[Porchdog]

My go-to hunting rifle is a single shot Thompson Encore. Originally with three lengths of 7mm-08 barrels, I carried it with just those for decades. .223 in the spring for groundhogs.

Since I started hunting bears I got a 45-70 barrel. It puts down bear and deer with authority (we have a combined season where I hunt). It has some kick, but certainly not the hardest I have shot. 300 H&H and 30-378 Weatherby both kick harder, as does my cousins guide gun in .444 Marlin.

I haven't gotten the "tack driving" handloads that I get with the 7mm-08, but it's plenty accurate for hunting at the distances I can see where I hunt.

Regarding lever actions - I have a couple and I like shooting them, but I'm no longer confident hunting with iron sights and I don't like a scope on a lever gun.