"Best Overall Lever Action"?

Get a Marlin lever gun in .44Mag.
My wife and I used one for cowboy action shooting and shoot it every month for 6 years. Never a problem!!
You can down load it and shoot 44 special or rattle your teeth with some 300gr 44mag loads.
You can hit man sized targets out to 100 yards with practice (actually very little pratice).
Get the carbine model as it holds ten, is short, and has a good balance to it.
 
Take Radom's Advice - Model 99 Savage

First let me say I am a collector and shooter of lever action rifles. They are the bead & butter of my collecting and hunting, and for over 25 years I've owned and hunted with vintage Winchester 94's, Model 95's (in 30-40) and an 1886 in 45-70, and a Winchester Model 88 in .308. I've shot a Browning BLR in .308 that a friend owns. That being said, the cream of the crop is my 1951 Savage Model 99 in .250-3000. The hallmark of the Model 99 was the brass rotary magazine, which was way ahead of it's time. All the guns you've mentioned are great guns, but you should go out to some local gun shops and find a Savage 99 in .300 or whatever you find and try it on for size. You may just want to cash in your Wally World gift certificate and pay cash for a 99. Good luck.
Cliff
 
Marlin or Winchester, etc.

If it were me, and price was an issue, I would go with the Marlin 336 with the longest barrel I could find in .30-30 or the Marlin 1895 in .45-70. .30-30 ammo can be found anywhere/anytime. I would scope both with a low power variable, or alternately use the Ashley Espress sights. I remember a scope mount that had a fold down ghost ring as backup, but cannot remember who made it. I have seen some 150 yard .30-30 scoped Marlin 336 one-shot kills.

If price ceases to be an issue, I would go with the new Marlin 1895 Cowboy, a long barreled, full length magazine in .45-70, or the Browning in .308 and then the Marlin 336 Cowboy in .38-55. The Browing gets the nod for the box mag and the .308 for wide bullet selection.

Personally, if big game hunting was the goal, I would stay away from the handgun calibers. If a practical knock around/plinker is the goal with big game (whitetail size only) secondary, I would get the .357 with heavy 158 or 180 grain loads.
 
i dont care for the safty on the newer winchester 94s.my older one is just perfect.30 30 very light weight,very handy.
 
i have owned or currently own...
marlin 44
marlin 450 mag
marlin 444SS
marlin 444p takedown
marlin 336 30-30
browning BLR 308
browning blr 243
i cant say enough good things about the BLR's.
they shoot as acccurate as a stock bolt gun, the shoot pointed ammo, easy to load and reload coming out of a tree stand, fast handling, great calibers 243, 7-08, 308, 30-06, 7mmremmag, 300 win mag, great looking wood.
you can spend alot less but its hard to buy anymore in a levergun.
 
Back in the late 70's/early 80's I owned a Marlin in 44. Did a dumb thing and traded it. Regretted it so much, that I broke down in '97 and bought a replacement - Marlin Model 1894S. I ahve used this to plink, take down deer and with some beefed up 300gr rounds, elk. I have never had a jam (failure-to-feed) or any other malfunction. Reliable, accurate and fun.

Don't think they make the '94S any longer, but a standard '94 should do you well.

Al.
 
I have an 1895G. Wanted one as soon as I saw the first picture of it. Love it. Dropped a deer at about 40 yards like an anvil dropped on it.

(A .35 Rem, by comparison, still had the deer conscious, and able to get to his feet 20 min after being shot; of course, I'm sure *my* shot was better. ;))

I second the motion for a Marlin 16" .41, though I don't care if they port it, or not. Might even prefer not. I also agree that I don't like the way Winchesters look like an invitation for debris to fall into the action.
 
I have not had much experience with different lever actions, held a lot, and played with some. But the only one I have shot and is still available is the Winchester 94 in .30-30. Of course, the one I use is pre '64, but still in great shape.

My favorite lever action is the Winchester Model 88. Feels better compared to the Savages, Marlins, and other Winchesters I have played with(most of them were old time guns). Handles well. Scoped and in .243 it can get out there, and put all the bullets where you want them.
 
Savage 99's are still available

A friend of mine (FFL holder) has just bought one in 243.
I actually do not know where he bought it. I was listed in the little papers of guns and ammo that he gets.
Look for a dealer that can get you one.
 
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