What model lever feels the best in your hands?

[rangerider7]

I'll have to admit the Winchester model 71 feels great, but I don't carry it often. The 348 is a little large for anything around here. It is just a larger 1892.

[Meeteetse]

I guess I would have to say there are three that feel pretty good to me; My Win 94 Trapper (30/30), my Browning BL-92 (.357) and my Marlin 1894 Cowboy in 44mag with a 24" barrel. Three different barrel lengths, but they all feel good at the shoulder.

[tman]

geobru, i'd like to see a picture of that shortend 86. i have the 86 src flm at 22", always wannted to get the barrel and mag cut back to 20".SOUNDS LIKE A SWEET GUN

[Lastmohecken]

I was looking in my safe eairler, today. And thinking about this thread, I picked up several of my leveractions and threw them up to my shoulder, and while the 86's, 92's, my 95, and the 71's all felt good, and I know I can hit with them, on any resonable shot, I then picked up a couple of my pre-64 model 94's and the difference is still like night and day almost for me.

There's just something about the balance, and heft of a pre-64 model 94 with a 20" barrel that's just makes the gun come alive in my hands, not unlike a fine upland side by side. For me anyway, there is no doubt, nothing matches it.

[Old Savage]

You sure you need the hat with those Pajamas?

[6pt-sika]

Lets see this is gonna have to be a multi answer !

I think the top of the list are a pair of Marlin Model 1893's I have ! I have 5 1893's however my 25-36 and 32-40 feel the best to me ! They both have "S" buttplates which I have cone to prefer over the crescent . They are both 26" and the 32-40 is half octagon . They were both made in 1906 as well !

I also have a few of the original Marlin 1895's and my preferred one of these is a very nice one of 1897 vintage in 38-56 ! This thing has a 26" octagon barrel and the crescent butplate . But I also have a 1895 of about 1912 vintage in 33 WCF with a round barrel half mag and shotgun butt this one might just be a tad more comfortable to carry .

Now the third group may very well shock a few people . and to be honest when I first laid eyes on them I didn't really care for them much myself ! Anyway the first variety of 444 Marlin that was made from 1965 to 1971 . The one with the big old monte carlo stock and the 24" barrel and a couple barrel bands . I've gotten six of these so far and am still looking for one more as I am trying to get one from each year of manufacture . But back to the question , this style rifle makes a very nice scoped cast bullet rifle . The ones made from 1971 to 1975 with the barrel bands and pistol grip stock I like almost as well and have a couple them also ! But I prefer the feel of the "original" 444 for hunting from a treestand or shooting from the bench .

Well I might as well add a fourth "group"
I am very very partial to the Marlin model 1892 and 92 . But not in 22 caliber ! I prefer the little rifles in 32 caliber with the interchagable firing pins !

Well there you have it rantings of a lunatic rifle accumulater !

Oh yeah did I mention I also own one old Winchester 1894TD of about 1905 vintage in 30-30 with a 26" half octagon barrel that ain't to shabby either

[Rexster]

Browning Lightning BLR, short action.

[TCB in TN]

My fav. is the Marlin 39A mountie, they just fit me. I have a preference for all of the Marlins over the Winchesters, mainly because of the feel of the action. I do much prefer the straight stock to the pistol grip (which is harder to find in the Marlin). I have and really do like the little straight stocked BLR .308. It fits and feels great, shoots like a dream, but is a bit thicker and heavier than either the Marlin or the Winchester.

[jlchucker]

I hate to admit it, but my favorite must be the rifle I love to hate--a Winchester 94 trapper, 44 magnum, made after the rebounding hammer was introduced, but before the dorky lawyer-safety. The lever rattles, the magazine tube was loose (long since modified and repaired), and the sights have been changed to a Williams FP and an ivory bead. I've carried this piece around ever since the 1980's, as a truck gun, and it's seen mostly the 215 gr. Lyman semiwadcutter. Minute of clay-pigeon fragments at 100 yd. I own what would be considered better rifles, I suppose, but this one, for all its faults, is the one I usually grab.

[H_Talon]

I'd have to say my savage 99f and 99e 7mm08 and 358win ..
love those pistol grip 99's ....

Talon

[Billy Boy]

It's gotta be my 336T/A project with the DRC large loop lever! It started life as a JC Penney 4030 and with the help of Vall and Terry I was able to turn it into one really fun gun that just feels right in my paws.


The lever isn't one of those rediculously large affairs meant for TV of shooting exhibitions. It's a Dave Clay unit available through Brownells/Midway and DRC gunworks. It's got a WWG Happy Trigger kit as well as their GR rear sight with a Williams aperture and fiber optic front. The buttstock is finished off with a GTF Limbsaver.
Hope you like what you see as much as I do when I hold it (the gun)!
BB

[rjohns94]

looks great for sure

[Pete44ru]

A Trapper - any Trapper.

[Jayhawker]

Had to think about this question for awhile and even went out to the safe to pick one up to make sure, but the Savage 99EG feels the best in my hands. Just something about the dimensions and balance suits me to a "T".

[Duff L Bagg]

Its a toss up between my Marlin 1895ss and my Win 94BB 375 win, both come to the shoulder like they grew there.