Neither the Rifle.....or especially the calibre ( 30-30 ) are exceptionally accurate.
The `Buffalo` calibre was the black powder predecessor of the 45-70 Govt. 45-70 cartridges DO look big........but only until you put a really big bruiser next to one. Nowadays you can get Marlins chambered for the .444 Marlin and .450 Marlin ..... both of which make the 45-70 Govt look pretty puny - particularly the .450 Marlin. Something like a .500 NE makes all three look quite small however !
I should have mentioned earlier that Browning used to make the BLR lever action that was strong enough to be chambered for conventional centrefire cartridges such as the the 30-06 and 7mm Rem mag. A very good rifle.........except that it`s ugly ( IMO. )
I`ve never shot a 39A .22LR. I have tried a Winchester 9422 which is a cute little rifle with OK but not brilliant accuracy. The Marlin 39A and the Henry are supposed to be better but the most accurate of the .22 lr lever actions is the Miroku. No longer made and therefore quite inexpensive - usually about the £100-120 mark in the UK. A bargain for the best of the lever action .22s.
I`m perioducally tempted to get a Henry Varmint Express .17 HMR - the only thing that stops me is that I`ve never seen a review of the rifle so don`t know how accurate it is.........and I somehow doubt that it will shoot 200 yard 2" groups like my CZ 452-2E ZKM Varmint did.........although I doubt that all the CZ 452 Varmints shoot as accurately as that one.
If you want a real powerhouse lever action then get Doug Turnbull to build you an 1886 Big Bore in .50-110 AE or the even more powerful .50 Alaskan.
Turnbulls work is sheer class:
http://www.turnbullrestoration.com/bigboreclassic.htm
Doug Turnbull colour case hardening is still the best I`ve ever seen:
http://www.turnbullrestoration.com/outp ... tail1.html - check out all seven pictures.
