Low Profile Urban Carbine Project

For a low profile "urban carbine," I'd second the recommendation to consider a .303 Brit carbine, like the Lee-Enfield #4s that Gibbs is putting on the market. They also have one out in .308, but I have no personal experience with this version.

Aftermarket buttstocks and foreends are available from Boyds that'll make these handle better. LOP sucks on the "sporterized" British military buttstock. However, you're good to go with what the rest of the gun offers:

rear peep site;
10 round mag;
extremely quick-cycling bolt action (maybe the fastest ever made);
recoil-dampening muzzle brake;
handy barrel length (total of 20 inches);
very accurate for its intended range (under 250 yds);
utterly reliable under the worst combat conditions.

Lever actions are certainly fun, and my Grandfather took more venison with an old 30-30 than I'll ever see, but for the "urban carbine" purpose, I'd prefer a Gibbs or some "Tanker" version of the #4 Lee-Enfield, assuming its barrel and action were still sound.
 
No flame inteded guys but if I wanted a bolt action or a semiauto I wouldn't have bought a lever.

I've handled and fired a Lee/Enfield Jungle Carbine. The one I shot was much heavier than this little Marlin 336 and kicked like a mule.

The Remington No 4 I owned a few months ago would not go through a 4 round magazine on a regular basis. I returned it and got my money back.

For 9 years I was active in the Cowboy Action Shooting game. I've handled lever actions of several designs ('73 Win, '76 Win, '86 Win, '92 Win & '94 Win) with a clock running. I've got a pretty good feel for how they handle and shoot. They are not military/combat guns and compairing them to one is kind of silly. By the same token, 6 rounds of 30WCF (otherwise known as the 30/30) will solve a number of problems that would be difficult for the handgun I carry all the time.
 
I have a 336. I like it. My wife loves it. That said:
occasional finger pinches on closing the lever.
Occasional misfeeds on rimmed ammo.
Get one in a rimless caliber and modify the trigger guard or trigger to avoid pinches at high rates of fire.

Wouldn't hurt to have some nice top wood made for the fore-end, to avoid burns. If you can stand the modern look, get a plastic stock.

Ruger .44 lever carbine? Rotary mag, doesn't jam, ever (statistically speaking).

cold flow can indeed be a problem. Rotate ammo every couple of weeks when you clean or fire and clean.
 
Deaf wrote:

Have you tried 'speed reloading' a tube fed leveraction which is very hot in your hands? Have you any problem with short-stroking the action? Stuffing rounds in the
loading gate? Finding rounds to load in the loading gate?

Deaf, yes, no, no, and no. 30/30 loads easier/faster than a 44, but the 44 loads fast enough if one practices (and in my case starts it with the index and thumb while finishing it with the pinky or next round - too fat of fingers). Short stroking a lever gun fits in the same catagory of short stroking a pump gun - practice and competence. Keep spare ammo either in a pouch or in a bandolier.

I like my Rossi 44mag, contrary to what someone posted it will handily kill deer at 150+yds with open sights, 200 if the shooter is skilled and practices with the gun.
 
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