lever action in a pistol caliber it wouldn't bother me in the least.
g.willikers
New member
A lever action is quite a weapon at the distances they were designed for.
So, one vote for lever actions.
So, one vote for lever actions.
Grew up hunting with bolt actions. Sold off most of my arms to help pay for raising a family before re-acquiring my current stash of arms after they had both grown. One of my first purchases as I started to re-acquire a stash was a little Henry 22lr levergun. Shooting it was a blast and I quickly realized I really liked leverguns.
Leverguns: We (my son and I jointly own our collection) have Uberti's: 1866 Carbine & 1873 Rifle in 45 Colt, Rossi's: 1892 Rifle and Carbine in 357mag, and a Mossberg 464 30-30 (variant of a Win 1894) as well as a '49 Savage 99 in 300 Savage and a '59 Winchester 88 in .308. I figure I've got leverguns to cover everything in North America.
Bolt actions: My son really wanted a classic Winchester bolt action so he got a '51 Winchester Model 70 in 30-06. Don't need it as the Win 88 will do everything we need a hunting rifle for but heck, it's a classic.
I guess that means I fall in the levergun camp.
Leverguns: We (my son and I jointly own our collection) have Uberti's: 1866 Carbine & 1873 Rifle in 45 Colt, Rossi's: 1892 Rifle and Carbine in 357mag, and a Mossberg 464 30-30 (variant of a Win 1894) as well as a '49 Savage 99 in 300 Savage and a '59 Winchester 88 in .308. I figure I've got leverguns to cover everything in North America.
Bolt actions: My son really wanted a classic Winchester bolt action so he got a '51 Winchester Model 70 in 30-06. Don't need it as the Win 88 will do everything we need a hunting rifle for but heck, it's a classic.
I guess that means I fall in the levergun camp.
One type can't do all you listed. A short lever gun in a pistol caliber is a pretty good defensive weapon but I don't favor any long gun for home defense (assuming you mean inside the home).
For hunting the lever is flat and easier to pack. The bolt comes in a wider selection of calibers including many way beyond the lever gun's strength capability. Can also use any bullet where a tube magazine lever gun has restrictions for safety. Will be more accurate, too.
For outdoor walking the short lever carbine is dandy. They can be fired with amazing speed with some practice. The bolt gun is more precise but much slower.
Need to figure out EXACTLY what you need the rifle to do and choose accordingly.
For hunting the lever is flat and easier to pack. The bolt comes in a wider selection of calibers including many way beyond the lever gun's strength capability. Can also use any bullet where a tube magazine lever gun has restrictions for safety. Will be more accurate, too.
For outdoor walking the short lever carbine is dandy. They can be fired with amazing speed with some practice. The bolt gun is more precise but much slower.
Need to figure out EXACTLY what you need the rifle to do and choose accordingly.
DeadEyeJack
Inactive
Just wanted to thank you guys for all the great responses. Also figured, as this topic took off a little better than I expected I might as well clarify a few things and toss my own 2 cents into the mix.
First things first, I own and use both but my favorite from each category are my Henry in .30-30 and my father's old Winchester Model 70 in .30-06.
As far as the home defense thing believe me, I realize a hunting rifle is in no way, shape, or form the ideal defense weapon. I was thinking more along the lines of if the bad guy were to somehow get between you and your usual means of defense, which would you be more likely to pick up?
As for my own choice, for almost any situation I would be grabbing my Henry. It just feels better in my hand and I like the weight of it better than the Acme brand anvil that is the Model 70.
First things first, I own and use both but my favorite from each category are my Henry in .30-30 and my father's old Winchester Model 70 in .30-06.
As far as the home defense thing believe me, I realize a hunting rifle is in no way, shape, or form the ideal defense weapon. I was thinking more along the lines of if the bad guy were to somehow get between you and your usual means of defense, which would you be more likely to pick up?
As for my own choice, for almost any situation I would be grabbing my Henry. It just feels better in my hand and I like the weight of it better than the Acme brand anvil that is the Model 70.
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