Other Leverguns

[curioushooter]

Anybody have a BLR, Win 88, or Sako Finnwolf...or Savage 99. Or that hideous thing Ruger made for a while.

I must confess I would be tempted to the pseudo-bolt action BLR should I ever find one in .30-06 with a pistol grip.

[cwtebay]

I have 3 of the 4. I owned a Ruger 96/44 for a while, it was a great shooter!
Correction per my wife....I have 8 of the 4. I have a 308, 30-30, and 250 in the 99. And a 284 and 358 in the 88.
My BLR's are 308 and 325 WSM.


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[Don McDowell]

We have two BLR's both short action. The long actions seem a bit cumbersome and awkward, sort of defying the handiness of a quick handling lever gun.

[Speedo66]

I've got a 1971 Belgian Browning BLR in .308. Can't think of a better light, short, accurate, powerful woods gun.

[FergusonTO35]

I have a 90's BLR in .308. Carries like a .30-30 but with considerably more velocity. Of course, it would be no special trick to load it down to whatever power level you prefer. I am planning to work up some 170 grain loads to basically stout .30-30 level. Nice rifle, but my Marlins and Winchesters keep cutting in line for range time!

[pietro]

Or that hideous thing Ruger made for a while.

I must confess I would be tempted to the pseudo-bolt action BLR should I ever find one in .30-06 with a pistol grip.




One man's treasure is another man's junk - IMO the pistol grip BLR is what looks hideous.

Why both vanilla and pistachio ice cream is made...……….

.

[curioushooter]

Pistol grips look fine, and work as well or perhaps better. I have straight stock on my side by side and Marlin 1894...but on a thoroughly modern rifle like a BLR...

What makes no sense is the stupid barrel band on a the BLRs. 100% nostalgic. And it seems the straight grip ones all have the barrel band. My preference for the pistol grip is more out of not wanting the barrel band than anything else. I wonder if the thing is so nostalgic it is literally decorative and could simply be removed, but it looks like it may hold the forend on. Not sure since I've never examined one closely.

Now I need to handle a short action and long action to find out about that balance thing.

[Don McDowell]

The barrel band doesn’t affect much. These old steel framed guns will shoot 100 yard clover leaf 3 shot groups but after that this whisky barrels start to heat up but that’s ok as it’s a hunting rifle and not a long enhuagement firefighting rifle


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[Gray Fox]

I just got a BLR lightweight stainless takedown in .308 on Tuesday. It came with the Browning scout mount installed with a Vortex 2-7 x32 scope. The guy threw in 90 rounds of commercial .308 and a nice takedown case/back pack and I'm waiting for the temps to drop back out of the 90s before I head to the range. I'm hoping to get our either early AM or late PM and cast up some TLC310 180 RF (Ranch Dog) plain base boolits from an NOE mold and load some of them to take to the range. I'm going to size them at .310 or .311 and lube with 45-45-10 and see how they shoot over some 2400 and XMP 5744. GF

[richhodg66]

I have several 99s. They are so far ahead of the tube fed, low pressure things that I hardly consider them lever guns in the traditional sense. Sorry of that comes off as snobbish as I own a few '94 Winchesters and a couple of waffle top Marlins too, but the 99s are better rifles all the way around.

[SSGOldfart]

I have the Sako in 30-06.

[ATCDoktor]

Here’s a pic of my Winchester Model 88 chambered in 308.

Serial number shows it dates from 1958.
https://i.postimg.cc/0yc0kz8h/AEC8312-C-EFED-485-A-BC1-F-954-E2-BDEA115.jpg (https://postimages.org/)

[Kev18]

Not mag fed or anything super modern, but definitely "the other Lever gun"
Its not a Marlin, or Winchester. Only a handful left, in the world, but still possible to find in stores or shows if you are lucky :)
The action is Marlin smooth, but it resembles a savage in the way it operates/moves.
https://i.imgur.com/gPt8za9.jpg

[richhodg66]

Stevens High Power Model 425?

[Kev18]

Stevens High Power Model 425?

Right on! I find its a nice looking rifle. Picked it up at a shop 2 years ago.

[richhodg66]

Those are not real common. Looks nice, how does it shoot?

[Shawlerbrook]

I have an old Savage 1899 in 303. Great old rifle, but I prefer carbine- length leverguns.

[frogleg]

I remember a long time ago I would go into Swansons they sold Sporting goods as well as Groc. and I always stopped to look and handle the Savage 99E ( i think it was an E) it was chamberd in 358Win. with 20" barrel
I remember thinking"it would be the Best woods rifle in the whole world". But at the time I already had a rifle and no extra money. Swansons is closed now and torn down I wonder what happend to that wonderfull Rifle? Thanks for listening.

[pietro]

Great old rifle, but I prefer carbine- length leverguns.




+1

My .303 Savage 1899-H lightweight carbine (20" fast taper barrel) dates to 1914.


https://i.imgur.com/B5v1LLLl.jpg

[Kev18]

Those are not real common. Looks nice, how does it shoot?

Shoots really nice. Its a .32 Remington. So it still has decent firepower.

[FredBuddy]

Some years ago I posted here that I was
at the range with my Ruger 96 lever
and I had targets set up at 50 and 100 yds.

Now, I did put a peep sight on and a
williams fire sight on the front. I pretty much
had it ranged in well.

So, one shot at the 50, one shot at the 100.

Walked down to see the effects - -
each in the x-ring ! Cased that rifle back up;
I was afraid to shoot it again !!!

Sadly, no witnesses...........

[MT Gianni]

I've got a 1971 Belgian Browning BLR in .308. Can't think of a better light, short, accurate, powerful woods gun.

I have one also and find this post as well written as possible.

[curioushooter]

The 99 was sweet. But I've never been able to justify purchasing one. Either they are expensive, in some weird/dubious cartridge, or they are the later ones which all seem to be pure junk. I once considered buying one in 308 with a box mag and even drive out to buy it but it was just a piece of junk. The stock looked like it was made from a 2x4. The finish looked like it was Krylon. The overall quality was embarrassingly low. So low it still biased me against anything Savage. I do know of a fella who had several nice older ones with the rotary magazine. But every one was in one of those bizzare savage cartridges.
It's a pity because they were cool.

[richhodg66]

The detachable magazine ones are pure abominations. As to obscure calibers, I see 20 in .300 Savage for every other caliber out there, and that isn't obscure, lots of ammo and load data for it and it works well with cast in my experience.

My personal opinion is that my 99 Brush gun in .358 is as close to the perfect deer rifle as exists. I'd still prefer a pistol grip stock rather than straight and I like the trigger safeties of the pre-million serial numbered ones rather than the tang safety, but I like it a lot just the same.

[rca]

Shoots really nice. Its a .32 Remington. So it still has decent firepower.

I have one marked30-30 Remington (30 ) Remington gunsmith tried to load 30-30 win ammo in it LOL!!!

[dnepr]

I have a couple 99’s , one in 250 savage , one in 303 savage , both are great rifles ,

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

I've never owned one, but I've heard good things about the Chiappa.

[MostlyLeverGuns]

I have a bunch of Savage 99's, we hunt everything with them. We use a couple in 358 Win on elk, a .243 and 300 Savage for antelope. Most of our practice and boolit shooting are through a couple .308's. My 'walking around' rifle is a feather weight 303 Savage with receiver sight. I've got a Ruger 96 in 22 Magnum, shoots OK but has some things I consider 'unhandy' in the loading/unloading of the magazine into the rifle. I've got a few BLR's, unpleasant rifles to me, triggers are stagy, gritty and heavy, seldom feeling the same twice. In dust and dirt, the action itself will lock up until doused with oil or some lubricant. I've had the firing pin on a BLR freeze up and take 4 to four hammer falls to brake loose due to its inertia design. My BLR in 325 will freeze up simply by cleaning with a gun scrubber that removes the lubricant, locked-up empty and unfired until some oil is sprayed into the action and allowed to penetrate. Fired from a bench the can be accurate, from a field position not so much, due to the trigger. I wanted the BLR to work due to the availability of the 300 Win Mag and the 325, but they just don't work very well. I have the BLR 223 308 and 358 steel receiver, 22-250, 300 Mag and 325 in the aluminum receiver. The steel receiver works better than the alloys for function, but are heavy. Sadly they just have not been as pleasant as my Savage 99's. My Savage .243's both go under MOA, same with a couple 308's and a 300, most other 308's, 300 Savages go under 1.5 MOA even with boolits. The 303 I shoot regularly is about 2MOA on good days due to the reciver sights. I have a Henry Long Ranger on my list, just haven't found the 'need' for another .243 or .308, I might go with a .223 but then they listed the 6.5 Creedmoor, so...

[Don McDowell]

I carried my old steel frame BLR 81 for several winters in the pickup feeding cows and thru calving, nary a malfunction and a lot of dead coyotes...
I like the way my 99F savage looks and shoots but when it's cold and you have to wear gloves, the thing is about like carrying a squirming cat..

[Boogieman]

About 45 years ago I passed up a Mdl,99 in 38-55 with a tapered octagon barrel ,still kicking myself

[richhodg66]

Honestly, I have zero experience with them, but this is the first time I ever heard a negative word about those BLRs. Interesting.

[northmn]

The Savage 99 has a very rabid following. I had one in a 300 Savage and it would have been a good rifle if I shot right handed. It had that lever safety that could not be reached with the left hand hold. Its trigger pull was inconsistent. I made one of the prettiest shots with it I could have made. Threaded the needle through the brush at abut 100 yards. At the time I would often still hunt between stands, and that safety was just too clumsy. I sold it and never missed it.

I have looked at the Henry Long Ranger an might jump on one, maybe not, as it has what I like in a rifle. A box magazine is nice as one can load and unload so easily. Far better than a tube. Don't like the 20" barrel. It is also made with a 22" barrel in 6.5 Creedmoor now, which is a good hunting caliber. I have one in a bolt action and like it. Which is why I probably would not get one as the bolt works just fine. I do shoot left handed and a lever is nice for that, but a bolt has served me well for years.

DEP

[missionary5155]

Good morning
We have a Savage in 300 Savage that we do enjoy hauling about. Made in 1951.
Odd... have a Spencer in 56-60 that is a hoot to shoot at things with. A Browning BL-22....
Couple Ballards but they are single shots. Couple of Halls in .54 again SS.

Odd calibers... a 336 in 414 Supermag. Another 336 in 405 JES. An 1886 in 50 Alaskan...
Mike in Peru

[nhithaca]

Have 2 1894 Winchesters, 38-55 and 30 WCF both over 100 years old.
Have a number of Marlins; 336's, new version of the 1895, and a bunch of 94's. Odd calibers are 32 Mag, 218 Bee, 25-20 WCF, 32-20 WCF, 375 Winchester. 1895 is the first year of reintroduction w/ cut rifling from the early 1970's.
Also 2 1899 Savage's in 303 (one is a takedown) and a Model 150 Winchester 22RF which was a Christmas present in 1968.
Have a reproduction 1887 Winchester 12 gauge imported by Interstate Arms of Billerica MA so it is the better one of the imports.
If you count Ruger #1's then 1 @ 30-30 (blued Lipsey's special), 1 @ 22 Hornet & 1 @ 218 Bee.

[Chev. William]

I have a Pair of Marlin Model 56's: one is an early one without serial No. and the other is a somewhat later one with a serial No. on it.

Both have been fired and shoot well, just not out lately as I am 'puttering' with my .25ACP Ruger Standard Auto MKII for the Time being.

I am Thinking of Converting the serial numbered one to .25ACP sometime in the future and have a LW 23+ inch long Cr-Mo Barrel Blank set aside for the Project.

Chev. William

[Wayne Smith]

I have a Mikruo 1895 Win in 405 Win - not your usual Win lever.

[Texas by God]

The Marlin Levermatic with the Kessler "accelerator" action are very neat. I think they were in .22LR, .256 Win., and .30 carbine and I'd like to have any of those.

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[Chev. William]

The Marlin Levermatic with the Kessler "accelerator" action are very neat. I think they were in .22LR, .256 Win., and .30 carbine and I'd like to have any of those.

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Keep checking the Various Gun Auction sites like Gun Broker dot com as Marlin model 56, 57, and 62 do show up for sale. I bought my Serilaized Modle 56 off A Gun Auction site.

Chev. William

[cwtebay]

Found my own personal unicorn - 1895 Winchester in 236 Lee Navy. Seller claims it's lettered, waiting on paperwork still. But either way, I've looked for an embarrassingly long time for this one!

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