r/canadaguns • u/Jazzlike_Dingo_9960 • May 20 '26
Buy recommendations Help me with lever action Rifles
Hey everybody, im kinda new to owning guns, been around them all my life, but im in a pickle. Im looking for a decent lever rifle mainly for target practice, im looking for something bigger than a .22 but dont know if I need to go up to a 30-06 or 308 just yet. Any recommendations what to get in canada. Have a few shotguns and a .22 already. Thanks
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u/CanadianBoyEh May 20 '26
.30-30 is probably the most common lever action cartridge available. Or go .357/.38 Special. Either way, something from Marlin or Henry is what I’d be looking at.
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u/Lumindan May 20 '26
357mag/38 special is a fun setup. Marlin, Henry and Smith& Wesson all have great offerings. I would avoid the Turkish offerings.
223 if you want the mag loaded option (Henry supreme).
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u/BuyRelevant1000 May 20 '26
This are pricey rounds for target practice. And if you're going to be shooting lots of rounds for target practice, you want a thick barrel. Which levers don't have. You can get a 223 lever, or a 6.5 (great long range round) in a BLR or Henry. But they are hunting guns, after a few shots your barrel is gonna get hot, and accuracy will drop dramatically.
I got a 6.5 lever so I can hunt while it still being more compact than my bolt gun, so better in the bush for quick follow up shots.
I think a 223 would be ideal, affordable ammo, but just understand after 3 shots you're gonna have to let it cool. This is why heavy barrels are so ideal if you're gonna be shooting lots of rounds.
Hope that helps.
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u/Remote_Mistake6291 May 20 '26
If it is just for plinking, and your dead set against a .22, you could go .223 or .357/.38. I have a Henry Supreme in .223 and they are fantastic rifles. They take AR mags so reloading is easier. I also have a Marlin .357/.38 and it is really nice as well. Sterling is releasing a 9mm lever this year as is Derya.
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u/Iokua_CDN May 20 '26
Grab the 357. Like 100%. It's cheap but it's fun. Nice bigger boom than the 22
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u/Relevant_Diver_3228 May 20 '26
the Henry Supreme is a good option for detachable mags and affordable ammo- Henry also has the long ranger in 223/556 but they do not have aftermarket mag options and you are limited to 5 rounds
If you were looking at a .357 or a .44 I would look a getting a Smith and Wesson 1854 because they are good guns and you have the ability to space cowboy it if you want to
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u/Happytanker7 May 20 '26
If you’re thinking 30-06/.308 browning BLR’s are incredibly hard to beat. Really solid rifles that will easily outlast you with just basic maintenance
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u/Omega_Shaman May 20 '26
I have a Rossi R95 357 and love it. I mostly shoot 38 special out of it at the pistol range and it has become one of my favourite rifles.
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u/dke783 May 20 '26
I also vote for. 357/38, or 30-30 as a second choice.
357/38 is good for plinking and soft recoil. Affordable ammo that is easy to find. And you get many payload options and powder options with 357/38.
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u/Short-Beginning-5753 May 20 '26
I just picked up an old Waffle Top Marlin 336 in 30-30 that was pretty reasonably priced ($1k~) but centre fire ammo in general is not. I’ve already gone through 2 boxes (20rd/box, $60-$70 a box) in a week, if you’re doing regular target practice, it’s gonna hurt.
That being said, if you really want a lever action that isn’t chambered in .22; 30-30 is a reasonably economical compared to something like .45-70 Gov, or .44 Rem Mag, and it’s available everywhere. You can also go the funkier route of something like a .410 lever action
Getting yourself a Lever action in 30-06 or .308 I suspect would be deeply expensive since they have to be them fancy Mag Fed Lever actions. And that would be some pricy munitions to run through on a regular basis.
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u/Lopsided_Ad3516 May 20 '26
Would say 357 like others. Have one and it's enough oomph to remind you you're not shooting a 22, without being too pricey.
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u/Jazzlike_Dingo_9960 May 20 '26
Well thank you all for the guidance, looks like i may have to do some shopping.
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u/hawkbat05 May 20 '26
I just picked up a Citadel LevTAC in .44 magnum. Fun and pretty cheap for a lever action. I plan to reload to offset the higher cost of the .44, but if I wasn't then I'd probably have went with the .357 magnum version.
I'm already setup for reloading .40 S&W but have no need for it right now (thanks to the OIC's), so this is a way to use up my existing pistol powder and the only non-consumable I need is a die set :).
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u/Canadian-Footy-Fan May 23 '26
If it is just for target practice I would look at the calibre options in the rifles you are considering and then find something that is fairly cheap to shoot. Something like 308 is much higher than some other option in terms of price per shot, and it is really overkill unless you are hunting or planning to shoot long distance. Even something like a 9mm would hug much harder than a 22 and still be affordable to blast through a cowboy gun.
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u/Splattah_ May 20 '26
.357 is an economical choice