Lever action hunting rifle

My father is at a point in his life where he’s thinking of “the end”. He’s decided he wants to buy myself and my wife a set of matching lever actions we can hunt with. Wants to engrave them as well but I can handle that locally.

the issue/question is, finding a new lever action in 308 or something useful for deer and antelope as general hunting rifles. Found the Henry long ranger in 308 but can’t find them anywhere and Henry’s response was demand is out pacing their production and they can’t tell me when/where I can find one. Do that opens up any other levers out there. Marlin 1894 seems decent but not in my “typical” deer rounds.

looking for suggestions of lever guns under $1000 each in a cartridge good for deer. Also need them to be actually in stock somewhere.

thanks for any help,
Dale
@dialordasailor
If your ok with 2nd hand you could look at long and short action Browning BLR. Calibers from 22-250 up 325WSM
Just a thought
Bob
 
@dialordasailor
If your ok with 2nd hand you could look at long and short action Browning BLR. Calibers from 22-250 up 325WSM
Just a thought
Bob
The big advantage to the Savage 99 is the rotary mag. You can shoot spitzers. Much better selection of projectiles.
 
I have a hand me down m99 in 300 savage. Cant seem to get that one to shoot consistent from range visit to range visit but could be the core lokt...

I'm leaning toward the BLR because theyre beautiful and i'll just cover the difference in price if needed.
 
Actually as someone mentioned earlier, i found a store on gunbroker with 5 long rangers.... Now, from a functionality standpoint am i going to see a big difference in accuracy out of the BLR vs the Henry?
 
Full disclosure: I don't have this caliber. But everything I have ever read about the .308 Marlin Express has been exceedingly positive, up to elk and out to 300 and more. They show up with some regularity on GB.

I have a .338 Marlin, and it is all that and a bag of chips. However, the are less common and a lot more expensive.

If you are looking for new, Henry might be it; I have never owned a Henry. If you are OK with used, I'll bet you could find a couple of nice condition 99s in .308.

Best of luck sir.
Or a used BLR.
 
You'll have to decide modern or historic. Not familiar with most of the more modern designs that will give an edge for adding a scope and shooting to longer range with more modern calibers.

But having owned and shot most of the old originals in most of their calibers, IMO, the Winchester M71, being a very strong action (upgraded '86 design), is one the most ergonomic of the old lever guns. The 348 is no slouch cartridge either.
 
You'll have to decide modern or historic. Not familiar with most of the more modern designs that will give an edge for adding a scope and shooting to longer range with more modern calibers.

But having owned and shot most of the old originals in most of their calibers, IMO, the Winchester M71, being a very strong action (upgraded '86 design), is one the most ergonomic of the old lever guns. The 348 is no slouch cartridge either.

I considered suggesting the Model 71 but he said he wanted to keep it to about 1000 or less... Because I have been looking myself periodically for that rifle I know it's very unlikely to happen at that price, let alone x2, IMHO.
 
Model 71s were $750 when I started drooling over them in 1979. I bought a .444 Marlin instead. Wish I still had it.
 
A model 71 in decent condition is rarely seen for less than $2000 these days. I too would love to have one but I keep finding others I lust for before my slush fund gets that high.
 
Model 71s were $750 when I started drooling over them in 1979. I bought a .444 Marlin instead. Wish I still had it.
@freefall
With the proper projectiles the 444 is an awesome weapon the 265 ftx and 280gn Woodleigh are great in it.
Bob
 
I’ve looked at the browning just was little sticker shocked. May have to go that route though.

have a savage 99 in 300savage in the safe. Fun gun. I actually didn’t think about grabbing one in 308.

thoughts on 44mag or 357 for deer and antelope?
If you want some sticker shock, look at what Marlin 1895 in 45-70 are fetching on GB. And not even the J-stamped real Marlins, but the Marlingtons made since the Freedom Group acquired Marlin and put them under Remington.

There is no way I'm paying the same price for a Marlin as I would a Sako. Don't get me wrong, I love my 1895GBL, but it ain't worth $2K to me, not by a long shot.

I'd look for a pair of Savage #99s. A guy who used to work for my dad has one in 308 (his boys and I were good childhood friends, and still are), bought it in a pawn shop back in the 60s. I think he's killed more deer with it than the black death has killed people.

Barring that, BLR as others have suggested. You can't shoot slick, high-BC bullets from a tube magazine-fed rifle, so 99 and BLR are the only common lever guns that will have any real range.
 
@sgt_zim ... I have occasionally looked at GBLs and SBLs too, not our of a desire to acquire one - I have a GBL as well - but morbid curiosity over what folks are paying. It leaves me aghast too. I think I paid just a hair over 500 for my GBL when I bought it. Now? That's closer to an ammo resupply for it than an actual rifle. And when you say yours ain't worth 2K to you, I guess mine is to me because I won't be parting with it, even for the money it could fetch. I have this arbitrary thing that if I've shot something with a gun I can't sell it. Thanks to that buff in my profile pic and a zebra, me and this gun are shackled together for the rest of my life. :ROFLMAO: :ROFLMAO:
 
I llike the 99F in 308, but if I was to engrave one of my present guns it would be my Win. mod. 71 348..
 
@sgt_zim ... I have occasionally looked at GBLs and SBLs too, not our of a desire to acquire one - I have a GBL as well - but morbid curiosity over what folks are paying. It leaves me aghast too. I think I paid just a hair over 500 for my GBL when I bought it. Now? That's closer to an ammo resupply for it than an actual rifle. And when you say yours ain't worth 2K to you, I guess mine is to me because I won't be parting with it, even for the money it could fetch. I have this arbitrary thing that if I've shot something with a gun I can't sell it. Thanks to that buff in my profile pic and a zebra, me and this gun are shackled together for the rest of my life. :ROFLMAO: :ROFLMAO:
Never realized that's the rifle you were holding in that pic. What ammo did you use?

I still have quite a bit of Beartooth 525 and 425 gr bullets left. I think Marshall went out of business.
 

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