Opinion on Lever-Action Carbine Ideas

[carpediem]

Hi all,

Would you choose a .357Mag/.38Spc or .44Mag/.44Spc lever-action carbine for large-scale emergencies (avoiding the term "SHTF" - as it's become somewhat synonymous w/ doomsday scenarios; I'm thinking more Katrina or LA Riots). Let's minimize the inevitable 12ga, .30 carbine, AK, SKS, AR15, Garand, FAL, M1A responses - lever guns only, strong emphasis on 357/38 or 44.

Furthermore, would you choose a 32" overall length w/ 16" barrel or a 36" length w/ a 20" inch [both cases assume shortened stock because (a) I'm not a big guy + (b) it's more handy]?

Either case = a light, handy, quick-firing longarm that's pretty much as PC and non-threatening as guns go.

Pros of shorter config: really handy for a longarm
Pros of longer config: longer sight radius, maybe a little quieter and/or little more velocity.

 

[cslinger]

I like .357 in a short carbine 18 inch or so. .44 is more powerful but .357 is cheaper and more plentiful. My take is if you own a .357 handgun get a .357 lever, if you own a .44 handgun get a .44 lever. If you don't own either go for the .357 route since it is cheaper to shoot and likely to be more fun in the long haul and God willing and the creek don't rise you will only ever use the gun for fun. Oh yeah and get a companion handgun too because that just adds so much to the fun....ehh I mean tacticality of the whole rig. Besides you can stockpile more .357 ammo cheaper.

Chris

Course you could buy a nice AK, SKS, AR15, .30 Carbine....maybe a nice 12 gauge......

 

[dracphelan]

I would go with the 357 with a 16" barrel. In the situations you described (urban/suburban natural disaster), 357 magnum is more than enough for anything you would need to shoot. Also, it would have plenty of range for anything you need to shoot (100-150 yards depending on the round used).

 

[MikeJackmin]

I've heard that some lever guns are more forgiving of varied ammunition than others - particularly that some .357s will not cycle .38 specials with any reliability.

Which of the currently-made guns are best behaved in this respect?

 

[cslinger]

My pick is my Marlin 1894C and Smith and Wesson PC681 both in .357 Magnum. The Marlin is proving to be very very accurate right out of the box and has been 100% reliable with anything so far including .38 Special. Just stay away from wad cutters. Mine was also smooth cycling right out of the box.

 

[carpediem]

Do standard .38Spc loadings have enough umph? Sure, no one's expecting centerfire rifle levels of performance, but stopping power was one of my considerations when looking at the 357/38s.

 

[Gordon]

I carry a 32" 16" barreled Winchester Wrangler 30-30 with XS sights in my truck . I have shot a pig with it I came across. I have an old pre safety Marlin .357 mag with an 18" barrel and Lyman sights next to my bed with two Remington LWCHP+P .38specials up first , then 158grain Speer Gold Dot .357 mags up the rest of the tube. I have shot a few racoons and feral dogs with it!! I expect wild animal maruaders for these guns as their primary mission.
The 30-30 has A LOT more poop and is a 200 yard gun, even with that big ghost ring. The .357 is a real accurate 75 yard gun, and MUCH quieter with the .38s!

 

[deputy tom]

I was disappointed with a Marlin lever in .357 mag.I prefer a winchester rifle 94 in 30/30 20" bbl.YMMV.tom.

 

[tubeshooter]

It's not a bad choice, although there are built-in limitations that can't be ignored in the field that apply to most any levergun.

Don't dent your tube. Don't get your lever bent somehow. Don't try to operate at too near (or past) a horizontal angle. And don't *even* worry about even a moderately-quick (a la stripper clip) reload. If you are OK with all that, you should be fine.


It won't take the knocks that your average SKS would and physics will hamper your max range, but it can definitely do the job. Having a .357 sidearm and plenty of ammo makes the idea seem real good, I think I could hold down the fort with it myself. It gets a point for being able to pretty much just hand it to a family member and say "here, use this..." also.

 

[nipprdog]

I was disappointed with a Marlin lever in .357 mag.

curious, as to, why?

btw, I own a winchester Trapper compact in 357.

 

[deputy tom]

Quote:
I was disappointed with a Marlin lever in .357 mag.


curious, as to, why?

btw, I own a winchester Trapper compact in 357.

With three different factory loads I had nothing but FTF,and shaotgun patterns at 25-50 yds.And forget lead reloads.tom.

 

[carpediem]

SKS carbines are nice guns, but comparatively pricey and hard-to-come by here in CA. Besides, they're un-PC as heck. If the S really hits the F, I'd like to eventually be able to break out a CA-legal .223, SKS, or full-power rifle (Mosin-Nagant, Garand, K31...). A wish-list of sorts I think a lever gun would be a good compromise in the meantime.

Realistically, Big 5 having a 10% off coupon + Marlins on sale + handiness/PC = some sort of lever gun for the forseeable future.

 

[Dr.Rob]

If you choose a levergun make sure you have swivels... those cowboy models are nice but having the ability to throw it over your shoulder while you tie up the boat is pretty useful.

The 357 shoots a little flatter but the 44 brings a bigger whallop.

I'd pick a Marlin over any other brand.

 

[Bottom Gun]

I was kinda disappointed with the Win .44 Trapper I had. It dropped so quickly it just didn't have any range. Hot loaded lighter bullets helped a little but not enough.
It wasn't enough of an improvement over my .44 pistol to justify carrying it.

My thinking is that if you are going to carry a rifle, you are better served using a rifle cartridge that will have some punch at longer range. The .44 simply did not do that for me.

I agree that a .30-.30 is a better choice for a short rifle.

 

[IV Troop]

I have a 16" Marlin 44 lever gun with a Williams peep sight on the rear and a Ashley Emerson Express (nice white vertical stripe) front. It is plenty accurate out to 100 yards for about anything you could ask a short levergun to do.

The 357 would not be a bad choice though and ammo would be a bit cheaper.

They are handy. Plus a 300 grain 44 slug zipping along would put a real hurt on anything.

Go with Marlin. The winchesters I have owned have been sloppy.

 

[carpediem]

I like the smooth lines of the winchester 94s, but I've heard better things about Marlins (plus Winchesters are $$$).

Most likely looking at a "plain jane" model; don't really feel like paying a premium for cowboy models.

I suppose I could go to the opposite end of the spectrum and get a .45-70 lever gun - teach those pesky zombies the difference between cover and concealment

So, are the bigger, heavier bullets and more energy potential from a 44 Mag/Spc worth the increased cost and decreased availability vs a 357/38 carbine?

 

[drclark]

This is just my opinion. However, I think the whole "PC" look of a lever gun is over-rated. The only thing a lever has going for it is that some one might mistake it for a red-ryder bb-gun at a distance.

If you live in a large city (especially in CA) during the aftermath of a Katrina-scale natural disaster, going anywhere in public with ANY visible firearm is likely to get you arrested and your weapon confiscated. Thats if the police/NG don't just shoot you. The long gun stays at home to protect the family. If you have to go out in public while armed, you want something that you can carry concealed.

If you wind up in a situation where you have to employ your gun to protect yourself or your family, I don't think the cops or jury is going to put too much consideration that you only shot someone with a lever gun vs. an AR or anything else.

That being said, get the rifle that you feel will suit your finances and situation best. Learn its handling quirks, how to clear malfunctions, etc and practice often.

Just my opinion,
drc

 

[carpediem]

I would agree that any gun is going to elicit a reaction compared to no gun. However, IMHO a short lever gun looks a heck of a lot less threatening than tricked out M4gery or AK.

Here in SoCal, major earthquakes are a likely emergency scenario. I was a kid back during the 1994 Northridge earthquake. We were living in one of the areas most damaged by the quake, and our house was severely wrecked to the point of being virtually uninhabitable (indeed, it was later condemned). I guess my point is that you can't automatically assume that you can hide in your house and wait it out. In these situations, a short carbine looks relatively non-menacing and is handy and easier to conceal. A handgun is possibly a better solution, but I'm <21 and don't anticipate having a CCW license anytime in the near future.