What caliber in a lever action would be your pick for all your hunting?

[frogleg]

After reading all replies so far and thinking about the question of just one, it
would have to be my Marlin Texan 336 30/30.

[Bill*B]

Any of the .30 calibers are superb - they will all put meat on the table.

[Nrut]

38-55 in a Marlin CB with it's barrel cut to 19"..

[A pause for the COZ]

For my all around lever gun. Its going to be the one I always ask for, because it cant be got.
I want a 92 in 327 Magnum. I could just about get every thing I needed done with it around here.
Plus I would be one happy camper. I would buy two. One for shooting and one for just lookin at.
Because it would be a rare one.

[Newtire]

I second or third the BLR in .308 would cover a lot of bases,

Only one & around here=.30-30 AI IN 94 AE or Marlin 336.

[Lloyd Smale]

444 marlin

[Walstr]

We're in love with our Marlin 1895GS. That 'cigar' 45-70 is loaded up & down for hunting, target practice & just plinking. My 11yr Gson, wife & I had great fun @ 25yd to 200yd with whatever loads were comfortable. My wife saw/heard me originally using it with 405gr pushed by 46gr of IMR3031 & stayed away 'till I convinced here to try the plink loads I brought along [using 11gr Unique] & she loved it!

She doesn't even shoot her X-Mas present Henry H004 [.22] 'cause as she says, "...can't even see the holes & it doesn't sound like a gun!"
So good luck with all this useful info.

[Mgderf]

For my area, (upper mid-west) and the game I would be hunting, I think it would have to be the ubiquitous .30-30 Winchester.

That said, the one I would LIKE to have isn't even produced, at least not to my knowledge.
I would really like to have a lever gun in .327Fed/mag.

[Ltdshooter]

I'll start with a story of a recent purchase (non-gun) that is a decent analogy.

I was in the market for a new dump trailer and was looking seriously at a 6x10 with 5000lb axles. Then a friend noted something that closed the deal on a 7x12 with 7500 axles (does not sound like much but it is a whole different animal....)

He said; Remember you can haul a small load in a big trailer but you will not be able to haul a big load in a small one.

That being said, I would always favor going big and loading down when needed / wanted.

The 45/70 for sure but my latest purchase is a 475 Turnbull and I plan on shooting everything with it with 325-425 gr cast loads and 400 gr solids coupled with moderate to max velocities.

There won't be much that beast can't handle from light recoil loads to those that will dislocate shoulders.

I'll go big every time!

[Notes]

In Minnesota, 45 Colt takes care of it all. Easy to loads for pistola or levergun. Besides, I can only see about 100 yards anyway! If I could have 2....it would have to be a .22LR for small stuff.

[Ed Barrett]

A 92 clone in .454 Casull. It will do anything a 45-70 will do on the high end and loaded down to 45 colt plinker loads for taking squirrels in the head.

[dougader]

Out west we hunt in thick woods and clear cuts, so your shot can be 40 yards or 300. I like my Savage 99C in 308 Wincester for one lever action rifle to cover it all.

[huntinlever]

First of all, first post, and want to say hi all. New to loading, though I'm doing a lot of it, and very interested in rolling my own so looking forward to learning from all of you.

I have only come back after decades away. Hunted all the time as a kid, and then I was lucky enough to have a Marlin Model '97, heavy octagonal barrel, etc. Most accurate gun I ever had, though it was a half century old at the time. That and my single-six made .22 LR my everything gun, for chaparral small game.

Never lost my love for lever guns and I now have an 1895 guide gun, 45/70. Love its versatility and its feel, and for most of my hunting (hunting the midwest northwoods), I plan to make it my one-gun does all. My father in law gave my son his own 336 in .30-.30, a true heirloom from his own dad....and so the traditions continue. Together, we'll be busting thick cover and loving every minute. So for him, his 30-30 and for me, 45/70. I load my 45/70 with WFN gas checks, between 405 and 430 grains. Most accurate so far is 420 grain Cast Performance WLN with 38.5 grains IMR 4198. I have some Beartooth 425's on order. I've shot some Oregon Trail 430s. I'd like to get into casting before hunting season, as I'd really like to learn this part of the tradition.

If we're talking a second gun, my brother lives in CO and I'm originally from out west, and hope to get back for at least some more open range and mountain hunting. I've an X-Bolt Medallion in 30-06, and love shooting it; but am also poking around the 300 Win mag.

[Speedo66]

If we're talking a second gun, my brother lives in CO and I'm originally from out west, and hope to get back for at least some more open range and mountain hunting. I've an X-Bolt Medallion in 30-06, and love shooting it; but am also poking around the 300 Win mag.

Welcome!

Yeah, a Browning BLR will care care of that need. http://www.browning.com/products/cat...er.asp?f1=003B

[Lex]

The old 38/55 works well on everything.

[birddog]

I like the 348 Win idea as my father in law has one, and I'm working hard on getting it. Secondly would be a Henry Big Boy in 480 Ruger. Then come my Henry carbine Big Boy in 45LC
Charlie

[Lever-man]

For years my "go to" gun for everything in East Texas was a Marlin in 357 Mag. I have recently moved to the Amarillo area and I'm switching over to a BLR in 358 Winchester for my do everything gun.

[Salmoneye]

Squirrel to Moose...

336 in .35 Rem

Round ball with a couple-three grains of red dot up to max loads 0f 3031 under a 220 grain Speer...

[shdwlkr]

can't think of much a 30 30, 375 winchester or 45-70 wouldn't be enough

[coxa2]

444 for me. Load it hot to bring the pain (and that 444 "grin"), load it down for fun plinking (10grs unique under a cast boolit)