What's the most powerful lever action one can make?

hank_rearden

hank_rearden

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Jun 7, 2002
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You have 45-70 LA's, there's one in 500 S&W magnum. Is it possible to make one chambered for 500 or 600 nitro express?
 
450 marlin is pretty punchy, I mean with the right engineoodling a camming action should handle whatever you wanted, you'd just need surfaces big enough. The thing is that a lever action doesn't necessarily need to be a cam/lever locked bolt. I don't see why it wouldn't be possible to have a multi-lug rotating bolt actuated by a lever. The next question in why would you want a gun that big, and how would you plan on feeding it? Not that big guns always need a reason why, their very existence is answer enough to that question.
 
I have a 450 Marlin lever gun. It's a very powerful round. It's a 45-70 on steroids. Not sure if there's anything more powerful in a lever gun.
 
I have a .450 Marlin and a .348 Winchester. They’ve taken the .348 and made a .50 Alaskan out of it but I don’t know the ballistics of it. Browning puts regular rifle cartridges in their lever guns. I think they’ve done a .300 Mag out of it, not sure if they ever attempted a .338? If they did, that would be hard to top. Take a look at Doug Turnbull restorations. He’s done a couple big bore levers that would rattle your teeth.
 
I shot a .50 Alaskan a few times, in a recent production Browning Model 71 that had been converted. It was about all I could handle in a rifle that light.
 
Bighorn Armory Spikedriver in 500S&W is powerful and extremely fun to shoot. Larger lever guns are possible; but, not in existing sized actions.
 
.45-70 Marlin or Browning using Garrett Cartridges ammo.
The "Light" .45-70 Garrett (guaranteed to shoot lengthwise through an adult Cape Buffalo) has done one shot kills on those Buffalo, as well as angry/hungry Grizzy and Brown Bear. (US Park Service issues the Marlin 1895 "Guide Gun" and the light Garrett cartridges for any up close and personal encounters with bears that the rangers may experience.)
The "Heavy" Garrett (guaranteed to shoot lengthwise through an adult bull elephant)
has made one shot kills on elephant, over in Africa.

Do you really need anything more powerful hunting in North America?
Do
 
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