I want a lever GUN

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Alrighty Little lookin on gunpoker and I see I can easily meet my needs for less than 400. The older Marlins look very appealing. I have also decided on 30.30 as I may let this be my kids first hunting rifle in a few yrs and I doubt they can handle the stouter loads. Please keep you advice coming. love hereing about all these rifles.
 
I like the Marlin 336 for another reason, it is really easy to take apart and detail or repair.
 
If it weren't for American made I would be all over a browning. For American made stick to Henry or marlin. The winchester a are good guns for sure but they are nowhere near as smooth as marlin or Henry. Most 336 or glenfield model 30 are smooth as glass and the Henry guns aren't too far behind. Side eject on marlins guarantees you won't be doing any buttcrack burn dances when hot brass finds ways to go over your head to places it shouldn't go. As for caliber, 30-30 is a classic but there are some other really good choices including a few box-fed lever guns in calibers like 308. If you want some thump then 45-70. If it were me, I would just hit the pawn shops until I found a good one and country of origin not be a player. You still are helping an American business by being a paying customer.
 
If it weren't for American made I would be all over a browning.
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Personally, I don't really give a crap about where a particular firearm is made, with the caveat that "everything else being equal", I'd buy American-which, of course it rarely, if ever, is. If the design, workmanship, quality of materials and price are the same, I'll pay my hard-earned money for the American-made product. But if there's a disparity between these factors (i.e., a foreign-made firearm is better made but sells for the same price or less than an American-made product), why in the world would I buy American? If you want to donate your money for an American-made cause, fine. I don't feel guilty about paying less for a better made product made someplace else, even though I'd rather it was made in the U.S.
 
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find yourself a good, used, jm stamped 336 and don't look back. i picked one up this past fall and took a nice 7 pointer with it. i like iron sights on my lever guns. my 336 in 30-30 was made in '75 and shoots wonderfully.
 
I have an old Marlin 336 in 30-30 and a Henry Big Boy in 45 Colt, both are shooter's and will do the job. For some reason though the Henry is a lot more fun to shoot.
 
Lever Action 30-30

Post #1 was wise in saying he didn't plan to scope his lever.

I recently got my friend's Marlin 336 fixed, and it was already scoped. That was one of the most unwieldy rifles I had ever handled.

I'd say my 1st choice is a Winchester 94, but Marlin 336 would be 2nd, but don't get it scoped. Stay away from the Mossbergs and Henrys.

As for me, I'd rather not have a lever right now.
 
Stay away from the Mossbergs and Henrys.
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Why is that (about the Henry)? I'm looking for a lever action in .44 mag and thought these were good rifles. Been looking at them and Marlin mostly.
 
"Quote:
Buying used doesn't help American workers any more than buying a Mirokou or Brazilian made new gun.
If you don't count the new guns, ammo, bullets, powder and all manner of shooting gear that I spend money on from a gun sold."

Maybe I am confused; are not most LGS/pawn shop owners American?
 
If you go on armslist in ohio there is an NRA commemorative model 94 in Cincinnati that comes in a sweet factory box for $550. A dealer has it, so they may ship. Take a look.
 
JoeDorn said:
Maybe I am confused; are not most LGS/pawn shop owners American?
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Sure...but so are the Importers who import the foreign made weapons, the distributors who distribute them and the LGS who sell them.

Even better, if you buy a new American made weapon...you are supporting the company who made it, the distributor who distributes it and the LGS who sells it.

This is all predicated on the notion that we want to support American business as much as possible correct? (not something that really bothers me as my last 6 guns were 2 Czech made CZs, an American made, Belgian owned FN, Austrian made Glock, American made AR lower receiver and American Made Ruger)
 
I found a Marlin 30AW in a pawn shop some years back. It was like new and one of the best purchases I have made. It was $175 and it's just a gun that I always wanted for fun. This is a basic model with nothing fancy. I doubt you will find one that cheap, but I'm sure there are still some deals out there.
 
WestKentucky said:
If it weren't for American made I would be all over a browning. For American made stick to Henry or marlin. The winchester a are good guns for sure but they are nowhere near as smooth as marlin or Henry. Most 336 or glenfield model 30 are smooth as glass and the Henry guns aren't too far behind. Side eject on marlins guarantees you won't be doing any buttcrack burn dances when hot brass finds ways to go over your head to places it shouldn't go. As for caliber, 30-30 is a classic but there are some other really good choices including a few box-fed lever guns in calibers like 308. If you want some thump then 45-70. If it were me, I would just hit the pawn shops until I found a good one and country of origin not be a player. You still are helping an American business by being a paying customer.
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Have you actually compared one of the new Winchesters to a new Marlin/Henry? The Winchesters are far superior in every measurable way.
 
txcookie,

I really do appreciate your desire to buy American.

And the lever action world is a decent place to do that.

I have a question for you tho.
Do they still have the B-47 on a pedistal at the main gate of LRAFB?
I haven't been there for many years but lived there for several, starting when it was a SAC base with B-58's, transitioning into a TAC base with C-130's.

Lived several years in Cabot once we left base housing.

Any good American made lever gun will make you happy in my opinion.

J
 
I owned a Henry 30-30 for a time but the lever would not stay locked into position. This is a design error and not a craftsmanship error.

Marlin and also the Glenfield name are exceptionally well made carbines. Go to GunBroker.com and type in Glenfield 30 to look at very affordable carbines.

My nephew bought a Mossberg 464 a couple years back and nailed a buck and a doe while were hunting in western Maryland. This carbine is a keeper.

Winchester 94 lives up to its legend as an utterly reliable deer hunting carbine. About 30 years ago, they redesigned it for scope use and called it the angle-eject. This is a very useful design.

Good hunting to you.
TR
 
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Like the Marlins but I would likely be just as happy with a Winchester. Good value can be had in the used ones. I think the 30-30 is a dandy cartridge and a good place to start. You will eventually own a 22 and 45-70 and then you will dream of the rifle cartridges.
 
As far as I know, the `94 is/was the only pistol cartridge Marlin

The larger-cartridge 1893 (closed ejection port) morphed in the `36 (open ejection port), which morphed again into 336. As far as I know, the 1895 is simply the venerable 336 w/ a larger ejection port for the 45-70
 
Go Marlin

I have (2) 39As, an 1894c in .357 and 1895cb 45/70.
I am missing an 1894 in .44 mag and a 336 30-30, probably should have a guide gun too.

Oh well, ya gotta have goals. :D
 
A couple of you are close....

but, lest we forget, while the 99 savage was chambered in .300 Sav, and 30-30, it was also chambered in a .308 Win, and you're not stuck with that anemic, flat nosed 30-30 round. The rotary magazines accept and shoot the pointy boolits just fine, and mine has a particular affection for a 180 gr pointed Hornady.
The 300 Sav likes em heavy too.
 
MEHavey said:
As far as I know, the `94 is/was the only pistol cartridge Marlin

The larger-cartridge 1893 (closed ejection port) morphed in the `36 (open ejection port), which morphed again into 336. As far as I know, the 1895 is simply the venerable 336 w/ a larger ejection port for the 45-70
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There was a 336 in 44 magnum
 
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