Bush Pilot
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Marlin .41 magnum. I have a fair collection, don't get to shoot them often.
What's your favorite lever action rifle?
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entropy
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Winchester 1895 in 7.62x54R. It would go with my Mosin collection, and I think it is a neat, useful design.
DaStray
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Only have one, a Marlin 1894c that goes with my 4" 686. Those 2 would be the last firearms that I get rid of...
ECVMatt
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All of them......but I do favor the Marlin series. I have a few 336's, a 1895 GG, and a couple of the 1894 "P" series in .357 and .44. Like jmr40 all my levers have straight grips.
I have a nice 1894 .30/30 Winchester made in 1952.
I also have a Henry BB casehardened in .44. It is a pretty good shooter, but I am still trying to wrap my head around the tube loading.
I also have a Marlin 62 Levermatic in .256 Win and a Marlin 39A.
I shot my first deer in the mountains to the south of Mammoth Lakes, CA with a .300 Savage 99.
So yes, I really do like my leverguns!
I have a nice 1894 .30/30 Winchester made in 1952.
I also have a Henry BB casehardened in .44. It is a pretty good shooter, but I am still trying to wrap my head around the tube loading.
I also have a Marlin 62 Levermatic in .256 Win and a Marlin 39A.
I shot my first deer in the mountains to the south of Mammoth Lakes, CA with a .300 Savage 99.
So yes, I really do like my leverguns!
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Speedo66
Member
Tough to pick between my first, a Belgian Browning BLR .308, next an original '73 in .38-40, and last acquisition, a Rossi 92 in .357.
OK, favorite for ease of use, lightness, and virtually no recoil would be the Rossi.
OK, favorite for ease of use, lightness, and virtually no recoil would be the Rossi.
WestKentucky
Member
I love levers, especially Marlins. Of particular affection is the Marlin 62 levermatic in .256 Winchester magnum. It’s what I killed my first deer with so there is some bias. I also have a 62 in 30’carbine which is just as nice of a rifle. They are fun guns but I will never take another one apart, nowhere near as easy (or sensible) to reassemble as a 336.
Also noteworthy is my hatred for the henry 22 rifle that I shot through my boot with. A gun marketed for kids and aimed primarily at small game hunting should have a safety or at least a safer way to uncock. Thumbing the hammer down is asking for trouble, and I found it after the squirrel ran to the other side of the tree for about the 10th time that afternoon. I know a safety on a lever is taboo for many folks, but on a modern gun it just makes sense to have it. I’m suprised they don’t have it simply for minimizing liability.
Also noteworthy is my hatred for the henry 22 rifle that I shot through my boot with. A gun marketed for kids and aimed primarily at small game hunting should have a safety or at least a safer way to uncock. Thumbing the hammer down is asking for trouble, and I found it after the squirrel ran to the other side of the tree for about the 10th time that afternoon. I know a safety on a lever is taboo for many folks, but on a modern gun it just makes sense to have it. I’m suprised they don’t have it simply for minimizing liability.
PWC
Member
Winchester mod 1886 in 45-90
The safety and anti-safety groups are quite polarized. Frankly, I am with you, I like the cross bolt safety. The Henry has a transfer bar and a half cock does it not? If so that is more than what all pre-cross bolt safety Marlins have. So as to prevent shooting your foot off again for your Henry or old Marlin 39A or a Winchester 9422, or pre 84 Marlins get the thumb extension for the hammer. They greatly increase your purchase on the hammer and make it much less likely to have an accidental discharge.
greyling22
Member
marlin 1894c in 357 mag firing subsonic rounds through a can.
(not mine) marlin 1894ss ltd in any caliber, but I want a 41 mag.
(not mine) marlin 1894ss ltd in any caliber, but I want a 41 mag.
chicharrones
needs more ammo
Like decocking a revolver, then. Modern designed revolvers already have transfer bars or hammer blocks. Not counting Heritage revolvers, who wants to go down the path of having revolvers with safety levers?
WestKentucky
Member
That’s a great point. The thumb extension has always seemed to me to be intended primarily for getting to the hammer when a rifle is scoped, but it does provide a much much better grip to ease a hammer down, and is the main reason I don’t fuss about my 336. To that point, a wider hammer would likely be seen in a much different light than a true “safety” while covering most of the ground that a safety would cover.
True enough that the extensions were intended most likely for use with a scoped rifle but they so greatly enhance functioning the hammer that I think it is okay to install one, scope or not. The purist will frown, it will be okay.
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Obturation
Member
#1- marlin 39
#2- Henry in 45-70
#3- marlin 336
Least favorite- winchester 250, weird booger of a rifle. Shoots good. Looks bad
#2- Henry in 45-70
#3- marlin 336
Least favorite- winchester 250, weird booger of a rifle. Shoots good. Looks bad
I have the Marlin 39A that my Dad used to teach me to shoot. It was built in 1968 and was a gift to him from my Mom when he got out of the Army. It's been very well used. The finish is mostly gone.
The butt stock was broken in a car accident and we put it back together with duct tape. The bore still looks perfect though. love that rifle. I've been using the same gun to teach my youngsters.
I'm currently refinishing it and will be putting new figured walnut furniture and Skinner Brass sights on it. I'll post some pictures when I finish it. I'm trying to finish before Christmas to surprise my Dad.
The butt stock was broken in a car accident and we put it back together with duct tape. The bore still looks perfect though. love that rifle. I've been using the same gun to teach my youngsters.
I'm currently refinishing it and will be putting new figured walnut furniture and Skinner Brass sights on it. I'll post some pictures when I finish it. I'm trying to finish before Christmas to surprise my Dad.
Your Marlin 39A is similar to one I had and I'm still wondering why I ever sold it. Loved that little rifle!
Thanks, I would never part with my 39A Mountie. The wood is beautiful and the patina is earned and attractive. And it shoots very nicely. Digging it out and playing with it I realized I could no longer use the buckhorn sight so I ordered a Skinner, located a front hood in my stash and grabbed a JM hammer extension on eBay. All should arrive soon and put the little fella back in action. My right eye is such that I normally would want a scope, all my rifles are scoped, but I am going to try and live with the Skinner peep just to keep this rifle sleek. I would love to have the 39A pistol grip carbine, maybe I will find one someday I can afford.
DM~
Member
BY FAR, my Henry 22...
Seems everyone else loves it too, by the way they also like to shoot it!!
DM
Seems everyone else loves it too, by the way they also like to shoot it!!
DM
Gordon
Member
Another Savage 99F fan (in .308) from the late 50s. The 99F was just under 7 pounds naked and nicely stocked for off hand shooting. The rotary mag was a wonder and the action was smooth as silk at least to around 1965 when Savage old school Craftsmanship started to slip . My .308 has a Compact Leupold 4x Scope and mounts that brings weight to about 7 1/2 pounds unloaded which is a good weight for a .308 hunting rifle. It dotes on 150 grain bullets shooting well under an inch at 100 yards from bags with a good load under them . The 180 grains are no sloch about 1.5 MOA and I can hit 300 yard dear pretty easy resting on a jeep hood or shooting stix .I can't do that with my Marlins or Winchester lever guns !
The first year Marlin 94 .357 Carbine and the first year 1895 straight grip .45-70 with it's MARLIN 1.5-5x scope are nice in their own niche and the now too valuable to hunt with 1963 .35 Remington Marlin Marauder is a nice wall hanger to play with. My older M39 Marlin .22 is a fine piece of craftsman ship and more accurate than it should be scoped with an older Weaver 7/8 " 4x scope , it's a keeper.
My favorite Winchester is indeed the 1892 ; I have a 1913 one in 32-20 with half octagon 24" barrel and a 1976 made Browning B92 in .44 mag that has served me and two younger generations in the California hills. It is a lttle scratched up but it has been faithful in every respect and is a great gun. I do have a fine old Winchester from 1949 in 30-30 still in my safe with a tang sight and shot a few deer at 200 yards and less. I recently sold a 94 Saddle Carbine in 25-35 I used on my first job after VN as a ranch foreman in remote Big Sur . I allways was shocked at the ranges that thing could connect to with the long 117 grain round nose bullets at around 2300 FPS !
Today I shoot a Navy Arms branded 1873 short rifle in .38 spl (yeah it says .357 , but no thanks) for Cowboy Action shooting with my old Winchester 92 32-20 for back up . The 1873 sure are slick shooters for close range work !
The first year Marlin 94 .357 Carbine and the first year 1895 straight grip .45-70 with it's MARLIN 1.5-5x scope are nice in their own niche and the now too valuable to hunt with 1963 .35 Remington Marlin Marauder is a nice wall hanger to play with. My older M39 Marlin .22 is a fine piece of craftsman ship and more accurate than it should be scoped with an older Weaver 7/8 " 4x scope , it's a keeper.
My favorite Winchester is indeed the 1892 ; I have a 1913 one in 32-20 with half octagon 24" barrel and a 1976 made Browning B92 in .44 mag that has served me and two younger generations in the California hills. It is a lttle scratched up but it has been faithful in every respect and is a great gun. I do have a fine old Winchester from 1949 in 30-30 still in my safe with a tang sight and shot a few deer at 200 yards and less. I recently sold a 94 Saddle Carbine in 25-35 I used on my first job after VN as a ranch foreman in remote Big Sur . I allways was shocked at the ranges that thing could connect to with the long 117 grain round nose bullets at around 2300 FPS !
Today I shoot a Navy Arms branded 1873 short rifle in .38 spl (yeah it says .357 , but no thanks) for Cowboy Action shooting with my old Winchester 92 32-20 for back up . The 1873 sure are slick shooters for close range work !
Ks5shooter
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Cowhide Cliff
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Model 1873 and 1876 Winchesters. I like the 92 and 94s a lot but give the nod to the old toggle link guns as my favorites.
Telum Pisces
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Henry 45-70 All Weather! I can reload from everything from plinkster to wholly S$it that hurt! I've tried to scratch the surface of steel coated and wood and have yet to succeed. I truly believe the finish is better than the SS Marlin.
Nice! But, yes, hard tool chrome has a higher surface hardness than stainless steel but when looking at Henry 45-70 lever rifles I could not determine if the bore was plated and the internal parts of the receiver and mechanisms?
Telum Pisces
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Those typically are not getting brushed up against trees and other elements. At lease where I use mind!
It is a durable finish but ultimately I am more concerned with corrosion/rust, short and long term. Henry is slowly getting close to getting some dollars from me. A gate and stainless steel and I will be there. They have some fine products and the chrome finish is interesting.
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