"Old West" style hunt

1899

1899

CGN Ultra frequent flyer
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Do any CGNers hunt with iron sighted old lever action or single shot rifles? You know, stuff like Winchester 1885, 1886, 1895; Savage 1899; Marlin 1893 etc.

I appreciate the newer versions of these rifles, but I am curious if any of the old survivors are still being used. Lets say pre-WWII manufacture.

If so, post a picture and tell us your story and load used. Thanks.

I have used an 1899 Savage in 250-3000, manufactured in 1921 to shoot two deer, both with 100gr Winchester Silvertip factory ammo, but unfortunately the rifle was scoped, so I don't qualify!
 
I took my first mulie with a Browning 1885 with buckhorn sights and cast bullets. Sure it was new manuafacture, but still in the old time spirit!
 
I pretty much hunt with nothing but old Winchester leverguns. Here's a photo of my Winchester 1886 extra light take down 45-70 made in 1901, on my deer stand.
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Here's a Winchester 1873 44-40 rifle made in 1888 that I hunted with last fall. The photo was taken while taking a break.
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Here's a photo of my Winchester Model 53 25-20 with a groundhog that it took...
25020-Groundhog.jpg


And here's a photo of a Whitetail deer I took with my Winchester 1894 38-55 rifle made in 1899.
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Great thread!

I'm 58 years old and I've been hunting since I was six: I've shot probly 50 dear, two moose, several bears and a hell of a lot of small game. Not one of them fell to a scoped, or plastic-stocked or super magnum gun.

Muzzleloaders, single shots and lever guns are guns. Romance! Tradition! Marksmanship! Woodslore!

Woodsmoke, moccasins, cedar canoes, canvas tents, wool plaids, good carbon steel knives, real guns. That's livin'.:dancingbanana:
 
I got bitten by the old Winchester bug last year about this time, and started picking up some of the old levers here and there. Come fall, I knew I was going to be hunting with one of them. I had always hunted with a bow or my .270, but once I got into the old levers, I knew things were going to change. Anyway, I have a couple old 86s that I really like. The 86 is a favourite of mine. These old guns have a lot of character and really get the job done, if you don't mind lugging them a round all day...little on the heavy side!
That said, I have a 40-65 that dates to 1889, and a 45-70 from 1903. A friend of mine (Win 38-55) helped me load up a great load for the 40-65 (.406 cast 260 gr bullet, 21.5gr IMR5744 and 1 sheet TP), and I found that the Remington factory 405gr loads are really good in the 45-70. In shooting some just before season with the old man, we found out that both of these guns are deadly accurate....he was consistently hitting a 1.5 -2" bulleyes at 100 yards with the 40-65 and comparably close with the 45-70. I was just getting used to open sights, the old irons, so lets just say I wasn't quite as consistent:) Anyway,that left me with a dilemma...which one to hunt with? Well, dang it, I really liked them both, and each would get the job done, so I took both out last fall looking for a whitetail. The sad part of the story is that in the 2 weeks I was home in NS, I only saw 5 or 6 does, and that doesn't help when you have a buck law. What can yah do. That said, I absolutely loved carrying these old irons in the woods, enjoying every minute, even if my arm was going numb and I came home empty handed. They are a pleasure to shoot and carry and I'm hoping this fall, I'm a little more sucessful in the game dept with the old Winchester. On that note, I picked up an 1895 30-40Krag which I will likely be carrying this fall, that or a 38-55, whichever of the 2 shoots and feels the most comfortable.
Here are a few pics of the 86s I carried last fall. Sorry for the poor quality, I still haven't figured out how to get 1 complete gun in 1 pic!! Top is the 45-70, little cousin 40-65 on the bottom.
Cheers,
Matt
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Win 38-55,

Like the way you posed the groundhog that you dispatched....kinda looks like he's smiling with his paws crossed in front of him....:D


Matt
 
Great pictures Win 38-55!

Those 1886's sure are nice!

Vega - the only animal I ever shot with a muzzle loader was a deer, it fell to one shot from a T/C Hawken (precussion) with buckhorn/blade sights, FFg and a 410gr conical. THAT was really satisfying!
 
rolling block

I shot my first moose with a Remington Rolling Block, chambered in 45-70. This rifle wears Lyman peeps and has never seen a jacketed projectile. This was one of the rifles that I inherited from my grandfather when he passed on. It seemed fitting to use that rifle that year. Everyone in camp gave me a hard time for packing that axle around, but they all shut up when I was the first to score. I also inherited a winchester high-wall in 22 hornet, this has killed it's share of gophers over the years. I have a win 94, 30-30 that was issued to the pacific rangers during WWII, my father still uses that rifle every fall.
 
My son and myself hunted "oldtime style" last year. We used 1894 winnies ,30-30 round barrel, full mag rifle and a 38-55, round barrel, button mag rifle....both made in 1906. this year may change to 1908 38-55 SRC and a newly procurred 45-70. the local gophers do not seem to like the 1905 and 1906 25-20 rifles either. LOVE the LEVERS.....
 
I'm a real putz on the computer and don't know how to upload the pictures, but there is a picture of the buffalo I shot in -30 weather on my website. The Gun was a Sharps'74 in 50/90 Sharps, the "poison slinger", 530gr. flat pt. bullet w/102grs. of Swiss 1 1/2Fg. Things hit with the big .50 tend to stay hit, and get very sick, real fast.
 
ben hunchak said:
I'm a real putz on the computer and don't know how to upload the pictures, but there is a picture of the buffalo I shot in -30 weather on my website. The Gun was a Sharps'74 in 50/90 Sharps, the "poison slinger", 530gr. flat pt. bullet w/102grs. of Swiss 1 1/2Fg. Things hit with the big .50 tend to stay hit, and get very sick, real fast.
Click to expand...

Ben,

What's your website address? Like to see those pics...

Matt
 
I've used my Uberti 1885 Hi-Wall in .45-70 to take a couple of deer.
I also used my Uberti "Yellow Boy" in .45 Colt to take a deer in close, last fall.
 
Pronghorn doe with a Pedersoli roller wearing a tang mounted vernier sight. Many deer and 3 pronghorn bucks with a T/C Renegade .
 
I've been carrying my .32 Win Special Model 94 for the past five or six years. This Fall I'm going to carry my Savage 1899 in .303 Savage. It was made in 1913 or 1914. :p:p
 
I shot my deer last year with a 99 in .300 and a couple of coyotes as well.
I took a couple of yotes with my 1899 in 22 hp.
This year I picked up a 99 in .250 that I'm hoping to bag a deer with and maybe some yotes.All are open sites.

I also got a 99 in .308 that's going to be my moose gun this year but that one is scoped.I won't drill and tap my 99's if they come tapped I'll scope them if not I have no problems using open sites.
 
Old guns or repros of same have put the sense of history and the fair chase in the hunt for me.

All Whitetail...

WIN 1894 30-30 pre-64
Marlin 336CS 30-30
Marlin 1895 45-70
WIN Mod 1894 38-55 Oliver Winchester Commem.
Navy Arms REM Rolling Block 45-70, tang sight, blackpowder cartridge
T/C Hawken .50cal, have used patched RBs and saboted XTP bullets
Mfg? Kentucky Rifle, percussion, .45 cal. patched RB
Mfg? Kentucky Rifle, flintlock, .45 cal. patched RB
 
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