Favorite Lever Action Rifles

[doubleh]

I'm not a huge fan of lever action rifles but of the three I have it's a Henry long barrel frontier with a Lyman tang sight.

 

[Buckeye63]

I have owned alot of centerfire leverguns .... in alot of calibers..
30-30, 308 marlin ,32 Spl ,35 Rem, 356,375 ,444,450 marlin & 45/70 ..
357 Magnum,45 Colt, 44 mag & 454
and a few 99's in 308 , and 250-3000

Due to illness and loseing my job about 15yrs ago they all had to go ..along with dozens more long guns a handguns..
I have never attempted to replace those long guns ...
I now have only two leverguns at this time and one is my favorite,,,,
A Marlin JM Spikehorn 30-30 .... unbelievably accurate little carbine .. 16.5 inch barrel shorter stock ... im planning on putting on some Skinner sights ... The little carbine shoots both 150gr & 170gr factory fodder well ..

 

[Offfhand]

It's hard to pick a favorite, but I'm right fond of this vintage Marlin 39 with original factory mounted Marlin scope, and Win. M-94 that was restocked and engraved by Griffin & Howe. Both were made in the 1930's, when gunmakers were serious about making good rifles...

 

[IdaD]

Nostalgia wise I'd say my dad's 300 Savage which was his first hunting rifle, bought new back in the late 40's. Fun to shoot and best to carry in the woods, I'll go with my Marlin 336. I think it's a mid-80s build and it's a slick little gun. I don't hunt with it much because it's kind of limited from a capability standpoint, but I love shooting and carrying it.

 

[cheygriz]

1892 Winchester .38-40
1886 Winchester .45-90
Marlin 39 "Mountie" .22 LR

Close 2nd
1895 Winchester .30-40 Krag
1876 Winchester .45-75.

 

[Armored farmer]

1894c in .357mag.
Pretty handy.

 

[hq]

It's hard to pick a favorite, but I'm right fond of this vintage Marlin 39 with original factory mounted Marlin scope, and Win. M-94 that was restocked and engraved by Griffin & Howe.

As gorgeous as the 94 is (and it really is), my "like" came from the 39 + scope. You don't see combos like that anymore. I really love it when an unusual vintage scope is kept on the rifle and not replaced by whatever seems to be "much better" at a later time. I still have the original 20mm crosshair scope and pressed steel rings for my family heirloom early CZ Mod.1, the rifle I learned the ropes of marksmanship with back in the 70's. I could "Leupold" it for much better optical performance but it just wouldn't feel right.

 

[Jessesky]

The 16” 454 casull Rossi I have weighs 5lb. With the 400gr loads at 1650fps it generates 41 foot pounds of recoil. That’s as much as my 375h&h with some loads.

 

[Jessesky]

Win. M-94 that was restocked and engraved by Griffin & Howe.

Gorgeous, do you know who the prior owner was? Or who commissioned it?

 

[sharkman]

Hmmmm, probably my 1894 Winchester in .32-40, manufactured around 1905. Restored by Doug Turbull.

Followed by Browning BLR .308

Because both belonged to my Dad

 

[Shanghai McCoy]

The Winchester mod 88 . Is my altime favorite. I would like to see them in production again. The 284 win. Was a lot of power in a shot action.

I had one in 308. It was the first centerfire rifle that I ever bought. Got my first deer with it when I was 16. Sadly, it got sold during my first marriage...

I have a Marlin 94 in 44 mag, a Marlin 95 CB in 45/70 and a vintage 1947 Winchester 94 in 32 Special. Gotta say I like them all...

 

[Vern Humphrey]

Savage 99 in .308 Winchester, made in the late '50s.

 

[Jimster]

My Uberti 1860 Henry followed by the 1873. Both in 44WCF.

 

[Tentwing]

Hmmmmm??... I've only got about 8 lever actions most of them rimfires. I guess I would give them nod to my 1952 Marlin39 just above my 1996 Marlin 39a. It has a tapered barrel ,so it carries a little lighter,and I prefer the Ballard rifling over the micro-groove .

 

[Keyfer 55]

Let's not forget Teddy Roosevelt 1895 405 win.

 

[sharkman]

Hmmmm, probably my 1894 Winchester in .32-40, manufactured around 1905. Restored by Doug Turbull.

Followed by Browning BLR .308

Because both belonged to my Dad

Tagging on to my own post, I know folks have varying opinions about restoring firearms. My 1894 had a corroded buttplate and the magazine had been apparently been cleaned with steel wool. Seriously, almost the entire length scratched down to the bare metal. And the bore, well, here's a picture taken after I wore out a bore brush on it, and used my Foul Out:



So off to Doug Turnbull it went, and then it came back...



And the BLR

 

[Trey Veston]

A matched pair. As a rule I like any of the Marlins with a straight grip. I think the Marlin is slightly better than Winchester, but just don't like the pistol grip.

My dad owned a sporting goods store when I was growing up and I spent many hours sweeping and stocking shelves listening to old men debate which was better; the Winchester or the Marlin. I liked the straight-gripped Marlins as they felt smoother and tighter than the Winchesters. But I knew what was good for me and kept my punk mouth shut back then. LOL.

 

[Ks5shooter]

 

[Charlie98]

One of them is a Browning 1886 Saddle Ring Carbine in 45-70

I had one of those, too... it's was a very fine rifle. It is The One Rifle I Regret Selling after all these years. I do have it's brother... a Browning 71 in .348, so I'm not tooooo put out. I did get a Marlin 1895 LTD as a replacement, but it just wasn't the same.

I would have a hard time picking my favorite lever... the 71, the Savage 99, my 1894FG in .41MAG...? I couldn't do it.

 

[22250Rem]

Always wanted a lever gun but never got around to it until I inherited a Marlin 30AS in .30-30 from an uncle in 2001. Then I was sorry I didn't get into lever guns sooner. A couple months ago the gun dept. at the local Runnings , home, farm, and outdoor store, had the base model ( H-001 ) Henry .22 lever guns on sale. I looked at it, fondled it, and bought it on the spot. It's a good shooter, smooth with a slick action and a joy to use. Can't decide which one is the favorite... Both are great in their respective categories; .30-30 & 22LR.

 

[J-Bar]

Winchester Model 95, .30/‘06, inherited from my uncle. The rifle was manufactured in the 1920’s, spent its early years in Ohio. My uncle married an Ohio girl and bought this rifle from a friend of her family. From 1946 to 2017 the rifle lived in Colorado, roaming the Rockies with my uncle and his son, accounting for a number of mule deer and elk. My uncle outlived his son so the ‘95 passed to me. I have not shot it, but it’s my favorite because of its history in my family.

 

[chicharrones]

Currently, my favorite is my Marlin 39AS with the high capacity magazine and push button dry fire device.

View attachment 814316

 

[BigSteve57]

I have a Henry Evil Roy .22 I like a lot esp. for the large loop.
REF: https://www.henryusa.com/rifles/henry-frontier-carbine-evil-roy-edition/

 

[FL-NC]

The only one I have is a Marlin 336 30-30. I think lever guns are very cool, but I have 2 issues with them: 1- the ability to mount a scope on certain models (not a problem on my Marlin, or if you don't want a scope) and 2- operating the action can be problematic when zeroing from a supported position without "breaking position", which is what I personally prefer, just due to the OCD that is ingrained in me from years of long range shooting. If someone could show me how to do this from a bench without breaking position, I would love to learn. I think I may take that Malin out this year just for old time's sake when gun season opens in a week- I know I can hit a skoal can with it at 100 yards, so it will be fine for hunting the jungle around here!

 

[Karl.T]

My all time favorite is the Marlin 1894 in any caliber. Second favorite is the Winchester 92 or clones. Only two I never was inclined to get was the 1895 or Browning BLR. Always wanted a Savage 99.