Lever Guns,Overlooked By Many But Still Fun.Got One?
- Thread starter flyingtiger85
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I keep buying lever guns for truck guns and some how fall in love with them and they become dilettantes snd prized processions. My 9422M was such a purchase, so was my 336S. So now I am looking to grab a Henry 22 (Magnum) lever gun. I handled the new Henry X a few days ago. NICE!. A very good copy of the Marlin 336. It has a proper loading gate but also retains the tube port supposedly to assist unloading without cycling. I always just pushed the gate in. So, when Henry builds one in real stainless (not hard chrome) I think it would make a grand truck gun 
(until I fall in love with it).
(until I fall in love with it).
Legionnaire
Contributing Member
I've tried ... really tried to warm up to lever guns. I've had .30-30s, including a nice 336 Texan, and multiple 1894s in .357 and .44 magnum. I've slicked them up and tricked them out. And then they just sit until I sell them to buy something else. After a while without a lever in the safe, I'll find a good deal on another and try again, only to sell it off after as little as a few months.
So no levers for me at this point ... although I will confess to having an unreasonable desire to handle a Henry Long Ranger.
So no levers for me at this point ... although I will confess to having an unreasonable desire to handle a Henry Long Ranger.
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Driftwood Johnson
Member
mcb
Member
Right but Henry, the modern company is making many modern lever action rifles that are not a "Henry 1860" reproductions and they don't have a side gate loading. Uberti was making fairly faithful reproductions of the original Henry 1860 rifle.
So IMHO a lever gun that is a faithful reproduction of the Henry 1860 is one of the few lever guns I like that don't have a side gate loading port.
On the other hand a Henry Big Boy Steel, for example, holds no interest to me as its a more modern lever action but lacks the side gate loading. Again this is just my opinion and if someone likes a tube loaded modern lever action that is fine with me. For the way I like to use my lever guns I like to have the side gate loading port.
Driftwood Johnson
Member
Another lever gun.
Marlin Model 39A. A tack driver. And I don't mind having to load it through the tube.
Marlin Model 39A. A tack driver. And I don't mind having to load it through the tube.
Telum Pisces
Member
Henry listened to customers and made a few with a side loading gate. You get the best of both worlds as far as loading options.
https://www.henryusa.com/rifles/side-gate-lever-action/
https://www.henryusa.com/rifles/side-gate-lever-action/
Carl N. Brown
Member
Got one?
No.
Currently got four:
_ Marlin (JM) 336W .30-30
_ Legacy Sports Intl Puma by Rossi (1892 clone) .357
_ Marlin 39 Mountie .22
_ Red Ryder BB (bought an eyepatch to go with it)
Aside:
The 336W and the Puma have side gates which work well for me with large centerfire cartridges.
The Marlin .22 leveraction originally had a side gate in the 1890s but loading .22s through a side gate was such a bother for shooters that Marlin went tubeloading about 1897 in their .22 leveractions. Loading up twenty .22 Shorts one day in my M39 I cringed at the thought of having to cram the tiny things through a side gate; tubeloading .22 good.
I can understand why new owners of both centerfire and .22 rimfire would want both rifles to feed the same and Henry offers a choice that apparently a lot of people want. Maybe that's not my choice for a centerfire leveraction, but freedom of choice, what ever works best for you, is what America was founded on. Keep America Great Always. USA! USA!
No.
Currently got four:
_ Marlin (JM) 336W .30-30
_ Legacy Sports Intl Puma by Rossi (1892 clone) .357
_ Marlin 39 Mountie .22
_ Red Ryder BB (bought an eyepatch to go with it)
Aside:
The 336W and the Puma have side gates which work well for me with large centerfire cartridges.
The Marlin .22 leveraction originally had a side gate in the 1890s but loading .22s through a side gate was such a bother for shooters that Marlin went tubeloading about 1897 in their .22 leveractions. Loading up twenty .22 Shorts one day in my M39 I cringed at the thought of having to cram the tiny things through a side gate; tubeloading .22 good.
I can understand why new owners of both centerfire and .22 rimfire would want both rifles to feed the same and Henry offers a choice that apparently a lot of people want. Maybe that's not my choice for a centerfire leveraction, but freedom of choice, what ever works best for you, is what America was founded on. Keep America Great Always. USA! USA!
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I've got a few.
.
Personal preference, but I don't want a pistol grip on my levers. And I just can't warm up to anything made by Henry. I acknowledge that they are well made, reliable, accurate guns that are generally well made with decent wood and metal finishing. But none of them are true to traditional lever gun styling and most are way too heavy for what they are. And there is a lot more to it than the side loading gate. There are simply too many millions of used traditional Marlins and Winchesters out there to settle for something else.
They kinda, sorta, look like a traditional Winchester or Marlin at a distance, but just aren't the same thing. If not going to stay with the traditional style I'd rather go with a Savage 99 or full blown modern like the Winchester 88, Sako Finnbear, or Browning BLR.
.Personal preference, but I don't want a pistol grip on my levers. And I just can't warm up to anything made by Henry. I acknowledge that they are well made, reliable, accurate guns that are generally well made with decent wood and metal finishing. But none of them are true to traditional lever gun styling and most are way too heavy for what they are. And there is a lot more to it than the side loading gate. There are simply too many millions of used traditional Marlins and Winchesters out there to settle for something else.
They kinda, sorta, look like a traditional Winchester or Marlin at a distance, but just aren't the same thing. If not going to stay with the traditional style I'd rather go with a Savage 99 or full blown modern like the Winchester 88, Sako Finnbear, or Browning BLR.
tubeshooter
Contributing Member
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- 2,149
I bought a Henry Small Game Carbine in .22lr for a go-to plinker, and I have been pleasantly surprised. Fun little gun.
I don't have any experience with their centerfire offerings, but by all accounts they sound like a good company to deal with and I don't dismiss them right offhand.
I don't have any experience with their centerfire offerings, but by all accounts they sound like a good company to deal with and I don't dismiss them right offhand.
Armored farmer
Member
Six rifles in .22lr, .22mag,.357, .30-30.
One in my future, a vintage SRC in 30-30 (I let a good one slip through my fingers one time).
One in my future, a vintage SRC in 30-30 (I let a good one slip through my fingers one time).
Riomouse911
Member
The .22 Mag Henry is a great gun, I really like mine.I keep buying lever guns for truck guns and some how fall in love with them and they become dilettantes snd prized processions. My 9422M was such a purchase, so was my 336S. So now I am looking to grab a Henry 22 (Magnum) lever gun. I handled the new Henry X a few days ago. NICE!. A very good copy of the Marlin 336. It has a proper loading gate but also retains the tube port supposedly to assist unloading without cycling. I always just pushed the gate in. So, when Henry builds one in real stainless (not hard chrome) I think it would make a grand truck gun
Now if one came with an 18" barrel in stainless? Perfect!
Stay safe.
Telum Pisces
Member
When I went looking for my 45-70, it was between the Henry and Marlin. I wanted a treatment on the gun that would stand up to the elements because I was going to use it like it was meant to be used as a brush guide type gun. It would be my hog killer. So it was the Marlin 1895 SBL in the stainless or the Henry All Weather finish. Side loading gate was not a factor in what I wanted or did not want. I just wanted a 45-70 that could take the elements. Oh and I do like wood vs synthetic.
Henry's All Weather finish had great reviews and most said it stood up a tiny bit better than the stainless on the Marlin. I handled both and shot both. Ended up with the Henry after a long long look and wait. I apparently waited for a dead zone in Henry H010AW availability. But eventually found one. The finish on the gun so far is proving to stand up to the elements.
I am no purist when it comes to lever guns. But the Remlin problems I read about at the time of my search led me to the Henry. I've heard the Marlin SBL fit and finish has gotten much better and consistent though.
For those that don't have a lever gun at all. You need to own one! Then you will own more and more! There is something about using that lever action to load the round into the chamber that is very very satisfying.
Driftwood Johnson
Member
Like This?
Winchester Model 1906. 22 Short, Long, or Long Rifle.
This little 22 belonged to my Dad. He grew up in Mount Vernon NY, just north of New York City. His dad used to commute into NYC every day for work. One day my Dad mentioned to his dad that he would like a 22 target rifle. So my grandfather went to the Abercrombie and Fitch store on Madison Avenue in Manhattan and bought him this little 22. In those days Abercrombie and Fitch was not the yuppie clothing store it is now, it was a full service sporting goods store and sold every thing imaginable pertaining to sports. There was an entire floor devoted to guns, and a shooting range in the basement. Yes, in New York City. Now my grandfather was a terrific fisherman, but he knew nothing about guns. So he walked out of the store and gave this little pump 22 to my Dad. It was not what he wanted, he wanted a bolt action 22 target rifle, but I don't think he ever had the heart to tell his dad the little 22 was not what he wanted. One day when I was about 15 or so I was poking around in our basement and found a big cardboard box. I reached inside and grasped something and pulled it out. It was the little Winchester. I brought it upstairs and asked my Dad what it was. He said, "Well I guess that's yours now".
Here is a photo of my Dad shooting the little Model '06 on the shore of Katahdin Lake in Maine in 1931. He would have been 15 at the time. Dig the knickers. You can see how it is really too small for him.
Or this? Winchester Model 1890, 22 Long Rifle. The Model 1890 could only fire one version of 22 rimfire ammunition, not all three. This one is chambered for 22 LR.
How about this Winchester Model 1890 chambered for 22 Long?
or this Winchester Model 1890 chambered for 22 Short?
Or this Winchester Model 61 that fires 22 Short, Long, or Long Rifle.
Jeff olson
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I'm inspired to start a slide action Rim fire thread
Jeff olson
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1899 savage owned by the late great Richard Bong.View attachment 931825
7mmsavage
Member
I’ve only got one, a Glenfield 30a in 30-30. Nothin fancy but I like it a lot.
Had a 80’s production 94 Winchester in 30-30 but sold it to fund another gun. Kind of wish I still had that one.
Had a 80’s production 94 Winchester in 30-30 but sold it to fund another gun. Kind of wish I still had that one.
BlueHeelerFl
Member
Weflyfast
Member
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- Nov 17, 2013
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- 498
Wonder if he shot as good as he flew?
MikeG
Member
We have three. I inherited Dad's Winchester 9422, my wife got a Henry Big Boy rifle (bronze) in .44 Magnum, and I bought a Henry Steel carbine in .41 Magnum. Lever Actions do grow on you it seems.
I listed a set of 4 all season tires taken off my 2019 Toyota 4Runner last year on Facebook Marketplace. I had replaced them on day 1 with a set of All Terrain Falken Wildpeak AT3W tires. Any who, after months and months on there with no hits, I had a fella message me about wanting to trade a Winchester 94 30-30 Ranger for the tires. I jumped on it.
Turns out this is a pretty crappy Winchester with painted on black finish and a shortened magazine tube. When the Covid gun rush kicked off a few months ago, I put it on consignment at the local Hardware Store that sells guns. It sold pretty fast.
I already have a 30-30 Winchester that I rarely shoot.
And a Rossi 92 357 mag that I shoot all the time:
I figure I might get 2 more lever actions down the line. A 45-70 and a tuned short stroke 1873 Uberti in 357 mag.
Side note: Henry finally released a loading gate 357 mag rifle. They are rare and ugly:
https://www.gunbroker.com/item/875179026
Turns out this is a pretty crappy Winchester with painted on black finish and a shortened magazine tube. When the Covid gun rush kicked off a few months ago, I put it on consignment at the local Hardware Store that sells guns. It sold pretty fast.
I already have a 30-30 Winchester that I rarely shoot.
And a Rossi 92 357 mag that I shoot all the time:
I figure I might get 2 more lever actions down the line. A 45-70 and a tuned short stroke 1873 Uberti in 357 mag.
Side note: Henry finally released a loading gate 357 mag rifle. They are rare and ugly:
https://www.gunbroker.com/item/875179026
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NIGHTLORD40K
Member
Holy smokes, you aint lyin about that Henry! $1200 bux for that!?! No way!!!!!I listed a set of 4 all season tires taken off my 2019 Toyota 4Runner last year on Facebook Marketplace. I had replaced them on day 1 with a set of All Terrain Falken Wildpeak AT3W tires. Any who, after months and months on there with no hits, I had a fella message me about wanting to trade a Winchester 94 30-30 Ranger for the tires. I jumped on it.
View attachment 932190
Turns out this is a pretty crappy Winchester with painted on black finish and a shortened magazine tube. When the Covid gun rush kicked off a few months ago, I put it on consignment at the local Hardware Store that sells guns. It sold pretty fast.
I already have a 30-30 Winchester that I rarely shoot.
View attachment 932195
And a Rossi 92 357 mag that I shoot all the time:
I figure I might get 2 more lever actions down the line. A 45-70 and a tuned short stroke 1873 Uberti in 357 mag.
Side note: Henry finally released a loading gate 357 mag rifle. They are rare and ugly:
https://www.gunbroker.com/item/875179026
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