Can you recall your lever actions?

Chiappa, Marlin, Mossberg and non-Rossi Manufactured Pumas plus anything else with a leveraction.
Post Reply
Archer
2000 Shots
2000 Shots
Posts: 3942
Joined: 04 Feb 2014 05:30
Location: SoCal Loco
Has thanked: 137 times
Been thanked: 610 times

Can you recall your lever actions?

Post by Archer »

So what have you had in the way of cowboy assault rifles?
Can you recall what order you got them in?
Things you particularly liked or disliked?
NOT asking if you still have it/them. Your choice there.
(Include your Rossi levers even though this is the non-Rossi board and even if you only had Rossi levers.)

I THINK the order goes something like this...

Winchester 94 .30-30 20" RB Blue ~1981/2 pre angle eject. Had a healthy kick.
Winchester 94 .44 Mag 24" RB Blue Legacy 1996/7. Sweet gun, just a tad long.
Winchester 86 .45-70 26" Oct Blue TD 1999/01 Miruko. Still Loving it.
Winchester 95 .30-06 Blue 1999/02 Miruko. A bit awkward in the action but very nice.
Winchester 9422M .22WMR RB Blue. Bought it from a friend. Should have gotten a 9422 from him at the same time.
Winchester 85 .22 HalfOct, w Marbles tang site and globe front. Purchased used.
Henry .22 S/L/LR Octagonal black. EXCELLENT FUN GUN!!
Browning BLR22 .22 S/L/LR. Very nice little gun with a short throw lever. Got it used so it's a little marked up on the stock.
Winchester 94 AE .30-30 Win. Early production. Missing plug screws took the low end Simmons scope off it for the previous owner. The screws weren't even tight. Should have kept the rings.
Winchester 94 .30-30 1972-3? Purchased from the 1st owner's daughter. One of the Winchester mystery metal guns but in good shape came with the invoice from when it was first purchased.
Rossi 92 .44 Mag 24" Oct SS LNIB.
Rossi 92 .357/.38 20" RB Blue NIB.
Browning BLR .308 TD 'Hog Stalker' Laminated stock.
Rossi 92 .44 Mag 20" RB SS LNIB.
Marlin .444 24" RB Blue slow twist. As a gift.

Wanted list in another post.
cruzerbotz
Posts: 30
Joined: 11 Mar 2015 18:12
Location: United States
Been thanked: 4 times

Re: Can you recall your lever actions?

Post by cruzerbotz »

First one was a Winchester 30-30 purchased at Wally World in Missouri in 1974. Sold it. Back when Sam Walton only had about twenty stores.
Mossberg SPS 464 in 30-30. Broken extractor. Sold it after replacing extractor.
Henry 30-30 steel. Replaced the Mossberg. Accurate. Took a deer first time out hunting with it.
Henry 22 lr. Bought it/liked it. Wife liked it, so got her one. Then she changed her mind and I sold hers.
Henry 22 mag. Nice gun, wouldn't shoot better than about 3" at 100 yds. Sold it.
Rossi blued 92 16" carbine 357
Rossi stainless 92 20" 357
Winchester Trails End Takedown 30-30
User avatar
zippy
250 Shots
250 Shots
Posts: 416
Joined: 05 Mar 2015 20:34
Location: Upstate South Carolina
Has thanked: 103 times
Been thanked: 103 times

Re: Can you recall your lever actions?

Post by zippy »

Yup, that's easy.
SS Rossi 92, .357, 24" oct barrel. Bought nine months ago.
User avatar
GasGuzzler
Moderator
Moderator
Posts: 2745
Joined: 02 Nov 2015 19:54
Location: Cooke County, TX
Has thanked: 310 times
Been thanked: 451 times

Re: Can you recall your lever actions?

Post by GasGuzzler »

I have mine. Unless a 111 year old .32WFC or a shows up for a reasonable price, I'm hoping for the best.
__________________________________________________________________________________________
I've always been crazy but it's kept me from going insane.
User avatar
Ranch Dog
Site Admin
Site Admin
Posts: 9398
Joined: 23 Jan 2012 07:44
Location: Inez, TX
Has thanked: 1837 times
Been thanked: 2281 times

Re: Can you recall your lever actions?

Post by Ranch Dog »

Marlin:
  • 39A ~ RF - Shot it a lot but always thought it heavy especially with my bad shoulders. Killed a couple of coyotes with it but the 22RF just isn't consistent enough for bobcats or feral hogs. It was a good turtle killer but when the ammo crunch came, I sold it.
  • 1894C ~ 357 Mag - Ornery, sold after purchasing my Rossi 92 without ever looking back.
  • 1894CL ~ 218 Bee - Love it. Easily replaces the need for a 22RF. Much more killing authority.
  • 1894CL ~ 25-50 Win - Better than the 218 Bee in every respect.
  • 1894CL ~ 32-20 Win - Better than the 25-20 Win in every respect. Great rifle for use when calling varmints in the brush. Light report and recoil.
  • 1894FG ~ 41 Mag - Super, hard to find hunting rifle!
  • 1894P ~ 44 Mag - Outstand Guide Gun styled carbine & hunter. Set up with the complete XS Sights Scout system.
  • 1894S ~ 45 Colt - Special run Guide Gun. Really disappointed in it with a barrel that was crushed at the rear sight dovetail. Marlin couldn't replace the barrel because they don't do 45 Colts but hand lapped it. Still for the money this rifle cost me it should have been replaced. Sold it as soon as I bought the Rossi 92.
  • 308ME ~ 308 Marlin Express - Okay rifle but at the time really tough finding brass to reload. Not overly impressed with it.
  • 338ME ~338 Marlin Express - Terrible rifle. Canted barrel & undersized chamber resulted in a overpressure event that damaged the rifle. Marlin replaced the barrel and corrected the chamber. Sold when returned.
  • 336-44 ~ 44 Mag - Unique limited run rifle that caused Marlin to introduce the modern 1894. The clockworks of the carrier/lifter concerned me as there are no parts available. Sold it in favor of the 1894P.
  • 336A ~ 30-30 Win, 30-30 Ackley Improved, 405 JES - A real beater that was a super accurate rifle so I had it professionally rebuilt to include a parkerized finish plus the rechamber to 30-30 AI. That cartridge is nothing that a handloader can already achieve with the plain old 30-30 so I had it rebored/rechambered to 405 JES. Didn't care for the task of forming brass so I sold it.
  • 336C ~ 35 Rem - Another beater that had seen it's time run out. Sold.
  • 336D ~ 35 Rem - Special run Guide Gun. Outstanding rifle with the XS Sights/Scout setup.
  • 336ER ~ 356 Win - Good rifle and unique but anything it can do the 35 Rem can be handloaded to do the same.
  • 336RC ~ 32 Win Spl - Great rifle and cartridge. My rifle is extremely accurate and I prefer this cartridge to the 30-30 Win.This 1950's rifle looked new with the metal and bluing at 99%. It was purchased with a synthetic stock so I had Marlin restock it with wood.
  • 336SC ~ 219 Zipper - Interesting rifle and quite the coyote killer. No commercial brass or ammo made anymore. You can find reformed 30-30 Win brass. Also had a spare barrel still in the factory wax paper as burning up the barrel was a supposed issue. Offered $1500 for the barrel and $2500 for the rifle so yeah, I sold it. I only had $550 in it. Took me less than a second to think about it.
  • 375 ~ 375 Win ~ Owned three but down to one. Second only to my 444T. Have done quite a bit of hunting with the cartridge and rifle. Took one in trade and passed it on to another that could appreciate it and I had one that was NIB. Intended to pull it out one day but realized that I would never give up the rifle that I have so much history with. Sold it for a small fortune.
  • 444 ~ 444 Marlin - The last JM Marlin I purchased right before they closed up. Short chamber for the LeveRevolution ammunition. Sold it after taking a chamber cast without shooting it.
  • 444P ~ 444 Marlin - Loved the rifle but was talked out of it. Only rifle I have regretted selling so another now sits in its place. Set up as an XS Sight/Scout.
  • 444T - 444 Marlin - My favorite lever gun. 1972 "Texan". Awesome rifle with a long hunting history. Had it professionally rebuilt five years ago. This is a my Marlin.
  • 1895G ~ 45-70 Govt - Never warmed up to this rifle or the 1895 series. Traded for Marlin 375.
  • 1895MR ~ 450 Marlin - Liked it better than the 1895G but a heavy full rifle. Sold.
Boy oh boy that took some time but I think that is a complete list of my Marlins. I still own the rifles in "bold".
Michael
Image
Archer
2000 Shots
2000 Shots
Posts: 3942
Joined: 04 Feb 2014 05:30
Location: SoCal Loco
Has thanked: 137 times
Been thanked: 610 times

Re: Can you recall your lever actions?

Post by Archer »

I always sort of wanted a .375 Winchester but I've tried to help three or so folks in the past 5 years find ammo and it hasn't been popping up very easy. Maybe if Obama keeps his trap shut and Hillary isn't elected some will come available but I have my doubts I'll find one of the guns in decent shape at less than collectors prices.
klr
250 Shots
250 Shots
Posts: 344
Joined: 19 Jan 2014 19:20
Location: SW Ohio
Has thanked: 61 times
Been thanked: 65 times

Re: Can you recall your lever actions?

Post by klr »

Marlin 336 in 35 Rem. I converted it to a straight stock and chopped it to 16". Traded to my son.
Winchester 94AE in 30-30. Been experimenting on it for the past year.
Marlin 1894S in 44-40. I didn't like how it felt and it was worth too much to chop up so I sold it unfired by me.
Rossi Model 65 in 44-40. Got a smoking deal because the PO thought it was crap. A little tuning and the correct ammo and it works great. Soon to drill a few holes in it for a scope mount.
User avatar
Ranch Dog
Site Admin
Site Admin
Posts: 9398
Joined: 23 Jan 2012 07:44
Location: Inez, TX
Has thanked: 1837 times
Been thanked: 2281 times

Re: Can you recall your lever actions?

Post by Ranch Dog »

Archer wrote:I always sort of wanted a .375 Winchester but I've tried to help three or so folks in the past 5 years find ammo and it hasn't been popping up very easy. Maybe if Obama keeps his trap shut and Hillary isn't elected some will come available but I have my doubts I'll find one of the guns in decent shape at less than collectors prices.
Yeah, it definitely is a handloaders cartridge now. I use a 235-grain cast bullet of my design but would favor the Sierra 200-grain FN. I used to be a Hornady guy but when they started dropping the flat nosed lever gun Interlocks in favor of their gummy bear and metal bullets, I dropped them as a choice. That Pro Hunter is about the only choice. Buffalo Arms is making their own brand of jacketed bullets, may be they just need the idea.

As far as brass goes Winchester still insists that they are producing it but 38-55 Win brass is just as easy to use. I have 700 new cases so my estate will be selling some as this stuff just doesn't wear out.

There was a episode of "Life Below Zero" on the TV while i was working around the house and this young fellow that lives in the sticks had gone to a cabin that had abandoned 40 years earlier after a recent meet with the owner of the cabin told him to have at what at was left as he would never return. He was pretty very "pumped" when he found a locking ammo can. Inside was a number of boxes of ammo, 30-06 which he shot and 375 Win. He made a comment about being able to trade with the 375 Win. I bet he could!
Michael
Image
User avatar
NavyDoc76-80
500 Shots
500 Shots
Posts: 925
Joined: 05 Jul 2014 21:44
Location: Outer Banks NC
Has thanked: 307 times
Been thanked: 262 times

Re: Can you recall your lever actions?

Post by NavyDoc76-80 »

Does a Red Ryder count?
Dave M
--//--
Let us tenderly and kindly cherish, therefore, the means of knowledge. Let us dare to read, think, speak and write.
John Adams

20" SS .357
16" SS .44
20" SS .45C
Hombre
Posts: 109
Joined: 25 Feb 2015 18:41
Location: OH
Has thanked: 12 times
Been thanked: 27 times

Re: Can you recall your lever actions?

Post by Hombre »

My first was a 70's vintage Belgium Browning BLR in .308. Wonderful gun, maybe the best for woods hunting; light, short, accurate, and hard hitting. Unfortunately, I'm now living in a state that won't allow it for hunting.

Next came an 1889 vintage Winchester '73 in .38-40 I sorta' got by accident. Friend said his uncle was moving to FL, wanted to get rid of some guns. Takes me down to a barely lit unfinished basement, and there it is leaning up against a wall. Great find. Shoots fairly accurate for what looks like a trashed sewer pipe barrel. The ridiculous cost of factory ammo got me back into reloading.

Being in a state that only recently allowed rifles at all for hunting, the regs stipulate straight walled pistol or rifle cartridges only, with a prescribed list you may not deviate from. So it was time for my last acquisition, the Rossi 20" blued .357, now with a Weaver 4x scout scope. This is my current hunting rifle, and with the scope, surprisingly accurate. Lucky to find this site with the wealth of knowledge it comes with re: R92's.
Post Reply