Dear Ron: What are the pros and cons of these rifles?

Q: Dear Mr. Spomer, I really enjoy your Youtube ballistics videos. I live in Scotland and do not hunt but I would like to suggest two topics for future videos.

Assume that a hunter was asking you these questions:
1. Pros and cons of a single-round breech-loader versus a magazine-fed rifle.
2. Pros and cons of a lever-action versus a bolt-action rifle.

Thank you very much for sharing your knowledge and experience. I wish you continued good health and good hunting.

Best regards, Graeme.

A: Graeme, 

Thanks for the fine idea. I’ll try to tackle that in-depth one of these days. The simple answers are a magazine rifle delivers follow-up shots more quickly, sometimes useful if the first shot went slightly awry. Life-saving if the subject is charging with malicious intent. The single loaders encourage more careful hunting and shooting. Trained shooters can load them surprisingly fast, however. Magazine rifles also have convenient storage for additional rounds. Single loaders require pockets or belt loops etc. 

Bolt-action rifle advantages over lever-action are generally more easily tuned, customized, and “accurized.” Tubular magazine lever actions hold more cartridges than do most bolt actions (except extended drop-out magazines, but they are bulky and clumsy, getting in the way of carrying ease and prone shooting.) Lever-actions are slightly faster to cycle than bolt-actions, but the levering action is compromised when prone shooting. Bolt-actions are usually stronger and more effective at extracting “sticky” cartridges. Triggers on most bolt-actions are more easily and finely tuned than on lever-action, too. Mounting telescopic sights were clumsy on older, top ejection lever-actions, but modern angle-eject levers easily accommodate scopes. The slab-sided shape of lever actions makes them easily carried in a scabbard on a horse, though few people require that these days. 

Ron