The only lever I'de really want would be a big one with a nice top moving locking mechanism.
like a Colt Burgess in 44-40
No nancying about with pistol calibers.

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But then , and that's rare for me, it's really for the historic beauty of the gun, the movement of the action.
Cause lets face it, nothing practical about such a gun in such a caliber, with such a stock.. Real shooting heavier cartrdiges is just better with a straighter stock, recoil manages much nicer.

I much prefer the Marlin.

The bolt on the Marlin can be easily removed, facilitating cleaning from the breach end. There is no easy way to do that on any model of Winchester.

I like the closed top and side ejection of the Marlin. Winchesters are open on the top, and eject through the top. This allows more rain and crud to get into the Winchester.

The Marlin has a much simpler, more robust action. They feel smoother to me as well. Only one Winchester action feels as smooth, and that is on the notably weak 1873.

1873's do not "lock up" with any kind of a solid lug holding the bolt closed. They use a toggle link that goes slightly over center to lock. Very, very weak, and only suitable for very low pressure pistol sized rounds. The later Winchesters, like the 1886, 1892, and 1894, all truly lock up, but there is a lot more going on inside when we work the lever than there is on a Marlin (which locks up very solidly).

I have two modern Miroku built Winchesters, a Model 71 in .348 and an 1886 in .45-70. I hate to say it, but they are superior to originals in every way.

Stijn, the .44-40 originally came out in the Model 1873 as a "rifle" caliber, but it is, in fact, a pistol sized cartridge. Colt chambered it in their Single Action Army. It fires a 200 grain bullet over 40 grains of black powder. Contrast this with the .45-70, which fires either a 400 grain bullet over 60 grains of black powder as the "carbine" load, or a 500 grain bullet over 70 grains of black powder as the "rifle" load.

Yes, there is a lot to be said for the historic beauty and movement of the action. The whole package is very pleasing, more so than any bolt gun or semi auto. Just something about a lever gun.

My modern Marlin and Winchester in .45-70 both handle extremely stout .45-70 loads with aplomb. While no one would would ever say these loads are "pleasant" or "comfortable" out of any kind of rifle, these have high enough combs on straight enough stocks to be no worse than anything else.

OK, I'm a collector & target shooter so my choices are a bit out of the ordinary.

One rifle: Mauser Gewehr 98

That is just such a classic. Mine has Spanish markings that I have been told date back to the Spanish-American War.

One shotgun: Remington 870 with monte carlo stock and a selection of barrels (including 3" mag long barrel for geese)

(Note that my Mauser Gewehr 98 is truly a 98, but because of the specific Spanish markings on the parts, it was speculated that it used some parts originally made in Spain for the Mauser model 1893 - a rifle that proved itself so superior to the ones used by the US that it was largely copied to create the M1903 Springfield. But most of you already know that.)

How do you guys transport rifles with optics? Obviously you don't want to knock them around and get them out of zero.

I'm working on a gear vault to go in the back of the buggy, and thinking about cut foam moulds. I might make a thread about it if there is interest.

your right i think i confused my calibers , 30-30 Winchester is closer to what I meant
Never had a lever so none of it is from experience.

Evertime I shot one it was like at the club and some kind of marlin in 22 or 45 and it never really impressed me much

But the rackign motion is fun and i just like those really old ones with a lot of moving parts up top :D

Can't beat Mauser actions, They are built to last.
Loved my Remington built Springfield 1903A3 Mauser
3006 , hammer lead 600 yds down range all day long

It's the one gun I wish I had kept.

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I suspect more white tail deer have been killed with .30-30 out of a lever than any other
caliber or style of gun... at least here in the southern USA. I bought my Marlin back when I was 18 .... had hair on my head, so I figured WTF is wrong with hairy palms to match? Yep, I put a scope on it :D. The scope was removed sometime over the years .... I don't need one within 100 yds ... and that's a long shot here. My M629 .44 mag will do that too, but shooting it has never been fun .... or cheap. I poo-poo'd the pistol calibers in a rifle too ... until I bought a Marlin in .357 about 13 years ago.... then I added a .22 Henry Golden Boy lever (smooth & sweet). The latest Marlin is not in the same league as the 45 year old 336... but has become my favorite. No sentimental value, it will kill anything I need to (2 or 4 legs), and when I grow up (another 7-8 inches)... I will be "The Rifleman" :D.

So I've lived.... and learned...

Do NOT read Higgins' posts... 'cause it'll cost ya :)

Armalite AR10 with primary arms scope with ACSS and binary trigger.

I kind of figured that was what happened. There are a bewildering variety of actions, action lengths and sizes, and chamberings in the world of the lever gun. Easy to get them mixed up.

There just can't be many of them in your neighborhood. I think the various firearms usage and storage restrictions probably dissuade someone who can only legally own (or afford to license) a small number of firearms. These things suck at any kind of "official" sanctioned range, where one must shoot only approved (usually paper) targets, from approved positions (usually from the bench or prone), at an approved slow-fire pace (if not single loaded).

No, the "yew-haw" factor of the lever gun comes in informal plinking sessions at the gravel pit. Being able to cycle the lever while trying to chase a coffee can that you keep bouncing further and further away. That's where the fun lies in a lever gun.

Or hunting, in specific situations. I've covered those already. Professional guides separated by oceans, hunting their respective continents, have called them "the best damn bear gun" and "the best damn lion gun" they have ever seen. I cannot argue.

Yeah, like I mentioned earlier, it's that "at the club" part that keeps one from exploring their virtues. Is it even possible (legal) to just drive out into the countryside and shoot, in a safe locale, like a gravel pit? That's where the pistol caliber lever guns really shine.

Hard case. Pick and pull foam.

Stijn, I’d also be interested in the practicalities and legalities of owning and shooting your long and short guns in Belgium. I was under the impression that one basically couldn’t have guns there?

“Or hunting, in specific situations. I've covered those already. Professional guides separated by oceans, hunting their respective continents, have called them "the best damn bear gun" and "the best damn lion gun" they have ever seen. I cannot argue.”

However, the lever is clearly not the best damn dinosaur gun, because in Jurassic Park, Owen Grady fails to take down the Indominus Rex despite shooting at it many times (and presumably hitting it, since Indominus is a huge target - although its brain is the size of a walnut - with his 45-70 Marlin 1895.

Chris Pratt (the actor) explained that Owen (his character) had the rifle for raptors, which are human sized, so even though it isn’t the appropriate rifle for a Rex, it is what he had when the s hit the f. In a later Jurassic movie, he is better prepared with military weapons.

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No sir no shootn outside the clubrange.
I was in a club that was in a military range, so had bit more liberties 2 mile wilderness and huge embankements in between ranges.. desolation by comparison to other ranges.

But it was a 130 mile drive to get there , went almost every weekend.
walk 400 meters put up target holder ; shoot

i'de often go out to the side ranges, Shorter, but not as crowded, to pistol snap shoot work.. or chase a can around the floor.. officially not allowed, but ok nobody cared if you were by yourself.. and it helps if you are the RO :D
And the MP's didn't bother either just as long as you had your clearance on ya
Basically I went shooting where all the SF types went during the week.. still got 57 rounds and shells from when they had the terror attacks in Belgium and France, and the SF types were doing running drills and well you can't police brass in a 400 meter sandbox while you ran around shooting.. not practical

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essentially a sand plain.. with some bushes.


it takes a lot of effort do do real shooting in Belgium.
I have, and went beyond Belgium.. but it was hard work, and for every hour shooting it was 5 hours driving and 2 hours reloading. Minimum.
I went every weekend for pretty much 5 years. straight.

Most just go to the club to talk small groups, shoot some rounds and get the stamp for their anual license renual.

they shot to be allowed to have guns
I had guns to go shoot

My job to to much and i stopped, sold the stuff
now now job, more energy.. I'm starting to feel a bit of an itch.

But not sure I wanna go back to the fanatic LR shooting, its a lot of work to do it properly now with UK out of EU.. harder to get to Bisley as well (my UK safe and cometent shooting license expired, harder to get a new one again)

Also used in Wind River (2017).

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