Choice of first lever rifle?

I have just about every model of lever gun that winchester or marlin has made.If i was going to buy a new lever gun for brush hunting it more then likely would be a marlin 336 in 35 rem.If it was an older gun it would be a model 71 winchester or browning chambered in .348 Win.
 
i never really considered myself a levergun kind of guy, more of an MOA nut. That being said, my grandpa was. Because of that fact, a Win. 94 trapper, a Win. 1895 Carbine, a Savage 99c and a BL22 are all part of my harem. Like Doug said, they all fit different on each person. Drastically, try them all out and find one you like the feel of, as well as the look of.
 
I've liked lever guns for as long as I can remember.

I'm in the market for lever actions in .22 and 30-30 atm. I've always liked the look of the Marlins (esp. older ones) and have read/heard a lot of good things about them, so a 39A/D and 336 are on my list right now.

The Savage 99 also has my interest.
 
I had a Winchester once......once.

It was a 94 AE in 357 mag, fun little gun for plinking around the camp with 38 specials but as all my non-savages went to a greater good to get me more Savages.
 
I've owned Win, Savage 99 and now a couple of Marlin's ( 336 XLR and .444). Marlin's get my vote hands down. More accurate, better handling and just better seemingly quality. I'm sold on Marlin.
 
Well I see some of the 99 fraternity is here and they are hard to sway in any other direction. And you know,it's a good thing ,because the 99's will handle and shoot with the best of them.I have several in all sorts of calibers and they all bang flop whatever you shoot at. Hope my Savage partners are with me. Les , Joe , Blair ,glad you are standing up for the 99's rights. Bob
 
Savages are an art form with just as much history as any Winchester or Marlin.

The first few Savage rifles were made by Marlin before Arthur Savage got his tooling all set up. I've got a few of them made back in 1896 and 1897 with the John Marlin Stamps on the bottom of the barrels.
 
I am a Marlin lover. They fit me good, are accurate and well made. The Win handles good but can be a finger pincher! not as well made as the marlin IMHO. Browning feel like you are using a fence post, way too big in the reciever area. Like Doug said go out and see what fits you. Blonds, Brunettes, Red heads same thing you got to choose what you like. they are all good just some are better .
 
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They're absolutely no question that besides Madog being an arsehole, he's one of the most knowledgeable 99 people around. :D
 
gitrdun said:
They're absolutely no question that besides Madog being an arsehole, he's one of the most knowledgeable 99 people around. :D
Click to expand...

I knew there would be a good response here.

Nowadays I don't even have to go through all the threads to find out which ones to lock, I just look to see where your posting.

admin.gif
 
I picked up one of those "Non safety" old Marlin 94s from P&D last year and don't know why. I really like the way you can jam them into the pocket, very steady. Think a Puma 92 in 454 Casull is next. Levers are such a nice carry rifle and unbeatable for the saddle.
 
I inherited a Wichester 30-30 from my grandfather years ago and found it was an excellent weapon. The original Winchester lever action was invented by Browning who eventually opened his own firearms manufacturing company. He improved on the overall design over the years, and I was given a Browning .308 BLR by my old hunting partner and really like the feel of the the thing. The 30-30 Win has been passed on to my oldest son, and it is still more than serviceable.
You'll pay more for the Browning, but I think it's worth the extra $.
 
Browning BLR for the fact that you can get some flat shooting calibres for it. I got one in 270 win. and can you ever cycle it quick. I was sitting on a trail 230 yards long and maybe 50 feet wide. A buck came out at 175 yards walking away from me. I tried to pop him in the pumpkin do to the fact that there was no snow and I didn't want to track him. I missed. Cycled another and when he stopped running down the trail I tried for the head again and missed! Cycle number three caught him in the boiler when he was running into the bush broadside at 150 yards. Dropped him. He tried getting up and shot 4 and 5 did the job. All the while I never had to take the scope off the deer to cycle the gun.
 
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