Lever gun advice

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Along with a 1911, a 4" K or N frame, to me a lever gun is a necessity and a classic arm. Once I get a few other obligations taken care of I'd like to get a 30-30 lever gun, this probably won't occur until after the New Year but I'd like to start my education now.

While I'm no stranger to bolt guns & most of our military arms, the 30-30 lever gun has always eluded me.

I would like a straight stock and open sights. I used to be a big fan of Marlin, had a short barreled in 45 Colt & a 1894P .44mag but those are long gone, along with a Browning .22 & a Henry .22. I don't like the pistol grip stock so I guess an older Winchester is the one I'm looking for.

Any advice is greatly appreciated, thanks.
 
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I like them too and have a number. Go to this site. Its a good one. I have a 94 in 30-30 I bought new when a teen in 1956. A williams peep is a very usefull add on. I have 7 or 8 levers. Check out a 92 replica in .357 mag. You well may find it the most usefull. Close to the power of a 30-30 and cheaper to shoot.
Paco Kelly's Leverguns.com • Index page
 
I assume you are right handed. If not, stay away from the Marlin as it ejects out the side. Most Marlins have the pistol grip.

In 1964 Winchester cheapened their model 94 (all of their guns actually). For a long time the pre 64 models would bring a premium price. I think the quality is better now, but given the choice between a clean pre 64 and a new one I would take the old one. If you look down inside and see stamped parts you are holding one of the newer ones. Right after the change the wood to metal fit was lousy. Marlins are easier to mount scopes on. Winchesters are truly ambidextrous. If it were me I wouldn't pass on a nice .32 or .35 caliber. I have had three or four model 94s over the years. The only Marlin I had was an 1895 in 45-70.

I had one that had been bored out to .35 cal. The official caliber designation was 35/30-30 Snapp improved. You had to neck up 30-30 brass and load about 9 grains of unique with a cast .38 pistol bullet and fire form the cases. Then you could reload them using .35 Remington loading data. I think the gun was built by a gun writer for an article. I had the gun, brass, dies and a copy of the article. I spoke to Bob Snapp and he said he re-bored a lot more 30-06s to .35 Whalen than he ever re-bored 30-30s. I guess the gun writer wanted something different. It was a good gun for whitetails though.
 
Mossberg Clone

Mossberg is also making a clone of the Model 94. I believe it is less expensive and Mossberg turns out pretty nice guns for the money.
 
30-30's always seem to bring less money than the cowboy action calibers. There are lots of nice used ones out there, Marlin & Winchester. I have a new Miruko made Winchester in .44, ballistics are quite good with the LeverRevolution Hornady FTX's. Whitetails can be taken around here at less than a 100 yards in almost every case. They are easier for me to reload for. Marlin doesn't offer much in a stright stocked 30-30. Henry does though
Henry Repeating Arms | Fine Rifles Made in America and Priced Right
 
I've got a couple of pre-64 model 94's. I have my grandmother's 1941-vintage 30-30, serial number in the 1.2 million range, and my dad's old 1943-48 vintage 32 Special, serial number in the 1.4 millions. I've never shot the 30-30 but I did handload and hunt with the 32 Special. Never had any problems with it and they are both very well made.

I would recommend the '94 to anyone looking for a lever gun. Winchester made millions of them so they must have been doing something right!
 
The values of the pre-64 Winchester Model 94's in 30-30/30 WCF have dropped a bit in my area. I've seen clean shooters for $400 to $500 for rifles from the late 1950's. The price escalates quickly once you get to guns above 85% condition though.

If I were going to mount a scope, I would look for an older Marlin 336, as they are a bit more accurate and easy to scope.
The newly manufactured Marlins or "remlins" have serious quality control issues.
 
Even thought they quit chambering the 30-30 in the Savage 99 around 1940, Savage continued making the 99 lever action for a lot of years. Purists usually prefer those made prior to 1960 (with serial numbers less than one million) but from 1971 to 1982 they made their straight gripped model 99A saddle gun chambered in .243, .250 Savage, .300 Savage and .308 Win. In addition to having open sights, they were also drilled and tapped for mounting a scope. Not western in the pure sense but still a great little lever gun.
 
I own a rossi 45 long colt lever action and i love it. I have put around 400 rounds thru it(some factory, mostly reloads) and I have not had a single issue out of it. If you are looking for a good target lever action, my advice would be a 45LC
 
I have a 94 30-30, 64 30-30, puma .357, browning 92 .44 mag, win 88 .308, win 95 carbine 30-40. I have owned and shot many others.
My best opinion is the .357 mag is the all around sweetheart. Thats because they are low recoil, much less than the 44 mag or 45 colt, ammo cheap and plentifull, will kill a deer as well as a 30-30, and the winchester type 92 action in the clones is sweeter than anything else. I would far prefer my .357 in a 92 action over the 94 action. I once converted a old original 92 in 25-20 to .357 40 years ago. Here is my rossi puma in .357 alongside a almost identical browning 92 in .44 mag. A world of differance in recoil.
From all I ever read and know first hand, my first choice would be a browning 92 in .357 mag. They are exspendsive if you can find one. Next to that, I would but a older rossi without the tang safety in a short rifle with the octogon barrel and have this man work it over.
Steve's Gunz, The Home of the Rossi 92 Specialist
Here is my .357 and .44 mags. A good marlin probley is fine, but they just dont do it for me. Showed a picture of my present levers too.

35744mag.jpg


Guns005.jpg
 
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My favorites are a 92 in 357mag. and a Marlin 1894 in 32/20. Dad has a 1952 production Winchester 94 w/Lyman peep in 30/30 that will out shoot many a bolt gun. I think a 1886 (Win or Browning) or Marlin1895 in 45/70 cure almost any problem you can find. The Guide guns in any big bore will do also. While hard to find, lever guns in 375 Win. bring a stiff primium for good reason. I had a Marlin from the late 50's or early 60's in 35 Rem. that was sold off, but was a great gun and I'm looking to replace (but I keep buying 45/70's instead).
 
I would first consider what I want to do with it. Keep it in a safe? Then it doesn't matter. Hunt? A 94 carbine is nice and light, easy to carry. Shoot at a range? I would pass on the carbine, too much recoil. I have a 30.30 carbine, 32 Win special and a 25-35, the last two with octagon barrels. I liked the 25-35 best the few times I took them to the range.
 
Most any 94 Win carbine or Marlin 336 from the 50's or 60's (pre 64 for the Winchester) is a good bet. The Winchester will cost you more,,but the value & resale is higher.
Nothing wrong with the post 64 mfgr Win 94 carbines either. They made some short cuts in the mfg process that the purists and collectors don't like. But they're solid shooters for the most part. Should be priced lower in like condition than a post war pre-64.

Pre WW2 guns,,the prices go up a lot. Full length rifles were still available. Though the Model 64 and 55(?) were the post war rifle versions of the 94.

Savage 99's are good bet. $500 +/- can buy an awfully nice 99. Most you'll see are from the 50's and later and most styles have a pistol grip .
Straight stock models are out there though.
The 30-30 carbine version is a popular one.

Lots of repro versions of 92, 73, 86, ect around. Do some homework on which are good/bad. Some very nice configurations of bbl length & shape, stock style, caliber, ect are sold. Lots of used ones on the market.

Stay away from a fixer-upper unless you can do all or a lot of the work yourself.

Lever action centerfire rifle,,,there's lots to look at and choose from.
 
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