"Long Range " (for me) levergun

[Goat]

While I mostly prefer to hunt creek bottoms and timbered areas where 100 yards are a long way I have the opportunity from time to time to hunt areas where I could possibly take game out to my self impossed maximum of 300 yards. That is well past where I am comfortable with my 35, 38/55, 375Win or even my 358. I have a 25/06 that shines in this area but alas, it has no lever! I have a few options in mind. In no particular order... BLR-81 in 7mm-08 or 308, Savage 99 in 300 Savage or 308, Or a Marlin in 308Marlin Express or 338Marlin Express. I do already own a BLR-81 and like it well and have Marlins that I love and I have owned a Savage 99.
It would really be rare for me to shoot past 200 to 250 yards but I like knowing I can reach farther if necessary. What are your opinions please? I have until next season to make up my mind but want to get this one right.
Goat

[rjohns94]

BLR in .308. I am very confident of the caliber, bullet selection and accuracy of the rifle. easily scoped.

[tman]

BLR in .308. I am very confident of the caliber, bullet selection and accuracy of the rifle. easily scoped.

+1

[Les Staley]

Don't diss your 358 .. I use 200 gr Hornady FTX bullets in a handload, sighted in 3.5 inches high at 125yds they print 8" low at 300. that is fine long range trajectory for a lever gun.. mine is a Jap BLR steel frame.. What model 358 do you have? PM me for the load specifics.. Les

[AJMD429]

As far as the GUN, the Marlin XLR's are plenty accurate for that distance, just pick your cartridge. You've already got a .338 Marlin Express. I don't have a .338, but I do have a .444, and so I'd either pick the .444 Marlin or the .338 Marlin Express, depending on whether I was in a' momentum' mode, or an 'energy' mode, respectively, or depending on whether I had to use what I have, or what I'd like to buy...



Just fiddling with the ballistics (I don't have the actual ballistic coefficients of the Hornady bullets) for some approximations...(hey, it's raining outside - what else is a guy to do... )

Even the .444 Marlin's stubby 240-grainer is going about 1100 fps out near 300 yards, and if you zero it at 200 yards, you'll be 4 MOA high at 100 yards (4" high at 100 yards), and 6.5 MOA low at 300 yards (19.5"). Energy at 300 yards is in the 650 ftlb range, with a Taylor knock-out value of about 16.

The .338 Marlin Express's 200-grainer is going about 1900 fps out near 300 yards, and if you zero it at 200 yards, you'll be 2.2 MOA high at 100 yards (2.2" high at 100 yards), and 3.2 MOA low at 300 yards (9.6"). Energy at 300 yards is in the 1600 ftlb range, with a Taylor knock-out value of about 21.

Your .358 Win. would put a 200 grain bullet out to 300 yards doing about 1700 fps, 2.6 MOA (2.6") high at 100 yds, and 3.9 MOA (11.7") low at 300 yards, with energy around 1300 ftlb and TKO of about 17.

I tend to like big holes, so IF I had a range-finder (or rangefinding scope), or had my hunting site staked-out and marked with range-flags, I might stick with the good-old .444 Marlin. Otherwise it would be a definite reason to 'need' a .338 XLR...

[BenT]

BLR in 257 roberts or 308. The 338 mx is bad either.

[Combat Diver]

Don't forget the Winchester/Browning 1895 in 30-06. Browning also chambered a few in .270 Win. I used to own a Browning 95 in 30-06 during the 90s and mounted a Williams reciever sight to it. No problems hitting 300m if you do your part.

CD

[willygene]

i like my 99 in 300 savage for long shots with a lever out to 300 it's a great old rifle if i had to shoot further i would use my f&n 270.

[Bruce]

BLR of course. But then I am biased towards them. Also, they do not require "special" ammo. My 2nd choice would be an 1895.

[RIHMFIRE]

308
or
Marlin in 308Marlin Express
or sneak up on em and use one of your smaller levers!

[M. M. Wright]

BLR in .308. I am very confident of the caliber, bullet selection and accuracy of the rifle. easily scoped.

Ditto on this one. I've been using this combination for about 30 years and nuthin! has got away from it. Looking back, the longest shot was 350 yds. Usually use 150 grain Sierras and Blc2 of the recommended amount. Just for info, my load when shot in a 99, wrecked it. Hogdens tested the loads and powder and came back with the recommendation to not use the NM brass that the load was in. Still shooting the same loads, in commercial brass, with no pressure signs.

M. M.

[86er]

BLR in 7mm-08, or 325 WSM.

[Buffboy]

Maybe I'm old school, but if we are talking scoped here, your 358 has the situation well in hand for 300yards or for that matter any of the others(depends a lot on how you load your 38-55). Mine is loaded a bit hotter than factory ammo but well under 30-30 pressures so I limit myself to under 250 yards as I'm using iron sights. I can and have made shots near to that limit with the factory irons but I've passed many more shots because I didn't feel confident of the angle or wind too. If you devote the time to learn to shoot that rifle at those ranges, learn to estimate range to that distance with +/- 25 yard accuracy(or religiously use a range finder), it can be done ethically and with confidence that your well placed shot will result in venison in the freezer. It's knowing your rifle and yourself. A scope gives more precision than iron sights but doesn't take ranging out of the equation.

Using another rifle in any of the named future calibers gives you an edge if you are off in your range estimation but otherwise doesn't kill deer any better at 300 yards.

[Bloodhound]

The 88 in 308 or 284 both will do all you want to out to that distance...and a .284 ohhhh way cool

[Old Savage]

I would go with the 308 (and I don't particularly like them) due to the ammo flexibility. I have a 7-08 (shot a lot and love it) and a 300 Savage and the ammo limitations depending on your reloading would cause me not to pick them. I wouldn't consider the others due to the ammo issue and they aren't as good range wise in my opinion. I would like to see if I liked a 308 BLR.

[J Miller]

How about something kind of unique - the 7-30 Waters? Comes in a lever gun, I think the caliber was available in the early AE models so they can be scoped if wanted.

Just a thought.

Joe

[Thunder50]

Your 358 should work fine. I would sight in the 3.5" high at 100. Even at 300, crosshairs just at deers top of the back will make meat.
I wouldn't hesitate to take a shot at 300 with my 338 ME as I have mine sighted in at about 3.5" @100yds.

[Mainehunter]

Don't diss your 358 .. I use 200 gr Hornady FTX bullets in a handload, sighted in 3.5 inches high at 125yds they print 8" low at 300. that is fine long range trajectory for a lever gun.. mine is a Jap BLR steel frame.. What model 358 do you have? PM me for the load specifics.. Les

+1 on the 358 Win. For long distance shooting I use Speer's 180gr. Flat Point out to 300+ yards out of my Winchester 88! The bullet has a very high ballistic coefficient in the 35 caliber and very accurate.

Mainehunter

[cshold]

This would be my pick: A lever with long range accuracy =