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Lever-action rifles aren’t relics of the past; they’re still deadly effective, but only if you choose a cartridge that actually fits how you hunt, shoot, and use the rifle today.
These rifles blend old school charm with reliable performance. When choosing the right cartridge for the job, it boils down to ballistics like velocity, energy, and trajectory. Couple those ballistics with the reliability of a lever action and you get a rifle and cartridge marriage that you can count on.
Lever-action rifles shine in many different uses with the right caliber and ballistics. Use cartridges like .30-30 Winchester for deer hunting or .45-70 Government for big game. Pistol calibers like .357 Magnum excel in defense, while .22 LR is ideal for plinking.
This article dives into the ballistic details of several different cartridges, but takes a deeper dive into their practical uses, from hunting to plinking.
We will focus on what matters for everyday shooters without getting bogged down in ballistic jargon. So whether you are a seasoned hunter or just love the satisfying “ka-chunk” of a lever action, we have got the insights to help you pick the perfect cartridge for your adventures.
Quick Lever-Action History
Lever-actions have a rich history, dating back to the late 1800s when they revolutionized hunting and warfare in the American West. Iconic rifles like the Winchester Model 1873, dubbed “The Gun That Won the West,” made these rifles household names.
Today, modern iterations from brands like Henry and Marlin are keeping the lever-action tradition alive. With improvements like side-loading gates and threaded barrels for suppressors, the lever-action legacy has been brought into the modern day fray of firearms.
Ballistic Basics for Lever-Action Cartridges
Before jumping into the various uses for different lever-action cartridges, let’s take a quick look at the ballistics for their cartridges. Simply, we will take a look at muzzle velocity (speed leaving the barrel), energy (punching power at impact), and drop (how much it falls over distance).
Lever-actions often use tube magazines, so pointed bullets like Hornady’s FTX LEVERevolution improve safety and flatten trajectories. Traditional flat nosed bullets prevent accidental detonations in the tube, but modern polymer tips have changed the game by offering spitzer-like performance without the risk.
On the power end of the spectrum, classic rifle cartridges like .30-30 Winchester and .45-70 Government deliver reliable penetration and terminal performance for medium to large game.
Meanwhile, pistol cartridges such as .357 Magnum and .44 Magnum gain significant velocity in rifle-length barrels, offering far more energy than they produce in handguns.
At the lightest end, .22 LR remains a low-recoil, low-cost option for training and small game.
| Cartridge | Typical Bullet Weight | Muzzle Velocity (fps) | Muzzle Energy (ft-lbs) | 100-Yard Drop (inches, 100-yard zero) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| .30-30 Winchester | 150-170gr | 2,200-2,390 | 1,600-1,902 | -3 to -5 |
| .45-70 Government | 300-405gr | 1,350-2,050 | 1,638-2,800 | -5 to -8 |
| .35 Remington | 180-200gr | 2,080-2,100 | 1,800-1,900 | -4 to -6 |
| .444 Marlin | 240-300gr | 2,000-2,400 | 2,500-3,600 | -4 to -7 |
| .308 Marlin Express | 160gr | 2,660 | 2,513 | -2 to -4 |
| .357 Magnum | 125-158gr | 1,296-2,000 (rifle) | 587-1,626 | -3 to -5 |
| .44 Magnum | 220-300gr | 1,200-1,804 (rifle) | 1,200-1,947 | -4 to -6 |
| .45 Colt | 225-300gr | 850-1,250 | 600-1,200 | -5 to -8 |
| .22 LR | 31-40gr | 1,000-1,250 | 100-140 | -6 to -10 |
These figures vary by load and barrel length. Longer rifle barrels tend to add 200-400 fps to pistol calibers. Ballistics aren’t just numbers. Knowing them can help match your cartridge with your rifle and purpose.
The 3 Best Lever-Action Cartridges for Whitetail Deer Hunting
Deer hunting with lever-actions is all about ethical, one shot harvests in wooded areas, usually under 200 yards. We are not as worried with long range terminal ballistics here, but the impact matters. You will want a cartridge with reliable expansion.
.30-30 Winchester: The Gold Standard for Lever-Action Whitetail Hunting
The .30-30 Winchester reigns supreme in deer country. It is known for having a flat trajectory within 200 yards and the recoil is manageable for most. It retains enough power to penetrate well, and the majority of hunting-focused bullets expand well on impact.
You will not have to look far to meet someone that’s taken a deer or two with a .30-30, it has been insanely popular, especially for lever actions, over the past few decades and it is no less effective today.
The Hornady American Whitetail 150 Grain InterLock is a great option, delivering around 2,390 fps and 1,903 ft-lbs, which is perfect for dropping whitetails without over penetration.
The .30-30 cartridge was introduced in 1895 and was the first smokeless powder sporting cartridge. Its history in lever-action rifles like the Winchester 94 makes it a timeless choice for brush country.
.35 Remington: Hard-Hitting Performance for Close-Range Whitetail Hunts
While it doesn’t get as much press today, you will struggle to find too many cartridges more popular in the early 20th century; but that popularity started to fade away after WWII. The rise of modern cartridges was too much for it to compete with, but it is still as deadly as ever in the deer woods.
Deer hunters fell in love with this cartridge early on, often using its 200 grain bullet to push over 2,200 ft-lbs of death across scrape lines everywhere. For lever-action hunters, this cartridge is a timeless option that you just can’t go wrong with in the Eastern United States.
The Hornady LEVERevolution 200gr FTX is a great option here, it has less drop at 150 yards than other traditional rounds. You could also use the Remington Core-Lokt 200gr soft point at 2,080 fps for brush busting power.
.308 Marlin Express: Flat-Shooting Lever-Action Performance
For more versatility, the .308 Marlin Express mimics the loved.308 Win ballistics in a lever-action. It is made to produce near bolt-action performance and accuracy.
While performing at 2,600 fps for 160 gr loads and producing a whopping 2,513 ft-lbs of punch, it has less drop than a traditional lever-action cartridge. This makes it ideal for hunters that don’t want to be restricted, but love the feeling of a quality lever action rifle like the Marlin 336 XLR.
This cartridge is great for open country with a drop of only 2 to 4 inches at 100 yards. A great example is the Hornady LEVERevolution 160 Grain FTX, which is made for hunters and engineered for accurate flight.
These cartridges are all great for whitetail, but your actual bullet design probably matters more. If you want to know more about that, read this: The Best Bullet Design for Whitetail Hunting
Quick Tips for Hunting Whitetail With Lever-Actions
Sight in these cartridges with a 150 yard zero to minimize holdover. Using an option like a 2-7x scope for quick acquisition is all you will need for these ranges.
Lever-actions are compact for still-hunting, so if you are hunting new property or it’s a windy day, try it out.
For whitetail does or smaller southern deer, lighter loads reduce recoil and meat damage, while heavier, premium expanding bullets are recommended for the big boys.
2 Ideal Lever-Action Cartridges for Large Game…or Bears
When hunting larger game animals like elk, or if you run into a bear in the field, you will want a cartridge that packs more of a punch with some bone crushing energy. Cartridges like this need to be heavier, travel flatter for longer distances, and pack a big punch!
.45-70 Government: Proven Big-Bore Authority
Enter the .45-70 Government, the cartridge that most people think of when they think of massive power. It is a classic lever-action cartridge, being over 150 years old at this point and starting off in the 1873 Springfield Trapdoor rifle.
Cartridges like the Hornady LEVERolution 325gr FTX bring higher ballistics for flatter shots and general stats put this cartridge at 2,000 fps of muzzle velocity and a huge 2,665 ft-lbs of punch.
It is more than capable of penetrating thick hides and bones up to 200 yards, and is great for hunting elk, or moose. If you come up on a bear, you will be happy to have the .45-70 by your side. You may have a sore shoulder the next day, but at least there won’t be any claw marks.
.444 Marlin: High-Velocity Big-Bore Power for Bear Country
If you want something for a lever action that is just as powerful but moving a bit faster than .45-70, the .444 Marlin is what you need. A lot of shooters call this cartridge a middle ground between traditional big bores and modern high-velocity cartridges.
With a cartridge like the Hornady LEVERolution 265gr FTX, you get a muzzle velocity up to 2,400 fps and muzzle energy of 3,000 ft-lbs. This makes it ideal for larger game at closer ranges like elk, moose, thick hogs, or bears.
It was introduced in 1964 as a hotter .44 Magnum alternative, it delivers hydrostatic shock down to 2,100 fps, which ensures quick kills on bigger animals. Nowadays, the .444 Marlin is an authoritative option for any shooter that wants a devastating and reliable lever-action rifle.
If you are bear hunting, or know a few will be around, you should think about a sidearm too. Checkout this article to see a few cartridge options, many of which come in lever action: The 8 Best Bear Defense Handgun Cartridges
Quick Tips for Hunting Large Game With Lever-Actions
These heavier rounds give much deeper penetration and packs a heavy punch, but comes with the cost of heavier recoil and a little shorter range. It is highly suggested to use hard-cast bullets for bears to avoid over expansion.
Practice with reduced loads and build up the tolerance of the heavier loads. The steep bullet drop will probably keep your range limited under 200 yards.
3 Great Lever-Action Pistol Cartridges for Home Defense
Lever-actions make great home defense weapons for their ability to shoulder quickly, their reliability, and less over-penetration risk compared to other home defense rifles.
Pistol calibers really shine in this section. Couple this with lever-action variants that have shorter barrels and smaller stocks designed for home defense, and you have a lethal combination to protect your home with.
.357 Magnum: High-Velocity, Low-Recoil Lever-Action Option
The .357 Magnum is a great option here. Out of a lever-action rifle barrel, the .357 is going to have significantly more velocity, but be easier to manage than a handgun.
Muzzle rise will not be much of an issue either, and follow up shots are smooth. Plus, the tube magazine will give you a much higher ammunition capacity.
Cartridges like the Hornady Critical Defense 125gr FTX, expands reliably with 1,500 fps at the muzzle, which minimizes wall punch through. In a 16-18 inch barrel, it gains 300-500 fps over handguns and boosts punching energy to 1,600 ft-lbs.
So if you are more comfortable with a rifle than a hand gun, this would be a great light but effective choice.
.44 Magnum: Maximum Pistol-Caliber Stopping Power in a Lever-Action Rifle
The .44 Magnum is a step up from the .357 Magnum, offering better barrier penetration and a bigger punch at slightly longer distances. Cartridges like the HSM 240 Grain Sierra Jacketed Hollow Cavity are designed with controlled expansion at 1,146 fps, that delivers 700 ft-lbs of energy.
It’s a step up for more rural homes where a longer shot might occur but you still want the convenience of a handgun cartridge in a home defense lever-action rifle set up.
The .44 Magnum is a popular choice for bear defense sidearms, and you will find some nasty options made for it like the Winchester Big Bore 240 Grain SJHP, but in a longer rifled barrel, these are even more deadly.
.45 Colt: Low-Recoil, Big-Bore Simplicity for Lever-Action Defense
The .45 Colt is a little more old school. This bullet is heavy, and it usually stays subsonic. So if you wanted to build a suppressed lever-action rifle this is a good contender.
You will enjoy shooting this cartridge out of a lever-action rifle. It is smooth and the recoil is manageable. This is also a super common cartridge in cowboy action shooting competitions, staying true to its origins.
If you want to know more about cowboy action shooting, or are thinking of giving it a try, you will like this article: Best Ammo To Use For Cowboy Action Competitive Shooting
Rounds like the CorBon 225 Grain DPX Hollow Point pack a punch with speeds of 1100 fps at the muzzle and over 720 ft-lbs of energy. Depending on the barrel length, you will be pushing these rounds even faster.
Why Use Pistol Cartridge Lever-Actions for Home Defense?
Fair question, but lever actions are very intuitive. With no safeties to fumble with, they hold 8-10 rounds, have shorter barrels and can have shorter stocks, they are perfect for those that prefer a simple and reliable rifle over a handgun.
These can also make for great dual purpose rifles. Don’t forget that these caliber cartridges can be used for deer hunting and some varmint hunting as well.
Top Lever-Action Choices for Training, Plinking, and Small Game
Plinking, target practice, and hunting small game or varmints should all be affordable and fun. Lever-action rifles make these uses do just that, with a little bit of fun flair in the functional area. You are looking for smaller calibers that fly fast and are fairly accurate at distances inside of 100 yards.
.22 LR: The Lever-Action Benchmark for Skill Building and High-Volume Shooting
There is nothing like the .22 LR. It is a fan favorite for both target shooting and hunting. It is great for learning the fundamentals and honing your skills without all the worry of recoil and two dollar rounds.
The Federal Automatch 40gr lead round nose is great for target practice coming in at 1,200 fps. If you want something a little quieter, look at the CCI Standard Velocity 40 gr LRN (1,070 fps) for subsonic quietness.
For close range varmints, the CCI Shotshell 31 gr #12 lead shot works great without damaging much meat but keeping that precision accuracy. For slightly bigger varmints at longer distances, go with a standard .22 LR like Aguila or CCI 40 gr that can reach out to 100 yards.
.357 Magnum: Versatile Lever-Action Performance
I just had to mention .357 a second time. If you are looking for something with a little more bite and punch, the .357 Magnum can be a good range or varmint cartridge.
This is one of my favorites because it is so easy shooting, but holds enough power to take down varmints. It might be a little much for squirrels or rabbits, but if you are after ground hogs, or coyotes it will be a fun rifle to use.
For target shooting, loads like the CorBon 100 Grain Pow’RBall is great at 1,450 fps. For varmint hunting, stick with lighter .357 loads with about 1,300 fps for flatter trajectories at 100 yards. Couple these rounds with a decent scope and you can have quite a lot of fun at various ranges.
Choosing the Right Lever-Action Cartridge for How You Actually Shoot
Lever-action rifles pair well with all of these different cartridges that we mentioned above, each tailored to different adventure possibilities. There are a ton of possibilities, from hunting big game, home defense, target shooting, cowboy shooting, and so much more. The key is to find what will best fit YOUR needs!
Lever-action rifles are such fun and versatile firearms, that we firmly believe once you get one, you will want them all. Having a different lever-action for each use and many different cartridges will not steer you in the wrong direction. It will only open the door for more uses and fun behind the trigger.
So choose the one you will use the most to start, then keep adding to the collection to cover all uses!
Lever-Action Rifle Cartridge FAQs
Q: What Is the Best All Around Caliber for a Lever-Action Rifle?
For many lever-action shooters, the .30-30 Winchester is the best all-around lever-action caliber available today. Providing a perfect blend of recoil, bullet availability, effective range, and terminal performance. The .30-30 is capable of taking any whitetail or similarly sized game animal you’ll ever encounter and is easy enough for almost any hunter to shoot comfortably.
Q: Which Is Better, 30/30 or 45-70?
It all depends on what you plan to do with your rifle. If you’re shooting deer-sized game you’ll likely enjoy the flatter trajectory and lighter recoil of the .30-30. The .45-70 on the other hand was designed around driving heavy bullets deep into an animal for maximum penetration at very short ranges against heavy or dangerous game where trajectory and shootability are less of a concern than raw knockdown power.
Q: Is a 44 Mag More Powerful Than a 30-30?
Technically, no. While firing a .44 Magnum out of a rifle will net you some pretty big bullets with some BIG energy you won’t find from a typical handgun load, the .30-30 will always be faster, propel more energy, and go farther. It’s essentially the difference between pistol-caliber and rifle-caliber.
Q: What Is the Most Sought After Lever Action Rifle?
Sales of lever-action rifles these days can typically be found in classic models offered by companies like Marlin or Winchester. Older production models chambered in classic lever-action calibers (.30-30, .45-70, etc.) will typically sell for the most money due to limited availability, proven field reliability, and history tied to the American hunting tradition.
Q: Will a 45-70 Stop a Grizzly Bear?
Absolutely. This round has been proving itself against oversized, dangerous game since before many of its modern counterparts were even on the drawing board. It has enough muzzle energy to drive heavy bullets deep with decent short-range reliability.
