The lever actions carry well and are very balanced. They point naturally so they are a stillhunter's best choice. With a good receiver sight, they deliver excellent accuracy. Their calibers are more than adequate for mid-sized game. Another benefit of many leverguns is their mild recoil when calibers are in the 30-38 range or when they are chambered for heavy pistol calibers like 44-40, 44 Magnum, and 45 Colt. If a hard hitter is needed, then the 450 Marlin or the 45-70 Government can handle any game on the planet.



In the case of the 30-30, it would be hard to find a deer caliber that was more economical to shoot. Ammunition is plentiful and available in a wide configuration of bullet weights and styles from traditional flat nosed soft points to polymer tipped spire points that extend the effective range of the cartridge. If one chooses to reload the 30-30, there are many components available that give the handloader opportunities to fine tune the 100+ year old round to meet his specific needs.

My 30-30 is a Winchester 1894 that was a Christmas present in 1980. I took my first deer with that rifle and around thirty more since. It has been with me in the Appalachians, the flatlands of west Tennessee, the high plains of Montana, and Idaho's rugged Rockies and taken a wide variety of game in all those locations. It has many beauty marks that account for long days in the forests. Its receiver is slightly silvered from frequent carry. The rifle even has a familiar aroma that welcomes me back each time I pick it up. When conditions allow for stalking, especially in rugged terrain, lever actions have no equal!

Chambered in 300 savage?