Best buy on a lever today?

[rangerider7]

I know this is a broad question but I thought it would be informative. If you wanted to buy a lever, which ones would be the best buys? Pick a new one and an old one. The most bang for your buck (bargins)! I think old Marlin model 94s are a bargin at todays prices. As for a new model, I'm at a loss.

[pharmseller]

I bought a new Marlin 1894C .357 mag at Big 5 not long ago for $379. On sale, of course. It's in the gun safe waiting for my 8 year old boy. Watch the Big 5 ads (if you have one in your area).


P

[jdad]

Henry's are the best value in new rimfire levers.

[AJMD429]

(post edited to clarify my rambling points... )
I interpreted 'best buy' as in what someone who doesn't have a levergun but is interested in a 'starter' gun to see if he or she is going to suffer from levergunitis would buy, given a limited budget, or desire to spend just enough to see what a basic levergun is like.

I think the Pumas, despite the flimsy safety they now have, are a very good buy. If you have to have a receiver sight you'll need to budget a few bucks for that to be drilled and tapped, but if you don't mind barrel sights or tang sights, you're good to go.

The Marlins are more expensive, but make scopes and receiver sights a snap to put on.

Winchesters are obviously great, but didn't get MORE great after the company shut down - the much higher prices since then seem to me now to be paying a premium for mostly nostalgia (and to get rid of the flimsy safety!), and Henry's are slick, but ungainly, and not cheap. BLR's and others are not 'best buys' if you mean 'basic starter guns' but are great guns many of us own or desire.

[Lastmohecken]

Well, IMHO, best buys are not the same thing as buying the cheapest available. Sometimes going ahead and getting the higher priced, gun is the best buy. But then again, I hate cheaply made, unreliable, and poorly fitted guns.

If you want a 92, your best buy is an older Browning 92, they are still cheaper then an original Winchester, and will already have a much slicker action then a Puma, and no stupid safetys.

And a pre-64 Winchester model 94 is still a pretty good deal, when compared to a new gun.

I have never saved any money in my life, because I purchased a cheap gun, for a bargain. You get what you pay for, if you are lucky.

[Dave]

Well, IMHO, best buys are not the same thing as buying the cheapest available. Sometimes going ahead and getting the higher priced, gun is the best buy. But then again, I hate cheaply made, unreliable, and poorly fitted guns.

If you want a 92, your best buy is an older Browning 92, they are still cheaper then an original Winchester, and will already have a much slicker action then a Puma, and no stupid safetys.

And a pre-64 Winchester model 94 is still a pretty good deal, when compared to a new gun.

I have never saved any money in my life, because I purchased a cheap gun, for a bargain. You get what you pay for, if you are lucky.

I agree with this. If you buy wisely you can enjoy a fine gun for many years and then even make a few bucks when you sell it if you decide to.

[Lefty Dude]

It depends if your requirement is a pistol caliber or Rifle caliber. For the money in Rifle caliber a Savage 99 in .308 is hard to beat. For the pistol caliber it would be for me a 92 in 44.

[arjunky]

No matter what you buy, get the most condition you can afford. It always pays in the long run.

Byron

[Mike D.]

Pre-war Winchesters of any model are always good investments and can be found in very good condition at reasonable prices, if you look hard enough. Judging by what the folks at GA and GB want these days, you'd think that even parts guns are rare gems. Believe it, or not, good deals on nice guns are out there.

[Old Savage]

Marlin in 30-30 or 45-70.

[Rusty]

For a new one I'm looking pretty hard at a Marlin 336XLR.

[Blaine]

For shooting, a beater Marlin is a steal, usually, unless something is worn or broken. Ugly marlins can be made pretty for a little elbow grease and they shoot better the older they get..... AND, you don't have to worry about the first scratch

[Hillbilly]

I second the beater Marlin 336 for value sake.

Seems to me the later pre 64 Winchesters dont bring the money either... ramp sight, short wood carbines are generally not priced out of range compared to the pre 1940 guns.

I still stumble into the odd 70's models that seem to go pretty cheap. And as always..lever guns just dont seem to sell well in certain areas. Used to find lots of trade- in 336 and 94's in Michigan that just seemed to hang around gunshops forever. All were subject to negotiation and a few followed me home.

BTW.. priced any 25-35's lately?... the one I have has outpaced the stock market in value to say the least.
Hill

[GANJIRO]

I bought my Mossberg 472 30/30 from a pawn shop for $109.00.

[TCB in TN]

Will echo the 336 talk. Here local they go for about 1/2 what the 94 goes for, and they are usually good shooting guns. IMHO they are the best value in the center fire rifle world. You can get them new for around $350 and used for $150 to $250 and with the new LevEvo rounds they are fine out to 200yards plus. I used to tell local newbies to get a cheap 30-06 or 270 for local huntin (50-250 yards mostly), but now I tell them to get a good used Marlin and go get'em.

[Hungarian]

What about the new Mossberg Levergun? Is that a bargain?

[GANJIRO]

What about the new Mossberg Levergun? Is that a bargain?

The Mossbergs are running about 20 to 40 dollars more than a comparable new Marlin 336A which is proven reliable gun, the Mossberg having quality control and thus reliability issues, still ironing out the bugs of a new design and product.

[jhrosier]

I picked up a new .44 Mag. Marlin '94 in stainless for right around $400 last year. I guess that's not too bad of a price. It needed some deburring and smoothing up. I would have paid about the same for an older one in LNIB condition, if I could have found one.

Probably the best deals that I have seen recently on used lever guns is the Savage '99s in .300 Sav. caliber. They seem to be available for $250-$300 locally.

Winchester '94s used to be the best game in town, until the wannabe collectors bumped the prices out of sight. The average condition $150-$200 M94s are now being offered for $600! I'm glad that I picked up a couple of new ones in the months before the factory closed.

Jack

[Pete44ru]

[Best buy on a lever today?]

One of those $150 pre-64 Winchester 94's, that somebody posts about finding, every onct in a while !

.

[86er]

I've seen a bunch of Glenfield 30-30 leverguns in various configurations for no more than $250. I bought one for $175, and stripped and refinished the stock. I added a scope and ended up with a 1 1/2" grouper at 100 yds with a variety of ammo but favoring Core Lokt and LE. I can feed it inexpensively, reload for it for even less, and it will shoot 200 yds with enough energy for medium game if I sight it in right and do my part. If I wanted to sell it and took the scope off, I guarantee I could get my money back, maybe more. I think it is a "best buy" on a used gun because it will accept all the after market accessories for the Marlin, and if something went wrong ample parts are available to fix it. All the guts of a Marlin with a lower price tag.

I'm not so sure what to pick in the New Rifle category.