Best Levergun?

My goto hunting rifle is a Marlin 336D, 35 Rem with 18" barrel, 13" mag tube. That form factor is near perfection. The other one like it is the Marlin 336 TK in 30-30. They are at opposite ends of the price range.

Shot my 1966 Marlin 444 today... smoothest lever action I have ever owned, and real hard hitting, but comfortable with the high comb stock. It is a keeper.

Shot a friend's Henry reproduction of the Original Henry Levergun in 45 Colt. It's another smooth action, easy to choot, real purty gun.

Shot my Rossi 92 Trapper in 45 Colt today... another keeper.

Didn't choot my Savage 99 in 35 Remington today, or my 1899 in 30-30, or my 99 in 30-30, or my 99 in 22 Savage. Had to leave my Cowboy Marlin 32 in 327 in the safe as well. It's really tough to say what is the Best Levergun. I'm still testing them, will let you know when I decide.
 
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I don’t have enough experience with them to make an argument for best lever gun. However, favorite of mine is either my browning lever rifle in .300wsm or marlin 1895 45-70. They sure kick all right but nice smooth actions and really put together well.

Picked up a new Henry .357mag last year and it’s sure fun to shoot! Compared to the others, I love the lack of recoil!

Really want to get something in .44mag or 45 Colt.
 
I will have a lever gun, prolly a 44Mag since I already have three others. If I could run 45LC at higher velocities, I’d be tempted to add another caliber to the stable.
 
1895SBL, though a Win 92 might be more practical. I do love the big bore ones and find them more pleasant to shoot than a bolt 30-06. I’m done after about a box of 30-06 - I could shoot the 1895 all day if ammo didn’t cost so much. It’s almost enough to drive me to try a known distance Appleseed with one.
 
Get Off My Lawn said:
I will have a lever gun, prolly a 44Mag since I already have three others. If I could run 45LC at higher velocities, I’d be tempted to add another caliber to the stable.
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45 Colt is a heavy case compared to many others. It can be done. I will do it one day soon!
 
I have one i bought years ago to hunt with while not knowing what I had found. After i found out what it was i could never take it to the woods again for fear of damaging it. Its a 308 lever action Sako Finwolf. Was only made a few years around the early 70’s. I have a picture posted in the lever gun section. Will try to find that pic and repost. It’s one of my best period.
 
BJSHOOTZ1 said:
I have one i bought years ago to hunt with while not knowing what I had found. After i found out what it was i could never take it to the woods again for fear of damaging it. Its a 308 lever action Sako Finwolf. Was only made a few years around the early 70’s. I have a picture posted in the lever gun section. Will try to find that pic and repost. It’s one of my best period.
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Being a Sako fan, I’m looking forward to that pic, I’ve never seen one in the wild.
 
FOR PURE FUN … my little .22 Marlin 39A Mountie. Inexpensive (or it use to be) .22 standard velocity ammo makes for a lot of smiles and giggles.

FOR WORK … my ‘70 Marlin 336 in .30-30 that can handles so nice and balanced … pretty much best walkin’ & stalkin’ gun to me especially in NC terrain and foliage.
 
I have never had a Rossi rifle and cannot speak about their quality or function from personal experience. I have lever action rifles from a variety of makers in a variety of models. They are in 22 rimfire, 218 Bee, 32/20, 357 Maagnum, 44/40, 44 Magnum, 45 Colt, 30/30, 308, 32 Winchester Special, and 45/70. They were made by Winchester, Winchester/Browning/Miroku, Marlin, Henry, and Uberti. They all work. I enjoy shooting them all. I prefer the Marlins.
 
sideshot said:
Best ??
gosh, the marlin 336 would be my choice except for the marlin jam
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I wonder whether Ruger has addressed and fixed that issue. From what I hear, it is caused by wear and could be fixed by hardening the particular parts. I have personally never experienced it even though I have shot thousands of rounds through a variety of Marlins, one dating back to the late 1800s.
 
Charlie said:
I wonder whether Ruger has addressed and fixed that issue. From what I hear, it is caused by wear and could be fixed by hardening the particular parts. I have personally never experienced it even though I have shot thousands of rounds through a variety of Marlins, one dating back to the late 1800s.
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my gunsmith told me that every now and then one will come along and its gonna give trouble
 
I don't know about "the best". But the Henry .22lr has the smoothest action I've felt in a lever gun.
Screenshot_20231210_152136_Chrome.jpg
 

YOUR LEVER GUN PICS

@Bryan Austin thats a cool video. I definitely want to shoot a suspended golf ball now! this is my browning blr .300 wsm. The scope on it is my new leupold mark 5 3-18x44. Have not shot it yet with the new scope. That rifle will house this scope til after my elk hunt this November. No...
www.carolinafirearmsforum.com www.carolinafirearmsforum.com


See if this will get you to the Sako Finnwolf
 
cchioda3 said:
I don’t have enough experience with them to make an argument for best lever gun. However, favorite of mine is either my browning lever rifle in .300wsm or marlin 1895 45-70. They sure kick all right but nice smooth actions and really put together well.

Picked up a new Henry .357mag last year and it’s sure fun to shoot! Compared to the others, I love the lack of recoil!

Really want to get something in .44mag or 45 Colt.
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A browning BLR in .300 short mag??? You don't see those every day. That's my kind of odd. -CJ
 
Get Off My Lawn said:
I will have a lever gun, prolly a 44Mag since I already have three others. If I could run 45LC at higher velocities, I’d be tempted to add another caliber to the stable.
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I wouldn't be afraid to use this data in a Marlin 1894 or a Henry rifle. The velocities are for a 12" pistol barrel. I'd guess adding 200 fps to them in a rifle would be about right.

45 Colt (Ruger & T/C Contender & Encore) Load Data

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MacEntyre said:
heavy trigger that no one can adjust... ruined a fantastic levergun design!
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I beg to differ. It can be done. I have a BL-22 that has a wonderful trigger. I think it’s a crisp 3 lbs or so now. I’ll have to pull it out and measure it again. it took someone smarter than me to make it happen. And it was a little bit of an adventure, but it is sweet.

Just messed with it. Averages just under 3 lbs. There was a guy on Rimfire Central that sold a spring kit and had detailed instruction on how to work on it. I also have a BLR in 6.5 Creedmor that I have not messed with. That one is about 5 lbs stock. Not as bad as I expected. I won‘t ask my buddy to try that one, it could be better, but it doesn’t really make a huge impact so I’ll leave it alone.
 
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Charlie said:
I wonder whether Ruger has addressed and fixed that issue. From what I hear, it is caused by wear and could be fixed by hardening the particular parts. I have personally never experienced it even though I have shot thousands of rounds through a variety of Marlins, one dating back to the late 1800s.
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ive had 2.
a 45/70 and a 3030 thats given me some aggravation
 
CZfool68 said:
I beg to differ. It can be done. I have a BL-22 that has a wonderful trigger. I think it’s a crisp 3 lbs or so now. I’ll have to pull it out and measure it again. it took someone smarter than me to make it happen. And it was a little bit of an adventure, but it is sweet.

Just messed with it. Averages just under 3 lbs. There was a guy on Rimfire Central that sold a spring kit and had detailed instruction on how to work on it. I also have a BLR in 6.5 Creedmor that I have not messed with. That one is about 5 lbs stock. Not as bad as I expected. I won‘t ask my buddy to try that one, it could be better, but it doesn’t really make a huge impact so I’ll leave it alone.
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I’ll check my .300 WSM tomorrow and report back. I never messed with it. Curious now to see what the pull is. I never seemed to notice but I don’t shoot it too often.
 
Fuquay Gun said:
A browning BLR in .300 short mag??? You don't see those every day. That's my kind of odd. -CJ
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It’s slick with the nickel finished receiver. Got it as a gift from my father in law. He has a real knack for unique finds. This one I’ll hang on to for a long time.
 
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