# Gun Questions



## Oakshire (Sep 8, 2009)

My hubby is in the market for a new hunting riffle. Right now he has a Winchester 30-30 carbine. He likes the gun, but because it ejects out the top, he cannot mount a scope on it. He now wears glasses and would like to have a scope. In all the excitement of his bear hunt he left his glasses on the seat of his truck, and he had to "sneak" up to the bear (50 yards) before getting a good clean shot off! But now he is thinking he would like a new gun.

Today we went to Wholesale Outfitters, and checked out a few guns. He really liked the Browning 7mm-08. He really likes lever action. Any one have pros or cons to the gun or suggestions of other guns to check out???

He has shot a 30-6 and liked it but does not want such a big gun.


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## EDDIE BUCK (Jul 17, 2005)

If I was looking a lever action for bear hunting,I'd go with Browning.The few folks I know that own them,like them and won't part with them :nono:Heres some with info and calibers. http://www.browning.com/products/catalog/family.asp?webflag_=003B


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## Drew Cutter (Dec 30, 2008)

I tend to favor a savage 308 . 30-06 lever action is good too.


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## Drew Cutter (Dec 30, 2008)

I agree with eddie on lever action . More freedom if you don't take the bear down in the first shot.


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## tyusclan (Jan 1, 2005)

If he likes lever action and otherwise likes his Winchester .30-30, they make scope mounts that mount to the side of the gun. I don't particularly like them, and it takes some getting used to to learn to shoot the gun accurately, but they are available.

He might consider a Marlin .30-30. They eject out the side and can be scoped on top.


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## JJ Grandits (Nov 10, 2002)

I also suggest the Marlin. They are a very fine quality rifle.


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## Jack T. (Feb 11, 2008)

Winchester also makes an angle eject model. . .to kick brass out the side rather than the top.


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## alleyyooper (Apr 22, 2005)

Savage model 99 
Winchester model 88, not built any longer so used.

My uncle has a Winny 94 with the scope mounted just ahead of the ejection port anbd uses a pistol scope.

I like the 7mm 08 a lot.

 Al


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## Cabin Fever (May 10, 2002)

I've had great luck with my 35 year old Marlin 336 (.30-30 cal).


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## Bearfootfarm (Jul 13, 2006)

The Browning is one of the best guns on the market, and the 7-08 is probably my favorite cartridge.
If the bears are LARGE though, he may want to consider a 308, simply because heavier bullets are available.
The heaviest commonly available bullet in 7-08 loads is only 165 grains, while 308's are easy to find with 180 gr bullets.

If he loads his own, you can get 175's for the 7-08, and 220's for the 308


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## Oakshire (Sep 8, 2009)

Thanks for all the suggestions and advice! His first choice was to get a Marlin 30-30, but the guy at the gun store showed him the Browning. He really liked it, the bears here are really small, so a cannon is not needed  The bear he got last weekened was only about 250lbs, before skinning! We have agun show coming up next month that we are going to go and check out and talk to more people, and take a look at more guns.


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## GREENCOUNTYPETE (Jul 25, 2006)

tyusclan said:


> He might consider a Marlin .30-30. They eject out the side and can be scoped on top.



i second this , the marlin 336 is a fine gun and he already has 30-30 cartiges 

but for bear i might upgrade to the 45-70 or one of the other large callabers offered by marlin in thier rifles.


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## CGUARDSMAN (Dec 28, 2006)

Marlin in 35 remington


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## radiofish (Mar 30, 2007)

Marlin made a model 1895 that is a lever action carbine with side ejection/ which you can mount a scope on, available in several calibers (.30-30, .357 magnum, .44 magnum to name a few). I have a Marlin model 1895 lever action carbine chambered in .357 magnum with a scope mounted on top. Along with a Winchester model 1894AE - top ejecting level action carbine also chambered in .357 magnum with no additional optics...


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## TnTnTn (Dec 23, 2004)

IMO he would be much better off getting a Remington 7600 pump in .308. It is easier to find ammo and it has more punch. The Rem pump has just as much if not more quick firepower and is generally very accurate. TnTnTn


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## Frostbite (Oct 9, 2009)

When he says the 30 '06 is too big, is he referring to the physical size of the gun or the additional recoil over the 30-30? As noted in previous posts, there are many fine choices. If 30-06 recoil is the main concern, I'd opt for a .308. If it's really about the lever action, GCPete's 45-70 is a very good one if he wants to do a lot of bear.

Even though a well-placed shot with almost caliber can kill game, a larger caliber on bear would be best. Even smaller bear are tough.


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## RickG55 (Aug 10, 2008)

I'm a huge Marlin .30-.30 fan, and I hope to pick up a 45-70 in the very near future. Having said that, I will note that the Browning has one (and only one, IMO) advantage over the Marlin: The ability to be loaded and unloaded very easily. The Browning uses a magazine, which the shooter can take out and pocket, then having to eject only one round. With Marlins, the rounds have to be loaded into a tube, and then be ejected one by one when unloading.


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## zant (Dec 1, 2005)

When I hunt in thick bush,I use my beloved Marlin 45/70 Guide Gun....I reload so I can load high or low recoil..Using a sling helps too(slings AIN"T for carrying your weapon).My favorite load now is a cast 450gr at 1300fps.But a 30-30 has put more meat on tables than all other calibers combined..


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## Micahn (Nov 19, 2005)

alleyyooper said:


> Savage model 99
> 
> Al


Got a 99 myself in 300 savage that was passed down from my farther. It is a great gun and would never part with it.

If you can find one for sale a Savage 99 is hard to beat and 300 savage is a great round that can take anything in North America. Sure if I was going after brown bear or something I might want something larger but many have been taken with a 300 savage in the past without a problem.


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## GREENCOUNTYPETE (Jul 25, 2006)

i have heard the 30-30 puts meat on more tables than any other cal. 
this only holds true for the USA in Canada the 303 brit puts more meat on the table it of course helps that you used to be able to get a 303 enfield for 25 dollars in the US and Canada they can still be had for under 150.00 at least in the US

but chuck conners didn't use a 303 enfield , nor did john wayne or any other cowboy actor so we bought 30-30 winchester and marlin rifles and yes there are plenty that swear by their 35 rem but still in a lever gun.


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## Bearfootfarm (Jul 13, 2006)

The 30-30 is undoubtably popular with a lot of people, but I think that's partly because it's easy to find cheaper guns chambered for the round.

I dont see why, though, that anyone would limit themselves to a short range cartridge when there are so many available that can double your range capabilities, plus be more accurate.

There is nothing a 30-30 can do that many other cartridges won't do, but once you get past 150 yds, the 30-30 is pretty much worthless


12 most popular hunting cartridges:

http://www.chuckhawks.com/12_rifle_cartridges.htm



> So the final list of a dozen cartridges looks like this:
> 
> 1. .22 Long Rifle
> 2. .223 Remington
> ...


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## beowoulf90 (Jan 13, 2004)

Oakshire said:


> My hubby is in the market for a new hunting riffle. Right now he has a Winchester 30-30 carbine. He likes the gun, but because it ejects out the top, he cannot mount a scope on it. He now wears glasses and would like to have a scope. In all the excitement of his bear hunt he left his glasses on the seat of his truck, and he had to "sneak" up to the bear (50 yards) before getting a good clean shot off! But now he is thinking he would like a new gun.
> 
> Today we went to Wholesale Outfitters, and checked out a few guns. He really liked the Browning 7mm-08. He really likes lever action. Any one have pros or cons to the gun or suggestions of other guns to check out???
> 
> He has shot a 30-6 and liked it but does not want such a big gun.


Tell him to check out the Marlin 336. It is a lver action similar to the Winchester, but is side eject and you can mount scopes on the easily. 
I used a Winchester 94 for years, but hated the top eject and the side mount scope, so I switched to the Marlin 336 and I love them. I now have 2 of them and neither has ever caused me any trouble. Other then I can only shoot handloads or Federal brand loads out of the one I used for deer hunting. But that has to do more with the individual rifle then the brand, every rifle is different in what ammo it likes to shoot.

YMMV

Hope that helps.


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## quietstar (Dec 11, 2002)

Most hunters and shooters are like me and always need another gun. It is likely your husbands 30-30 is one of the older, good ones, made before the actions became so loose and sloppy that they sound like a junk wagon when the lever is worked. If I was in his place, I would install a Williams 5D Peep or receiver sight made for his rifle. Adjustable for windage and elevation, this sight has great field of view, making it about the fastest to pick up and follow a moving target. With a little practice, a shooter learns that the human eye always centers the target in the aperture sight. 

Even if he ends up with another rifle, a high quality Williams sight for around $40 should add real value to a spare rifle...Glen


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## nathan104 (Nov 16, 2007)

If he already has a 30-30, I dont see the point of him buying another lever action in the same caliber. If he only wants a new one so he can mount a scope on it, then just buy the scope mount made for those top eject lever actions and he'll be set. If he does want another gun, Id suggest a different caliber since he already has a good gun in 30-30. If he will be doing any longer range hunting outside 150 yards, I'd go with the Savage 270. Very flat shooting gun. I can take out any animal up to 400 yards with this gun. But, if he hunts thicker stuff where longer shots will not present themselves, Id go with a MArlin 1894 chambered in 45-70. He can take down any game in North America easily with that cartridge. Im a big fan of lever guns and personally own Marlin lever actions in 30-30, 44 magnum, 45-70, and 444. If he will not be going up against large bear, I would stay away from the 444 simply because of the price of ammo. I reload though so it isnt that bad. MY favorite of all of them is the 44 magnum. But Id still recommend the 45-70.


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