Re: Not a bolt gun but a lever gun 1895SBL
I own and use the Winchester
94AE .44Magnum Trapper Carbine. I think the rifle and chambering are simply a perfect combination.
It's my goto deer brush gun. It handles very well, is a pussycat to shoot with 180/200gr Jacketed HP self-defense pistol loads, and definitely packs adequate knockdown power.
The short length makes it very wieldy in close quarters, but imposes no noticeable performance penalties at woodland deer distances.
Mine wears a dot scope, sighted for 70 yd. Trajectory, terminal performance, and accuracy are pretty much indistinguishable from premium 20ga sabot load in a quality rifled barrel.
Recoil can be a tad sharp, but mine has a Limbsaver on and it not only smooths out the pulse, it also adds needed LOP.
The .30-30 seems anemic by comparison, but by the same token, I see the 45-70 as overkill.
It also digests .44SPC Cowboy Action loads very nicely as plinker fodder.
I don't want to bash anybody, but I've just seen and heard too many firsthand accounts about new Remington hardware that has problems that should never have made it out of the factory. Folks here like to bash Savages, but I have several and have never had an issue with any of them. If memory serves, Savage stopped marketing the 99 in 1953, and I (for one) wouldn't mind seeing that model being revived.
Greg