Pistol calibre lever action - What's your preferred brand?

A

Astute Observer

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So what's the reputation of various manufacturers of lever action pistol calibre rifles? Say .44Mag/.44Spl, or .357Mag/.38Spl

Also which are more up-gradable in terms of aftermarket accessories? I'd want to mount a red dot on one.
  • Rossi?
  • Chiappa?
  • Henry?
  • Marlin?
  • Pendersoli?
  • Another one?
I've seen some Turkish brands like Citadel and Derya, not a big fan of Turkish knock-offs but I'm open to having my mind changed. Also I can't afford a $3800US Big Horn Armory nor the .500S&W they shoot.
 
Astute Observer said:
So what's the reputation of various manufacturers of lever action pistol calibre rifles? Say .44Mag/.44Spl, or .357Mag/.38Spl

Also which are more up-gradable in terms of aftermarket accessories? I'd want to mount a red dot on one.
  • Rossi?
  • Chiappa?
  • Henry?
  • Marlin?
  • Pendersoli?
  • Another one?
I've seen some Turkish brands like Citadel and Derya, not a big fan of Turkish knock-offs but I'm open to having my mind changed. Also I can't afford a $3800US Big Horn Armory nor the .500S&W they shoot.
Click to expand...
Marlin
 
Out of the ones that I have I’d rank them:

Winchester (Current production)
Marlin (Ruger made)
Uberti and Chiappa
Marlin (Remington production)
Rossi

I’ve never had any functional issue with any of mine but fit and finish, smoothness of operation (both out of the box and after some use) overall quality and craftsmanship that’s my ranking.
 
My Henry X in .357 mag has been flawless in the 3 years I’ve had it. Cycles well with a decent trigger. I would guesstimate my round count at well over 2500 rounds of .357 and 500 rounds of .38 with no issues to date. Can’t go wrong with one IMO plus it’s made in the USA.
 
An older Marlin Marlin in .357. Feeds .38SP plus .357. Easy sight options.

I have a Browning 92. Lovely carbine, but only feeds .357 length rounds and sighting options are limited.
 
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I have a Rossi 38/357 and a Chiappa 44/44m. Both work okay, but the Chiappa has the most horrible bore ever known to man. I bought it new online. Machining gone awry, I guess. Leaded up so bad I had to take it to a gunsmith to “get the lead out”. I think of the guys on here that sneer at the idea of owning a bore scope…
 
Thanks all! I'd not heard of Miroku. I'll look them up.

Also I shouldn't have omitted Winchester from that original list I guess!

And thanks as well for pointing out the difference between Ruger-made and Remington-made Marlins
 
By FAR the Henry levers have the most upgradable, changeable add ons for them, plus one of the most options for stocks/finishes that are on any levers. You can go all black "X model, all weather, brass, standard walnut, large loop levers on different models. Probably one of the most sold lever as well.

Winchesters, "mikoru" made, you will have a harder time mounting any optics on them, and you pay a bit of a premium for them. As with the "pedersolli" models.

Ruger, marlins are new to the show and don't have the aftermarket yet, as with the smith and wesson's new lever. Ruger is working on stock/finish options, but they are slow to get out, and up here to Canada.

The rossi and chiappa have a few more stock/finish selections, but again little after market add ons.

Henry is also reliable, and readily available, hence why they probably sell the most of any levers. That said, the last 2 years they had few shipments into Canada, but now seem to get a regular influx into Canada, so you don't have to pay the "re-seller" fees guys want on these.
 
I'd go with the new Marlin 1894 Trapper unit meself. Easy to field strip for cleaning & simple to mount a compact scope onto.
Marlin Model 1894 Classic in .44 Magnum: Full Review - Guns and Ammo
Rossi R92's have been great for me as well over the years & the quality of build on the latest units has come up a bunch when compared to
the ones made a decade ago.
 
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Citadel isn't Turkish, its Brazilian just like Rossi. Very good chance they ARE Rossi's actually.

Astute Observer said:
Thanks all! I'd not heard of Miroku. I'll look them up.

Also I shouldn't have omitted Winchester from that original list I guess!

And thanks as well for pointing out the difference between Ruger-made and Remington-made Marlins
Click to expand...

Miroku is where Winchesters are manufactured these days. Most (maybe all?) winchester guns are made outside the US and they just slap their name on it - their pump action shotguns and the new 22lr Lever action are Turkish, model 70s are coming out of Portugal, 94s from Japan (thats Miroku, they also make stuff for Browning), you get the idea.
 
Astute Observer said:
Thanks all! I'd not heard of Miroku. I'll look them up.

Also I shouldn't have omitted Winchester from that original list I guess!

And thanks as well for pointing out the difference between Ruger-made and Remington-made Marlins
Click to expand...
Miroku is a manufacturing concern in Japan that produces classic Winchester designs for Winchester. The guns don’t say miroku anywhere in them, they are marked as winchesters and sold as such, just made in Japan instead of the USA.

It’s where current production 73’s, 94’s and 92’s are made, among others.

The modern Winchester fit and finish is arguably better than it has ever been.
 
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