Lever Action Guns for Hunting – A Good Choice?

There is a resurgence of interest in lever guns today, although I’m not sure that interest has ever really left. The old classics of yesteryear are still around with names such as Winchester, Marlin, and Henry. Today it seems almost all manufacturers are on the band wagon with lever gun offerings.

Is a Lever Action a Good Choice for Hunters?

Some may question if hunting with a lever gun is really viable today. I will put any of those concerns to rest. They are. I have taken deer, elk, javelina, hogs, and small game with a variety of lever guns over the years. While it’s true I may not select a lever gun for hunting where longer shots, say past 200-300 yards are more likely, but I still enjoy and feel very comfortable with shots in that mid-range zone via a lever gun.

Most lever guns of today are designed with hunting in mind. They come optics ready for the shooter/hunter to mount their favorite scope/optic atop a receiver that is already tapped and drilled or even has a picatinny rail ready to accept scope rings. Standard offerings often include; sling swivel attachments, a modular forend to attach accessories, oversized loop lever, and threaded muzzles for a suppressor.

Lever guns are flat sided, generally light weight and are ideal to hunt with in heavy brush or timber with either open sights, scope, or even a rot dot optic. Increasingly however, you will find manufacturers offering calibers such as .243, .223, and .308 in some lever gun models. This makes lever actions ideal for more open range hunting.

How many companies build lever action rifles? Dozens. Winchester, Marlin (Ruger), Henry, Browning, Tarus/Rossi, Savage, Mossberg, Smith & Wesson, Uberti, and many more.

Old standby calibers

Take for example the Smith & Wesson Model 1854 in 45-70 Govt. This cartridge has been around for generations and is one of the most popular lever gun calibers of all time. I am currently waiting for the right opportunity to hunt with my S&W 1854. I have topped the carbine (which comes standard with picatinny rail) with a compact variable power Leupold scope which will make it an excellent choice for deer to elk sized game in the near future.

Of course there is the old standby, your grandpas Model 94 Winchester in 30-30. This rifle has probably accounted for more deer than you can count and in my case actually saved my bacon once upon a time from an charging Oryx in New Mexico.

It goes without saying that any lever gun in .22 long rifle or .22 WMR is absolutely great for taking small game. Rimfire lever guns have been around for well over 100 years. I have hunted rabbits, squirrel and even Javelina with a .22 caliber lever gun and recently revisited squirrel hunting with the Savage Revel DLX. You can find that lever action in both .22lr or .22 WMR. Today even the modern .17 HMR caliber is offered in lever action rifles. 

Lever Gun Calibers You May Not Have Considered

6.5 Creedmoor

Just a few years back I decided to give a Henry lever gun a try for mule deer. Henry Repeating Arms is always on the leading edge of firearms development especially when it comes to a lever gun. Most folks think of Henry and picture a really nice western style lever gun of days gone by. I am no different. So when I learned of the Henry Long Ranger series being offered in a 6.5 Creedmoor lever gun, I was a bit surprised. It wasn’t long before I had this Henry model in hand and topped off with a Riton 3×9 variable scope.

Soon I was headed to the field for New Mexico’s fall deer hunt. Spotting a nice mule deer buck from about 800 yards out, I was able to stalk within 200 yards of the buck. It only took one well-placed shot from a sitting position to bring the buck down as he fed along the side of a canyon. The kill was instant and humane as is the hope of any ethical hunter. The Henry lever gun in 6.5 Creedmoor performed perfectly.

The 6.5 Creedmoor is of course capable of much longer shots as is the Henry Long Ranger. But I always opt for minimizing the risk for errors by taking shots at closer ranges if possible.

.357 Magnum or .44 Magnum / Other Revolver Calibers

Since we are already discussing Henry Lever guns I may as well mention the Big Boy Steel Carbine in .357 magnum and the Big Boy X Carbine in .44 Magnum. Many folks consider both as handgun only calibers but in reality, both the .357 Magnum and the .44 Magnum are completely sufficient for deer sized game. Although Henry produces both models in other calibers, I have some hands-on experience with both of these. Another beauty of both of these chamberings is that I can also shoot the slightly shorter case of .38 Special and .44 Special respectively in each gun.

In March of this year, I took a Javelina with iron sights only using a Henry a .357 Magnum  at a distance of about 65 yards. The cartridge was more than enough for the little desert peccary as Javelina are also known. So far, I’ve only fired the .44 Magnum at the range. However, I have found that Hornady LeveRevolution in 225 grain FTX .44 Magnum shoots extremely well in the Henry Big Boy X Model and I would not hesitate to hunt deer or hog sized game with this caliber.

Other cartridges that many consider revolver only calibers such as, .327 Federal Magnum, .41 Magnum, and .45 Colt are all suitable for lever gun hunting within their limitations of course.

.35 Remington

This historic Remington-designed cartridge been around since 1906 and is most popular in a 200gr bullet although other weight grain loads are currently available, primarily 150 and 220 grain by various ammo companies. One of the loads I like in .35 Remington is the 200gr Hornady LeveRevolution. Henry Repeating Arms is one of the companies building modern lever actions in this caliber today. 

.360 BuckHammer

The .360 Buckhammer is a straightened .30-30 case. The cartridge fits the straight-wall definition and is a rimmed case. There has been an increased interest in straight walled level cartridges development because some states require this style of case for deer hunting. Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Iowa and Michigan all have this requirement for deer hunting.

Generally, these cartridges have a more limited range and flatter trajectory than high-velocity, bottlenecked rifle rounds. This in turn helps prevent bullets from over-penetrating and traveling long distances near populated areas. Other modern straight walled cartridges that you will find offered in lever guns are: .350 Legend, .400 Legend, .444 Marlin, and .450 Bushmaster.

Final thoughts on Lever Action Hunting

I could go on and on discussing the enjoyment of lever actions for hunting and just everyday plinking. Additionally, I have barely mentioned that many of the historic lever gun calibers are still in use today. For example, the 25-20 Winchester, .303 Savage, .405 Winchester, and the 25-35 Winchester, to mention but a few of the older classics still in use today.

There are of course some disadvantages, like some limitations in shooting at extended distances and extreme accuracy as compared to bolt action rifles. However, many lever gun aficionados would argue that!

There are plenty of positives in using a lever gun not to speak of the nostalgia that goes along with it. I for one will always find a place and time for hunting with a lever gun. Afterall my grandad and great granddad seemed to always bring home the venison with the old lever gun.