Should I buy a lever rifle?

Lever guns have a bit of nostalgia for me because I learned to shoot on Dad's 39 Mountie. Later he gave me a Marlin '97 he'd bought at a yard sale in the 70's which cycles and shoots but the bore is corroded and it tumbles the bullets. Still, pretty cool IMO for a 110 year old gun.

My first fully functioning lever gun was a .357 1894 from the mid 80's when Ohio started letting us hunt deer with PCC's. I still always wanted a 39, and finally traded for a late 80's model a few years ago. It has a scope on it just because I was trying to determine it's accuracy potential (3/4" at 50 yards with a best of 0.5") but I just ordered Skinner sights yesterday for it. I'm trying to give the 39a more love, at the moment my bolt action .22's and dedicated .22 AR uppers seem to be getting more attention but I do enjoy plinking with a lever action.

Yes, you should buy a lever rifle. Henry, Marlin or Winchester, doesn't matter. I only have four: 2 Henry's[.357 and .45 Colt], 1 Winchester Mod 94[30-30], and 1 Marlin 39A[1957].
If I ever stop buying S/A revolvers, I may pick up another lever gun!

I just picked up a new to me 20" Rossi 92 in 357mag.

Would have preferred a 16", but I'll take what I can get.

I really enjoyed my 16" 44mag Rossi 92, and the 35Rem Marlin I had too. I like lever actions alot.

As I currently load 357mag for a number of handguns I'll never part with, a carbine in the same cartridge makes a lot of sense to me. Plus it'll make a great open sighted hunting rifle for Javalina and coyotes.

I like lever rifles. I have several lever rifles, .357 Magnum, .45 Colt, and .308 Winchester, but only one turn-bolt rifle, .375 H&H. Being left-eye-dominant is part of that, as most lever-action rifles are more ambi-friendly, and fewer lefty turn-bolt rifles have been available. (My Winchester Model 70 Safari Express has a left-hand action.)

If you’ve really always wanted one then you should definitely buy one, assuming you have the extra funds to do so.

This is pretty much always the case.

I like & have owned several starting with the most basic H0001 … then a Goldenboy, Goldenboy Engraved, but then I saw the 16” Evil Roy model, bought it & the others became trading fodder.
I’m also a fan of the Early Marlin 39A and have a couple of them. My favorite is a garage sale rescue that was in sorry shape … barrel was worse than most sewer pipes and I eventually found a 16” Century edition. Had to replace the fore end (the new barrel is octognal), Fred tube & spring, lastly finished the new forensic & refinish the stock.
I’ve also had a couple BL-22’s which I didn’t care for … the lever has a short throw and sea mushy at the end.

Bayou52, that model 94 is beautiful!

Thanks for the compliment, Steve! ^^^^^

That 1947 Model 94 in the pic is called the "flat band" since the forward barrel band is flat rather than curved, as seen in the pic. These flat bands were used for the very first post-WW II rifles that Winchester manufactured after switching out of war production and back to civilian production. The flat bands were only used for 2 years, from what I've read. They then returned to the usual and customary curved bands.

Thanks again,

Bayou52

TacticalSpeed said:

I've always wanted one just because they look cool & never enough toys, right?

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That's as good a reason as any to buy something, in my opinion.

"Should" implies an obligation, duty, or need. My opinion on the matter of "should" is that everything is a balance. If you WANT something, then get it...UNLESS there are other reasons why you ought not to. Like family budget, for example. Or other pressing needs that are more important that this particular thing. If one has no disposable income, then perhaps this isn't the wisest purchase decision to make.

Lever action rifles are nice, and uniquely American. I use a Marlin 1894 in .44 magnum as my close-in feral pig gun. It holds 11 rounds, is quick to bring to bear, and fast on follow-up shots. I have 2 Winchester '94s in .30-30, and a Browning BLR in .243 Winchester for deer. I like them all and have always wanted to add a .22 to the list. Get one.

TacticalSpeed said:

I've always wanted one just because they look cool & never enough toys, right?

I have never fired one, though. It would just be a range toy for me & I'd be looking on the lower end of the cost scale at a Henry (Open to other manufacturers) 22LR rifle. However, I want to stick with 22LR.

Should I skip it or will I actually enjoy it?

I passed on a Henry 22LR lever rifle at a local shop recently. Obviously, not because I don't want it, but because clearly not a need & with so many other builds in the pipeline, the money would be better spent elsewhere.

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Yes

If you have any cowboy in you then you definitely need one.

TacticalSpeed said:

Should I buy a lever rifle?

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If you have to ask...





Yes. The answer is yes.

greyling22 said:

Just handle one before you buy. I found the golden boy to have a lot more drop to the stock than most guns, and I couldn't get comfortable on it

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Also, while the golden boy has a lot of drop and didn't fit me, the cheap ones fit fine. And my old uncle with a stiff neck loves the golden boy.

Also, pump guns are just as fun if that appeals to you.

But my very favorite gun is a marlin 1894 I've restocked, slicked up, and suppressed. With subsonic 38's it's silly fun. Everybody loves it.

I love a lot of drop in my lever rifles, they hang beautifully

I have only had two lever action guns: a Marlin Model 336 in .30-30 and a Rossi Model 92 in .45 Colt. Sold the Marlin many years ago when I needed money for school. Picked up the Rossi a few years back at a local gun show as being used but like new in the box. Had been looking at a Winchester Model 94 Canadian Centennial Commemorative Model that was on another table that was also used but very reasonably priced. Once I saw that Rossi though with it's 16" barrel, large loop lever, and chambered for .45 Colt (as are three of my single action revolvers), I knew that if I walked away from the table it would be gone before I had even taken one step away from there!

Very pleased with my purchase and love how quick and easy it is to get on target with it! Now to find one in .357 to go with my Ruger Blackhawk!

Need has nothing to do with it. You deserve it. Fun to own and shoot. I won't part with my 94 30-30.

If you don't have one now, good luck finding a new one you like. Marlin was the king of budget, quality lever actions. They were bought by Ruger, who is slowly starting up their production with the 1895. Hopefully the 336 model comes down the pipe later. Henry you are paying a premium for an older, well known American name. Cimaronn is a higher premium for a lesser known company of imported firearms. Best way to find a lever gun is stalk the used gun racks at your local stores. You can still find Marlins, Winchesters, Savages etc in good condition.

Henry stands behind their product.

Really, you will probably find one that "speaks" to you, that siren song is worth answering.
And, if not, you can move on easily enough.
And, given the choices of caliber, barrel length, and the like, there's plenty of opportunity to find what is "right."

I have 11 levers; Marlins, Winchesters and Rossi centerfires and Henry rimfires.

The Henry’s are a standard and a youth .22 and a .22 WMR, all have been great fun to shoot and carry about in rabbit country.

They’re fun, handy and sometimes even a link to the past as you’re working the lever after a shot is fired at game and you’re making sure you have a second round ready for an anchoring shot.

As was mentioned earlier, a word of friendly warning if you’re tight on room in the safe or cabinet; one lever rifle often becomes two rifles… becomes four…rather quickly.

Let us know how it goes when you find the one you like.

Stay safe.

Hard to get into Cowboy Action shooting without a lever! You never know. You might really like the lever gun and then the single actions need to follow shortly there after!!!

I'm always going to answer yes when asked about a lever.

The Marlin 57M (.22mag) I picked up a year and a half ago quickly became my favorite and goes to the range with me every time.

Shooting my lever action .22LR (Rossi Rio Bravo - wood stock) is as much fun as my semi-auto .22LR rifles. Before I bought I thought I'd like it - wrong, I really like it.