Author Topic: Lever Action Carbine?  (Read 25734 times)

fightingquaker13

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Lever Action Carbine?
« on: September 01, 2010, 01:47:38 AM »
Jaybet's post about a rifle got me to thinking (always a dagerous thing). If you were to reccomend a lever action, what would it be? .44 mag, .357, 45-70, 30-30, .308? Why? Let's assume we want a FUDD friendly multi-tasker. Good for the range, hunting and SD. Spare us the tacticool mods. We are talking Old School John Wayne. What would you choose and why? Winchester, Marlin, Rossi? What is your reccomendation to someone starting from scratch with say $500-$700 to burn? A deer rifle that will keep the kids off the front lawn (and heavier calibers for bears are also welcome). What do you buy that's not going to break the bank, but still do the job?
FQ13

tombogan03884

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Re: Lever Action Carbine?
« Reply #1 on: September 01, 2010, 01:50:20 AM »
Since you did not mention CAS I will go with a Marlin or Winchester in 30/30 Later model ones run around $450 -$500, and they will knock over anything you are likely to want or need to shoot.

fightingquaker13

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Re: Lever Action Carbine?
« Reply #2 on: September 01, 2010, 01:56:49 AM »
Since you did not mention CAS I will go with a Marlin or Winchester in 30/30
All brands are welcome. Why a 30-30 over the others though? This is the question. Lets assume you didn't already have a stock o' ammo in caliber X, and didn't have an AK or AR ready to roll. Lets also assume you don't also have a bolt action 500 yard Bambi Whackinator 2010 (patent pending ;D) and actually wanted to hunt deer and deal with zombies, which do you choose and why?
FQ13

Dakotaranger

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Re: Lever Action Carbine?
« Reply #3 on: September 01, 2010, 02:33:52 AM »
All brands are welcome. Why a 30-30 over the others though? This is the question. Lets assume you didn't already have a stock o' ammo in caliber X, and didn't have an AK or AR ready to roll. Lets also assume you don't also have a bolt action 500 yard Bambi Whackinator 2010 (patent pending ;D) and actually wanted to hunt deer and deal with zombies, which do you choose and why?
FQ13
Because you can find the ammo in the local hardware store and half the gas stations out here.  I keep dreaming about a .45-70, but ammo availability is sketchy at best.  You may be alright with a .308, but you can't expect to go into a gas station in Killdeer, ND and expect to find it where I know I'll be able to pick up a box if I forgot to pack a box before deer season
"One loves to possess arms, though they hope never to have occasion for them." --Thomas Jefferson, letter to George Washington, 1796

TAB

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Re: Lever Action Carbine?
« Reply #4 on: September 01, 2010, 05:05:04 AM »
45 colt or 44 mag would also be a good choice.
I always break all the clay pigeons,  some times its even with lead.

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Re: Lever Action Carbine?
« Reply #5 on: Today at 07:16:18 AM »

fightingquaker13

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Re: Lever Action Carbine?
« Reply #5 on: September 01, 2010, 05:21:33 AM »
45 colt or 44 mag would also be a good choice.
How about 30-06? Marlin, Winchester and Savage make levers in this round. How does that stack up for a multi-tasker?
FQ13
PS Salty, I know you are lurking. Yes, I regret selling that Model 94 to you, but I really hope you and the kids are enjoying it. :-\ ;D

Hazcat

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Re: Lever Action Carbine?
« Reply #6 on: September 01, 2010, 06:59:08 AM »
For an all around deer and heavier game gun I would go with the 30-30.  Yes it is only 100 - 150 yard gun but it will do it all, ammo is plentiful and it is well proven.  I would probably go with a Marlin or pre-jap Winchester.
All tipoes and misspelings are copi-righted.  Pleeze do not reuse without ritten persimmons  :D

billt

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Re: Lever Action Carbine?
« Reply #7 on: September 01, 2010, 07:44:09 AM »
I'm not a whole lot into lever guns, but here are a few of them. Sorry about some of the pictures, Some were scan jobs off of older photos.



A early 1970's Winchester Model 94 .30-30 I bought brand new off the rack at Sears in 1971. It was missing the hood on the front sight. I went back and forth with the salesman until the manager showed up and marked $25.00 off the price. I walked out the door with it for under $100.00. I really wanted it because the stock had nice Tiger Striping. I drove over to my local gun shop at the time and he installed a front sight hood while I waited for the whopping price of $3.50, and my new rifle was complete.



Another Winchester Model 94. This one is a "Trapper" Model in .45 Colt. It has a 16" barrel. I got it from a distributor out of Reno, Nevada back when I had my FFL, (pre Oklahoma City). When it arrived it had a cracked stock, so back it went. They admitted several had gotten out of the factory that way. When I got the second one, same deal. Finally the third time was a charm and the gun was beautiful without a mark on it. They were so nice to credit my account for $75.00 for all of my trouble.



A Marlin 39-A .22 LR. I had been wanting one for a long time so I finally gave in. Trouble was I called damn near every gun shop in Phoenix and no one had them. All kinds of stories about "limited production", and that sort of thing. I finally found a shop in town that had ONE. I drove over and paid retail price for it, ($405.00 at the time). I thought it was ridiculous for a .22, even though the action is like it was greased with butter. The other day Cabela's had one on their rack for well over $500.00 so I really can't complain. You never see them discounted. Even used ones are priced sky high.



While not a true lever gun I picked up this Winchester Model 88 in .308 about 15 years ago from a "friend of a friend". He only wanted $250.00 for it so I couldn't resist. It only had 2 boxes of ammo through it. It was an early 60's manufacture gun. I got it complete with the old steel tube Weaver KV-60, 6 power scope with "Swing Away" mounts. (Remember those?) I was going to replace the glass and mounts, but after I shot it I decided not to mess with it because it shot great. They were more of a lever actuated bolt action, than they were a true lever gun, which is why they were chambered for high pressure rounds like the .308, .358, and .284 Winchester back then. Like many guns, the cost to manufacture took it off the market.



This is the only lever gun I own with a scope other than the Model 88. It's a Marlin 1894 in .44 Magnum. I mounted a Leupold Vari-X II 3-9X in Leupold rings and bases. I originally bought it for a Wisconsin Black Bear hunt that never materialized. It's an accurate shooter, and I've got several .44 Magnum wheel guns to go along with it. It is an 80's model without any checkering on the stock.



Last is my Marlin .45-70 Guide Gun. This is an earlier model that has the ported barrel. It really helps cut down on the recoil, but it really increases the muzzle blast! I haven't scoped it mostly because to me scoping a lever gun is a bit like putting a spoiler on a stagecoach. It just doesn't seem like it belongs. What I really like about the lever guns is the fun factor.

 There are times when I get bored and just want to pull a trigger and have fun doing it without all of the worry about accuracy, group size, and all of the like. Mel and I will grab some lever actions and go out to our club range and have at the steel plates out at 200 yards. They really ring loud when you whack them with big, heavy bullets from lever guns. It's nice because we can both load the truck in about 5 minutes. No spotting scopes, bench rests, targets, and all the rest. Just guns and plenty of ammo. Can't beat that.   Bill T.




fightingquaker13

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Re: Lever Action Carbine?
« Reply #8 on: September 01, 2010, 07:51:36 AM »
"I'm not a whole lot into lever guns"? ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D
FQ13 who just spit coffee on his key board! ROFLMAO ;)

riss61

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Re: Lever Action Carbine?
« Reply #9 on: September 01, 2010, 09:28:54 AM »
Rossi makes a sweet little lever action carbine in 45 Colt. I have no logic behind that recomendation. I got to shoot one recently and it was a hoot.

 

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