View Full Version : New Production Lever Actions?
I'm looking to buy a 357 lever gun. I've always been partial to Marlin, but have heard that the Freedom group guns are or were a no-go. I've got nothing against Winchester's but I've never had lever action Winchester. Assuming that I can't find an older model, what modern gun is the best price value proposition?
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ColtSeavers
08-08-16, 16:08
Marlin
Henry
Uberti
Winchester
This might help:
http://www.chuckhawks.com/compared_big-boy_1894C_1873.htm
Note: I believe this review was prior to the Marlin buyout.
As an alternative, have you looked into the Ruger 77/357?
I absolutely love mine. Replace the rear buckhorn sight with skinner peep sight (for any of them really) and it's one fun, lightweight and accurate little peter and the wolf pop gun. Can even get a jack weigand weav/weig-a-tinny rail for it if you want.
ETA: The Henry loads from the tube, not from a gate in the receiver, unlike the others if that matters.
AFAIK, Freedom Group hasn't released a new run of 1894s in .38//.357 since taking over Marlin.
I hear that Henry's, and Rossi's are decent guns, but as for myself, I am currently hunting down another JM marked 1894c. Might have to pay a slight premium for it, but I love my other, so I think it'll be worth it (the days of regularly finding one for $350 are far behind us).
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Jimmy
All you have to do is cycle a Henry,smooth as butter.Then I shot it more accurate than I will ever be.
One of my two Henry's is in .357/.38. I have a .44mag/.44 spl. The .357 is the heavier version with brass frame. My opinion is that although it's a beautiful rifle, it is much too heavy. I recommend these rifles and suggest that you consider the blue steel, lighter and more streamlined version. Henry's service is outstanding.
Some object to the requirement of having to load the magazine in the same manner that is used to load a .22 rifle with a magazine tube. I don't see it as a problem. I think of all my guns as being useful for home defense including the Henry's. However, they are way on down the list for defense purposes and would come into play if and only if I was out fooling around on field or stream, and the need arose.
Nobody asked, but I wish to give an opinion on lever guns chambered for handgun rounds. Everyone of the several that I've owned required a certain finesse in operating the lever to achieve reliable operation. Also, all have been finicky about what ammo they would accept for reliable function. You can find a good match but have very little variation in ammo choices. Short stubby, rimmed cartridges(handgun type)are sometimes troublesome from a reliability standpoint. This fact is especially true when a maker attempts to convert a long action to handle the short rounds.
AFAIK, Freedom Group hasn't released a new run of 1894s in .38//.357 since taking over Marlin. .....
Anyone know which models HAVE been re-tooled and are now in production? I'm hoping it might be the 336 and maybe the 45-70 Guide Gun? Want to get a good "PC" or "out in public" rifle before the Hildabeast gets in office. TIA
john
Anyone know which models HAVE been re-tooled and are now in production? I'm hoping it might be the 336 and maybe the 45-70 Guide Gun? Want to get a good "PC" or "out in public" rifle before the Hildabeast gets in office. TIA
john
I bought a 336 youth last fall, it's a remlin, and it's fine. I've never owned a JM gun so I have nothing to compare it to but mine works fine. Cycles well and shoots straight, the stock is meh but I bought it to be a brush/truck gun anyway. Places like bass pro and cabellas will likely have them on sale soon with hunting season right around the corner.
All you have to do is cycle a Henry,smooth as butter.Then I shot it more accurate than I will ever be.
Thanks, I've heard that from other Henry owners.
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Anyone know which models HAVE been re-tooled and are now in production? I'm hoping it might be the 336 and maybe the 45-70 Guide Gun? Want to get a good "PC" or "out in public" rifle before the Hildabeast gets in office. TIA
john
New .44s are out, I believe.
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SeriousStudent
08-12-16, 22:01
I have a Marlin 336Y in thuty thuty. I bought it unfired from a friend, to carry on trips into Occupied Territory.
It shoots and handles well. The fit on the wood is not as good as older models. But the accuracy is fine, it does all I need with the Federal Fusion 150-grain loads.
I do like having "grandpa's old deer rifle" and a wheelgun when traveling into areas where more advanced ironmongery might attract an unhealthy interest.
90-year-old shotgun - check.
Lever-action deer rifle - check
40-year-old revolver - check.
I have a Marlin 336Y in thuty thuty. I bought it unfired from a friend, to carry on trips into Occupied Territory.
It shoots and handles well. The fit on the wood is not as good as older models. But the accuracy is fine, it does all I need with the Federal Fusion 150-grain loads.
I do like having "grandpa's old deer rifle" and a wheelgun when traveling into areas where more advanced ironmongery might attract an unhealthy interest.
90-year-old shotgun - check.
Lever-action deer rifle - check
40-year-old revolver - check.
Don't scare the horses. Check.
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cougar_guy04
08-13-16, 08:20
Anyone know which models HAVE been re-tooled and are now in production? I'm hoping it might be the 336 and maybe the 45-70 Guide Gun? Want to get a good "PC" or "out in public" rifle before the Hildabeast gets in office. TIA
john
The Remington catalog I saw had the 45-70s (1895), the 336 .30-30s, and the 1894 .44s if memory serves. Think they're still working on the .38/.357 ones and I don't know about the 444 Marlins.
I kinda want to get one of the 1895GSBL models here eventually.
The color case hardened Henry's are calling to me. Practical, not fancy finish yet a little nicer than plain jane. Seems like a good blend of looks and function. The 30-30 is on my list.
Have a Marlin 30a in 30-30, Henry Big Boy in .45 colt, and an Uberti 94 in .45 colt.
The Marlin is an older one, so I can't speak to the new ones. The Henry is as smooth a lever gun as I've shot, equal to my '94 Uberti that has had a "cowboy action job". The Henry is bone stock, no recoil, accurate, and has never been finicky with ammo. It's been shot in numerous cowboy matches, so it's vetted. I recommend it highly.
ETA...my Uberti is a '73 clone, not a '94.
Brain fart.
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Have a Marlin 30a in 30-30, Henry Big Boy in .45 colt, and an Uberti 94 in .45 colt.
The Marlin is an older one, so I can't speak to the new ones. The Henry is as smooth a lever gun as I've shot, equal to my '94 Uberti that has had a "cowboy action job". The Henry is bone stock, no recoil, accurate, and has never been finicky with ammo. It's been shot in numerous cowboy matches, so it's vetted. I recommend it highly.
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Thanks, looks like I'll be checking out a Henry soon.
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Just a quick FYI, there's a $50 rebate on Marlin 336 models ($25 on the W model). Makes for a nice inexpensive PC lever gun.
Also, while henry's are nicely made rifles they are loaded from the magazine tube rather than through a loading gate. Reloading the firearm is much more tedious in my experience. However, with Henrys you can "ghost load" a round directly into the action which you cant do with a rossi.
After now owning a mid 50s-range (gotta find out the exact year soon for these) Marlin 336 in .30-.30, I really want to try a "Pistol Caliber Cowboy Carbine".
They've gotta be very enjoyable to plink with, amongst other misc uses.
glock21xxx
08-16-16, 15:01
Anyone know anything about the new production Marlin 45-70s? A buddy told me to steer clear with no real explanation, but had indicated that they were junk. A cursory search of the Google did not yield those types of experience, but wanted to see what you all thought as lever guns are far outside my wheelhouse.
Thanks, looks like I'll be checking out a Henry soon.
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Edited my comments, above...my Uberti is a 73, not a 94. I don't know why I always call it a 94.
Anyway, that's the comparison I meant to make vs the Henry.
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I own a .357 Magnum 1892 Hartford lever action. It's a higher quality 1892, built on contract by Rossi. It is a sharp looking rifle with octagon barrel, blue finish and decent wood.
That being said, If I were in the market for a .357 lever action, I would give the Henry a hard look. If the Henry's price is out of your range, you may want to consider a buying a Rossi and contacting Steve's Gunz about upgrades. http://stevesgunz.com/
There were some very nice 1892 Winchester type guns made (actually made by Miroku)/imported by Browning and later by Winchester. They are outstanding quality guns, but not cheap.
Some of the functional quirks raised about pistol caliber lever guns may be the ammo type used, semi wadcutters can be quirky in feeding due to the sharp edged bullets. Ive had no issues at all with a Browning 92 in 44 cal. I mostly use 200 gr round nose flat point cast bullets, and some jacketed. It feeds slick as can be.
The 1873 Winchester copies feed the cartridge straight into the chamber, not angled in like most. Id be happy with an 1873, though for the price, Id go with the Miroku/Winchester over the Uberti Italian gun. Either in 357 would be a fun shooter and decent fill in defensive gun in places other guns may raise attention. The trapper size guns with 16" barrels would be my choice.
Don't write off used guns. The world is full of guns bought and hardly used, then sold again. Moderate wear doesn't bother me either. One of my favorites is a very thrashed 1920s made Winchester 94. It just keeps ticking along.
More to consider. Thanks Malamute.
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If your heart is really set on a pistol caliber lever, try and find a 92 style action (designed for pistol length cartridges) over a 94 style action. The 357 is the best plinker cal in modern production which has enough juice for deer but is a meager eater of lead compared with the 44/45 cartridges. For one, it is a stroger design (minaturized 86 action) and a hellva lost smoother feeding them shorter rounds. I've had a 94ae Trapper in 45 Colt that I got pretty smooth but nothing like my 92 TD Trapper. Granted, it tis a lawyerized Winoco but with a little work they aren't hard to put back. Another thing looking at winnies, they have two models, a 20" carbine and the rifle. Look on GB, you can see the difference in the forend cap and butt plate.
If looking at a Marlin, your gonna pay a premium since they haven't started manufacturing them as of yet, the last I had heard. Look for a JM model if they have started till they get the bugs worked out.
T2C had some great advise on the Rossi. If your comfortable fitting parts, get his DVD kit and enjoy the adventure or send the gun in for some work but the line is rather long. I'm looking at a Rossi as a host right now to do a 327 Fed Mag or 25-20 conversion if Grreen Mountail barrels ever makes another octogon 25 cal barrel run.
I've only had one experiance with a Henry and it was a 22lr. If I'm going lever, I've got to feed it through the receiver and not the mag tube.
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