Best Levergun you've owned??

[Pistolero]

This is probably a question that's been asked before.

But until recently I wouldn't have felt qualified to answer it. Just got hold (after a 5 month wait) Uberti 1866 Yellowboy .38SPL. Smoothest, best shooting levergun I've ever had. Previous guns:

Marlin 1894C .357 - wouldn't feed anything but FMJ of JHP boolits. But nice rifle.

Win 1894 .44Mag - loose action - lever safety a real PITA and kept ejecting spent cases down the back of my neck. But lighter and more accurate than the marlin I had. Would feed anything.

I had only heard good things about the Uberti's. Now I know it to be true. Smooth action and no anoying lever safety. Feeds anything. Looks great.

What do you guys say? I've seen a Uberti 1873 - next on the wish list.

[SharpsShooter]

Marlin 1895 45-70. 1st year production, no silly cross-bolt garbage, ballard rifling, Williams receiver sight. It seems to shoot whatever I feed it including single loaded paper patch boolits.


SS

[hoosierlogger]

New Haven 30-30 made by Mossberg. Its the only lever gun I have , so its also the best. No seriously I cant complain it has never let me down except for when the extractor broke.

[jh45gun]

Marlin 1895 Guide Gun 45/70 topped with a 1.5x4.5 Weaver. I had been wanting one of these for a long time now that I got one I wish I would have gotten one sooner. I had traded in a Number 5 Rolling Block that was redone and re-barreled in 45/70 to get this Marlin. I now wish instead of putting all that money into the roller I would have just bought the Marlin then. With the Ballard rifling it shoots cast great.

Henry lever in 22 Mag with a Leupold MK8 on it. Very accurate and smooth lever. I like it I only wish that the mag ammo has not gone up so much.

Winchester Model 94 30/30 made in 64. Yea its a post one but it has never given me any trouble even still has the original lifter. Has a peep rear sight and a fiber optic front sight which makes for a great combination. Classic gun in a classic caliber what's not to like. A great cast bullet gun.

[markinalpine]

...and that's 1894, NOT 94, in .30WCF, that my grandfather bought in 1908.
Mark

[ReloaderFred]

I own about a dozen lever action rifles, so it's hard to pick one for certain, but my favorite is my Marlin 1894G in .41 Magnum. Super reliable, smooth operation and dead nuts accurate.

I have lever rifles from Savage, Winchester and Marlin, but the Marlins are the ones I prefer to shoot.

Hope this helps.

Fred

PS: A lot of people have trouble with feeding lever action rifles because they don't experiment with the over all length of their loaded rounds. Most lever action rifles prefer a specific length of cartridge, or bullet shape. I've found the RNFP bullets work best in most of them.

[excess650]

As odd as it may seem to the OP, the one that I've owned the longest and shot the most is a pre-safety 1894c bought in 1981 or so. I had and still have several other Marlins. Another favorite is a Savage 1899 rebored/rechambered from 30-30 to 38-55.

[6pt-sika]

Probably the best I've "ever" owned was a Marlin Model 1893 of 1906 vintage in 32-40 , a Marlin 1893 also of 1906 vintage in 30-30 and a Marlin 1895 of 1897 vintage in 38-56 !

All three of those were as smoth as warm butter !

Now at the present I have no less then Twentyfive Marlin 444's that were made from 1964 to 1975 and all of them are slick and function well !

Also have a Marlin "New Model 1895'" that was made in the first year of production 1972 and that one is slick and functions and shoots well !

And just recently acquired a 1967 vintage Marlin 336-44 thats pretty darned nice functionally and accuracy wise !

[45r]

The most accurate levergun is the most usefull to me and my 45-70 XLR is is so accurate it would be the last to go.It is a real tack-driver.I like my 24 inch 45colt CB very much also.

[Glen]

I don't know what the BEST lever-gun I own is, but I do know that the last one I would sell off would be the Marlin 1894 in .45 Colt. It does everything I want a little lever-action carbine to do.

[AnthonyB]

Customized Winchester BB in 356 Winchester and a Leupold Scout Scope mounted in front of the action. Without doubt the best I have now, though the Marlin 336ER in 356 Winchester will be close when it gets finished.
Tony

[crabo]

My 39A shoots lights out. The attached target has 2 10 shot groups at 50 yards. I had a 6.5X20 Luepold on it when I shot these groups. It shoots around an inch at 100. No crossbolt safety and I picked it up for $300 plus tax at a pawnshop.

I used Veral's firelap compound when I first bought the gun. I put the sights and a Cabella's lace on cheekpiece on it.

[Tom-ADC]

I like my Marlin 1894 44 mag its a early one 20+ years old fun to shoot, the one that got away was a Ithica 22lr lever action, I've since replaced it with a Henry fun to shoot very smooth action.

[herbert buckland]

I would have a hard time parting with my Burncide contract 1865 spencer 56-50,good for pigs to 100yds and a great history ,then my Evans new modle sporting rifle and my 95 Winchester 30-40 carbine for serious work

[gon2shoot]

How many choices do I get?
As far as most comfortable and fun, it would be the 1960 Marlin 336 straight stock 35 Rem.
The best built would go to the Browning Centenial 44 mag.

The one I shoot the most is a 16" Rossi 45 mdl 92.

[StrawHat]

I have only one lever action rifle, a Winchester 1895 from 1900, chambered for the 405 WCF cartridge. Since it is my only one, it must be the one I feel is the best. In the past I have had others but for various reason, sold them. In a few years, I amy sell this one.

[jh45gun]

My 39A shoots lights out. The attached target has 2 10 shot groups at 50 yards. I had a 6.5X20 Luepold on it when I shot these groups. It shoots around an inch at 100. No crossbolt safety and I picked it up for $300 plus tax at a pawnshop.

I used Veral's firelap compound when I first bought the gun. I put the sights and a Cabella's lace on cheekpiece on it.

Great Shooting. My Henry 22 Mag will put with the ammo it likes which at the time was CCI FMJ 5 shots into one 30 caliber size hole at 50 yards. Other ammo is more like half inch when I do my part. Problem is with the price of 22 mag ammo I do not use it much anymore for plinking or target shooting.

[Mk42gunner]

Its a toss-up. When we were kids, there was an Ithaca Model 72, (prerunner of the Henry) that my best friend and I swapped back and forth several times. The other was a Marlin Model 39 that was old enough that it was drilled for a scope base, but the hammer wasn't grooved for the thumb piece extention.

I lost track of the Ithaca after I went into the Navy, The Marlin got swiped out of my buddy's truck.

Wish I had them both back, now.


Robert

[Lead Fred]

For a shooter the 1996 Marlin 30AS
For walkabout the 1967 Winnie 94
Both in 30WCF

[MT Gianni]

Not a traditional but hands down the BLR in 308. Mine has killed moose to rabbits and groups cast almost as well as j-words. 5 other also rans in the safe.