Lever action rifles - what's your favorite?

J

Jeff Thomas

New member
I've generally focused on semi-auto's, since they seem to be most likely 'endangered' in today's brave new world. But, now I'm getting curious about some other actions. Like lever actions.

Doing some reading on them, but I wonder if some of you would please tell me which ones you like? I note that they seem to come in pistol calibers quite often, no? Which rifles and calibers would you choose in various situations? What is the range in magazine capacities? What is the best 'modern' lever action?

And, if you could buy only one, for fun, beauty and / or utility, which would it be.

Thanks. Regards from AZ.
 
Jeff. Absolutely no question in my mind. A good minty pre-64 Model 94 Winchester in the good old "thutty-thutty".
For all you Marlin lovers, no hard feelings. I have very small hands and the 336 feels like a pregnant club to me.
Paul B.
 
just picked up a marlin 336 / 30-30, i also have small hands but don't find the stock feels that bad to me, go figure :), though i ain't crazy about all the checkering. used to have a 94 in a 44mag. that i wished i had never got rid of. marlin or winchester, handle both of them and pick the one that feels best to you.

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RKBA
www.southernparty.org
 
I'll take the BLR in .358 Win. I couldn't live without it. I guess I am a little biased cause Dad gave it to me when I was 13.
Sister got one in .243... what a guy!!!!

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lasciate ogni speranza, voi ch'entrate
 
1895 Winchester (one of the newly made ones in .30-06)

or

Winchester Model 71 in .348 Winchester (best "brush" gun ever)
 
In order of appearance - Marlin 336 in thurty-thurty; Winchester 94 (new, for 'cowboy' as a companion to Ruger Vaquero in same caliber) in 45 Colt... most recent, Marlin 1895G (the 'Guide Gun') in 45/70.

In order of 'disapperance' should the need arise (God forbid! entirely hypothetical): The Winchester 45, the 336 then the 45/70.
No offence to Winchester fans - the Marlins just seem to be a bit smoother and better finished. If the Winchester were an older one the list may be different. The 336 and the 45/70 would really be tied for 'favorite', pregnant club notwithstanding :).

Dont see much real point in having the rifle and revolver in the same caliber, though 45 is a better choice than 357 and 44/40 would be historically correct but 44 magnum would make most sense. Now if someone (Marlin?) would come out with a .454 Casull carbine...
Higher magazine capacities are one advantage - but on the other hand anything that can't be fixed within four rounds of 45/70 would be more in the semi-auto (or nuke) category.

I regard all my lever actions as relatively close range guns. None are scoped, a tang sight on the 30-30 and am looking at putting an Ashley peep sight on the 45/70.

The BLR's sound great - but never had an opportunity to try one. Someday maybe.

Peter
 
I'm a Winchester fan myself. Got a 94 in 30-30 for general hunting use. A trapper in .45 Colt for general woods bumming, camping and self defense. And a 9422 for small game and fun. I don't like scopes on lever guns, just don't feel right.

Another great one is the Savage 99. Lovely rifle avalible in most short action cartridges .243,.308, etc. That one does work well with a scope.
 
I've got several Marlins, a Winchester and a Savage in the safe now. Just picked up the Savage. Only put around 50 or so rounds through it. Seems to be a nice weapon. Like the .308 possibilites in a levergun. As per the Win vs Marlin, I prefer the Marlin. Smoother action and the guts don't appear to fall out every time I cycle the action.
 
Almost forgot. Try handling some of the older Marlins if you don't like the larger stocks. Old Marlins had slim forearms.
You can always order a stock from GPC and fit it to your personal size.
 
Hmmmm... I just like lever guns, all varieties. I've been very impressed in the pistol-caliber Rossi offerings, lately. I know an old codger that uses one in .44-40 for elk out to 125 yards. (I wouldn't do it, but then, I've never been a Marine sniper and a P.D. tac team sniper, either. He has, and so who am I to judge his limitations...? :))

The Co-Pilot looks really neat. (Takedown .45-70, nickle-plated, with 16" barrel.)

The new Ballard-cut .45-70 Marlin Guide Gun looks swell. So does Winchester's answer to it, which I can't remember the name of.

Savage 99's are as nice a rifle as you could want. I love the Wichester 1895s and the Browning reproductions of them, especially in .405 winchester, which was recently re-released by Kynick in a 300g load at 2240.

Probably the one I want most right now that's in my price range (If the wife will let me...) is the Browning Lever Action featherweight in .308. Detatchable box magazine means you can use spitzers, and it's light and handy.

So, which is my favorite lever action that I actually own? Um, er, I, uh... don't actually own one, right now... :o
 
Longhair,
Sorry, I can't say from personal experience on the Savage 99. Thus far I've only been able to fondle them at gun shows. :(
They handle well and have an excellent reputation.
 
That 1895 Winchester in .405 was what Teddy Rppsevelt called his "lion medicine". Taking a lever gun to africa seems odd by today's standard, but hey YOU tell Teddy that. Oh and to be teddy correct it should have a steel shotgun butt (ouch!)

I like the look of the 1895 Winchester, but I'll bet it kicks like a mule in the heavy calibers. Again STEEL BUTTPLATE (OUCH!)

The mariln 336 is a Great Rifle (and like MANY of us here was MY first deer rifle). The action is strong, it holds 6 rounds and with a 170 grain sierra bullet you can kill just about anything on 4 legs you'll find in the lower 48 (ok its light for moose but a LOT of game has fallen to the "underpowered" 30-30)

I had a chance to shoot a marlin 45-70 rifle a can you say WOW what a rush!! It doesn't kick at all (much to my suprise) and iron sight accuracy was dead- on at 100 yards. (whack a coffe can with any rifle you own at 100 yards... its a kick) And man what a report from the muzzle!! I mean Ka-BOOM. Its inexpensive compared to other "big bores" and relatively light wieght. This would be a GREAT all around rifle, Not as easy to get cartridges for as a 30-30, but awfully neat.

I'd agree that if you wanted a rifle in a "pistol" caliber I'd opt for a 44 mag over any other caliber. I think marlin's 44 mag holds 9 rounds, and in cowboy trim would be a FINE companion to the rugged vaquero, esp with the oversized "john wayne" lever.

So having said all that, I'd recommend a MARLIN no matter which caliber you buy. They a rugged, accurate and fun to shoot and if you MUST mount a scope you don't have to use a long eye relief scope, you can mount right on top the reciever.

Hope it helps and GOOD SHOOTING.

Dr.Rob
 
I got to say my Big Bore 94 in .375 Winchester. I've had this since 1979 and have taken good size deer with it. Accuracy is decent 2-3" 100yds
 
I see a lot of good choices here. You will have to find the Savage 99 on the used gun market though. I think it has been discontinued. :(
Paul B.
 
I appreciate all the great advice, very much - gives me a lot more to work with. I think there's a gun show this weekend, so I'll study the lever actions some more.

Thanks. Regards from AZ.
 
Jeff,
One?!??!!
Yeah right! Lever actions are like rabbits and cock-roaches. Ya see one and there are a bunch hidden ;) Or maybe like the old potato chip ads: Bet ya can't stop at one. ;)
While I prefer the looks of the Winchester 94, I think the Marlin is a better gun all around. Last week I thought different. What changed my mind is the new Marlin Cowboy II(.38/.357Mag)sitting in the safe. The Marlin is stronger, smoother to cycle, easier to load and has a better feel. I have 3 Winchesters and 1 Marlin. I will definatly get another Marlin. While the concept of interchangeable handgun/rifle ammo lacks appeal of simplified ammo carry in today's world, it does make the purchase and/or reloading simpler. 9 rounds of .44 Mag in the Win Trapper, 6 in the Smith 29, and a speed loader for the 29 do add up to a lot of firepower though. It was pointed out that the use of pistol calibers in a carbine or rifle was kind of silly because if you are going to pack the extra weight/length of a long arm, why limit yourself to an inferior cartridge? My only answer to this is that the Trapper in .44 Mag is quieter than the Winchester in 30-30. Something to consider when the Trapper is called on in it's turn in the rotatation as home defence gun of the week.(My home-D gun is always the last center fire that I shot. I know it works;I know it's clean; I know how it shoots). Here in Ohio, we can't use a rifle to hunt with, so mine are limited to paper and plinking, generally at ranges of 50 or 100 yards. In Az, you may need the extra range of say a .444 Marlin. For all around fun, a .22 is hard to beat. For a little extra punch, a .38/.357 can provide inexpensive fun with .38's, and do double duty as home-d with .357Mag. If pure nostalgia is your goal, Umbetri(sp) makes a great line of replicas. Specs for the Winchesters, Marlins, and Henery replicas can all be found on-line. In terms of usefullness, and this applies ony to me and my situation, I found the best all around was the Winchester Trapper in .44Mag, followed by the Winchester in .22, followed by the Browning in .22,followed by the Winchester in 30-30, followed by the Marlin in .38/.357, followed by (any) in .45Colt, followed by (any) in .44-40, followed by (any) in a heavier rifle cal. Like I say though, that's only for my needs and wants. The next guy may place my last choice as his/her first.

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CCW for Ohio action site.
http://www.ofcc.net
 
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