Lever Action, what to look for

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ThrottleJockey

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I'm SERIOUSLY thinking about making my next purchase a lever action. I would appreciate any advice that you guys can offer. I want a 30-30, but see the merit of a .357 since it would go nicely with my revolver, making camping/hunting trips less cumbersome. Keep in mind, I do not reload, so this should not play ANY role in the decision.
 
I would say a marlin 336w in 30-30. If you want a 357 go with a marlin 1894c.
.357 150 yards maximum!
30/30 good to 300 yards with leverevolution ammo just aim at the top of the back to hit them in the heart when sighted 3" high at 100 yards. If you are in bear country go with a 444 or 45-70 it might help you out and both are easy to shoot to 200 yards with the right ammo.
 
puma, and uberti but the marlin is most likely the best on both accuracy and reliability. They are also more comfortable to me. You might find a rossi which is pretty much a puma but cheaper.
 
The Winchester 94 is a family tradition, and I love it, but they aren't making it these days and the Marlin 336 series probably got you "more gun" back when the Model 94 sold new a decade ago. On the other hand, a good used 94 may be had even today for $200 and up. Don't listen to those people about scope problems. I put a variable 9x scope way up top on my angle eject, I can still use the iron sights, and it's a tackdriver. No cheek weld with the scope, is all.
 
Yes the model 94 is excellent if you can find one for a reasonable price and the value is only going up as they can be considered collector items. I would have one right now if I could find one.
 
Mossberg now makes the Winchester model 94 .30-30 in their own model (ie, it is of course not called a "Winchester"). I forget their name, but it is essentially John Browning's Win. 1894 with some slight modifications.
 
The 1894c I found is $519 NIB, seems a bit high, but I can't locate anything used. New even seems really hard to find. I'm not really sure about the 30-30, I will in the near future, inherit a Winchester buffalo bill commemorative. It has never been fired, so that part will be tough, but the value isn't really there to keep it out of use. I don't know why, but it seems like they never really appreciated(mass produced?). Tell me more about the 45-70 and the 444 please.
 
With factory ammunition the 444 will handle just about anything you throw at it. I would love one. It shoots fairly flat for a big bore levergun and has downed several elk with one shot in their tracks. The 45-70 is also just as versatile with leverevolution ammo. It is legendary and has even been the downfall of several elephants. I would trust either of these with my life in bear country. The 45-70 has a sense of nostalgia to it while the 444 kicks less and true performer on every big game animal in north america and most in africa.
 
.45-70 is a great caliber,[my favorite!] but expensive if you don't reload .Are you going to hunt?If all you want is a truck gun/plinker,survival weapon,the .357 is a better choice than the 30-30 or the .45-70.You could knock over a deer if you had to,and the ammo is much cheaper,as you can also use .38 special.
 
Look for a bolt-action .243 Winchester because . . .

A .243 Winchester 100 grain Speer Grand Slam bullet will surpass any .30/30 lead-lobbing performance. If you already own a .30/30, ignore my previous statement and concentrate on the best BONDED bullets and reload to maximum velocity. Tube-feeders are dangerous with spire-point bullets, so adhere to recommendations. Hornady has developed a "squashy-tipped" bullet that I've had no practical application with, but it should be better down-range than any standard thurty-thurty fare prior. Still, don't expect much beyond 200 yards of bullet DROP, as you could with a .243 Winchester with 90 grain Swift Scirocco II fare or 100 grain Grand Slam strikes at 300 yards. Cliffy
 
Buy a Malin W336 30-30. I think 30-30 ammo is easier to find right now than .357 Mag, and it's probably cheaper. And now that Hornady LEVERevolution ammo is available, you can get some excellent performance out of the round.
 
Here's a quick stab at your question...

If you are looking for a fun gun to take camping and do some shooting as well, the .357 is the way to go. It also does dbl duty as a great SD rifle. Ammo is plenty powerful for a 100 yards or so and has very little recoil. Ammo compatibility with your handgun is a huge plus. Being able to use .38 Spl is also a big plus.

.30-30 is a great round. I gives you more power and range. Ammo is more expensive however. Recoil and muzzle blast are also increased, but the .30-30 is not a big kicker. If you feel that larger animals are a legitimate threat, this may be a better option.

.45-70 is another great round. It comes with a price of high ammo cost and recoil with some loads. Unless you are nostalgic or going to hunt, I would not consider this as a good option. Same goes for the .444 minus the nostalgic perspective.

Good luck,

Matt
 
Ooh, a .357 magnum levergun. Mine will be at the FFL in the morning.:D

I had an 1894c several years ago and let it go. It was a great little carbine, light and handy with surprising accuracy and on target "punch". I found a NIB newer model for sale here last week and snatched it up.

The 30/30 is a fine woods/short range deer round and if I could hunt with one I'd have one. Here in Indiana the pistol caliber rifle has recently been made legal for hunting white-tail deer, so there's that. Ammo commonality was an issue for me too. I have a S&W 586 and a blue steel lever gun in the same caliber seemed like a natural choice.

Ballistics swiped from Buffalo Bore's website. The 158gr stuff is only a couple'a hundred fps off of a common 30/30 150gr round. Inside 100yds, who's gonna know the difference between a pistol round and a rifle round if the shot placement is on.

5. 18.5 inch Marlin 1894

a. Item 19A/20-180gr. Hard Cast = 1851 fps
b. Item 19B/20-170gr. JHC = 1860 fps
c. Item 19C/20-158gr. Speer Uni Core = 2153 fps---- Can you believe this?!!!
d. Item 19D/20-125gr. Speer Uni Core = 2298 fps---- Or this?!!!
 
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$519 for the marlin is not a bad price for the Marlin 1894 in 357. They are in tight supply and hold their value. Finding one significantly cheaper will prolly mean used and possibly needing work to cure a relatively easy to fix jam problem. Folks often sell rather than fix them. Keep an eye on gunbroker or the like for a deal. They are out there.

I would lean towards a 336 Marlin of some sort as they are very in expensive and quite good rifles regardless. I would think a nice used rifle can be had for $250 on up depending on condition, model and material of construction and optional stuff install or included in the deal. If you don't care about having a nice finish you can really save. Expect to pay about 1/2 the price + or - a bit for a worn finish 336 as compared to a sparkly and shiny 357.

Both are loads of fun. The 357 is cheaper to shoot (30-30 Federal and Rem at wally world $11 a box of 20 for hunting quality ammo, and prolly $30-35+ for a box of 50 357/38 plinker or maybe hunting ammo). If you are planning on hunting deer sized stuff go with the 30-30. The 357 will do the job at modest ranges but the 30-30 gives a little extra range and power.

If you are inheriting a BB commerative 30-30, SHOOT it and skip the 336 and 357. Other than sentimental value they are worth in money terms about the same as the 357, i.e. about $500 or so... Do the person you inherit the rifle from proud and use it to harvest a truckload of deer...

The 45-70 is a step up in power and an order of magnitude in versatility. Ammo will make shooting a lot more expensive unless you reload. Getting even a hand press will reduce the cost of shooting the big bore 45-70 by a huge amount or allow you to shoot alot more for the same price as factory ammo and it will increase the versatility of the rifle to cover ANYTHING.

Be safe and good luck with the hunt...

Patty
 
30-30 has way more range then the 357, so I would get the 30-30 either in a Wnchester or Marlin. If you think your going to put a scope on it get the 336 Marlin.
Buffalo Bill shot his fancy guns so I would use that commemorative to; is it a 30-30?
I've been huinting with my old Marlin 1881 45-70. My maximum range on deer size game with iron sights is about 200 yards. A 330gr cast cal 45 hits hard and knocks deer off their feet everytime. There is little to no meat damage, unlike a high velocity-high powered cartridge.
 
If you don't reload, start.:)

Reloading straight wall pistol cartridges is a breeze, and the guns in question are REALLY fun plinkers if you're not paying 20 bucks a box for ammo.
 
Thanks for the input everyone. I'm really leaning in the direction of the .357. I have a Rem.7600 30-06 for big game, will be getting the BB30-30 some day, and think the .357 will be lots of fun. Not as much fun as my WASRs, but I can't stand the idea of blowing off any more of my dwindling 7.62 ammo:)
 
Check out this site.........Everything you wanted to know about lever guns but were afraid to ask!!!

http://www.leverguns.com/

Paco Kelly is a good person and has been shooting and using levers for more than 50 years!!!!!

Good luck....BTW, I own 4 myself....Browning 1886 45/70, Marlin 1885 SS (pre hammer block) 45/70, Rossi (Puma) SRC stainless 45LC.:D:D:D

I almost forgot...Savage 99 308.
 
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I have been oogling the Marlin 336 in .35 Rem., I have a .357 revolver... I don't currently reload but I plan to start someday. The bullet reloads for .357/.38 spec can be used in the .35 rem cases, is what I hear. That makes your gun well suited for a variety of tasks, and a good match to your revolver if you ever started to reload... if you are wanting something more powerful than the .357, but not sure about a 30/30 it would be something to think about.
 
Last fall I picked up a 77 Marlin 1894c in 357. Beautify carbine and depending on what you plan on doing with it it's plenty. I recently scored an old Ted Williams (Win 94) 30-30. A big jump in muzzle blast and recoil over the .357 carbine but nothing like a 12ga slug will give ya. Got a real bum shoulder but I have to use the Hornady leverevolution rounds to even feel the recoil from the 357 carbine. If you roll your own you probably put out some pretty hot loads for it.
 
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