Lever guns take a backseat to nothing

[TXGunNut]

For the longest time I only had one levergun, a 375 Big Bore Winchester. Then one day I saw a nice 94 "too cheap" and a second levergun found it's way to my safe. We all know what happened next, my love affair with leverguns has been an awesome and enjoyable journey, lol. Oldest is 114 years old, newest about 14 years young. I love Winchesters but my Marlins have been filling my freezer in recent years. Lucked into a very nice Savage last year and will someday own a Rossi or Uberti, maybe even a Henry. Hard to go wrong with a levergun , IMHO.

[JesterGrin_1]

I have had a few Lever guns but at this point I have settled on 2 and a maybe lol

Currently a JM Marlin 1895GS in 45-70 Government of which has proved to be a very accurate rifle and a darn fun hunting rifle.

A JM Pre safety Marlin 1894 in .38Sp/.357 Magnum that has proved to be just an all around fun and accurate rifle. Have not hunting with it as of yet though as I am still trying to get my head around the fact that the .357 Magnum cartridge will work on Deer and Hog lol.


Just received a JM Pre Safety Marlin 336 in 35 Remington that I am greatly looking forward to working with and I hope to hunt with after I get some problems straightened out due to Fed Ex thinking it was a foot ball or something. But over all the rifle is usable from my initial inspection.

I also have some brass from GRUMPA to give a go.

I do have a Winchester in 30-30 Winchester that I will probably put up for sale due mainly to my eye sight and needing a scope. And well admit it a top eject Winchester and a Scope lol.

Had of which I am very pleased to say in past tense Had a Marlin 1894SS .44 Magnum. Was not happy with the accuracy of the rifle for myself. And I tried as in 600 or so rounds worth of try lol.

Also Had a Marlin 336 Cowboy in 38-55 of which was a BEAUTIFUL rifle. Of which made it hard for me to even think of taking it into the field to hunt with lol. Also since Marlin has been bought out a few years ago I was a bit leery of sending it in to have the chamber opened up a bit. As due to the large size of the bore of the rifle and even with Starline thin brass I could not use a boolit large enough and still be able to chamber the round with any type of ease. I am sure that whomever purchased the rifle will get these things straightened and it will make one heck of a pretty shootin iron.

[GoodOlBoy]

Lest we ferget all the Sears and Roebuck Ted Williams Model 100s in closets, huntin shacks, and old gun store racks around the US. Just a old relabeled winchester, but it's funny how much LESS you pay when winchester's name ain't on it, and it shoots 30-30s just as good.

Lever guns are work horses. Some are beauties, some are fuglies, but I have never met one that wasn't a workhorse.

BTW anybody tinkered with one of the new Mossberg lever actions? Never even held one myself.

GoodOlBoy

[mac266]

They always work, and inside 100 yards they are more than accurate enough. I can hold 2" with iron sights at 100 yards with each of mine. That's not competition bullseye shooting, but it will do against a deer, elk, or other game.

I have Marlins in .22 LR, .45 Colt, .30-30, and .35 Remington, as well as a Uberti/Cimarron in .357 Magnum. Which one is my favorite? Heck if I know!

[GooseGestapo]

I can't come to like the new Mossbergs. They're significantly heavier than a M94. They just lack the personality of a Winchester or Marlin. Something of a "me too!" answer to Winchester discontinuing the M94. The several I've handled were unremarkable, not smooth, but not rough like some newer Marlins, not "familiar" feeling or balanced like Wincesters or Marlins.

They feel like a '72 Ford Fairlane 500 my uncle had. No power-steering, no power brakes, no engine power; slipping, then jerky shifting automatic transmission. It would get you to town and back, given enough gas... But you didn't want anyone to see you driving it !!!

[Blackwater]

44man, it seems that most of your posts make me smile. I was late to the levergun bandwagon, but .... well, how could ANY really avid shooter NOT come to appreciate them? Their easy stowability, carryability and quickness into action make them remarkable and VERY good guns. I've often manned stands where I COULD have gotten shots to over 600 yds. - too far for the bullets I was using to expand properly - and had deer come out right under my stand. Ain't it funny how that works? Murphy's Law??? I've only made a very few shots over 200, and 97% of the shots we get here in Ga. can be made by a std. .30/30 levergun. And they can be done with less fuss, bother, recoil and noise than most of the calibers chosen for the bolt guns I also love. Then too, there's the "cowboy factor" which, for we who grew up with Roy, Hoppy and the rest, sure is satisfying deep down in the emotions as well - just frosting on the cake or the cherry on top of an ice cream sundae. They're "easy to live with," fun to use, accurate, fast, quick .... I feel ashamed I didn't "discover" them MUCH earlier!

[44man]

They just FIT and feel great in the hand. And are as accurate as any others.
There are some guns that will never go away. Nothing will be loved as much. a 94 , a Marlin or a Savage 99. Then older ones. Some new ones that are CLUNKY. Go back to 1892 or so and feel a real gun.

[wrench man]

My first lever gun was a Winchester 9422, it's still in my safe, the only other Winchester I've had was a 94 30-30 Trapper, hated it, it's long gone! Marlin is the preferred lever gun in my safe!, 39's, 1894's, 36, 336's and 1895's in 22 (3), 25-20, 30-30 (5), 32 Special, 357 Mag, 35 Remington, 356 Winchester, 375 Winchester, 44 Mag, 444 Marlin, 45 Colt, 45-70 and 450 Marlin, and that includes a 1970 Centennial matched pair of engraved rifles, I also have a Pedersoli 1886/71 45-70, and must say that it's a VERY nice rifle!

[Clay M]

I have always enjoyed hunting with a lever action, of course I grew up with them.
The Marlin lever guns were what we could afford. My first deer rifle was a used Marlin 336 in .30/30 my dad paid $60 for.
It always served me well.
I got a Marlin 39A Mountie for my eleventh birthday. I still remember that day with excitement.

[44man]

I have always enjoyed hunting with a lever action, of course I grew up with them.
The Marlin lever guns were what we could afford. My first deer rifle was a used Marlin 336 in .30/30 my dad paid $60 for.
It always served me well.
I got a Marlin 39A Mountie for my eleventh birthday. I still remember that day with excitement.

OH MY, the Mountie, best .22 EVER! it took a model 52 WW to beat it. My best squirrel gun ever was the Mountie. Shot 3/4" groups at 100 yards.

[44man]

There is a problem with 39's. The barrel just plugged in and would get loose. Open sights never changed but a scope on the receiver would lose zero. The barrel moved. Needed fixed by stippling or glued.
Barrels should have been screwed in.

[Clay M]

There is a problem with 39's. The barrel just plugged in and would get loose. Open sights never changed but a scope on the receiver would lose zero. The barrel moved. Needed fixed by stippling or glued.
Barrels should have been screwed in.

I grew up shooting squirrels with an old Win Mod 62 ,but got the Mountie when I was eleven.
Are you saying you had problems with the barrel on the Mountie coming apart from the receiver?
I have not experienced that.

[44man]

I grew up shooting squirrels with an old Win Mod 62 ,but got the Mountie when I was eleven.
Are you saying you had problems with the barrel on the Mountie coming apart from the receiver?
I have not experienced that.

Fit just got loose. Barrel would move enough so the scope was not on. Open sights, since on the barrel did not change. The gun does not come apart. No danger but I had to leave my car lights on and put out a target to re-sight before squirrel hunting that day.

[Clay M]

I will keep a watch on it thanks..

[xdmalder]

I'm in love with too. Don't even use a bolt gun anymore.

Marlin 45-70 XLR
Marlin 336 in 307 Win with a Shilen barrel
Marlin 336ER in 356 Win
Marlin 336 in 30-30
Marlin 1894 in 45 Auto with a Douglas barrel

[johnny_xring]

I guess that most of us have gone 'full circle' with our selection of rifles and their calibers.. I have come to appreciate lever guns and their calibers offered after years of bolt and semi-auto rifles (NRA Expert in High Power-eh so?). I grew up watching westerns and finally got into lever guns and loading for them. They truly are "Americana" personified for their carry comfort and hunting ability. Never looked back. S&W .357 in 1894 to 45-70 in 1895 and have it covered in between, they are all loved and respected. What a great country!

JG

[44man]

My want is the stainless GG in 45-70, Friend has one but refuses to part with it. Price of a new one is not a fit to SS.
It is not a NEED since I hunt with revolvers but what a nice gun.

[Pereira]

Love the leverguns, my first hunting was with a Winchester 94 Classic. First rifle I got myself was a Marlin, both of these were 30-30's. Still have the Marlin and my nephew got dads Winnie. A few years ago I bought a Classic like dads that is like new. I have levers from 22 lr to 444 Marlin. Bought a Marlin 308 MX last year and that thing is as accurate as a bolt gun no bs. Way more lever guns, and single action revolvers in the safe than anything else.Two Henrys, several Marlins, a Rossi, and a couple Winchesters.