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Lever Guns - Winchester, Marlin, or ?
- Thread starter BamaFan
- Start date
In case it hasn't already been said...Rossi 92...
I have three Winchester Model 94's and a Browning BLR. I shoot a Winchester Model 94 AE chambered in .357 Mag in a local tactical rifle match with a semi-buckhorn rear sight and a painted front sight. The only modification I've done so far is to add a forearm cuff to the rifle for reloads. It allows me to combat load the rifle much like a shotgun without dismounting from the shoulder. I can hang with guys running AR-15's AK's and SKS's for the first ten rounds.
A .357 Magnum is a completely different animal coming out of a rifle or carbine than a pistol. It comes very close to the lower end ballistics of a .30/30 and a 7.26x39.
The model 94's typically don't cycle the .38's reliably because the action is based on longer cartridges, which causes the lever to throw further. The Model 1892's are designed around pistol length cartridges and cycle them better but you can't combat load the Model 92's.
The BLR is by far the smoothest cycling long action lever rifle I've ever handled. With the detachable box magazine you can use pointy bullets and have a faster reload if needed. I don't know that I'd trust it as a long term 'survival rifle' due to the camming action's complexity. It is barely serviceable by most competent gunsmiths, much less in the field.
I handled the Mossburg 464 recently. I liked the sights. I disliked the collapsible stock as it moved around a lot. I also did not care for the extremely long throw of the lever. If Mossburg would put an A2 style stock on it, shorten the action and chamber it for pistol cartridges I think they would have a winner.
YMMV.
A .357 Magnum is a completely different animal coming out of a rifle or carbine than a pistol. It comes very close to the lower end ballistics of a .30/30 and a 7.26x39.
The model 94's typically don't cycle the .38's reliably because the action is based on longer cartridges, which causes the lever to throw further. The Model 1892's are designed around pistol length cartridges and cycle them better but you can't combat load the Model 92's.
The BLR is by far the smoothest cycling long action lever rifle I've ever handled. With the detachable box magazine you can use pointy bullets and have a faster reload if needed. I don't know that I'd trust it as a long term 'survival rifle' due to the camming action's complexity. It is barely serviceable by most competent gunsmiths, much less in the field.
I handled the Mossburg 464 recently. I liked the sights. I disliked the collapsible stock as it moved around a lot. I also did not care for the extremely long throw of the lever. If Mossburg would put an A2 style stock on it, shorten the action and chamber it for pistol cartridges I think they would have a winner.
YMMV.
My personal favorite is the Marlin 30-30. Got a few deer with that one.
Marlin has a more massive, better(to me) feeling stock set. The winchesters are so narrow/slim that they almost feel toy-ish. THe top eject is a problem for scope mounting but I believe the AE(Angle Eject) partially fixes that problem. The mounts for the scope still have to be attached to the side of the receiver I believe instead of simply mounted on top as with the solid topped Marlin receivers.
I think the 30-30 is a great caliber. My bro-in-law had the 44 mag and it was great also but unless you are really wanting to keep calibers to a minimum or to interchangeable between handgun and long gun I see no real reason to go with 44. No savings in ammo prices and I haven't read up on it but I really don't think you are gaining any power with the 44 mag...or should I say that if your game is close enough to touch the 44 has more power but at 100 yards the 44 has lost more than the 30-30 making the 30-30 more powerful there.
Marlin has a more massive, better(to me) feeling stock set. The winchesters are so narrow/slim that they almost feel toy-ish. THe top eject is a problem for scope mounting but I believe the AE(Angle Eject) partially fixes that problem. The mounts for the scope still have to be attached to the side of the receiver I believe instead of simply mounted on top as with the solid topped Marlin receivers.
I think the 30-30 is a great caliber. My bro-in-law had the 44 mag and it was great also but unless you are really wanting to keep calibers to a minimum or to interchangeable between handgun and long gun I see no real reason to go with 44. No savings in ammo prices and I haven't read up on it but I really don't think you are gaining any power with the 44 mag...or should I say that if your game is close enough to touch the 44 has more power but at 100 yards the 44 has lost more than the 30-30 making the 30-30 more powerful there.
That is incorrect. The AE's will accept a scope on top of the receiver.
Wasn't 100% on that. Hence the "i believe". Thanks for the correction. Nice guns but even so the AE was still an afterthought to work around an oversight in the design. Shoot, now I want another Marlin....
I have previously expressed my preference for the 44 mag in deer hunting, but mdog is spot on. The 44 will not beat the 30-30 overall. I hunt mostly florida deer (think large dog
) at < 125 yards. 44 mag does the trick nicely. Better than 30-30? No. But I reload 44 so I can shoot it more and practice more.
Marlin 444
