Tactical Levergun Class

Status
Not open for further replies.
I’ve been looking for an excuse to build a Marlin levergun in 357/44 B&D for a few years, this might just be the straw that broke the camel’s back… I grew up in a rural area where most trucks, back doors, or nightstands around local farms were assigned Marlin or Winchester leverguns, most frequently in 30-30, but certainly a dabbling of revolver cartridge carbines in there. Of the younger generation, I quickly outgrew that old whimsy and have had AR’s as my own HD and coyote mitigation tools, but I have done a lot of work on leverguns in my shop (currently two customer 39A’s on my bench right now) and a lot of shooting and hunting with leverguns of my own, including some Cowboy Action shooting back in the early 2000’s.

I had intention to merge a pair of Marlin 1894’s in 357mag and 44mag to create this B&D mag as much as possible from factory parts - but I’ve also been wanting to build a suppressed levergun, and considering a “tactical” stock set for it, much like the leverguns in the Costa video above. Silencerco has been pumping photos the last two years which have had me drooling for a modern update of a levergun… I’ll have to decide whether I want to use a sub-16” barrel and give up magazine capacity, or tolerate the extra length…

There are a lot of problems which could be well solved with 10 rounds of 180grn Speer HotCor’s at 2100-2200fps from a lever action carbine, so the B&D Mag might need to finally come to fruition for me.
 
I’ve been looking for an excuse to build a Marlin levergun in 357/44 B&D for a few years, this might just be the straw that broke the camel’s back… I grew up in a rural area where most trucks, back doors, or nightstands around local farms were assigned Marlin or Winchester leverguns, most frequently in 30-30, but certainly a dabbling of revolver cartridge carbines in there. Of the younger generation, I quickly outgrew that old whimsy and have had AR’s as my own HD and coyote mitigation tools, but I have done a lot of work on leverguns in my shop (currently two customer 39A’s on my bench right now) and a lot of shooting and hunting with leverguns of my own, including some Cowboy Action shooting back in the early 2000’s.

I had intention to merge a pair of Marlin 1894’s in 357mag and 44mag to create this B&D mag as much as possible from factory parts - but I’ve also been wanting to build a suppressed levergun, and considering a “tactical” stock set for it, much like the leverguns in the Costa video above. Silencerco has been pumping photos the last two years which have had me drooling for a modern update of a levergun… I’ll have to decide whether I want to use a sub-16” barrel and give up magazine capacity, or tolerate the extra length…

There are a lot of problems which could be well solved with 10 rounds of 180grn Speer HotCor’s at 2100-2200fps from a lever action carbine, so the B&D Mag might need to finally come to fruition for me.

I also thought about converting a 44mag to a 357 B&D. It sounds simple. Install a 357 mag barrel, then ream it out... But those two steps aren't for the average hobbyist. I know a gunsmith would probably charge as much as all the parts involved would cost too. Sounds like a great set up though in my head.
 
Applying tags like tactical to leverguns is much like the tactical fighting shotgun. If you can manipulate the gun and hit well with it, it then becomes a study in effectively reloading it.
No flies on a good lever gun for a defensive firearm, remembering the round count thing is the issue
 
Interesting video. He had some good points. The pinky at the loading gate is something I will try. A few of those guns looked like there is some competition for the coolest thing in a gadget war. Too many doodads for crap to get hung up on in the woods.
I do know that if I were taking a course like that I am not running next to some guy I do not know with loaded guns. I prefer not to be a statistic due to some dude that’s Gung Ho to impress a guy he just paid $250 to for a class.

I love it that leverguns are having some time in the sun though.
 
You wouldn’t happen to have a picture of that, would you? :)

Stolen from Marlinowners.com

939CF8BF-A44D-4E22-8603-73B21CFE1A20.jpeg

That leading edge of the elevator cam on the lever gouges the riding surface on the bottom of the carrier, eventually creating a groove, and subsequently, eventually locking itself into said groove as it binds against a cartridge on the carrier.

Cut a radius on this cam when the rifle is new, and said groove never forms, and never propagates a “Marlin Jam.”
 
I always radius the snail cam on a new (or new to me Marlin). However I note on my new Ruger made Marlin that the snail cam already has a proper radius. Both JM and REP had a sharp edge there. While the groove that wears from the sharp edge on the snail cam contributes to Marlin Jam, "letting in two" can have other causes. One of them being letting the bottom (front) action screw be even the slightest bit loose (no need to smoke it down but it needs to be tight and use some 242 on it). The needed radius is very small, I just polish over that edge. If one cuts (rounds off) too much metal it will alter the elevator timing. Ruger addressed a number of long standing (pre-REP) issues that hopefully will reduce jams.

3C
 
Radius your elevator cam up front and never have a Marlin Jam, ever.

Never buy a Marlin and you’ll never have the Marlin Jam.

:)

Beyond that, having experienced the catastrophic nature of the Marlin Jam and how it cannot be fixed during a fight, and not without tools, I would never trust my life to a lever gun when other choices are available.

I've owned four and sold four -- never again for me.

-Stan
 
Last edited:
Stolen from Marlinowners.com

View attachment 1082970

That leading edge of the elevator cam on the lever gouges the riding surface on the bottom of the carrier, eventually creating a groove, and subsequently, eventually locking itself into said groove as it binds against a cartridge on the carrier.

Cut a radius on this cam when the rifle is new, and said groove never forms, and never propagates a “Marlin Jam.”

Thank you. On with the show. Don’t want to hijack. :cool:
 
A modern levergun is a hell of a lot better fighting rifle than most people would give it credit for. Not to mention they fare a lot better in the double duty role than an AR. Last I checked, the 4473 didn't have a stipulation that one can only own "tactical" or "traditional" leverguns. You can have both. Never understood why the purists had to whine so loud. :neener:
 
I doubt it. Six shooters and lever guns are Americana as much so as apple pie. They have a limited capacity of six or so rounds and are slow to reload and even if done tactically by snapping the rifle butt stock on top of the shoulder and muzzling everyone, it is still only one round at a time. 3C
 
A modern levergun is a hell of a lot better fighting rifle ------ You can have both. Never understood why the purists had to whine so loud. :neener:

It may not be my thing but scopes and rails and such really give me no heartburn. As long as it is functional and serves a real purpose other than pretending to be an AR black rifle. The purist say well what would John Wayne or (my favorite) Chuck Conners have to say, they would turn over in their graves! Well, let them, because they were actors and were not real cowboys. I have actually ridden a horse for said purpose of chasing an errant cow down. Now, that was long ago and I ain't saying I was even passable at it but when I put on my cowboy boots and hat I am at least as real as they were and I fracking like a scope and a rail! ;)

3C
 
Last edited:
Wow, I just brought home a 44 Henry. But I'll leave her as she came.

Some other thoughts--could be part of a Firefly episode.

Like ARs, it's the cosmetics that make them scary. Show this to the antis and lever actions are added to "The List"

Looks to be a helluvalot of fun!
 
It may not be my thing but scopes and rails and such really give me no heartburn. As long as it is functional and serves a real purpose other than pretending to be an AR black rifle. The purist say well what would John Wayne or (my favorite) Chuck Conners have to say, they would turn over in their graves! Well, let them, because they were actors and were not real cowboys. I have actually ridden a horse for said purpose of chasing an errant cow down. Now, that was long ago and I ain't saying I was even passable at it but when I put on my cowboy boots and hat I am at least as real as they were and I fracking like a scope and a rail! ;)

3C
I think the M-lok forend is a great idea. Any long gun used for social purposes benefits from a mounted light. Red dots are fantastic for light & fast setups. Not to mention that levers make great suppressor hosts. I'm still waiting to encounter a Henry X model in .44Mag. I've got 19 traditional leverguns but the X model will go just fine with my Lucchese's and Resistols. ;)
 
I don't know about tactical lever gun. Seems to me you'd be better off "tactical" with an AR even with 10 rd magazines.

Tactical levergun might be a thing for those few states that make it about impossible to own an AR.
 
While there are more superb instructors out there than ever before who are worth every penny of what they charge, I've noticed that with some instructors they seem to be just making stuff up. Costa is a good instructor from what I've heard but he has no more real world fighting experience with a lever gun than anyone which is basically no one.

People are slapping tactical on everything nowadays and selling a class.
 
MachIVShooter has been tacticalizing levers for a while now... A can is as tactical as you can get.

Iirc my 30" 1873 in 32-20 holds 18 rounds. The best thing about a lever gun is that you can easily top off the mag whenever you have a chance.

This Ruger 96/44 is a RDS and muzzle device away from being tacticool! Lol

index.php
 
Wow, I just brought home a 44 Henry. But I'll leave her as she came.

Some other thoughts--could be part of a Firefly episode.

Like ARs, it's the cosmetics that make them scary. Show this to the antis and lever actions are added to "The List"

Looks to be a helluvalot of fun!

For the record, there are already lever actions and bolt actions on the list.

Every year Senator Diane Feinstein submits an assault weapons bill and the current version has lever and bolt action rifles that come equipped with threaded muzzles on it.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top