So here's the deal. Im looking for a decent rifle at a limited budget. Looking at anything up to 650. Here are my specs:
-Could potentially hunt with (whitetail and smaller)
-Semi Automatic or lever action
-Decently accurate at 200yds
-Reliable
-Decent goto gun when SHTF

I already have a mossberg 500 12ga with a 24" slug barrel and 18.5" smooth bore and a ruger 10/22. Both are scoped.

Thanks for any and all suggestions!

-Dustin

There is a lot to be said for a lever in .357 mag.

Winchester or Marlin in .30-30 would be my thought.

__________________
Even older, even crankier....

You should be able to find a good used Remington 740/7400 for much less than that amount, and any caliber would be OK. I have a 7400 in .270 with beautiful wood which shoots phenomenal 100 yard groups. I paid $250 for it about 5 years ago. I also have an earlier 740 in .308, nice, but the .270 beats it in accuracy. Both function flawlessly.

I actually have a coworker who has been talking about getting one to pair up with his 357 mag revolver.

Ill do some research on the marlin in 30-30 and that remington 740 as well for sure!

All three of them look darn purdy

You are describing an AK platform rifle to a T.

The .357 mag in a rifle actualy is pretty close to a 30-30. .357` ammo is a heck of a lot less than 30-30. They dont kick as bad and a lot less than .44 mag. I have a half dozzen nice levers in 30-30, 308, 30-40, .357 and .44 mag. .357 is always available everywhere, as you know makes a nice companion to your revolver. Here is both a .357 puma and a 92 browning in .44 mag. I prefer the .357.
Another good rifle is the pump remington 760. I inherited my dads in 30-06. A fine rifle! A peep sight on a lever or pump works out great!

I agree. I'm not so sure about the effectiveness of a 357 at 200 yards.

No, not quite as good but read this. Remember, cost, availability, lower recoil, use same ammo as your revolver, and the rifle holds more rounds than 30-30. Worth thinking about.

Lever-Action Ballistics: .30-30 vs. .357 Magnum | The Truth About Guns

The AR may have the accuracy but it may be a bit anemic when shooting a whitetail size game at 200 yards. I'm about an average shooter (at least that's what the deer tell me) and with a simple 3-9x scope, I shoot 2"-3" groups @ 100 yards with a Marlin 336 30-30 I owned a few years ago. It would probably get to 6" groups at 200 yards.

Have you considered a flatter caliber like 243, 7mm-08 or 308?

You might be pushing a "one gun buy" past its limit. If you had stated up to 100 yards for Deer I would agree that the .357 Magnum is the way to go, but feel 200 yards for that cartridge is pushing it.

If 200 yards and farther is what you are desiring you might want to consider a Winchester M70 Bolt Action which I know you did not state in your OP.

I own a Marlin Lever Action (and no it's not for sale) which was a limited run about 12 or so years ago chambered in .38-55 that shoots a 249 grain bullet quite flat over the distances you are talking about. I'm fairly sure the only way you could acquire one is to find one on GB or equivalent but it might just fit the bill. By hand-loading the cartridge yo can lighten them up a bit for a day of non punishing plinking too! (See link below as an example).

Marlin 336 cowboy 38-55 : Lever Action Rifles at GunBroker.com

There are also Semi Autos (Remington for one) that might fit the bill for you.

Chief38

I just bought a nice condition but obsolete Remington 742 in .30 06 for less than $300. I'd suggest finding a Winchester mdl 100 in .243 for whitetail if you insist on autoloader.But you can find a nice Win. 88 for lever action. I never was that good at 150+yds with a 30 30. Good hunting.

__________________
Halfway and one more step

Dustin, Out of your criteria I would go with the Winchester or Marlin for a lever gun. For an semi I would stay away from the Remingtons. When they break good luck. I would personally go with an SKS for a semi. You can't break them they are still somewhat affordable and you can use the rest of the money for ammo. An AK just doesn't have the length for an accurate 200 yd shot. JMHO
Larry

Mini 14 or .30-30. Go used if you have to.

My thought....if your gonna pack a rifle get a rifle caliber.
The combo revolver/long gun is a neat idea but I would stick
with a 30/30 in a lever gun.

Savage 22-250 is the ultimate out to 500 yards. Look at the specs. It is a tad light for deer...but using the 77 grain will do the trick.

__________________
Lt. Dan, what R U doing here?

"For an semi I would stay away from the Remingtons. When they break good luck."

What do you mean by that snide comment? The 740s had some problems when they were shot excessively, but the 742 and 7400 (and Model 7) redesigns solved those early problems. Plus they are very simple to disassemble. Even with the 740, I have fired over 2000 rounds of 7.62 NATO through mine with no problems whatsoever. Plus you can buy high capacity magazines for the Remington semi-autos.

The more i research the more i am leaning towards a lever action. During my research I have read that the newer marlins arent quite up to the standards they used to be? I did have a wasr 10 for a while and i loved it but i sold it to pay for my mossy. I like the advantage of round count of the 357 mag but also the effective range of the 30-30. I found both ammo calibers for around the same price at least online. One reason i like these 2 over the 270 or 308 and the like is mostly because of the price per round. Its going to be a rifle i dont want to flinch over shooting off 50-100 rds in a day. I was very close to picking up an sks about a week ago but have since thought about my fondness for lever actions.
Has anyone had any experience with the mossberg 30-30 lever action? It was mentioned in one of the articles i read today.
Again I appreciate all of your input and im sorry for the length but im just trying to answer everyone at once!

Dustin

The Browning Automatic Rifle (BAR) is a possibility.

I've had an older Grade II one since the late 1960s. Shot my first deer,
and my only bear and coyote with it.

It's a .30-06 and is one of the most accurate semiautos I've ever
used. It's a bit heavier than some other deer rifles but makes up
for it by the way it looks and shoots. The last time I sighted it in I shot
a group of three into an inch at 100 yards. That was with reloads made a little hotter than I usually have made them. Before that with factory
Remington 150 grain PSP loads, and reloads made with the same bullet
it shot into an inch and an eighth for years.

They also come in .308, .243, .270 and some magnum calibers.
I wanted one in .338 Wincheser Mag for a while but that phase seems to
have passed.

I have seen prices on these, used, from $495 to the $600+ area.

I have almost all the guns that have been suggested on this thread. 92`s in .357 and .44 mag, winchesters in 30-30, remington 760 pump in 30-06, winchester lever model 88 in 308, the bar auto in 30-06, and another half dozzen bolts and levers in other strong calibers., 30-40, 300 H&H, 7X57.
EVERY LAST ONE OF THEM WILL DO THE JOB!
I am adviseing from what perimiters were given. I have the scoped BAR. It`s a heavy beast. Seems he wasnt interested in bolts. Personaly, I think the old 7x57 is one of the best cartridges invented and happens to be the first high pressure smokeless cartridge. I like the 30-30. Shot a few deer with it, my longest shot a buck at about 220 yards. My 1952 winchester 70 .300 H&H would cost well over $1,000s and also is a heavy beast and far more powerfull than needed and ammo sky high.
Marlins of late do have a worse reputation than the old ones. The winchester .357 is in the 94 action, except for the new ones from japan that cost double or more than the $600s. You want a 92 action. Its better, smoother and a lot shorter throw than the 94. The most practical one out there is the puma made by rossi. I think I paid $350 ish for mine new a year or two ago.
This guy is the best guru out there that slicks them up and sells you parts and sights for them.
Steve's Gunz, The Home of the Rossi 92 Specialist

Don't forget about the 760 Pump action Remington. Same look and calibers as the 742. Savage 99 in .308 sounds good to me.

__________________
Wayne
Torn & Frayed

Well, the two you already have are both low-cost-operation type rifles. (a .22 and a 12 gauge).

If you're willing to pay (if you don't reload) a buck a shot, then there are tons of inexpensive, used guns in any caliber you pick. If you want something in .357, then the Rossi (new) at a little over $400 is your best bet. Marlin's aren't made anymore (not even by Remington - the so-called "Remlins") because of production problems, you can't order them and there's no serious plan to start making them again. That leaves you with a Henry, Winchester...and a couple others - can't remember. And those are all over 600 beans. Ruger's 77/357 is the other new .357 - $600 new - and it's stainless with decent availability. That's what I'm looking at now.

Edit: you might have to put a scope on the 77/357...

Edit2: forgot to mention - there's a couple of 9mm carbines out there. I'm told that they have pretty good accuracy with a red dot or scope. Check out the Ruger CX4 - new it's $700, used ones are less. Uses the same mags as the 92 series.

__________________
But then, what do I know?

The OP said lever gun or semi-auto but for my money a
Remington 700 in any variety of calibers will do it for me.
Or an AR/AK platform with the right bullet will definately
fit the bill.

Chuck

__________________
They hold no Quarter

I like levers for the simplicity of operation, their light weight, and they are handy and point well. The Savage 99 in .308 is a good call, but they are not highly available and can be expensive. I'm thinking that, on Ferrils recommendation, I need to pick up a .357 lever now! Maybe one of the Henrys......

__________________
Even older, even crankier....

I just bought a Marlin 336 a few weeks back. I'd wanted a lever gun for awhile and a friend of mine had this 30-30 for sale. I gave him $300 for it. Made in 1976 and in good condition. I hadnt shot a lever action in 20 years or so but what a fun gun to shoot! The action worked flawlessly and it was pretty accurate. The sights are probably not the best thing about the rifle but it shot where you aimed. There is a fiber optic peep sight you can buy for these. That'l be next. These rifles are affordable. The newer ones come with a hammer block type safety. Good luck in your search.

Dustin:
Williams Gun Sight has a ton (possibly literally) of used lever guns listed on their website. Winchesters, Marlins, etc. Prices don't seem too bad
either.
Might be worth a trip up, down, or sideways, to see what they have.

(I have no commercial connection to Williams, I just check their site
now and then.)

And don't forget, if you are at Williams and are interested in a specific
used gun, to ask the clerk, "Could you please call Terry on this one?"

More often than not they will come down a little on the asking price, if you ask.

__________________
Ogy

S&W Model 60 Pro, I believe you.

__________________
Doesn't hasta call me Johnson

Williams will deal, but not that much!!
The Model 60, and the M438, were private sales.......

Terry, or whoever is minding the back building, will usually drop the price about
the amount of what tax would be, sometimes more. On a nice 2.5" Model 686-5
they were asking $575, after "the call" it was $500. With box & papers.

Of the dozen + used guns that I've bought there in the last few years the only one
I had to pay the full asking price, which was fair, was a 6" 1947, "one liner" K22.

I knew when the clerk was on the phone with Terry for over 30 seconds what the answer
would be. They had just put it in the case less than 30 min's before so it was, "too soon."

They are the closest shop around here and have been around since 1927. Our
Family has been dealing with Williams since the beginning, in fact, when I was
growing up I thought almost all guns came stock with Williams sights on them.

__________________
Ogy

I have a Just Right Carbine lefty 9mm (Glock mags). It is cheap to shoot, accurate, light weight, durable, customizable and reliable.
It's a blast to bring into the woods.
They have .40 and .45acp models which some might feel better about using as their bug out gun.
Cool piece in op's price range new!

Williams is a good bet but expect they're low on deer rifles now with the season on. They'll come down 10% anyhow on most anything used even on sale and clearance.
If you're near a Duhams Sports I believe they have a Marlin lever in 30-30 on sale for Black Friday. They're a good source for military surplus too.