Favorite Lever?

What is your favorite lever rifle? What is it chambered in? What is it used for?

I think my current favorite lever is my stainless Rossi 92 chambered in .45 colt with a 16" barrel. It is so light and quick to put on target. I know the fit/finish is not the best on the Rossi 92's, but mine works great and is pretty smooth. I love it as a shooter and I never have to worry about scratching the wood or anything. I have put a little over 2k rounds through it and take it with me most of the times I go shooting. I usually use it for friendly dueling tree competitions--and for that it works awesome. I installed a rear peep sight from Skinner Sights, which helps me get on target a little faster. Loads of fun. This is one gun I can see myself wearing out.

The marlin .45-70 guide gun is a close second. With the cost and availability of powder being what it has been for the last while, it is too expensive/not practical to shoot.

I shamefully only own 2 right now. A beloved Winchester 94 that I got when I was 15 for a hog hunt, and an old 1905 manufacture Marlin 1894 in 32-20 that is having ejection problems. Got the Marlin as a gift.

Can't say I'm a big fan of the Marlin 1894's. Had a 44 mag 1894 before that had ejection problems, too. I've about had it with that model. I know a lot of people love them, but having owned two now with ejection issues, I'm about to give up, I think.

However, I love the Winchester 94. I don't hunt much anymore, but have been working with the 94 with handloads and a newly installed Williams peep sight. It's reduced my groups by quite a bit. Great little rifle that, as Michael Bane once said, "has killed more deer than Godzilla."

Still have my eye on those Rossi 92's, though. Came very close to getting a stainless 357 with 16 inch barrel recently.

In the end, I think I prefer lever actions where ejection is out the top, meaning Winchester, or clone thereof. I like being able to see all the inards without taking out screws and pins.

Prettiest: Spaghetti Winchester 1866. In the white, brass receiver, presentation wood. It's my SASS Main Match gun.

Baddest: Marlin 1895CB in .45 By God 70. It'll be my long range lever, when I get a Round Tuit.

Most With Less: Marlin 1894C in .357. Brilliant little carbine. Light, fast, smooth, rugged and amazingly accurate. Jim Bowie laid his hands upon it and made it even better. Appropriated through eminent domain by the wife for SASS. I wish Marlington would get their @$$ together and once again produce a lever true to the Marlin name.

TJ: Tried a one piece ejector in your 1894s?


 
One Piece Ejector

CF, I (humbly) demand pics!

When you get some free time, bust out a camera and snap a few.

That's my SASS loadout: Win '66, Win '97, and two Ruger Old Model Vaquero Bisleys. Lever and OMVs are in .357, but I shoot .38s. Can't photo the wife's 94C, as it's with her in St Louie, and she's girlied-up the poor thing with a pink leather butt cover and lever wrap. I'm going to take a rain check on the .45-70 because it's in the back of the safe and behind a whole bunch of house projects I've got to get done.  Don't have the time to massage the gun flesh.  

By way of apology, I've included a shot of my Winchester 1894 30/30 Texas Ranger commemorative. Probably the most frustrating gun I have: I bought it from a Cowboy friend and learned later that it was an unfired commemorative, NRA 100%. I haven't had the heart to take it to the range.

Oh man, that is a nice looking setup. You are def shooting in style.

Marline 39m in 22LR for me.  I have just put the aperture sights back on it after a stint with a scope.  I like this a good deal better, not great groups, 1.5inchest at 25metres (Winchester Australia Western Bulk 22LR) but a much more natural feel.


There is a a Win 1894 pre-64 around and a Savage 99 in 30-30 from 1924 however the last is still a project, not shooting yet.

Beautiful, SWV.

Friend of mine has an old Marlin 39A with an action as smooth as melted butter. One day...

So you peruse this forum - and others - and you will note that it seems old guns are better. At least better made. Nicer fit, nicer wood, better workmanship. Doesn't seem to be as much of that around these days. I understand the beauty of CNC, and I wouldn't dis an Ed Brown. Still, the production guns just aren't what the OLD production guns were.

I can't really say I have a "favorite" lever. I like my levers for what they are, and I believe levers are particularly efficient weapons for a variety of tasks. But I can't really land on one.

For instance. I really like Winchester 1886's. I have one, a take-down, in .45-70. But that curved stock makes it a bummer to shoot. No where near as nice as my Guide Gun. So while I appreciate all the nifty aspects of an '86, it isn't that much fun to shoot.

That said, I must admit that I actually rather like shooting my 1895. It's actually a Browning, but it is identical to the Winchesters. It is in .30-'06, and it is actually rather easy to shoot. Not at all like the '86. I am only sorry it isn't a take-down. I really, really, really like take-downs. Especially the way Winchesters take down.

My Lever is an inexpensive Winchester 94 Ranger in 30-30