How do lever guns fair in terms of maintenance vs bolt, semi, pump, etc.
- Thread starter vpsalin
- Start date
I've had about a dozen Winchester leverguns all over 100 years old. All of them have seen quite a bit of use and most of them appear to have never been taken apart for cleaning of the action. As far as cleaning the bore, I clean from the muzzle with care and have no problem.
I spray the innards of the few around here with plenty of G96 and let it soak in.
Rub off what I can with a clean rag and then swab with Q-Tips. I use the blow gun
with a rag ontop and blow and wipe and swap.
Eventually you will see some good results. I'm not in a hurry to put the rifle in
a case as the G96 will ooze for a while. I just keep going over them until I'm
satisfied with the results. I don't do this every time mind you. When a new specimen
is in my inventory, this is what I do. Give them the first going over. Surprising what comes out in the way of crud.
Rub off what I can with a clean rag and then swab with Q-Tips. I use the blow gun
with a rag ontop and blow and wipe and swap.
Eventually you will see some good results. I'm not in a hurry to put the rifle in
a case as the G96 will ooze for a while. I just keep going over them until I'm
satisfied with the results. I don't do this every time mind you. When a new specimen
is in my inventory, this is what I do. Give them the first going over. Surprising what comes out in the way of crud.
Some leverguns come apart easier than others for cleaning. The Marlin 1895's are very easy to strip down for cleaning. One screw and you can remove the lever, bolt, and ejector. Due to the ease of disassembly I always clean my Marlins from the breech with the bolt removed. On my new Winchester 1886, I just clean from the muzzle.
Chris.
Chris.
I took the question to mean what action stands up the best, over the years.
With that in mind, I say the bolt action wins, hands down.
I know, there are a great many lever rifles out there that haves seen a lot of years of service. But they do wear out, and I say faster than a bolt action.
I have seen Model 94s that woudln't #### the hammer on opening the lever, because of wear. The levers will wear, so as to miss the little safety nob, when the bolt is closed, etc.
Bolt actions just seem to go forever, while being extremely easy to maintain.
With that in mind, I say the bolt action wins, hands down.
I know, there are a great many lever rifles out there that haves seen a lot of years of service. But they do wear out, and I say faster than a bolt action.
I have seen Model 94s that woudln't #### the hammer on opening the lever, because of wear. The levers will wear, so as to miss the little safety nob, when the bolt is closed, etc.
Bolt actions just seem to go forever, while being extremely easy to maintain.
I don't like the question. It is too vague and it will be hard to arrive at a true answer.
Even though the rifle has a lever, the internal designs vary greatly from model to model.
If you want great answers, pick some models that you are interested in so that comparisons can be made. Your ability to disassemble and assemble may be a factor also in choosing.
I have experience with the Marlin 336 style, a 444, and Winchester 94s and 92s. The Marlin is very easy to clean from the breech. Pull the lever pivot screw, catch the ejector as you extract the bolt. The Winchesters open wide for easy access to the action but are usually cleaned from the muzzle.
I once owned a BLR and it was tricky to pull the bolt and getting it retimed afterward. Many warn against it for amateurs and I agree.
The most neglected cleaning on traditional levers is the tube magazine. It should be cleaned and protected from rust yearly.
If I had to choose one for ease of use and maintenance I would choose the early Marlins. Current manufacture rifles are having QC issues and have suspended production. A nice used 336, 444, 1895 scope easily, are rock solid dependable, and affordable.
I am biased and consider a peep sighted lever the best hunting rifle to 200 yards. To me nothing carries and handles as sweet as a balanced lever rifle.
I once owned a BLR and it was tricky to pull the bolt and getting it retimed afterward. Many warn against it for amateurs and I agree.
The most neglected cleaning on traditional levers is the tube magazine. It should be cleaned and protected from rust yearly.
If I had to choose one for ease of use and maintenance I would choose the early Marlins. Current manufacture rifles are having QC issues and have suspended production. A nice used 336, 444, 1895 scope easily, are rock solid dependable, and affordable.
I am biased and consider a peep sighted lever the best hunting rifle to 200 yards. To me nothing carries and handles as sweet as a balanced lever rifle.
I would say bolt guns win hands down. But if you love levers like I do, the Marlins & Winchesters are pretty easy to work with for breech cleaning. The BLR can be a real hair-puller if you don't do your homework first. Consider muzzle guides if cleaning from the business end. I'm not totally sold on a guide's advantages but use them regardless whenever cleaning from the muzzle.
