leverguns

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shooter43

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id like some opinions. from one levergun lover to another( if anyone really hunts with them anymore), anybody have any favorites?
 
Even though they are not as popular as bolt rifles they are the second most common type of rifle used around here in western wa where it's mostly woods hunting. I have a winchester 94 30-30 top eject that I sometimes use and I absolutely love it. There are some pretty sweet lever rifles available to hunt with now days. Marlins xlr series which is chambered in new cartridges like .308 and .338 marlin express are awesome performers. I would love a .338 marlin. The .45-70 lever gun is popular and well recieved. A lot of guys I know have one and sometimes hunt with them especially for black bear. The browning blr can be had in just about any common hunting caliber, same as bolt actions because it is magazine fed. They are petty sweet rifles. The good ol .30-30 is still selling well too. I think lever guns are alive and well.
 
I don't own one but I plan to someday. I'll admit that lever guns didn't really do anything for me at first, but after researching them a bit I fell in love. I like that they're lightweight (except for the Henry brand which are built like tanks), relatively inexpensive (compared to bolt guns) and are good brush guns to have if you're not shooting long distances. I've been looking at the Winchester 94 30-30 and the Marlin 336 30-30. I'm partial to Marlin's side eject feature but I wouldn't rule out a Winchester if the price was right.
 
I took a white tail last season with a Winchester 94 30-30 at 75 yards. It is a great gun if you are hunting around in trees.
 
I just got my first lever gun and it is a 94 Winchester chambered in .444 Marlin. It points and shoots really well. I have yet to "sight it in" but It keeps hitting what I aim at. And since I reload my own it is fairly cheap to shoot. the only expensive part is the brass.

However; it seems that the more of these threads I read it seems that the Marlin always edge out the Winchester in the popularity contest. These seem to be the most popular reasons for people liking the marlin over the Win.

#1 The Marlin is a side eject and thus making mounting a scope easier.

#2 The Marlin has few moving parts in the action and make it a seem a little more reliable.

#3 Because of how simple the marlin action is supposed to be it is easy to work over and be made to operate as "smooth as butter"

Now one of the draw backs some have mentioned about the Marlin is the Micro groove rifling, some say it does not handle cast or heavy bullets really well. But many of the caster on another forum I frequent say that if you cast it fat enough and shoot it fast enough then the rifling is not an issue.

I really wanted a Marlin but I found the Win and the price was right plus it was available so I picked it up and I am not sorry.

Good luck in your search.
 
#1 The Marlin is a side eject and thus making mounting a scope easier.
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Just a note. Over 20 years ago winchester went to the "AE" angle eject design which will accomodate scopes. So it's not an issue unless you buy a used one. I really like the balance and feel of a lever gun without a scope but that's just me.
 
Marlins do indeed like fat boolits. My 1895G has Ballard rifling so is suited for cast at any speed. My friends Marlin 30/30 like cast even without Ballard rifling as long as it is .311.

Scopes have no place on a LA IMO. I put peep sights on it and accounted for two deer so far so not having a scope is no handicap.
 
Took my last 4 point buck with my Winchester 30-30, open sights. I carry my Marlin 30-30 deer (and occasionally elk) hunting all the time. Great guns for close range.

My favorite leverguns: 1) Browning BLR 2) Winchester 3) Marlin.

I prefer the Winchesters over the Marlins for two reasons: 1) Slimmer in the hand 2) Nostalgia/history. The Marlins have a smoother action, I think; but the Winchesters do smooth out over time.
 
I really like the balance and feel of a lever gun without a scope but that's just me.
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i'm with ya. I don't know what it is but scopes don't like right on a lever gun. I think part of it for me is the history behind the lever gun and that its users didn't have scopes back then, so it took some good old fashioned target practice to put some meat on the table. scopes also seem cumbersome when you consider the weight and length of the average lever gun. i'd rather have a lighter-weight brush gun, minus a scope, that I can shoulder quickly than one that's weighed down.
 
Granted I've only shot one centerfire levergun (the other being a Henry .22lr) a Marlin 336 .30-30 made in 1979. It's currently my only deer rifle as I've gotten rid of the others so I guess that makes it my favorite.

Here it is with a nice walnut stock and Bushnell 1.5-4.5 scope:
marlin336.jpg
 
I have a marlin 30-30 a winchester 30-30 and a henry .22. I really like then all. My marlin is scoped, which is something that would be harder to do to a winchester. The henry is a very accurate, smooth, reliable rimfire. Some day soon I will be the proud owner of a henry pistol caliber. Not sure which yet. Whatever caliber it is I will have a single action to match. I already have a heritage .22 to go with the henry.
 
I owned a pre '64 Winchester 94 30/30 - and it was a joy to own and shoot. (I didn't hunt with mine)

Am fond of the Browning BLR (.308) , as well. Would likely buy one if given the opportunity to do so for a reasonable price.
 
.35 Rem.

. . . Marlin, that is.

First hunting arm I ever purchased way back in the early '80s.

Bought it at a K-Mart for $89.99.

Best old friend I have that is still living.

Rmocarsky
 
while I agree that a scope does "clutter up" the looks of a levergun, I also think that a responsible hunter should use everything reasonable to enable himself/herself to make a clean kill shot.
It's a cold, hard fact of life that after 40yrs old, most folks start to lose visual acuity. Usually this is the ability to focus close up, but you also lose the ability to focus on separate planes as well. This makes it increasingly difficult to "see" the front and back sights, as well as seeing the target.
My 1895 Marlin wears a low power scope, simply to enable me to accurately place my shots where I want them to go.
 
99 Savage: 22 Savage Hi-Power, .243, .260, 30-30, .303, .300, .308, .358 I still hunt deer with all on occasion. Some have scopes, some not. I find it hard to get "comfortable" with a scoped lever action and usually shoot just as well with open sights @ 100 yards and less.
 
My second gun to own was a used Winchester 94 in 32 Special - given to me at age 8 so I could shoot coyotes my .22 LR wasn't adequate for - given to me by my great uncle who gave me my first horse when I was 4. Loved it but, somehow with all my moves over the years - lost it.

I made it up, though - this is my Browning BL22 rimfire -

ABL222.jpg


Winchester 94s in 30-30

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BUFFALOBILL94A.jpg


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The Canadian Centennial with the 20" barrel is my favorite "plinker" I most often shoot on my weekly range sessions - it's just so much fun to shoot. I do shoot all over time, though. I agree lever guns just don't look right to me with scopes - I've installed Williams FP aperture rear sights on all - they work well for my 84 year old eyes - I've shot under one MOA on paper at 100 yards with a fist rest - using my Winchester 95. All my other rifles - mostly bolt actions - are scoped.

But, my first in line is this Winchester 95 in 30-06 my wife gave me for our 25th anniversary 6 years ago - for a long time the B&C largest elk rack was harvested with a Winchester 95 in 30-40 Krag - before 30-06 was invented.

AWINCHESTER95-1.jpg


IMG_1494_edited-1.jpg


OK - so I did help her "find" it - we husbands have an obligation to help our wives any and all ways we can -
 
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I have Savage 99's, winchester 88's, winchester 94's, marlin 1894's, marlin 62's, BLR's, a winchester 9422, and a funny looking winchester 22 that I don't remember the model of. I would have to say that I would have a tough time callin' one a favorite. I would say that I do favor lever guns. The one's I use the most are the 99 in .308, and the BLR in .243.

I think my 94 in .307 would get more use but the sights are not verry good on it, and I can't bring myself to scope it. I also like to carry the .375 when hunting elk in the thick dark timber.

Oh! And I have two 1887 shotguns. One in 12 guage and one in 10 guage. I've shot the 12 quite a bit and like it alot but have never shot, nor have the desire to shoot the 10. I guess I don't have a favorite lever gun but could say my favorites are lever guns.:cool:
 
Where I hunt, the deer typically don't show their faces until shooting light is nearly gone. A scope is a must if you hunt with the intention of putting deer meat in the freezer. The Marlin 336 is my favorite. :D
 
BLR .308, I also have a pre 64 Winchester 94 that has had a lever scout mount fitted, and I must say I am sold on the EER concept on lever guns.

The BLR is my favourite deer and feral pig rifle.

I also own a 39 TDS which I use a lot and a Winchester 9422 M.

I have a couple of other lever guns, a B92 44 mag and 9417, but they see infrequent use at present.
 
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