What other lever do I need ?

[BSkerj]

Just needed some opinions...I try and use the rifles that have . I don't like having a rifle just sitting there. That being said I have room for two more rifles. Both will be levers .Right now I have a .270 Win Mod. 50 bolt, Savage 22-250 bolt, Ruger 10-22, J.C. Higgins Sears .22 bolt (my first rifle), a Marlin .357 mod 94 CB, and 300 Win mag. bolt. I need your feed back on the last 2 remaining slots for a lever action. I deer and elk hunt and as you can see from above I am not under gunned. I just want to try to use levers now whenever I can on large and small game...what are your suggestions? Also, I would like something with easy access to components, i.e., brass, dies, powder, moulds etc. Thanks !

[pmeisel]

Seems to me a mid-size and a big lever would be about right:

Maybe a Savage 99 in 300 Savage, or 308, and a model 94 big bore in .375 winchester?

Or a 30/30 in one of several offerings, and a 38/55? or something a little bigger?

Lotsa good possible answers to this question. But I would definitely go one mid size and one a little bigger....

[405]

The sky is the limit! Buuuut, money has a nasty habit of getting in the way.
Ideas? How about a 22rf lever of some sort then everyone needs a 30-30 lever then for big boomer maybe a 45-70 lever. I like the Winchester levers but lots of folks go with Marlin. The 30-30 and 45-70 are about as common as it gets for components.

[Lead Fred]

When your done playing with those sissy calibers

Get s 45-70 [smilie=w:

[jh45gun]

You need a BIG BORE and I do not mean 375 either A 45/70 will fit the bill for lots of reasons.

[Phillip]

30-30 or 45-70 are about the norm for leaver guns now a days.

If you just want one lever to cover medium to large game, the 45-70 would be the better choice. With all of the various 45 cal cast boolits and powder loads, you can pretty much load some thing to meet your needs for that day. ;-)

I will say this, once you get used to the lighter weight of a leaver, you will find it hard to lug a heavy bolt action around when your hunting. This one of the reasons I am looking for a light weight 308 to replace my 06 Model 110.:-(

[beagle]

I'd say a Marlin M1895 .45/70 and an old M94 .30/30 should fill those holes nicely. Both are good cast shooters and brass and reloading equipment and moulds are readily available....and I enjoy mine./beagle

[MT Gianni]

I would go for a pistol caliber 92 and a 45-70 or a BLR in 358. Head toward the Arco desert with a 357 or 44 lever and running jackrabbits sounds like a ton of fun.

[crazy mark]

Buy only 2 , not. How about 4-30-30, 2-32 spl, 41 mag, 357 mag, 44 Mag, 45 LC, 2-35 rem or 4-22's. Can't have too many Lever actions. You will need at least one for different situations.

[crabo]

A 39A and a 45/70 guide gun to go along with your 357 CB. Oh wait, that's what I did. Of course, now I am looking for a 30-30 because I'm in a group buy for a mold.

[zac0419]

+1 on adding 45/70 to your list, but get the 375 Win instead of a 30-30. It's got a little more thump for where you live.

[jlchucker]

What 405 said. Everybody needs at least one 30-30 levergun--just because! Then after that, get a 45-70 to keep it company.

[StrawHat]

Depending on what you call small game, the Winchester 73 or 92 in 32 WCF should fill the small game slot. (although the Marlin M39 is a great idea also but I am guessing you want a reloadable cartridge). As for a large borebig game cartridge... as much as I like the 45-70, I prefer my 405 Winchester M1895 for a lever action rifle. The Winchester 86 is too heavy for me to tote around and the various Marlins produced recently just don't do it for me. The 405 is a great cartridge and takes to cat boolits quite well. Compared to the 45-70 it is rather frugal with lead boolits. Boolit choice is somewhat limited but one good mold with a solid/hollow point option should take care of all your hunting needs.

Good luck and let us know when your bolt rifles go on sale!

[Wayne Smith]

You already have the .3's covered with your .357 Marlin. I'd go with either the .405 (I agree with StrawHat, my 1895 with the reciever sight is the cat's meow) or a 45-70. The 45-70 is almost pedestrian today. Then a small caliber - either .25WCF or .32WCF if you want to cast and reload. Otherwise a 39A.

PS: The 32WCF is fun in a pump, it would be a blast in a lever.

[.357]

Maybe a Savage 99 in 300 Savage

What he said, then a guide gun in 45-70 (pre safety of course)

[DLCTEX]

I'm with the 45-70 and 30-30 crowd. Marlins of course.

[Tony65x55]

No lever gun lover should be without a .444 Marlin. 300 gr at 2200 fps! The modern day .405 Win. Kills like a hammer and is different enough to fall in love with. A BLR in .358 Win is pretty outstanding too! Think outside the box.

[mag44uk]

I would go for a 444 as well.
Easy to down load for plinking too.
Tony

[Muddy Creek Sam]

You don't have a toggle link, how about a 66 or 73 Winchester or clone. But my absolute favorite Lever gun is my Original 1887 12 ga.

Sam :D

[vonfilm]

I would get 2 Marlins, a 336 30/30 and a 1895 45/70. I kind of like the modern safety. You can leave it off and only use the half cock or have an extra level of safety when levering unshot cartridges out of the magazine.

Also make room for a .22 rimfire lever action like the Marlin 39, Winchester 9422, or Browning BL-22

[Char-Gar]

Here are my thoughts...assuming you are a bullet caster and handloader of course.

1. A good 45-70 levegun will do for everything from big bears to cotton tail bunnies if the load is appropriate.
2. The same can be said for a good 30-30 levergun if elk, moose and big bears are not on the target list. It will do for those, but a 45-70 will do it easier.
2. A good 22 LR levergun will feed you and your family if you know how to hunt and shoot.

So... I would fill those spots with a Marlin 39 and either a Marlin 336 (30-30) or Marlin 1895 (45-70) depending on your wants, needs, and whims. I have all three and won't get rid of any of them.

[corvette8n]

+1 for a Win 94 or Marlin 336 in .32WS
+1 for 45/70 also.

[KirkD]

My number one recommendation would be a Browning 1886 SRC in 45-70. They don't make these anymore, but you can often find one up for auction on GunBroker. These are very strong actions, built like the originals (half-cock safety), short, relatively light for an '86, and a full mag. A second choice, if you don't mind rebounding hammer and tang safety, are the recent Winchester Model 86 Extra Light in 45-70. The 45-70 will be plenty for deer, Moose, Elk or bear.

For the second levergun, I'd recommend either a Marlin 32-20 or an original Winchester 38-55. The 32-20 is my favourite small game cartridge. The 38-55 is an excellent deer cartridge and can also be used for Elk and Black Bear, but is not as powerful as the 45-70. It is more pleasant to shoot.

[NHlever]

Well, I saw a Marlin 1894CL in 32-20 that spoke quietly to me at the gun show last weekend. Price $650. I asked if he would deal, and he hemmed, and hawed so I told him I thought we both should think about it.......... nice addition, and I guess the Marlins in that caliber shoot cast pretty well. ( I do know where that guys shop is)

[BSkerj]

I made my decision on at least one...I am going to get the 45/70..now got to decide what 94 to get. Found a Stainless Steel one yesterday NIB for 725.00, a good used blued with the longer barrel for 475.00 and of course seems to be alot of Guide Guns for under 500.00, I don't shoot Cowboy but I like the Cowboy style with the oct barrel. I would just mainly use it for plinking and hunting..would the Guide gun be my best?

[Doc Highwall]

First I would get a Marlin 39A just for the pleasure of not having to reload all the time and still get lots of practice with a accurate gun, I shoot mine a lot at 200 yards with the Federal bulk and it is accurate. Now that you have a 39A for cheap practice I would go with something larger then .375 caliber and the best choice would be the 45-70 with 400+ grain bullets. I have the 30-30 Winchester and .375and 38-55 Winchester also as you can never have too many guns. I have been thinking, too bad that Marlin has not come out with a 40-65 able to handle 400 grain FN bullets.

[Four Fingers of Death]

I'd go a bit different to the crowd here (that sounds somewhat familiar :( ). I would be buying a 444 or a 45/70, both great guns. The second rifle I would be looking to round out my armoury and I reckon a 223 Bolt gun or a break action Thompson Centre. Everyone has to have a 223 I reckon. Down the track you wil realise you can't truely be an American hunter without a 30/30.

Dead set only gonna buy two levers to keep your 357 lever company, 30/30 and a 444 or 45/70 (lean towards the 45/70 here).

Open to suggestions, a 224 Bolt gun (223 is the pick if you only have one, but seeing you have a 22/250, maybe a lower powered 224 such as a Hornet or somesuch. If you can open yourself up to using a cartridge that you won't always find on the shelves of a Mom and Pop gunstore, a 17 Hornet or Ackerly Improved. Orrrrrrrrrrr maybe one of the new popular 17HMRs.

[shdwlkr]

if it was me I would go for a 30/30 you pick the maker, a 45-70 winchester, a 375 winchester and do not let anyone tell you it is a piece of junk. they have never used one if they tell you that it is much better than anything that was written by the so called gun writers. Personally I can't stand the model 1895 I don't like the way the action works, the feel of the rifle and as to the 405 being better than the 45-70 I have yet to read where the 405 hit the target at 7/8 of mile but the 45-70 has.
If you like the 1895 action good for you I wanted one in 270/30-06 and my dealer had one and boy am I glad I tired it first just does not work for me, but then neither do magnums outside of the 264 mag and I let that go decades ago stupid I know it but I needed the money.
Best of luck in your search

[frankenfab]

+ another vote for the .444

my next vote goes for a 39A or Golden Boy, although I handled a Browning .22 lever one time, and I was impressed with how short the lever throw was.

[StrawHat]

...and as to the 405 being better than the 45-70 I have yet to read where the 405 hit the target at 7/8 of mile but the 45-70 has...

Actually, the 45-70 has been used at ranges up to two miles, (see the Sandy Hook Trials), but from a trapdoor rifle, not a lever rifle.

[Wayne R. Scott]

For a small game lever rifle I would look for a .25/20, .32/20 or a Marlin 39A in .22; not especially in that order.

Since you have elk on the menu in addition to deer my first choice would be a .45/70 and my second choice would be a .45/70 :smile:

Wayne

[shdwlkr]

Straw Hat
Any idea of the longest shot with a 405, I would be willing to bet it has never been fired as far as the 45-70 has.
I have so many levers and others, I think I am at 7 levers and still adding more.
I have a lever in 32-20, 357 mag, 30-30 (3), 375 winchester (2), 45-70 and they are all winchesters of a sort as I like them best. Soon to have one in 44 special and one in 256 win mag just cause I can, just need the money.

[7of7]

So far, I have a 30-30, and a .357... wouldn't mind getting a 44 magnum,... or a 45 lc..

[Freischütz]

How about a Win M95 in 30/06? Later, if you decide you want something bigger, you can rebore to 35 Whelen or one of the Hawk cartridges.

[mack1]

I have always thought a 95 in 35 whelen would be about perfict. I have considered reboaring mine but it is a 100th aniversary of the 3006 so maby I can find anotherone for that project.

[StrawHat]

Straw Hat
Any idea of the longest shot with a 405, I would be willing to bet it has never been fired as far as the 45-70 has...


I am not aware of the 405 WCF being used as a target cartridge. (The Winchester 1895 was used to win the Wimbledon Cup one year, 1896 or 1897 but in 30 Gov't.) I use the Lyman 412236 over 5477 and am happy with the accuracy out ot about 300 yards. This is plinking stuff, not hunting or target.

The 45-70 has a very rich history in this country and I like the many that I have owned over the years. But they all had one thing in common, the rifle was heavy for the cartridge. If I were to buy another 45-70 I would look for the Marlin Century Limited model. It had a 24" half octagon barrel, some engraving and a coin grey finish. It weighed about tht same as the Winchester 1886 featherweight and was a nice handling package. Too bad it did not continue as a production piece.

[cajun shooter]

I agree 100% with Muddy Creek Sam!! If you have never worked the action on a 1873 Winchester then you have not completed your gun journey. The 1887 shotgun is by far my most favorite scatter gun. But there is one more lever that most post here have forgotten. It's the 1874 Sharp's in 45-70. It is a lever action type rifle that should be in everyone's safe. There is something special that happens when you shoot a single shot and collect your game. To me it's at the top of our sport. Oh and I don't mean that it is fired with any fake powder either.

[shdwlkr]

Straw hat
my 45-70 is in the lightweight configuration and I wouldn't trade it for anything. I have fired full power jacketed bullets a few times really doesn't interest me as much as shooting lead so that is what I use most of the time and I am very happy with it. I shoot 425, 340 and have a group buy going right now for a 330 hp mold so I have all my uses needed for this caliber.

[Four Fingers of Death]

One lever gun that gives me the tingles is the new 338Marlin. Boy, that is some mean som beetch.

One of them and an 1873 in 44/40 and you have one from each end of the spectrum.

I see that the 1873 Ubeauty is now available in 44Mag.

[wv109323]

My choices would be a Savage 99 or Browning BLR in .308.(Savage D&T for a scope)
For small game , plinking I would choose the Browning BL-22 over the Marlin 39.
I would run from a Marlin 1895 in 45/70 in Idaho. With stout ammo it is unbearable to shoot,heavy in weight to carry and a trajectory of a softball. Also you must use flat point bullets or Hornady's Leverulation. I am a 265 lb. guy and I could only stand to shoot mine 2 times with Hornady's Leverulation ammo. It is fun to reduce the loads and cast bullets for but that is not a 45/70. Brass is expensive if you got to buy new.
I own all the guns mentioned above.

[StrawHat]

...I would run from a Marlin 1895 in 45/70 in Idaho. With stout ammo it is unbearable to shoot,heavy in weight to carry and a trajectory of a softball. It is fun to reduce the loads and cast bullets for but that is not a 45/70...

Or load to original ballistics with black powder and cast lead. With that load the 45-70 made it reputation and is more then adequate if you can hunt.

[Newtire]

How about a Marlin 62 in .256 Win. Mag. just to be different.

[shdwlkr]

wv109323
I don't have a marlin but do have a winchester in 45-70 and I find with full power loads it is stout but then just how many times do you expect to shoot while hunting? I am a little smaller in weight than you are and I can handle the recoil. I also shoot mainly lead flat nose bullets in 330 hp or 340 solid and 425 solid for big game like elk, moose.
As to the trajectory I only shoot at 200 yards or less so that isn't an issue. I can shoot farther if I want or need to but that is knowing your firearm and what you have to do to shoot.
As to the weight of the rifle I only have one light weight hunting rifle and that is a winchester 94 carbine the rest all weight right around what my 1886 does so they don't seem heavy to me, but each to his own. Some like a 6 pound rifle with the recoil of being kicked by an elephant, me I like to keep my body parts in the correct place, and at my age that me adapting my firearms to my age and ability.

[Groo]

Groo here
Everyone needs a good 22lr,a used 30-30 is easy to find[ everyone has a 30-30]
A must is a guide gun in 45-70---- mild to wild, shoots tighter than than it has a right to
and likes cast!!!!!!!

[Bret4207]

Savage 99 in any caliber and a 32-20 Marlin.

[jlchucker]

After reading everybody's opinions here (including mine) it seems like most of us enjoy the 45-70 for the big stuff, and a lot of us like 30-30's. Guys have even offered lots of opinions favoring the 32-20 for the lower end of the spectrum. I never had a 32-20, but have had some experience with the 25-20, which hasn't been mentioned much. However, the latter two are either not being widely produced or are pricey when you can find one. For smaller game and plinking, I've recently gotten a Rossi trapper 92 in 38/357. After swapping the stock sights for a Marbles semibuckhorn and a brass front bead, and smoothing up the action a bit, I think I've found something that, at least in 38 special, is a reasonably priced substitute for a 32-20. The drift of this thread seems to be going in favor of more than one levergun. I propose, therefore, that you consider a 45-70 Marlin, a 30-30 (Winnie or Marlin--forget the Mossberg clone) and a 38/357, either Marlin or Rossi. When you throw a 22 into the mix, Marlin or Winnie would be my first choices. Now, with good boolit handloads, you'd be covered for anything from tyrannosaurs all the way down to field mice.

[45r]

I like my marlin 35 rem.I wouldn't hesitate to buy another if I could find another one for a good price.I had mine cut to 16 and 1/4 inchs and it is easy to carry and very acurate.It looks like a marauder with a pistol grip.