Lever Spoons

J P Stein · 11-25-2016, 05:04 AM

I know just enough about em' to get in trouble.
My interest is in pistol caliber. .357 is about right.
I've had a couple and know what I don't want. I want a side loader of good quality.....new or used. Winchester or Marlin seem a good bet
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Yes, this is a braintrust query. A good spot to find one would help.

Arizona_928 · 11-25-2016, 05:18 AM

I bought my marlin lever on impact. Took couple weeks to ship in, but it was by far cheaper then the competitors.

Bought a 10$ picatinny rail on Amazon and and a holographic sight. Can say it is my favorite rifle to shoot...

J P Stein · 11-25-2016, 06:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AZ_porschekid

I bought my marlin lever on impact. Took couple weeks to ship in, but it was by far cheaper then the competitors.

Bought a 10$ picatinny rail on Amazon and and a holographic sight. Can say it is my favorite rifle to shoot...

I have no idea what those trinkets are???

craigster59 · craigster59's Garage

I had a Browning B92 in 357 (they also made a 44 mag). Great gun, Rossi makes one similar but not near the quality. I have been looking for a Winchester 94 in 30-30. Savage 99's are nice but never made in a pistol caliber.

Joe Bob · Joe Bob's Garage

https://www.henryrifles.com/rifles/big-boy/

Henry Big Boy Carbine 357 Oct Large Loop H006MR : Lever Action Rifles at GunBroker.com

Seahawk · 11-25-2016, 06:35 AM

We have an Marlin 336 Texan in 30-30 that was made in 1974. It is a shooter in good shape.

There are various styles and calibers available everywhere and you won't spend a lot.

Tobra · Tobra's Garage

I have always liked the idea of having a pistol-carbine set.

Friend of mine happens to have a pair of .357 Winchesters, inherited one.

id10t · 11-25-2016, 07:55 AM

While I love pistol caliber carbines, I've never been a fan of a lever gun.

How about a mag fed one? Unfortunately, Ruger only made the 96 in rimfire and 44mag... RUGER MODEL 96 .44 MAG ESTATE GUN : Lever Action Rifles at GunBroker.com

HardDrive · 08:05 AM

I have the Henry in .44. Fit and finish is fantastic. Killed a deer with it first day out in the woods. I've got the black 'steel' version.

gr8fl4porsche · gr8fl4porsche's Garage

Henry Big Boy in .357 is what I would buy.

KFC911 · 11:01 AM

Higgy will be by soon enough

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I've had my Marlin .30-.30 for almost 40 years, and picked up another in .357 some years back. The newer one was before they changed factories or something, but the quality just isn't up to par with the older one, but it doesn't suck. Also have a Henry Golden Boy in .22lr and it is sweeeeeet

. Higgy's gonna tell you that the Henry's aren't built well, but I'm not running a bunch through any of them. Soooo....I'm gonna tell ya to check out a Henry....didn't you buy a Henry .22 some years ago too?

targa911S · 11-25-2016, 01:20 PM

Henry makes pistol calibers. Marlin 336 (get an older one) or Rossi. I personally like the rossi. I had one in the shop in 38 special. offered to buy it from my customer. He wouldn't part with it. Browning lever guns are gear driven. Don't EVER take one apart. There is the winchester 88 as well. Another never take apart gun...

Jeff Higgins · 11-25-2016, 04:30 PM

You can't go wrong with either a Marlin 1894 or a Winchester 1892. Both are the traditional slab sided, tube magazine, side loading port configuration we all think of when someone says "lever gun". Winchester did make the 1894 in .357 mag as well, but the action is needlessly large for that (it's better as a .30-30).

The .357 mag makes for a fantastic lever gun round. One of the best aspects of this caliber is that the guns have proper rifling twist rates that will handle all popular bullet weights. The same cannot be said of the .44 mag and .45 Colt, which continue to be made with the old, traditional, 1:38 twist. Far, far too slow for standard bullet weights in these calibers. I do hear, however, that Winchester has corrected this on their newest Miroku made '92's. If so, and you want a bigger caliber, that would make that the one to get.

Back to the .357... Dirt cheap plinking, wonderful kids' training gun, and just plain good fun when loaded with .38 Specials. An honest close range deer rifle when loaded with appropriate .357 mag's. And a hand loader's dream, being one of the most versatile and easy to feed combinations going. Brian Pearce has tested and published loads with Li'l Gun and 158 grain bullets that pretty much equal .30-30 loads, believe it or not. Whatever you want it to do, a .357 lever gun will work pretty darn good.

As far as the Henry rifles, I hear they have really upped their game. They still make the cheap cast zamac receivers with cheap stamped sheet metal over the top, but they also make real, all steel receivers now as well. I understand those are fairly nice rifles.

flatbutt · 11-25-2016, 04:36 PM

Anyone know of a .40 lever rifle?

Craig T · 11-25-2016, 04:55 PM

I shoot a Navy Arms .357 1873 model in a monthly pistol cartridge lever gun match. I love it! Cheaper then buying a early Winchester 1892 or Marlin. They come up used often on gunbroker and gunauction for $800- $900. The 1892s are lighter, but the 73 is well balanced for stand up silhouette and target matches.

Navy Arms - Winchester 1873

Jeff Higgins · 11-25-2016, 05:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by flatbutt

Anyone know of a .40 lever rifle?

The old .38-40 is actually a .40 caliber. About the only rifles you might find in this caliber are an original Winchester 1873 or an 1892. To my knowledge, at least, there has never been a more modern .40 caliber offered in a lever gun, such as the .41 mag.

A quick word on '73's: I know folks love these rifles. Good ones are a slick as they come, with their toggle link actions. It is, however, an exceedingly dangerous design. More than a few shooters have been killed when one of these launches the firing pin out the back of the action, through their shooting glasses, and into their skull. Granted, millions and millions have been manufactured, billions of rounds fired, so chances are right up there with being struck by lightening. It's a chance I won't take, though. Too many other safe choices.

id10t · 11-25-2016, 06:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by flatbutt

Anyone know of a .40 lever rifle?

Rimless is really hard to do in a lever gun...

The Henry is available in 41 mag though...

If you live in a Free state and want a 40 carbine, I'd look at a Glock mag compatible lower AR type.

Jeff Higgins · 11-25-2016, 08:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by id10t

If you live in a Free state and want a 40 carbine, I'd look at a Glock mag compatible lower AR type.

Such an arm will rob one of his soul. A proper lever gun will, on the other hand, add to one's charisma and overall manliness. Black plastic and parkerized aluminum vs. real walnut and blued steel. Hardly any kind of fair comparison, really. Overall effectiveness leans towards the practiced hand with the levergun over the duffer with the latest wiz-bang toy, hands down.

Bill Douglas · 11-25-2016, 08:28 PM

Handle a Miroku (the shotgun people) lever action. As smooth as silk. It makes other lever actions feel decidedly clunky. Beautifully finished too, and as accurate as you will get with a lever action.

HardDrive · 11-25-2016, 09:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jeff Higgins

As far as the Henry rifles, I hear they have really upped their game. They still make the cheap cast zamac receivers with cheap stamped sheet metal over the top, but they also make real, all steel receivers now as well. I understand those are fairly nice rifles.

True. Their .22 lever action does indeed have cast 'soft' metal parts. Their Big Boy comes in brass or steel. The brass is an alloy, and sturdy enough to stand up to .45-70.