Walk About Levergun?

[Malamute]

HEY! Where's all the PICTURES?

Browning 86 carbine. Barrel cut to 20", Lyman No 56 sight, and sling.




Winchester 71, at 10,000 ft el in July.




Winchester 94, the former part time favorite for grouse hunting/woods walking, now replaced full time with the larger caliber guns.

[stretch]

I agree with the .357 guys, but don't have one, so I have to make do with the Marlin 1894SS.

I'd have to go with my 35 Remington - maybe downloaded to .357 levels.

-Stretch

[Poohgyrr]

Here is a .45 Trapper at the cabin. Those burnt trees were from the Dobbins fire a few years ago, and are in the woodpile now. Mother Nature is growing new future firewood for us. The deer, rabbits, cougars, etc are doing fine.




And here is a pair of .44 Specials that should handle anything needing handling around here.

[COSteve]

No contest, Henry .22 Mag.

+1

It's no contest if one reloads but not the way you think. A 357mag levergun can easily push a much larger (.357" vs .22" dia.) and heavier (158grn vs 40grn) bullet faster (2000fps vs 1910fps) than the tiny 22 mag. Best of all, it's also cheaper to shoot than the 22 magnum. My reload costs are $13.10 for 100 rds of .357mag vs $15.00 per 100 for the cheapest 22mag I can find on the net.

[rjohns94]

think he meant no contest for his choice??

[AJMD429]

I'd have to go with my 35 Remington - maybe downloaded to .357 levels.

Good choice...!

If you think about it, a .35 Remington in a short-barrel version will weigh nearly the same as a shorter-receiver .357 Magnum, likewise the .444 Marlin ( ) vs. .44 magnum, and the .45-70 vs. .45 Colt. I don't have a .45 Colt Marlin, but I think my .45-70 Guide Gun is actually more compact than my .44 Mag 1894.

'Downloading' those longer cartridges to their 'pistol' equivalents (unfortunately the "45" caliber ones don't use the same bullet diameters) makes alot of sense. You have only the 'downside' of a bit less magazine capacity (does it really ever matter...?) to trade for the upside of potentially major power increase with 'standard' loads.

[Streetstar]

Marlin .44 Mag 1894 cut down to 16.5",

[rusty gunns]

Here upstate New York, it would be my turn of the century Winchester 92 short rifle in 44-40.
Though my standard load is 7.5 grains of unique under a 205 grain bullet,
With 8.5 grains of unique it pushes a 240 gr bullet out at right around 1100fps.
Point of aim is the same out to 100 yards, and the recoil is not that much different.

If there be "Bar Thar" my choice would be my puma 92 carbine in 454 casull.
I can push 255 gr 45colts with 11 or 12 grains of unique out at 1400+, and keep 454's in my belt.
The point of aim is very different, and the 454's are a beast to shoot in this short, light gun.

[yooper2]

My vote goes to a Win 94 Trapper in 25-35WCF. Its a bit of an oddball today but for the U.P. nothing beats it. I feel comfortable shooting anything I might find up here with it, choice shots, and good reloads. From bunnies to black bear, the old 25-35 will get the job done.

[TX50Cal]

I would have to say that if I were just walking around loafing through the woods it would have to be my Marlin 1894CL in 32-20. Easy to carry, and can be loaded potent enough for anything I may run across in my area or used to shoot small game if needed.
Dave in TX

[t.r.]

RUGER 96 in 44 MAG.

TR

[1894]

The saddle ring sling makes the 44 my first choice .

[rjohns94]

like that sling!

[Mike D.]

I usually drag around a beat up old Winchester 1892 .25-20 carbine.

[madman4570]

Times have changed in consideration of issues of bears up here where I live.(NY/Pa border)
Carrying around guns when in the woods here for camping/hiking/self protection needs to be evaluated a little differently than before.

The bear population has exploded and the size of some of these boars are unreal.I have one living a stones throwfrom the house (in my woods)that is going between 650-750 and they are getting some now in Pa(in the 900lb neighbor hood.

Let me be clear(with the exception of a polar bear, a large boar black bear(600+)has a totally different attitude.
First of all when they pursue/attack you they want to eat you period.Rolling up in a ball will only get you eaten alive.

These bears up here have kinda taken to what the deer do(seem to have gotten more adaptable to living where people live and thats what is so very dangerous.
If I was to carry a do it all easy carrying lever I would choose a .44Mag stoked with 300gr JFP's zipping at near 1800fps.(I could give a rat's behind if it kicks)
I can tell you for a fact, walking up a log trail and having a 700lb black beast viewing you on a bank 50ft above you with his nostrils
emitting this foggy froth like a train engine makes you think(I want some firepower)
Its no joke anymore around here. In fact the reason I got my last S&W 629 was that my friend had it loaded with Hot 180 grainers
was in a tree stand shot a large black bear(estimates 500lbs)the bear immediately charged (AND WENT UP HIS TREE)while he unloaded his gun at the bear while the bear was snapping/clawing speeding up it.(never did find the bear)but heard one was found dead two days later with one bullet hole in the shoulder and one along the scalp???(15 miles away)
He was so disappointed in that gun(I told him he chose the wrong bullet,not the guns fault)he still couldnt stand to look at it and sold the gun with a silver ultra dot on it to me(I wanted to give him more?)for $350???????????????

All I can say is looking at bear of that size close up looks as big as looking at a Nissan Altima.
And honestly at that distance if it does charge(probably,your dead while its dying)

anyone who wants to tote a .22 cal anything here for a backup protective tool(have at it?)

Honestly, I feel the best thing to have when trail hiking is a big bold hearted dog as the first defense.

[.Dirty-.Thirty]

My favorite levergun at the moment of centerfire make would be my Marlin .444 loaded with 240gr XTP with a 1400fps load of Unique. Extremely accurate and pleasant to shoot. And I'll say, that unless I thought I had reason to pack the .444 for a certain purpose, i would much rather pack around my Henry Frontier for shooting, easy to tote and fun as all get out!! .DT

[rjohns94]

madman, I hear you. #710 and i found his paw prints on my boot prints on a foggy morning. he came out of the fog teeth popping.

[madman4570]

That is a trophy of a lifetime and you know the deal cause you have been there Mike.
What a stunning bear, and you should be very proud brother.
You without doubt be the man!

[Mutt]

Marlin .357 .Rossi .357 either .

[El Chivo]

I'm liable to take any of them. That's why I got them, not for target shooting or even silhouette shooting, but for hunting or protection while hiking. I tend to take my 336's, either in 35 Rem or 30-30. I have taken my 1894c, and it was nice to take but when climbing, I felt the short muzzle is hard to keep track of.

Now that I have some ammo made up for it, I've been taking the 336 in 35 Rem. But in general I try to rotate.

(I did use the 1894c to take a small pig at the exotic ranch this spring - it was a little foggy and I decided I wanted scope viewing. It was just the ticket for a close-in shot and easy carrying. Plus it looks cool)

For real workouts, like an A-zone hunt or a deep penetration hunt or bicycle trip, I can take my .243 Handi-rifle - it's the youth model and it IS lighter than anything else made. Good as far out as I can see, too. I really like hunting with the single shot - I carry it open and ready to load, with the ammo on my belt. So it's safe and ready, and quiet if you see something (if you keep your levergun chamber empty, you'll have a loud noise announcing your intentions). So I like the Handi-Rifle concept, however the other models are quite heavy so there's no point.

Another thing that occurred to me about handi-rifle hunting is you're not committed to one type of ammo for your shot. You can carry full power loads for a long shot and low power loads for a short one. When deer hunting all I saw were rabbits. When rabbit hunting, I usually see deer. I always have the wrong rifle or load. I passed on a rabbit because I didn't want to take a shot at the ground 4 feet away with a full power factory deer load. For the .243 I could carry regular copper Federals for deer and varmint grenades or lead (loaded down) for coyote or rabbit. But should I see a deer 350 yards away well look here I just happen to have the cartridge for that.

I have also taken my Winchesters hunting, both very casual walks and they didn't get scratched. Part of the idea is the bonding process, where you get to feel that gun that spends so much time in the safe.

[missionary5155]

Greetings
Down in the south costal desert country I carrry the only lever gun I have.. a 1907 vintage SRC 44-40 Winchester. Has all the power I need. Normally it is stuffed with a Saeco 443 220 grain sized .432 of 40-1 mix on top of 7-8 grain Unique or 28 grains 3F. For more serious power I up the Unique to 9 grains and these are marked on brass head black. Wonderful old carbine. Easy carry all day with 6 rounds on board.
In the north where most of you are I mostly grab the Marlin CBL 41 mag or a 38-40 Marlin to crawl about ditches & woods popping groundhogs or the unwarry coyote. Hope to one day get a crack at one of those Cougars the Game people deny are there.
Mike in Peru

[kimwcook]

Bears and cats are nothing to play with. Just recently happened here.

http://www.seattlepi.com/news/article/J ... 450018.php