Let's See Your Lever Action

[Ragman]

This thread is speaking my love language...

Top to bottom: Marlin 336 in .35 Remington, Savage 99E in .308, Marlin GBL in .45-70, Savage 99EG in .300 Savage, and my favorite/go-to Marlin MLXR in .338 Marlin Express...


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I would be willing to bet that you are the only one or at least one of a very small number of people who have shot a kudu with a .300 Savage!!!

 

[Ragman]

The rifle that I started hunting with in 1981 was a Winchester 94 in .30-30 Win. I shot this whitetail with it in 2021, 40 years after my first deer.

My #1 go-to rifle is my Browning BLR in .308 Win. It is by far my favourite gun I’ve owned. Shot this moose with it in 2014.

I am patiently waiting to inherit my father’s Savage 99C .308 Win But am really in no hurry.

 

[curtism1234]

I also had thoughts of free floating a lever action. I just haven't figured out how to do it. Unlike other rifle designs there is always 2 points of contact:

Barrel bands:
Front and rear on forestock.
Front of forestock, magazine tube, barrel and rear forestock
Barrel and magazine tube

BLR: ???....hhmmm

Could possibly be done using a full length stock like a bolt action stock. Would require a lot of wood cutting and shaping to design the stock to house the lever action metal profile and action, and to locate, drill and tap for a front screw in front of the magazine.

It would be interesting to see how it would look, feel, and shoot.

Mine MUST be gripped at the forearm. If I just put it on a front rest, it will completely miss the target at 100. If I put it shooting sticks, it will shoot 12" high at 100 yards. If I grip the forearm and place my wrist inside the V of the shooting stick, it nails the bullseye. (I should mention the trigger has been lightened)

1. the 308 is a 350 yard cartridge imo and I don't feel like I have the stability to shoot that far --- it's more like a glorified 30-30 (which at the time I bought it was also twice the price as one)
2. I avoid taking it in the rain because the forearm is already tight against the barrel. It's ok for what I do locally and I'll take it to a dry environment like Africa, but I'm not bringing it to Alaska and taking a shot across the tundra soaking wet

Possible solution
I think putting a 358 win forearm on will completely float the barrel (mine doesn't have the barrel band and yours wouldn't need the barrel band [though it may have markings]). And the forearm shouldn't screw directly into the barrel so screw tension shouldn't be an issue. I don't know...the forearms are pricey to just play around with

 

[SETH RINGER]

MARLIN 1894P CUSTOM TAKE DOWN AND CASE

 

[maxtheflyinghorse]

Only lever gun I got. It’s a JM stamped Marlin 1894 CS in .357 magnum. I got it unfired for just $190 few months ago. My friend wanted to sell it to me as he knows I will never sell It and will stay as a family heirloom. He only wanted that money as he thought that was a fair price for what he paid in the 90s.

 

[Boone66]

Mine is a little different then everyone else's, 1887 win 12ga, made in 1888. I reset the headspace, polished the bore, made a new main and trigger spring. I shoot BP cartridge out of it only.

 

[Firebird]

Winchester model 94 in 30-30

 

[MS 9x56]

MARLIN 1894P CUSTOM TAKE DOWN AND CASE
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Wow, just wow. That wood is gorgeous.

 

[AustinM]

MARLIN 1894P CUSTOM TAKE DOWN AND CASE
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Where did you get that wood, it's absolutely incredible!?!

 

[AustinM]

Marlin 1895G in 45-90, by David Clay. Its an absolute beauty and a monster of a cartridge out of the Marlin. Just needs a trip to the Woodshop for some better wood, like some other rifles I own.

Recently I purchased one of the original 510 Kodiak Express that were built by Mic Mcpherson, so picture will be made present once I have it up and running. Nothing says stop here, like 5,000+ lbs of energy out of a lever gun!

Now that i think of it, I have quite a few levers I need to take pictures of. I have a 1 of 1 Marlin 1894 in 50 AE that can be loaded to 1.9" oal. A Marlin 1894 in 357 that can be loaded to about 1.83" oal and gets a 180 grn speer hotcor to a blistering 1900 fps!
Did I mention I love lever guns!

 

[wyosteve]

My pig gun!

 

[MS 9x56]

My pig gun!

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What’s that old saying “you can put lipstick on a pig but it is still a pig”?

 

[Bandera]

My Marlin 1895 SBL 45-70

My Citadel 94 in 45 Colt

 

[michael458]

M71 High Grade 50 B&M Alaskans....... Matching Serial #s.................

 

[SETH RINGER]

Where did you get that wood, it's absolutely incredible!?!

BOUGHT IT FROM DENLI GUNSTOCKS IN TURKEY. THEY DONT SEEM TO HAVE MUCH LISTED ONLINE NOW BUT THEN THEY HAD A BUNCK OF BLANKS ONLINE AND THAT WOOD CAME OUT OF THEIR "SPECIAL" CLASS THOUGH IT WAS ON SALE BECAUSE IT WAS A LITTLE SHORT. IT LAYED UNDER MY BED FOR YEARS TILL I FOUND THE LITTLE .44MAG TO HAVE BUILT WITH IT.

 

[ldmay375]

M71 High Grade 50 B&M Alaskans....... Matching Serial #s.................

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Beautiful rifles. I Really like that cartridge.

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

Browning BLR 308win. In retrospect I wish I would have went with the 358win bc it doesnt like 180gr bullets. It doesn't knock things down half the time but they never go far. It accompanies everywhere when shots are under 200 yards

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@curtism1234
Easy solution
Send it off to JES and get it re bored to 358.
Loaded with 225gn Woodleigh RNSP it will flatten game. Even big Sable bulls. You won't recover many bullets tho.
How do I know this. @Rick HOlbert took one to Namibia recently and got these results. He would have liked to find a BIG eland to try it in so he could maybe recover a projectile.
Bob

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

What’s that old saying “you can put lipstick on a pig but it is still a pig”?

@MS 9x56
One you drool over with nice wood, the other you insult.
At least we know which side of your toast is buttered.
I do like wood tho.
At least the pig gun didn't have lights, lasers and bipod hanging off the m lock friend.
Tactical levers may have a use but .........
Maybe you can get a plastic stock for your BLR so y'all can hunt Alaska.
I still have my original 92 in 25-20 with its original 1927 stainless steel octagon barrel.
Bob

 

[yumastepside]

My lever guns as bought...1897 M92 in 44-40 and 1919 M99 takedown in 22 HP...

 

[Ridge Runner]

This will be a double post just posting here for @Bob Nelson 35Whelen. I just reloaded 10 test rounds of 38-55......with this hand reloader.