so what are yalls opinions on big game lever action rifles and calibers.

im thinking something for africa(not elephant), bear ect...

i have been told the brownings blrs are good. other than that i have no clue.

450 marlin kills everything. Including the shooters shoulder.

If you're going to africa, and you want a lever action....

Winchester 1895 .405win, or maybe 30-40krag (both for nostalgia).

im not going anytime soon, that i know of, but i might go bear hunting in the next year or so.

besides the fact that i have wanted a lever action for a while.

Have one in the safe that I need to sell. Best friends fathers winchester 1895 in 405 winchester. It is one of the new ones. And has been shot very few times. Same deal on another 1895 in 30-06. The 100 year anniversary carbine eddition for the 30-06 engraved on it 1906 - 2006 one hundred years

With the right ammo can use the 405 on cape buffalo

Bighorn Armory in .500 S&W Magnum

http://bighornarmory.com/products/carbine.php

If you got the dough for Africa or a bear hunt, go all out and get a Doug Turnbull lever gun!

Browning BLR in 300 win mag will take any North American game with ease, and will work wonders on African Plains game.

You will have a tough time convincing guides in Africa to use tradition big bore lever gun calibers for dangerous game. They will want you to have a 375 HH mag or big bore stuff like 416, 470s etc. etc. designed for doubles or single shot rifles.

I am not saying that 450s or the like are incapable of taking dangerous game in Africa, I am just saying that the guides are not going to go for it in a lot of circumstances.

Marlin .45-70. BOOM! BAM!

1886 winchster 45-70 is my fav. Of course i have never hunted africa..nor intend to, but man the 86 winchester is a sweet shooting, smooth action levergun. More than enough for bear. Veteran african big game hunters would know better on the 45-70 than I for use there.

the 86 was the first levergun ever chambered in the popular 45-70 govt cartridge of the day and was designed by John Mosses Browning for winchester. The 405 winchester was introduced in 1904 in the 1895 winchester and was favored by Teddy Roosevelt for big game in africa. I have never shot one, but I can only assume that if it was good for big game then..its still good for it now.


Here is my 1886.

That's purty!!!

4-44, 45-70, 450, i like the 35rem myself

thank you. Its my favorite rifle. Sorry if this is thread drift..but I absolutely love the leverguns. Just bought me a 22 henry to go with it last week.

To the OP, you cant go wrong with a levergun. If you dont already have one, you will love hunting with it. The marlin's are really good leverguns as well. My dad has the Marlin guide gun in 444, as well as the 336 marlin in 30-30. I wish i could comment more on its uses for big game in africa, but i cant.

The 45-70 can be a very potent cartridge for use on north american big game. It was originally designed as a buffalo cartridge. Especially if you handload for one of the new model marlins or winchesters. Its capable of shooting a 350 gr or 405gr bullet in the levergun. I have seen 500gr bullets but im not sure they will work in a levergun.

Much of the 45-70 ammunition on the market today is pretty weak in comparison to what you can obtain by handloading. Keep in mind that it is a very old cartridge from the 1800s that was originally black powder. Most of the old guns cannot handle modern pressures so factory ammunition in this caliber is kept pretty conservative for this exact reason. I suppose that there may be some hotter loads out there that have warnings for new firearms only..but im not sure since i handload mine. Hope this info helps.

Here is a wiki page on the 45-70. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/.45-70

Very nice 86'!

Saw an episode of Tony Makris take a cape buffalo with a reproduction 86' 45-70 on versus a while back. Pretty cool, almost as cool as watching a guy drop an Alaskan Moose with a 30wcf

I use these in my 45-70--Awesome accuarate ammo...Better hold on though...The 500gr.solids would do serious damage on dangerous game...
Although, as previously stated, better check with your guide

http://www.garrettcartridges.com/4570.html

This is all great info. My fil helps with all my builds and he really likes the blr's. I have heard good things about the marlins also. Keep it coming if there is anything else.

wow, i had not seen these. I will keep them in mind if I ever hunt in africa. I have been using the 350 gr for deer and hogs. They work well. I have a few 405 gr's loaded up, but have yet to use them for hunting. I would prob use those for bear.

Man, id love to see that. Im going to see if i can find it on youtube

Be sure to look at Garretts trophy pics---They have taken Capes, lions, hippos etc....
I was out doing some target shooting with a friend a few months back, he had just bought a new 45-70 (never had one) and was sighting with core-lokt 405gr. for an Alaskan hunt...I handed him one of my 420gr +P super hardcast hammerheads---Now this is a big stout guy...He pulled the trigger turned his head at me and said, "Owwwww"
I laughed my behind off, but he hit the 10 ring at 75yds, iron sighted and was impressed...
He ordered a couple boxes the next day..

I use my 450 Marlin for rabbits.