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Thread: Opinions on Original vs Modern Reproduction Lever guns?

  1. #21
    Boolit Buddy shrapnel's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by pworley1 View Post
    I've never met a lever action I didn't like, but there is something about the originals that the modern ones will not have for about a hundred years of use.
    This is pretty much my feeling as well. The only real good reproductions are the Brownings of the 1980's, even though Miroku made those and the later Winchesters, the Brownings were still better quality. Shiloh makes a good reproduction Sharps as does USFA with their Colt reproductions. Most of the rest are just tools, they work, but nothing much to look at...








  2. #22
    Boolit Grand Master OS OK's Avatar
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    If I own it, I shoot it . . . Currently my only WinLever in the safe is this 'Legendary Lawman', my father was a Sheriff and I bought this rifle thinking of him.


    It is a sweet little 1894 Trapper 16", 30-30W ... The carbine has an engraved antique silver plated receiver, Left side features frontier town scene w/ mounted lawman. Right side of bbl. has silver filled marking "Legendary Lawman". Carbine style stocks of fancy walnut have XTR style cut checkering. Right side of stock has pewter medallion featuring a lawman w/ his hand on his gun. Limited Edition of 19,999 mfg. in 1977.
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  3. #23
    Boolit Master Kev18's Avatar
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    [QUOTE=shrapnel;4780754]This is pretty much my feeling as well. The only real good reproductions are the Brownings of the 1980's, even though Miroku made those and the later Winchesters, the Brownings were still better quality. Shiloh makes a good reproduction Sharps as does USFA with their Colt reproductions. Most of the rest are just tools, they work, but nothing much to look at...

    Those are so nice! Im jealous! I want a high wall so bad. Even maybe a low wall.

    1895
    1885
    Sharps.

    I would love to add those to my little collection.

  4. #24
    Boolit Master Kev18's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by OS OK View Post
    If I own it, I shoot it . . . Currently my only WinLever in the safe is this 'Legendary Lawman', my father was a Sheriff and I bought this rifle thinking of him.


    It is a sweet little 1894 Trapper 16", 30-30W ... The carbine has an engraved antique silver plated receiver, Left side features frontier town scene w/ mounted lawman. Right side of bbl. has silver filled marking "Legendary Lawman". Carbine style stocks of fancy walnut have XTR style cut checkering. Right side of stock has pewter medallion featuring a lawman w/ his hand on his gun. Limited Edition of 19,999 mfg. in 1977.
    Nice one. Now you can pass it on to coming generations

  5. #25
    Boolit Master

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    Almost all of my levers are modern. Three are Miroku. The only Winchester is a 1894 manufactured in 1953. It has what I am guessing is the original receiver sight. I have 2 Marlins. I had a third but gave it to my older son. I would have loved to have older Winchesters and Marlins but they aren't available in this area. At least not that I know of.
    John
    W.TN

  6. #26
    Boolit Master Kev18's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by alamogunr View Post
    Almost all of my levers are modern. Three are Miroku. The only Winchester is a 1894 manufactured in 1953. It has what I am guessing is the original receiver sight. I have 2 Marlins. I had a third but gave it to my older son. I would have loved to have older Winchesters and Marlins but they aren't available in this area. At least not that I know of.
    Sometimes they are way to expensive. Sadly, no in-between. Super cheap or more then diamonds.

  7. #27
    Boolit Master Shawlerbrook's Avatar
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    Like some of the above, I like everything with a lever. That said, I prefer older, smokeless powder leverguns . I hunt with, shoot and collect leverguns.

  8. #28
    Boolit Grand Master Bazoo's Avatar
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    I've been wanting a winchester 71 for a while. Something about the way they look.

  9. #29
    Boolit Grand Master FergusonTO35's Avatar
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    Totally depends on the intended use. For a rifle that is going to be used hard, I would rather take a Remlin that has proven reliable and accurate instead of an irreplaceable ninteteenth century gun.
    Currently casting and loading: .32 Auto, .380 Auto, .38 Special, 9X19, .357 Magnum, .257 Roberts, 6.5 Creedmoor, .30 WCF, .308 WCF.

  10. #30
    Boolit Master

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    Quote Originally Posted by Bazoo View Post
    I've been wanting a winchester 71 for a while. Something about the way they look.
    Look for a Browning Miroku. I found mine several years ago for about $700. I haven't looked at prices since then. I wouldn't be surprised if they have gone up considerably. Everything else gunwise has.
    John
    W.TN

  11. #31
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    I think the originals are way cooler than the newer ones, but I think you have to be really savvy to buy a well worn original and do well. I only shoot repros now. At one time I'd bought what was my dream lever action rifle. A Winchester 1886 in 38-56 with an octagonal barrel and a full length magazine tube. It had a number of little problems, and when I showed it to a friend who knows a fair bit more than I do, he said that someone had swapped a lot of parts internally and it'd be a lot of work to fix it right. That's more or less been my experience with 100+ year old single shots and lever guns. If they are affordably priced then it's likely that somebody has messed it up.

    If I could find the same rifle in really nice condition I'd probably get rid of my newer rifles though .

    Chris.

  12. #32
    Boolit Master veeman's Avatar
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    Several of my newer ones are getting pretty old now.

  13. #33
    Boolit Master Kev18's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by FergusonTO35 View Post
    Totally depends on the intended use. For a rifle that is going to be used hard, I would rather take a Remlin that has proven reliable and accurate instead of an irreplaceable ninteteenth century gun.
    Some times I think that way to. I take my remlin out if its really ugly outside. I can stick the stock in the snow or throw across a creek and it doesn't bother me. I hold my originals like babies. But I still take them for walks. Im going tomorrow. Have yet to decide what il take. Maybe my revolver? I dont know... I just did a leather covered sling with fox fur for my 86. Haven't used it since I did my large lever for it. But its alittle to heavy for me to drag in the woods with planks, screws, a chainsaw etc.. to my little log cabin

  14. #34
    Boolit Master Kev18's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Gunlaker View Post
    I think the originals are way cooler than the newer ones, but I think you have to be really savvy to buy a well worn original and do well. I only shoot repros now. At one time I'd bought what was my dream lever action rifle. A Winchester 1886 in 38-56 with an octagonal barrel and a full length magazine tube. It had a number of little problems, and when I showed it to a friend who knows a fair bit more than I do, he said that someone had swapped a lot of parts internally and it'd be a lot of work to fix it right. That's more or less been my experience with 100+ year old single shots and lever guns. If they are affordably priced then it's likely that somebody has messed it up.

    If I could find the same rifle in really nice condition I'd probably get rid of my newer rifles though .

    Chris.
    My 86 wouldnt feed right, or at all at certain angles. Turns out I looked at the feed ramps and they almost had a 90 degree angle. Maybe for a small er cartridge. It took 10 minutes on the bench grinder to lower the angle and I didnt have a problem since

  15. #35
    Boolit Master

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    I've owned a bunch of lever actions over the years, but was never happy with them. Today I own one; a Uberti 1873 Winchester clone in .45 colt. I have to say that I'm finally happy with a lever action. Last friday it performed a 40 yard drop in his tracks kill on a nice young buck. I can't complain....

  16. #36
    Boolit Master Drm50's Avatar
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    If you just want a shooter I guess repros are ok. The good ones aren't cheap either. I could never see the point. If it's not original as far as I'm concerned you might as well buy one of the low end bolt actions.

    A lot of the new stuff will never last long enough to become antique. I would rather have one original in good mechanical and shooting condition than a rack full of repros.

  17. #37
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    Shrapnel- would you be so kind as to school me on the guns in the third picture down? I’ve never seen any of those before. Your collection is amazing.

  18. #38
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    Quote Originally Posted by Drm50 View Post
    If you just want a shooter I guess repros are ok. The good ones aren't cheap either. I could never see the point. If it's not original as far as I'm concerned you might as well buy one of the low end bolt actions.

    A lot of the new stuff will never last long enough to become antique. I would rather have one original in good mechanical and shooting condition than a rack full of repros.
    Bolt actions are crap ---utilitarian, effective, but nothing more than tools...............................

  19. #39
    Boolit Master
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    Quote Originally Posted by pietro View Post
    .

    and they're new ! .

    .
    Therein lies the problem with them.

    Kev, my 40-82 is from 1895 and has a round barrel. It was such a boat anchor when I got it and I mean REALLY rough, except for the bore which is about 95%. Even though I used it that way for a few years, I finally sent it off and had it refreshed. Couldn't call it a full restoration but at least I'm not worried about the stock breaking now.
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  20. #40
    Boolit Buddy shrapnel's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Texas by God View Post
    Shrapnel- would you be so kind as to school me on the guns in the third picture down? I’ve never seen any of those before. Your collection is amazing.
    The guns aren't all lever guns, but starting from the left is a Whitney Phoenix in 38 long, then a Whitney Phoenix 20 gauge shotgun, Whitney Phoenix 44 WCF, then some really scarce Burgess guns; first a Burgess 12 gauge folding shotgun, then a Burgess solid rib 12 gauge takedown shotgun, then a Burgess cutaway version of 12 gauge takedown shotgun; Then the lever guns are Whitney Kennedy SRC in 45-60, Whitney Kennedy SRC in 44-40 then a Whitney Kennedy Experimental rifle with double set triggers in 45-60, then a Whitney Kennedy rifle in 44 WCF.

    All but the Whitney Phoenix guns were designed by Andrew Burgess who is second only to John Browning in his inventive genius in firearms development with hundreds of patents to his name...


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