civilian75
Member
Never cared for a lever action rifle until the other day I fired my friend's. He is a FFL/SOT and does a lot of funky stuff, like, SBRing his SS 44Mag Marlin (~11-12” bbl) and attach a 45 can (11/4/09 correction: it is a Rossi M92, not a Marlin). I fired a handful of 240gr XTP-HP. Dang! 
That thing was suppressed-22lr-bolt quiet! He wasn’t finished with it (no optics or sights) so I could not assess how accurate the rig is. Nevertheless, I am a believer now. I want a lever in my collection, and I want it suppressed, too.
Guys, I need help with selecting my first lever action rifle:
This is what I have in mind and why:
1. want a big bore rifle. I have narrowed it down to 44Mag or 45LC.
2. want a rifle that can stabilize at least a 250gr bullet (preferably a 300gr) at transonic and subsonic speeds and still be pretty darn accurate.
3. want also to shoot hot loads as well as subsonic loads.
4. will reload
5. Although I do not discard hunting, I am a plinker. But I like variety. I already have several 22 and 30 caliber guns (bolts and auto loaders). I want now something with a big bore and a mild rainbow trajectory
that will still have a lot of energy at 100-150yds. I know that sounds like a .45-70 but I’d rather stick to calibers that will be easier to load subsonic.
6. I will probably buy two identical rifles:
a. one I will keep original,
b. the other I will cut both the barrel to 16”, (or maybe less if I feel like paying the tax stamp) and threading it to attach a 45 can.
c. But, if I can help it, I will try to make it just one, a sort of like a “transformer”. I am not moved by single shot platforms (i.e. T/C), just in case.
7. I may or may not get a revolver to match, probably a Blackhawk, so I can shoot the hot loads if I want. But most likely it will be cowboy loads. I am over 50 and foresee will soon start preferring the milder loads/calibers.
So, here are the questions:
1. 44mag or 45LC? I lean towards 45colt because:
a. I think I can load almost as hot as 44Mag if not as much (could be wrong so set me straight). Also, rifles come with a faster twist rate in 45 colt which will definitely favor my subsonic loads.
b. 45 Colt levers come with a 1:16 twist rate vs. 1:38 of the 44mags. My calculations show me a 240gr is barely stable in transonic speeds on a 1:38 twist. So a subsonic 300gr is out of the question in 44Mag
c. For accuracy, barely stable is not good enough, I think.
2. What rifle? Rossi, Marlin, Winchester, others? I lean heavily towards a 1894,
a. since I spotted a beautiful, like new, checkered stock octagonal 45 colt 1894 at a local shop for $465. Been drooling since. That’s when I realized I might have to buy two, because I’d hate to cut that bbl down. Is $465 a good price for a like-new rifle? Yes, it has the safety block, but that’s what dummy bolts are for.
b. Can install optics easily (my aging eyes will be grateful).
3. How hard is it to swap barrels on a 1894? I am thinking about buying round bbl at Numrich for the cut barrel job. But then, I wonder what will happen to all the other parts that were fitted to an octagonal bbl.
4. Need a shorter mag, too. Cut? Replace? Am I better off getting a half mag, and a half mag spring? Where?
5. If possible, I will try to stick to having just one rifle, one I can convert back and forth, even if it takes a couple of hours to do, without risking permanent damage to any of its parts by repeating the procedure several times.
I can take all the advice you can dish out.
I am pretty handy. Have rebuilt several AKs down to bending my own flats, and have done several gunsmithing jobs to my other toys. That’s to give you an idea of what my skills are.
Darn! that was a long post!!
That thing was suppressed-22lr-bolt quiet! He wasn’t finished with it (no optics or sights) so I could not assess how accurate the rig is. Nevertheless, I am a believer now. I want a lever in my collection, and I want it suppressed, too.Guys, I need help with selecting my first lever action rifle:
This is what I have in mind and why:
1. want a big bore rifle. I have narrowed it down to 44Mag or 45LC.
2. want a rifle that can stabilize at least a 250gr bullet (preferably a 300gr) at transonic and subsonic speeds and still be pretty darn accurate.
3. want also to shoot hot loads as well as subsonic loads.
4. will reload
5. Although I do not discard hunting, I am a plinker. But I like variety. I already have several 22 and 30 caliber guns (bolts and auto loaders). I want now something with a big bore and a mild rainbow trajectory
that will still have a lot of energy at 100-150yds. I know that sounds like a .45-70 but I’d rather stick to calibers that will be easier to load subsonic.6. I will probably buy two identical rifles:
a. one I will keep original,
b. the other I will cut both the barrel to 16”, (or maybe less if I feel like paying the tax stamp) and threading it to attach a 45 can.
c. But, if I can help it, I will try to make it just one, a sort of like a “transformer”. I am not moved by single shot platforms (i.e. T/C), just in case.
7. I may or may not get a revolver to match, probably a Blackhawk, so I can shoot the hot loads if I want. But most likely it will be cowboy loads. I am over 50 and foresee will soon start preferring the milder loads/calibers.
So, here are the questions:
1. 44mag or 45LC? I lean towards 45colt because:
a. I think I can load almost as hot as 44Mag if not as much (could be wrong so set me straight). Also, rifles come with a faster twist rate in 45 colt which will definitely favor my subsonic loads.
b. 45 Colt levers come with a 1:16 twist rate vs. 1:38 of the 44mags. My calculations show me a 240gr is barely stable in transonic speeds on a 1:38 twist. So a subsonic 300gr is out of the question in 44Mag
c. For accuracy, barely stable is not good enough, I think.
2. What rifle? Rossi, Marlin, Winchester, others? I lean heavily towards a 1894,
a. since I spotted a beautiful, like new, checkered stock octagonal 45 colt 1894 at a local shop for $465. Been drooling since. That’s when I realized I might have to buy two, because I’d hate to cut that bbl down. Is $465 a good price for a like-new rifle? Yes, it has the safety block, but that’s what dummy bolts are for.
b. Can install optics easily (my aging eyes will be grateful).
3. How hard is it to swap barrels on a 1894? I am thinking about buying round bbl at Numrich for the cut barrel job. But then, I wonder what will happen to all the other parts that were fitted to an octagonal bbl.
4. Need a shorter mag, too. Cut? Replace? Am I better off getting a half mag, and a half mag spring? Where?
5. If possible, I will try to stick to having just one rifle, one I can convert back and forth, even if it takes a couple of hours to do, without risking permanent damage to any of its parts by repeating the procedure several times.
I can take all the advice you can dish out.
I am pretty handy. Have rebuilt several AKs down to bending my own flats, and have done several gunsmithing jobs to my other toys. That’s to give you an idea of what my skills are.
Darn! that was a long post!!
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It is "used" but looked like new. I am pretty sure by the time I go back for it, it'll be gone. The story of my life. :'(
