I'm with the 30-30 camp. That lever will bring a smile nothing else will. I still use one today. I also second the marlin,its loading gate is on the reciever not business end. Makes me more at ease. Not a fan of looking at that end too much..
.243 or 7mm-08. I like the 7-08 because of better bullet selection.
I'm with the 30-30 camp. That lever will bring a smile nothing else will. I still use one today. I also second the marlin,its loading gate is on the reciever not business end. Makes me more at ease. Not a fan of looking at that end too much..
30-30 won't do much that a 20 ga slug can't do. I say 243, I have one and still shoot it. Easy to find ammo, very light recoil
7mm 08. Bullet selection is great for youth up too.
Gun itself is more important. Fit, fit, and fit makes all the difference. A proper lop makes a world of difference when discussing recoil.
And as others have said, I started with a 30-30. It was a great little gun. My daughter is starting with a 223 ar platform. Ar allows for the stock to change. Shoots sub moa. And hasn’t let me down yet.
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JayByrd LIKED above post
223 or 243, great guns,deer droppers for sure.Remember when choosing a 30-30, they are responsible for many deer kills,but in lever actions they are notoriously dangerous.When jacking a round the gun is automatically cocked,and must be manually uncocked.
SpeckledSlab LIKED above post
-felt recoil is less on a 30-30 generally imo. My wife loves my 30-30, wont touch the 20 with slugs.
-Handle has hoosier so I assume may hunt indiana some? .223 is not a legal caliber.
-Most guns are cocked as they're racked? The only difference is the exposed hammer. The option to decock is actually safer imo. Dont rack em and leave a empty under the hammer or use common sense and the manual safeties as with any firearm.
- No experience with .243.
You are correct on guns being cocked as a round is chambered,it's the fact a lever action must be uncocked by holding the hammer while pulling the trigger,and easing the hammer down to the uncocked position.My point is,one must be very careful with these types of guns,expecialy children.That said,my first rifle given by my dad, was a Marlin,my son now has it,mighty fine gun,brought down several deer .
wicklundrh LIKED above post
I’ve become very fond of the 6.5 creedmore round. Great knockdown power and very little recoil imo. Could be the different guns, but I almost feel the 6.5 has less recoil than any of my .243 rifles, which would be my other suggestion.
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SpeckledSlab LIKED above post
Wasnt trying to make it personal or nothing. Just saying that the option to just use the safety isn't any different than on most other guns, meaning most cant be decocked. Just stating I disagree with them being "notoriously dangerous" is all. No more so than any other firearm
my marlin 30 30 will knock you right off your feet …..that aint no joke ...my 30 06 has less recoil
my son in law will tell you and even mentioned it the other day .
the 223 will get it done ….and a single shot makes it count as well …..when you only got one shot you learn to make it count .
and ammo is all over the place in abundance , from varmit loads to heavier stuff
remember this though ,when you sight it in you MUST use that same ammo to hunt with .
I seen that ammo shoot all over the map when you change bullet weights and manufactures as well .
the 223 was designed to kill animals about the same size as a deer btw …..
just saying
sum kawl me tha outlaw ketchn whalesjackie53 LIKED above post