How to make a lever gun more accurate...?

[Kev18]

So I was wondering... Is it possible to do minor adjustments, to improve accuracy. For example fixing a loose forend or something? I heard and read that companies make rifle forends alittle loose on purpose for large calibers, because in the long run the would shrinks, and with recoil, it can result in a cracked stock?

Any input or simple tricks? Im not looking for the "get it rebarrled" responses. I mean just something a gun enthusiast can do simply.

[HawkCreek]

http://www.leverguns.com/articles/paco/chapter23.htm

I still haven't gotten around to trying everything in this article.

[Shawlerbrook]

Check out Mic MacPherson’s book on accurazing rifles. He has a chapter or two specifically on leverguns.

[LawrenceA]

According to McPherson's "Accurizing the Factory Rifle" (which I am told is the ultimate in accurizing the levergun) there is heaps you can do. The 2 stand outs in my opinion is a trigger job and that the Foreend should not be too tight. He actually said a little play is better than too tight. He mainly talks about unnecessary pressure on the barrel so attention on the mag and its retaining devices and the forend and its attachments.
Hope this helps.

My own 2 cents.
Trigger job and most importantly use it and then use it some more.

[upnorthwis]

I've found that in my 94 Win (.38-55 1899 mfg) that pushing the bullet in to the rifling the last "little bit" with the lever works great.

[beemer]

I don't mind a forearm being a little loose, in fact I even do a little work on the mag tube and hangers. I make sure nothing is bound up to cause stress on the barrel. Make sure the butt stock cannot shift sideways, that throws a shot to one side. The butt stock should fit at the front against the action and leave a little clearance at the tang. A tight fit at the tang will eventually split the stock.

[MostlyLeverGuns]

+1 on McPherson's 'Accurizing the Factory Rifle', he also has another book on Amazon, 'McPherson on Leverguns' that covers a great deal, a Little rambly and unorganized but still useful. There are many, MANY things that can be done to increase accuracy. I have only worked on Savage 99's and Marlins but for all rifles (firearms) a good trigger is the place to start. Marlin triggers are simple, and the trigger guard plate gives you a jig to check the sear hammer fit without assembly/disassembly over and over. I use a smal three-square ceramic stone on the Marlins. After market parts not needed, unless your a Cowboy shooter, the facory mainspring(or Wolf extra power) is best. I don't care for light mainspring misfires.

[pietro]

.

IME

Any rifle with two-piece stocks, leverguns included, can be shot with it's best accuracy by utilizing a shooting method peculiar to the type.

For that type of rifle, the best shooting technique involves not letting ANY portion of the rifle's wood/metal to touch anything other than a part of the shooters body, very unlike "normal" shooting techniques.

In use:

The forward hand grasps the forend tightly, with the back of the hand BETWEEN the forend and the front rest, while simultainously pulling the forend down and back towards the shooter's shoulder.

The trigger hand grasps the buttstock wrist tightly, leaving the trigger finger free to articulate, and also pulling the buttstock back hard against the shoulder - ensuring that the stock does not touch either a rear rest or the benchtop.

Practice makes perfect...…….


.

[Bazoo]

Winchesters 30-30, model 94 by Sam Fadala has some accurizing tips, if you happen to be able to find one of those before you get the other book suggested.

[sghart3578]

I'm with Pietro on this one. I shot my bolt action rifles for years and I thought that I was pretty good.

When I got my first lever gun it was like starting over.

Once I learned what works for me and my Marlins it became easy to get repeatable results. I use the same technique Pietro outlines.

My front hand holding the foregrip near the middle, the back of my hand resting on a stable platform. The stock pulled tight into my shoulder.

I even have a routine where I hold the gun loosely, then as I exhale I simultaneously grip the front, pull the stock tight and break the trigger at peak contraction. I try to fire at the same point of contraction every time.

To help with the occasional horizontal stringing I find that if I pull my front elbow over to center so that it is directly under the rifle and inline with the barrel that consistency improves. A little awkward at first until you get the hang of it.

I believe that it helps direct the barrel jump straight up instead of diagonally to the side.

Hope this rambling helps.


Steve in N CA

[Kev18]

Thanks, I like seeing what others do to help rifles

[Bazoo]

I grip the forearm when firing a lever gun from the bench also. I normally grip all guns in the same manner though unless it's a gun with very mild recoil. I'm not a long range shooter though. Gripping the forearm will help keep you from shearing the band screw off of a carbine also.

[GregLaROCHE]

I just ordered the MacPhearson book, not cheap. Used $60.00.

[Kev18]

I just ordered the MacPhearson book, not cheap. Used $60.00.

books are super expensive these days. I like them but they are made of gold...

[indian joe]

So I was wondering... Is it possible to do minor adjustments, to improve accuracy. For example fixing a loose forend or something? I heard and read that companies make rifle forends alittle loose on purpose for large calibers, because in the long run the would shrinks, and with recoil, it can result in a cracked stock?

Any input or simple tricks? Im not looking for the "get it rebarrled" responses. I mean just something a gun enthusiast can do simply.

Kev
I have shot lever guns for 55years (my first centerfire at 15 was a lever gun) - mostly the triggers need work - you can get used to that or fix em - second thing is vertical stringing when you try to shoot a group - thats all about the tie up between the magazine and barrel - so short magazine guns tend to do it less - a loose forend helps most times - shorter barrel helps - if the gun is rattly and loose up front might help - think about this - is all things Paco Kelly addresses in his accurising lever guns article and the shooting method Pietro refers to in his post is about this too .
If you are getting this vertical stringing (or it might manifest differently if your setup and hold is different than mine) so if you want to test this out set up your bench and target, fire three quick to warm the barrel the fire a group spaced out at ten minute intervals per shot --sometimes gets interesting.