Any of you folks shoot lever guns?

bibitor said:

As soon as I can get my hands one one of these I’ll be broke. I have the Big Boy steel in 357/38 SPL, large loop, 20” barrel and I shoot it more than any other gun I own. I have a 100 yard range at home and it’s a pleasure to shoot.

I have a Skinner peep sight on it and it’s wonderfully accurate at 100 yards in. The factory threaded barrel on the X is a game changer for me, I’m pumped they put it in production.

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Actually thinking of trying to get one also...

daggo66 said:

Get your wallet out. The new X series has a side loading 357/38spl.

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Wonder if any local dealers aee foing to have them in stock. Now just got to figure out which one to get!

Winchester 92, Winchester 73, Marlin 336



Winchesters in 45 colt, Marlin 30-30
Hundreds of rounds monthly on the Winchesters

I have many more lever guns than any other rifle. Love them all and want many more. There's a great Marlin owner's forum you can check out for more advice than you can read in your lifetime.

Only lever action I own for now is an 1887 12 gauge clone. But it gets looks when I shoot slugs out of it at the range. One guy said "what caliber is that" when he saw the bore.

Love me some levers...

Have my paps 32 Winchester , bought Marin 30/30 , given to me a Marlin 35 . One day I will have a 357 when money is right. Wouldn’t mind a 44 either .

Naptown34 said:

Love me some levers...

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Which One are those?

Still trying to figure out what caliber I want..

Naptown34 said:

Love me some levers...

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Which One are those?

Still trying to figure out what caliber I want.. Probably thr .357...

A Levergun should look like a Levergun , and that's not just me being an old fart .

Just like all types of guns , they have their inherent strengths and weaknesses . Reinforce there strengths , and don't try to make them something else .

Their strength is their balance , fast handling, and suitability for off hand shooting . A scope would eliminate the ability of easy carry one handed at their natural balance point , while * metalic * sights can make effective use of " most " of their ctgs , at the typical distances .

Historically correct buckhorns and semi- buckhorns are a matter of taste , but you have more options . The Skinners mentioned upthread are great , likewise. Williams/ Lyman/ Redfield type peep sights , more precision , longer sight radius , and various one usable with original , or high viability front sights of various design .

As an example , my late shooting and handloading partner had a Marlin 94 in .41mag , with Williams peep, and Firesight ( fibre optic ) front . With his 265gr cast bullet handloads ( @ close to 1200fps iirc ) I could do 1.75in groups at 100yds .

[ I couldn't afford to purchase that one from his widow , but I do have his Winchester 94 Trapper in .45 Colt . ]

I have been working on a few lever guns in the shop. They are for sure fun to customize. This one is all but finished up just have some work to do on the stock yet.

Be weary of the Marlin 44mag and it's state of the art safety mechanism. When in the "safe" position this feature can cause the rifle to be half cocked, but not completely fall to strike the bullets primer, commonly causing a sharp snapping sound upon trigger engagement. If you are used to firing a lever action rifle solely relying on hammer placement for safety means, this could present potential problems while deer hunting to the inexperienced marksman.

RWB2012 said:

I have been working on a few lever guns in the shop. They are for sure fun to customize. This one is all but finished up just have some work to do on the stock yet.

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That's a pretty cool Marlin! Wish I had known your shop was around. Was out your way a couple of times visiting my daughter who was staying in Oakland during an internship. Would've loved to have stopped in. Nice work!

Bisleyfan44 said:

That's a pretty cool Marlin! Wish I had known your shop was around. Was out your way a couple of times visiting my daughter who was staying in Oakland during an internship. Would've loved to have stopped in. Nice work!

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Thanks

Well if you get up this way some time feel free to look me up. I always have somthing new and odd in the shop.

Any opinions on a 357 , experiences. Been reading different things on line and it seems like Henry rifles aren’t what I’m looking for. Problems feeding 38’s . What I read that’s why I’m asking . Want to cowboy shoot with my own stuff . So lots of shooting and quickly. Suggestions any one. Anyone cowboy. shoot. RWB not familiar with your shop I’m up that way a lot during summer , you in town . One shop I stop at outside Oakland headed towards Swanton. Sometime I make the drive just to shoot at Savage . Any suggestions , seems the pistol calibers cost a lot more than rifle wonder why that is . I have a lot of questions just trying do my homework . Would love to hear of an 800 dollar rifle that cycles and holds up to the what I consider rugged use of the cowboy shooting.

RWB2012 said:

I have been working on a few lever guns in the shop. They are for sure fun to customize. This one is all but finished up just have some work to do on the stock yet.

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Really nice shootin iron.

Virgil Co.C said:

Would love to hear of an 800 dollar rifle that cycles and holds up to the what I consider rugged use of the cowboy shooting.

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Your $800 budget means Rossi 92 at $550, Marlin 94 at $800, Winchester 73 at $1000 or Uberti 73 at $1300 slicked up. All are cowboy tested.

I like slicked up . Want to buy once . Want start with an upgrade . 1300 is not out of reach. Want functionality, not pressed on checkered stock / cosmetics so to speak .Want it to go bang every time.

Treedoc1 said:

Your $800 budget means Rossi 92 at $550, Marlin 94 at $800, Winchester 73 at $1000 or Uberti 73 at $1300 slicked up. All are cowboy tested.

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Ive beat the crap out of more than one Rossi...........a few minor tweaks and they do well and you are not afraid to ding them up. Tool grade but awesome tools.

Any levergun will potentially be COL sensitive . That said , most .38spl 158gr RNFP , TC , etc should be fine .

You will want to handle in person your options, there is quite a bit of difference in fit and balance .


Admittedly in .44 , not .357 , but once upon a time at shooting/ hunting partner #2's we had a dedicated levergun day . Marlin , Browning M92 , Ruger M96, and Henry ( plus my own experience w/ my older-ish Rossi M92 , and pistol cal Win M94s, and my fondling of various M92 clones with longer and/ or octagonal bbls ) . Differences in felt recoil was substantial with full power .44mag , but in .38/357 not an issue unless a full on orthopedic remediation .

All of them went bang every time . Accuracy for all was " within expected for the type " .

M92 with 20in or less bbl and more or less historically correct stocks are very compact, lightweight , neutral balanced, and handy . You can carry it all day hunting, one handed around balance point , like it wasn't even there . Combined with the ( short) LOP they are great for 'yutes , and munchkin sized adults . Is all that good , bad , or indifferent ? I dunno , all subjective .

On the other extreme , the Henry was heaviest , most muzzle foreward balance , and manly sized stock porportions . Good, bad, or indifferent ? If the discussion were extended range sessions with .44mag , the Henry would get the Biggfoot Endorsement just from having half of the felt recoil of an M92 . For mostly .38spl usage , that's moot , leaving it to subjective preference .

The Marlin M94 is midway between for fit and balance .

If you are misguided enough to wish to install an optic , advantage to the Marlin .


Yes, a high end M92 clone has a smoother action than a Rossi , for +/- twice the $$ .

If you asked *Serious* SASS competitors , many of them would swear by slicked up M73's . Yes , they can be slicker than hog snot , but it's an inherently weaker design . But if you were content with .38spl only ( no .357 capabilities) , you could test fondle one also .