How necessary is large lever loop?

[19-3Ben]

I'm about to throw down the cash for a Rossi M92 in .357.

This gun is expected to play the roles of bedside gun, range/plinking, bug-out rifle.

I understand that large loop is much easier if you have gloves on. But for a guy with average sized hands, will it make a difference otherwise?

I almost feel like I'd hate to have my hand have to travel that much farther before hitting the lever so that I could cycle the action.

This is my first levergun and I don't have a ton of experience. So those of you who really know, what's the scoop?

 

[Uncle Mike]

You have to have it if your going after rinooserouses!

Any of those where your going?! hehehehe

 

[Big_E]

I like the slightly larger loops like on the Marlin 1895 SBL. Some loops are ridiculously large. Now if you don't want a lot of travel between the fingers and the loop, you can make a nice "pad" of leather or para cord to wrap around it to help close the gap, and make it more comfortable for your fingers.

 

[Vern Humphrey]

I've killed a lot of deer with the Model 94 Winchester, in very cold weather. In fact on the ranch, I used to always have a .30-30 on the saddle, and killed deer, coyotes and so on as the opportunity arose. I never had a problem using that rifle with gloves on, and I would consider a larger loop to be unnecessary.

Large loops became popular in the 1950s when Westerns using unusual prop guns (like Steve McQueen in The Bounty Hunter) would show fancy spinning and cocking and needed large loops to do that.

 

[phoglund]

Personally I kind of like the look of the slightly larger loops like on the Marlin 1895 SBL mentioned earlier but I don't think there is any real utility to the larger lever loops. They just seem to be related to cowboy movies of the 1950's as mentioned. I have a Rossi M92 in .45 Colt with a 16" barrel and have no problem using it with gloves. I found it somewhat uncomfortable to chamber a round quickly and further reduced the loop by wrapping some paracord around the lever as protection from the metal loop.

I'm a big fan of this gun and believe it would be very useful in the roles you mentioned. If I were to purchase another of these carbines (perhaps in another caliber), I'd pass on one with a large loop in favor of the standard loop for the sake of compactness and efficiency of use.

Paul

 

[rcmodel]

No, not necessary.

I have half a gun cabinet full of old Winchester & Marlin lever-guns with standard levers.
Never felt a need for a large loop lever, even in the wintertime with gloves.

The really big round ones are a marketing gimmick related to TV western gunfighter nostalgia.
There was never such a lever in existence in the real wild west. And if anyone had felt the need for them, some old cowboy would have invented them before John Wayne & Chuck Connors needed one in 1958.

The semi-big oval ones like those sold by Wild West Guns might have some use in Alaska while wearing big sealskin mittens & mukluk's I guess.
Otherwise, you'd just bang your knuckles more all summer working them fast.

rc

 

[Brian Williams]

Save your money.

 

[taliv]

i happen to like them quite a bit and am not the least bit nostalgic about cowboys. i like it because it changes the angle you're pushing against, not because there's more space for gloves.

 

[MinnMooney]

Those large loops on a few lever rifles look cool and are nice for THICK gloves or mittens but for bare hands and thin hunting gloves the loop is worse than a regular lever's almost-rectangular shape. My hand always feels so sloppy inside of one the lg loops.

Now if you were Chuck Connors (aka : "The Rifleman" from the 60's) then you would absolutely need the loop. ha

 

[W.E.G.]

My loop's bigger than YOUR loop,... my loop's bigger than yours....

I wasted more money than YOU did,... I wasted more money than you...

http://www.floridagunworks.com/Merc...uct_Code=1819&Category_Code=FA+RIFLEPARTS+WIN

 

[MMCSRET]

I purchased a limited run Winchester 94 in 32 Winchester Special, it was 16" barrel and called "Wrangler". Had a large loop lever that came off before I ever started load development and a standard size installed. Made the little carbine much handier.

 

[engineerbrian]

personally i'm more concerned about the rossi. can we talk toy into a winchester?

 

[MCMXI]

I have three styles of levers on my Marlins. The factory straight stock style on two '94s and a '95, the factory pistol grip style on a '95 and the Wild West big loop style on another '95 (SBL model shown below). With an ungloved hand, I much prefer the factory pistol grip style ... no doubt about it. However, I have fairly large hands and if I were wearing thick gloves I would absolutely prefer the big loop lever. I will add that I consider the DRC big loop lever to be the perferct compromise of function and form.

 

[tominct]

My Marlin 1894 .357 has the standard loop. It's about the only thing I don't like about the gun. It's a bit small for 3 fingers, but 2 fingers is awkward.

It's pretty much a safe queen now, but if I used it a lot, it'd get a bigger loop.

Get the gun, shoot it, see how you like it. A big loop is about a 5-minute install job.

 

[Welding Rod]

I had a Winchester Wrangler that came with their large loop.

It looked cool but really I hated it for shooting. I owned a couple Trapper carbines that were essentially the same gun with a standard loop and I enjoyed shooting them much more.

 

[CraigC]

This levergun nut doesn't particularly care for them. Always seemed like a gimmick to me.

personally i'm more concerned about the rossi. can we talk toy into a winchester?

The Rossi 92's are good guns, always have been.

 

[blitzen]

While handling both guns side by side, the large lever loop made working the action more of a reach. It's not for me but for someone with long arms it might be fine.

 

[19-3Ben]

Thanks for the info guys. I think I'll go for the regular loop. I really appreciate the help!

 

[XxWINxX94]

I've never seen any considerable advantages to a larger loop, unless you have monster hands, or use giant gloves.

The disadvantages would probably be that the thing is bulky & makes the gun bigger, even might take you a little more time to hit the lever for, say, a follow-up shot?

I'd say save the large loop for John Wayne.