Recommend Me a Lever Gen.....

[sonofeugene]

I'm thinking of scratching an itch and getting a lever gun after all the Covid stuff dies down. So, which brand can you recommend most highly? And what caliber?

I'm drawn towards Henry right now and actually considering their 5.56 or .308. Or one in 357/38. Certainly I'd also consider Winchester, Marlin, etc. I'm looking for smoothness of operation, good looks, and reliability. Use would be almost exclusively at the range. Loading must be from the side, except for the 5.56/.308.

What say you all? And thanks!

[NoHeavyHitter]

Older Winchesters and Marlins are decent, and Miroku for anything brand new. Buy in a caliber that you reload for, or one that you already have other guns chambered in.

[plumbum]

A Henry side loader .45-70 should do the trick!
Or one in .357 or .44 would likely be more economical... but still fun. The Long Ranger just seems like cheating.

[Bastard]

Uberti 1873 Competition Rifle - I would recommend one of the other 1873s but the first time you shoulder it you will stab yourself with it and not want to do it again.

[splithoof]

I’ll defer to Apples for this thread; he’s my go-to for anything lever action, and I’ve seen him work them.

[wurger]

I have an old Winchester Model 94, but I never shoot it since I got my Henry All-Weather .357. Cheaper to shoot, and just as fun.

[Jeepergeo]

Browning. Many calibers to choose from and fed via a box magazine making it easy to load and unload.

[cannon]

I like Marlins because they eject out the side.

No more hot brass coming out the top and down your shirt. Yes that happens and I have the burn marks to prove it.

P.S. If you buy a top ejecter. Untuck your shirt.

[Emdawg]

Browning or Winchester 1895 in 30-06.

[RNE228]

Savage. A later box magazine 99 in 308 or 243. Silky smooth, classy lines, comfortable to shoot...

Browning in 223 is fun too.

The JM Marlins in 357 are fun too.

If it is a range gun, will you be shooting from the bench/sand bags? If you're on a bench a bolt gun is nicer to shoot; no moving or turning it to work the lever.

Oh, some of the Marlins were available in 218 Bee. That's a fun one to shoot.

[elSquid]

[200Apples]

Older Marlins or new Winchesters (which are made by Miroku).

Rossi, for inexpensive fun. Steve's Guns for tips on how to slick 'em up.

Lever guns forever! Join the Mojave Lever Crew, it's free!





And Happy New Year to all lever-lovin' shooters.

[deadcoyote]

Browning or Winchester 1895 in 30-06.

I was gonna say this but this feller beat me to it.

[bonesurf]

Levers I can speak to:

Henry golden boy in 22LR. I mean....there’s just something about that gun.

Henry X in 357—great option if you already have a 357 or 38 wheel gun. Rails ad stuff if you wanna “tacticool” it. Side loading and front loading.

The Marlin 1894 series feel very much like the Henry’s to me. What’s nice about the Marlins vs the Henry is that the bolt/ejection port is covered. It’s open in the Henry. You may or may not care about that. Marlin will probably be hard to find in the short term until Ruger starts making them again (recently acquiired by ruger).

Taylor/Uberti 1873 in 357. BEAUTIFUL gun. Case hardened 20” carbine. Super soft shooting due to the relatively heavy weight of gun.

1866 clones in 38 spl. I think it was a chiappa build. Very accurate. SMOOTH action. Feels like you are shooting 22lr.

Henry 45-70—that is a serious gun and a serious round. Especially the modern loads.

Browning BLR in 308. Another super nice gun. Just me. The whole magazine fed lever thing is sorta.....?weird? But if you wanna shoot .308, .223 etc, Browning BLR, Henry Long Ranger or Savage 99

[five.five-six]

Winchester 94 saddle ring, the classic!