Any big bore lever gun guys here ??

[Harkrader]

I have a .45-70 Marlin 1895 with 22" bbl I got in the '90s for backpacking in the Idaho back country.

My concern was for grizzly bears, but also for the cougars. Happily, I never had to fire a round in defense.

I hand-loaded 405-gr jacketed flat nose bullets and hard cast gas check lead ones to 2,000 fps. I was not concerned about groups at a distance, believing I would likely be shooting any threat only out to about 50 yards. Firing from standing I could hold a group of 4" at that distance with ghost ring sights, shooting rapidly but not hurrying. From the bench I could hold under 2". I don't remember what the muzzle energy was from those loads, but it was substantial.

I later loaded the rifle with Garrett and Buffalo Bore cartridges.

Somebody told me, tongue firmly in cheek, that to hit a target at 300 yards, aim at the Moon.

 

[Highhawk1948]

I shoot a JM Marlin 45-70, and like most of my guns it shoots better than I do.

 

[Drm50]

Big bore levers

I have several original Wins. & Marlins. When you look at these
rifle you notice the"flow" of the wood to metal fit. This is what
makes these rifles nice to carry. They just seem to float in your
hands. I took a 1895 Marlin, manf. In the early 70s. They were
a bit more beefy than I liked. I worked the fore end and the stock
down to these lines. Gun looks really nice, but I lost close to 25%
of my butt surface. With 300 hp/ 58 gr. of IMR 3031 you have
no doubt what your touching off.

 

[Muley Gil]

Bought a Marlin 45/70 Guide gun back in 1973 with a 4X Weaver on it, brass, dies and bullets from a friend for $100. Gun was and still is like new. Although I have rifles in many other calibers, it is always my "go to" gun for hunting.

I doubt you bought a "Guide Gun" in 1973. I bought the standard 1895 the same year and it had the straight grip, a hard plastic buttplate and a 22" barrel.

Guide Guns have 18 1/2" barrels and recoil pads and weren't introduced until the mid '90s (IIRC).

 

[Drm50]

1973 guide gun

Muley Gil, you are right on the 1895 Marlin, I caught it to. My
95 is same as yours. I got it on trade, but looked up serial. I bought a new 95 with octagon barrel back in 70s or early 80s.
Wish I had that one back. Ruger also made Lyman special back
in 80s, had one of those to. Never even shot it before selling.
Can't keep 'em all. I have special "broker" that tells me which
ones to sell, so I don't end up in a higher tax bracket.

 

[Fishinfool]

OP- Might want to think about the Marlin in 308 express, as that ammo might be hard to find; I don't think it really caught on.

If you like levers, the Browning BLR is a nice rifle, and is available in several long range cartridges that will work at 300 yards and beyond.

I have owned several, and all have been accurate shooters ( 1 1/2 inch or sometimes less). Plenty good for hunting rifles. A lot of rifles shoot 1/2 inch on the internet...

Pictured is my old BLR in .358 Winchester. A solid 300 yard gun with the right loads.

Larry

 

[BigBill]

I have a marlin 444S in 444 marlin. It's my brush rifle.

 

[Sprefix]

Great loads!

I have a .45-70 Marlin 1895 with 22" bbl I got in the '90s for backpacking in the Idaho back country.

My concern was for grizzly bears, but also for the cougars. Happily, I never had to fire a round in defense.

I hand-loaded 405-gr jacketed flat nose bullets and hard cast gas check lead ones to 2,000 fps. I was not concerned about groups at a distance, believing I would likely be shooting any threat only out to about 50 yards. Firing from standing I could hold a group of 4" at that distance with ghost ring sights, shooting rapidly but not hurrying. From the bench I could hold under 2". I don't remember what the muzzle energy was from those loads, but it was substantial.

I later loaded the rifle with Garrett and Buffalo Bore cartridges.

Somebody told me, tongue firmly in cheek, that to hit a target at 300 yards, aim at the Moon.

I run 405's at the same speed you do out of my 20" Browning 1886 SRC. I consistently shoot at a steel plate at 300yds and it shoots flatter than you would think. I'd prefer closer ranges for the cleanest "stopping shot" on an animal. I use Cor-Bon and Buffalo Bore, but haven't stepped into any Garrett Hammerheads yet. I've heard of 530(535?) grain Garretts' doing some very impressive penetrating on large game. What a versatile cartridge......300 grain to over 500 grain and 1100 fps to 2200 or 2300FPS.

 

[RIDE-RED 350r]

I used to own a 1954 model 94 in 32spl. My brother now owns that rifle. Im not going to go into the details of the hows and whys that I no longer own it...

But recently I have been bitten by the lever rifle bug and am having regrets about the aforementioned 32spl.

I was a the LGS picking up my sons Christmas present, an old Win model 69a, and noticed a nice looking '94 on the rack that wasnt there before. It is an unfired '94 Big Bore carbine (20"bbl) chambered in 375 Win. Price tag of $750. Came home and did a little digging as I was not familiar with the 375 Win and I am smitten. Wish I could go scoop it up right now, but I just can't do it right now..

I think my next lever rifle will be one of those!

 

[BigBill]

I was in central vt bear hunting when the old farmer seen my 444 bullets on my belt. He said son we don't have elephants up here. I turned to him and said I'm not built for running nor speed and I don't climb trees. He just laughed.

I would like to get a 50/120 or a 50/140 if they came in a lever action.

 

[JimC]

Only one lever gun in my safe and it's a big bore.
1999 Winchester re-issue (Miroku-Japan) 1886 take down in .45-70.

 

[flundertaker]

Some nice one's in this thread. I'll add a family pic of my lever guns. By definition, only 2 are "big bore" but it appears to me that the thirty cals are being represented strongly so I will add mine.

Left to right:

Winchester 94AE Trapper .44 Mag 16"
Marlin (JM stamped) 1894C .357 Mag 18"
Marlin (JM stamped) 1895GBL .45/70 18"

 

[Ranger514]

My Dad gave me his Win. Mod.94 .30-30 when I was 13, and I still have that faithful old gun. It's taken a lot of whitetail deer over the years, and it's always been my go-to brush gun.

I recently horse traded a couple of older mountain bikes for a friend's .44 mag. Rossi/Interarms Model 92 that had been sitting in his gun safe for years. It barley has a mark on it, the rifling in sharp, and it swings up to my shoulder as effortlessly as the 94.

I can't wait to shoot it, but we're in the middle of moving, and I don't think I'll have an opportunity until we get settled. For the use I intend, hitting the vitals at 100 yards with the stock iron sights will do just fine. I've never expected pinpoint accuracy out of a carbine lever action, but some of you have obviously achieved that level in performance. Hope I can find a load that will do that for me.

 

[kmyers]

My favorite centerfire rifle is my Marlin 1895 in .45-70, so I am a fan also.

 

[old&slow]

I was in central vt bear hunting when the old farmer seen my 444 bullets on my belt. He said son we don't have elephants up here.

I had a similar comment made to me, the first year I went to Canada bear hunting about my 270 winchester. The old guy's big gun was a 250 / 3000. But said he usually used his 22 Hi-Power.
But when I asked the same guy, if bear meat was any good ? He said ,' It's OK for wolf bait' .. And I thought it was some of the best eatin' I have had.

To the OP,, lever guns are fun to play with. My Rossi 92 in .357 is at the top of the list ,, Marlin 95, 45-70 a close 2nd, but can push you around a bit.

 

[akjaeger]

I bought a pre-war Deluxe Winchester 71 that had been converted to 450 Alaskan about twenty years ago. The story was that the previous owner had it converted in the 1950's and then killed a polar bear and a brown bear with it. Said it was his favorite rifle.
I used it to kill another 7 Brown Bears while guiding in Alaska, a couple of elk and a black bear in Idaho. It points like a shotgun, accurate enough for 300 yard shots and will shoot completely through ten foot bears. Have to say it's one of my favorite rifles.

 

[Saigon1965]

I don't always shoot big bore - But when I do - I do it with a 444 -

 

[mtrvl]

I love my trusty Winchester 94 Timberline Big Bore in .444 Marlin, loaded with 320gr. Lead Hard cast gas Checks.....groups better than I can shoot it. (Bucks like a mule) !

 

[Sgt.Peck]

I have a 450 Marlin Guide gun my Dad gave me some years back. Living in Kansas, not sure what to do with it. Maybe if I go do some trout fishing in bear country, I may let it tag along.

 

[hkcavalier]

I have a 450 Marlin Guide gun my Dad gave me some years back. Living in Kansas, not sure what to do with it. Maybe if I go do some trout fishing in bear country, I may let it tag along.

Wild hogs! If not where you're at, head down to Texas.