What Are You Hunting with Your Levergun...

[Chaser]

Are you hunting with your levergun? If so, what caliber and load?

I've been a pretty hardcore bowhunter in the past, but age and injuries are catching up to me. This fall I plan to at least hunt deer with my Win mod 94 in .30-30 with Rem 150gr. CLs.
If I go after elk, I'll either step up to a 170gr. NP or a Barnes Orig 190gr. or use my 1886.

How about you guys?

[jkbrea]

I'll be using a Marlin 45-70 and a Marlin 30TK 30-30.
I don't reload so I'm using Buffalo Bore for the 45-70 and not sure with the 30-30. I've taken a few elk with the 45-70 using leverevolution ammo.

[jkbrea]

Oops...forgot the pics

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[JimT]

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Rossi .357 ... using Speer 125 gr. JHP over 20 gr. WC820. Hunting steel targets from 4" up to 12" at ranges from 35 to 100 yards.

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[Walt]

Me too! Hunting steel gongs spaced up a hillside from 12" at 35 yards to an 8" at 65 yards with various handguns and an occasiional levergun. It's a weekly occurrence and I've been doing it for years.

[Griff]

Deer: Winchester mdl 64A or mdl 94 rifle, 150 Federal Hi-Shok, (although someone outbid me for my deer lease several years back ). Coyotes: Winchester 94 carbine or trapper, 150gr. GCFN over 27 grains of Reloder7, or a 125 grain Sierra HP over 30 grains of Reloder7. Steel targets, Uberti '73 or Henry in 45 Colt, 200 grain RFN over 6 grains of RedDot.

[AJMD429]

.
My first levergun was a 44 Mag Marlin 1894, and the first kill was a chipmunk; bullet appeared to hit the thorax, with a through-and-through wound channel (difficult to tell since the torso exploded). A pretty humane kill.

The second kill was the wheelbarrow that was behind the chipmunk; bullet hit the body of the wheelbarrow, which was on it's side, but then went on to penetrate the wheel and tire. After a replaced wheel and tire, the wheelbarrow survived, with a hole that persisted until after a few loads of concrete had been mixed in it and the hole got clogged up.

Since then I've mostly used leverguns in 44 Mag, 45 Colt, 357 Mag, and 500 S&W, all on whitetail deer.

A few possums and raccoons and feral dogs and feral cats taken care of with a levergun in 32-20 or 22 LR.

[1894cfan]

Squirrels with an occasional rabbit thrown in using cci cb's and quiets in my 39a.

[Sixgun]

Mice to elk…….or, I used to….

[earlmck]

Most of my "hunting" these days is also of the steel variety -- we shoot small levers out to 200 yards (chicken, baby buffalo, turkey, ram) and then steel buffalos on out to 500 yards with the bigger levers such as 30/30 and 38/55. And a very fun "pistol caliber lever" shoot from 300 to 600 yards at which the only success I have had has been with my 38/40 m92 (there are lots of dang fine lever loads that don't stabilize to 600 yards with the slow twists most of our pistol-cal rifles are handicapped with).

If I do a deer hunt this year it'll probably be with said 38/40 just for grins. Probably 35 Remington for elk but my most favored rifle there is a pump. If the jack rabbits get numerous enough to be worth hunting I have so many nifty levers I may just stand in front of the gun safe and vibrate. M92 in 25/20 and Rossi 357 both fantastical bunny guns, along with 44/40 and 38/40 and 30/30 and and...

[LeverGunner]

I'll probably go after Whitetail this year with my Winchester 92 in 44 Magnum. My load will most likely be 22.0 W296 under a Ranch Dog 432-265-RF.

[6pt-sika]

I’ve killed a literal dump truck load of deer with lever actions of which 90% were killed with bullets I cast and of those the majority were 444 , every 44 cal weight 200-430 grains . I also killed my only two black bear with 444 lever using cast bullets I made . Killed a few squirrels with several centerfire levers again with bullets I made . The squirrel thing started when I got a Marlin model 92 32 cal. And the rest came from there LOL’s

[Drawdown]

Meat, that's why they're so good, they're Hunting Rifles! In past 10 years, I've killed a good number of deer, yotes, and turkey, all with a couple 30-30's!
You know, I get almost mad at all the 000's of posts on just couple forums, but mainly one other? All on the subject of Stalking Rifles! Hell, the definitions would create a new Websters Dictionary! It's stupid! Now I'm not knocking anyone who desires what is considered the current Stalking Rifle, if you can afford one?
But one companies put their name on the leader of the pack, and if you fall in line, you'd better be rich!
Well I got news for em, we was surviving on Stalking Rifles on this side ocean all along! First the KY Longrifle. On down line to even better, the Winchester Levers! Then the models 70, 700, & 77, plus few more.
And in all honesty! For my use, there's no finer Stalking Rifle than the Model 64 Winchester if the cartridges are appropriate for the game. And if bigger cartridges are needed, the 1886 & 71 will take you around the world!
But I saw one guy who posted like it was driving him crazy, couldn't sleep nights, trying to settle upon his needed Stalking Rifle!
That was the purpose of the Hyphens, to balance out the needs!
But it gets under my skin, when the company draws people who got way more money than brains, and put their name on the rifle & cartridge, when they had nothing to do with the designs whatsoever, not even any the parts, or the cartridge!
Then the leading gun writer of the crowd, crucifies anyone who questions all the BS! And for fairness sake, that gun writer is not Boddington or Van Zwoll. But he obviously could whistle Dixie or sing battle hymm of the republic, with equal enthusiasm! And obviously was gonna jump on the money=winners side if the fence when time come!

[ikocher]

I hunt deer and good times. The Marlin 1894 CST in .357 Magnum is my sort of working gun these days. I started hunting whitetail years ago with a Win 94 in .30-30 but made the switch last season to the .357 Magnum until I can finalize a new Marlin .30-30 build. The Remington .357 Mag HTP 158 gr SJHP seem to be doing the job nicely but I've only got one deer with it so far. I'll need a bigger sample size.

[barbarossa]

Deer is my main Quarry but only bucks these days.Uberti 76 45/60

[Chaser]

Fine looking and sounding guns and loads fellas.

[Drawdown]

Fine looking and sounding guns and loads fellas.

Yes they are! That 76 of Barbarosa's, is making me LUST! Especially laying on the deer, I'm trying to kill this fall! But that 76 is I believe very similar to the one Selleck used in "Crossfire Trail"? Regardless, a rifle I'd be proud to hunt with!

But I was thinking, so please correct me someone if I'm wrong?? But isn't the Levergun the only Action Design, that originated and for most part, has been entirely American, other than few in recent years made in other countries. And most those are copies of American Originals??

[JMick]

Over the years I've killed alot of deer with a Rossi .357, a few with a '94 Win. Trapper .45 Colt, deer and antelope with a Marlin 30-30 336Y set up as a scout rifle.
I plan to get an elk with the .45 Colt this year.

[Griff]

But I was thinking, so please correct me someone if I'm wrong?? But isn't the Levergun the only Action Design, that originated and for most part, has been entirely American, other than few in recent years made in other countries. And most those are copies of American Originals??

In 1826, a lever-action revolver was capable of firing six shots in less than six seconds. It was produced in Italy by Cesar Rosaglio and patented in 1829.

[Drawdown]

Well Griff, you popped my balloon! Ah, don't matter who's idea, they never done anything with it! A lever action revolver, hmm! Kinda like caveman that carved out a wheel, then flipped it on its side, gave up. Look what it did here tho!

[AJMD429]

I hunt deer and good times.

I like that trio - one for each kind of weather or time of day.

I use 44 Mag mostly, but switch between a scoped Ruger 96/44 for 'dawn/dusk', and a 'side-lever' Ruger 77/44 with a NEGS Aperture sight and synthetic stock and rubber sling for rain/snow use, and a Marlin 1894SS with Williams FP for most regular weather and good light conditions. At the time this photo was taken my son was using a blued Marlin 1894 with a scope, and my daughter was using a 357 magnum Rossi shorty (16” ‘Trapper’ 92 clone) with open sights.

[Drawdown]

2016 that's his little rack & feet I mounted to the gun rack. Sure made me happy, plenty really good meat!

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Really sweet hunt to me, I'd already hunted this area several days. I'd mostly still hunted very slow, but about 2pm I took a seat behind a great natural ground blind. A big oak had been blown over, entire roots and all. Left a good hole, in ground to get in, and there was a scrape on an old logging road where it topped the ridge, about 30yds kinda above me. Wasn't long, I stood, peaking over the massive roots, there he was, working the scrape. I couldn't get a shot, without moving to side to shoot around the dirt and vines grown thick, so I just stood still. Figured he'd continue on my way eventually, and he did. A 150gr Win PP factory loads dropped him in his tracks at about 7-8 yds!

[Drawdown]

2017, both these with Marlin 336 30-30

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Everything about this hunt was the definition of When A Plan Comes Together! I was hunting a big private 160 acre farm, that for around here, had as many deer as you can expect! High anxious anticipation had me feeling impatient! Too many deer ain't always good? But night before opening day, I was talking to a buddy who knew this property better than me. We had this deer on cameras, thats one his sheds from 2 year prior. And those photos are his from 1 month exactly earlier. But I was telling my buddy my plans for opening morning, and I'd decided to hunt down lower, where I figured I'd see more deer. We'd been getting the pics of this deer up higher on Mountain, which is typical of bigger mountain deer, safer! But I was anxious to make meat, rather than go high to wait on one deer. But when I told him my plans he said, "now don't forget about that big Long Tined 8pt!" But down lower, where 90% of does are, I figured, maybe that's where he'll be, but Bud didn't think so. It's 1/4 mile from where we'd been getting most pics. But down lower, a big oak bench that ran into a long ridge, with numerous logging roads running into the center of a wagon wheel! In other words, a deer highway funnel, in mountain hunting! But opening morning I was committed to run an errand for my boy, I didn't make it to my spot until just past 8:30am, I sit down on a big log. At about 9am, I saw from near 100yds, 5 deer slowly working around the bench towards me, sun behind my back, shining right on deer. And all I could see was Big Tines shining in sunlight, I knew it, it's him! It took 35 minutes for them to get into an opening to where I could thread a shot thru thick underbrush, at least the sun shining on every branch made me so nervous, But I sat on the log, back against a tree, and finally felt good rifle rested on one knee and hit him perfect, the 170 CL broke both front shoulders at about 40yds and on the shot, both hind legs plowing like a riverboat wheel, his nose in ground. All he could do was plow wherever the terrain led him, and when he finally stopped, he'd come downhill to about 10 yds in front me. His eyes still open, and rack lodged in a small tree on ground, he blowed out real loud, blood spraying everywhere! I put another round into his back spine ended it quicker! SWEET!

[Drawdown]

2019, Win Mod 64 30-30 [attachment=0]20240511_132343.jpg[/attachment
I killed this deer in same spit as 2017, almost exact same shot! But I'd seen him day before, close, but I let him walk, because I was hunting a Giant 11ot, pics of him by 00's ever since May. I figured that Big Funnel on the oak bench was the sure spot to get him. But I was wrong, and the big 11ot was killed below me by a buddy, 15 minutes before I shot this one. He'd shot the 11pt within sight if his truck, in a hayfield. But for both us, we'd watched several small bucks chasing does like I'd never before seen or since! Up and down the mountain all morning long . My buddy had seen my deer, several times prior, but the deer never slowed down. He had a buck decoy out, and the big 11pt came out of a grown up creek bed below him, almost from the highway. It was coming right to the decoy when he shot it. When I heard him shoot, I pretty well figured what he'd killed because he'd done sit 5 days on that spot, all day long, and had yet to see a buck, until this morning I was right, so I took the 6pt I'd let walk the day before. We were both happy!

[Drawdown]

2023 Win Mod 64 30-30

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This deer, no trophy obviously, but as special as any to me. I was born and raised down in the hollow behind me, and back then, nothing here but small game. But I never even scouted it this season, never even stepped foot into it since the last year. I'd figured it out by last years scouting where mist likely to see a cruising buck searching for does, either being in very short supply in this area! So I sit on the side of a creek crossing, also where several logging roads also converged. An obvious mountain funnel. Sit down on opening morning, and 30 minutes later here he came! Just like I had pictured. SWEET!

[Drawdown]

This is a good thread with some great hunting rifles, and got me thinking about what in my old age I've come to love the most in the outdoors? Hunting mountain deer with a levergun! But in past several months, I've again been working on some new loads and shooting my boltguns, my beloved 30-06, but also a Rem 700 in 270Win. And I'm really liking this rifle, trying to convince myself to use one these beginning this fall? Hmm? And I'd already settled upon a Speer HC for the 06, it just is so accurate and consistent with them! And after 2 years of half heartedly working with the 270, I've about got it dialed in, lightened the trigger, and yesterday I put 5 of 7 in one tiny hole @ 100yds, and with a Speer 130gr HC. Easy for me believe, and I'd say plenty others on here, who can dispute their success in a 30-30 and plenty other leverguns! But before the end of last Dec, I'd already put the work into IMO a better bullet than the Hornady 160ftx I used last year. Yeah it's a good bullet, but I'm not real pleased in what I found when I butchered the deer! So now, a Speer? Nope, next deer with my Mod 64, if I was to use it? Either a 170gr Nosler Partition or a Barnes Original 190gr FN, and I'm up in the air on which?
So this fall, Boltgun or Levergun? IDK, but I wouldn't consider spending that kinda money for a Boltgun Bullet! What's this say!
Just can't beat the experience of game takes with a Levergun!

[barbarossa]

My Miroku 95 carbine in 30/06 is no slouch either

[RIHMFIRE]

1984 30 30

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1940 32 WS

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[wolfdog]

If they start letting me shoot will have my stainless Rossi out on pigs mostly as I can shoot them year round. When Deer season rolls around will probably tote it some .

[buckeyeshooter]

Deer hunting I generally use a JM Marlin XLR in .308 Marlin Express with Leupold Scope or a Winchester 1895 carbine with Williams foolproof in 30-06. For larger than deer, I like my Turnbull Marlin Cowboy in .50 Alaskan. It puts the smackdown on game.

[Grizz]

Are you hunting with your levergun? If so, what caliber and load?

I've been a pretty hardcore bowhunter in the past, but age and injuries are catching up to me. This fall I plan to at least hunt deer with my Win mod 94 in .30-30 with Rem 150gr. CLs.
If I go after elk, I'll either step up to a 170gr. NP or a Barnes Orig 190gr. or use my 1886.

How about you guys?

mostly yellow-jackets and horse flys these days . . .
.

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.
amazing that the older one shoots straight and can bounce bb's off the garage . . . no score on the bugs yet . . . :)

[ollogger]

most of my hunting is behind me, with lever guns as far as big game goes ive taken
Moose - Elk- Bear- Mule deer & white tail & Antelope. all hand loads
today i had too take out the 99 in 243, Varget powder & 58 gr. V Max at 3500 fps really does a
job on a prairie dog, they started digging on my place so its an all out war on them now!


ollogger

[JBowen]

I have been using a different caliber Winchester lever the last few years with good success. 30-30, 7 x30. 45 Colt, 357 magnum, 30-40 Krag,
.356 Win, 444 Marlin. This year I taking my .375 Win. I am working up different loads with the 200 grain Sierra. It is top eject, so no
scope and my eyes are struggling real bad. I ordered a Williams FP receiver sight to try. Hopefully I get lined out come fall.
Using one of them high powered side levers just seems like cheatin'. LOL.

JBowen

[mickbr]

currently my only centrefire is my 44 mag rossi with vortex scout scope so it does everything I need being I dont shoot more than 150 yards. My other gun is a 22mag Ruger 96/22. prior to this I owned a 357 carbine for everything. Prior to that i was into big game rifles( almost another life ago) but sold them as medically i couldnt manage them anymore. I left the shooting sports for almost a decade after getting rid of the magnums. Discovered new life with lever guns and pistol carts.

Some things I have learnt. A lot of opinions on maximum ranges are uninformed, its longer than people think, or rather continiously repeat. Even pistol cartridges you can stretch past 140 yards with the right load. You also dont need hardcast for hogs and medium game. I never used hardcast, all my 357 and 44mag got fed is XTP hollowpoints. For 30-30 you get even more range, nothing but upside IMHO.

[Shrapnel]

[Drawdown]

Shrapnel, you give Levergun Hunting a whole new meaning! Obviously a land of great opportunity! I'm very partial to that 94 on the Mule Deer!

[6pt-sika]

To be honest I don’t own a lever action any longer other than perhaps a Ruger #3 that the chamber was run out to 444 . I have three guns now that get hauled out mostly . A Mannlicher Schoenauer MC carbine in 6.5x54MS another in 7x57 and a Parker DH 8 gauge with 34” barrels . It is what it is I like the two rifles because they’re light and handy . I like the big cannon because it’s a cannon and a Parker . A pic of each with deer from last season . And an additional picture of the DH 8 and DH 10 from a tower shoot in WVA .

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[Woodsloafer2]

Somehow posted this earlier under the wrong thread...sorry for that!

I hunt mostly adventure in the western Maine mountains but also deer with one or the other of these 35 Rem Marlins.

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[Woodsloafer2]

Shrapnel, that 76 is a very cool rifle!

[jnyork]

Had to quit hunting for meat several years ago, advancing age and all that. Still hunt these critters and kill quite a few, but have to admit they make mighty thin soup:

[Shrapnel]

This is for Sixgun. He likes my lever actions and especially this one. It is a model 1886 50-100–450 with 14 special order features…

[Chaser]

This is for Sixgun. He likes my lever actions and especially this one. It is a model 1886 50-100–450 with 14 special order features…

Shrapnel, the wood on that gun has caused me to sin in my heart.

[Scott Tschirhart]

My Miroku 95 carbine in 30/06 is no slouch either

You aren’t helping my gun addiction!

[LeverGunner]

Deer hunting I generally use a JM Marlin XLR in .308 Marlin Express with Leupold Scope or a Winchester 1895 carbine with Williams foolproof in 30-06. For larger than deer, I like my Turnbull Marlin Cowboy in .50 Alaskan. It puts the smackdown on game.

I'd like to see a picture of that, if you have one.

[LeverGunner]

This is for Sixgun. He likes my lever actions and especially this one. It is a model 1886 50-100–450 with 14 special order features…

Beautiful rifle, thanks for sharing. I read the article you wrote about it some time back. I follow anything Winchester and especially 50-110 and 50-100-450

[Lastmohecken]

last year, I killed several deer with my recurve bows, and crossbow also. But this year, I have not killed a deer with any kind of archery, yet. But I am almost tagged out, anyway. I am tagged out on bucks, with one taken with my Browning BAR semi-auto in .308 win at about 150 yards or so, on the first day of regular gun season, and on the second day, I bagged a nice 8 point with my old standby Browning BLR leveraction in .308 at about 200 yards. I had been seeing that buck, crossing a saddle in a field several times but it was always too dark to shoot, morning and evening. But on that second day of gun season, he made a fatal mistake to cross in daylight. I ended up having to shoot him on the run, but that old BLR is the best running game gun, I ever had, for over 35 years.

And before I shot those two, I killed a doe at 35 yards, with a headshot, with my Marlin 45/70, during the new special straight wall cartridge season. We are not limited to the shorter straight wall cartridges in Arkansas, like lots of other states, and can use any straight wall case, even the longer ones like the 45/70.

So, now, I am down to two more does, which I could take currently in the still open gun season, and or in the later 3 day straight wall case season, or archery anytime. I wanted to kill one with my Howard Hill longbow this year and still might get it done. I did miss a buck clean, with the longbow, early October. I think he may have jumped the string on me, it all happened so fast, I am not sure, but my arrow was clean, so no doubt about the miss.

I love to bowhunt and I have killed several over the years, but I always gun hunt, anyway, usually with one of my leverguns.

[Bill in Oregon]

Congratulations on your bow harvests, Mohecken.
I hunted a couple of seasons with a compound, and a season with a Fred Bear Montana longbow without a shot. Never connected. Still dream of making a "snakebow" of osage orange, backed with matching copperhead skins. Used to have all the Bowyer's Bibles, The Bent Stick, Jim Hamm's books, Primitive Archer subscription, but made just one bow of white oak, which blew up without warning 300 shots in. Still have a scar on my forearm.

[Grizz]

Congratulations on your bow harvests, Mohecken.
I hunted a couple of seasons with a compound, and a season with a Fred Bear Montana longbow without a shot. Never connected. Still dream of making a "snakebow" of osage orange, backed with matching copperhead skins. Used to have all the Bowyer's Bibles, The Bent Stick, Jim Hamm's books, Primitive Archer subscription, but made just one bow of white oak, which blew up without warning 300 shots in. Still have a scar on my forearm.

you guys are impressive with your hunts and gear making. i started making a flat bow which i now know can never be completed because of the grain runout. i used to practice shooting a flea market 45# bear kodiak putting aluminum arrows thru a 3/4" garage door. i have a few flat bows and another bear recurve, the kodiak is the easiest shooting of the lot of them. but it won't fold into a pack. it amounts to nothing, but i admire bow hunters and watch bowyers on the tube.

anybody else think it is stupid to call those skills primitive ?

[Keith D]

Sasquatch. If I can find one.

[Shrapnel]

Hunting mule deer with my grandson and an original 1870’s Sharps…