Smoothest centerfire lever actions

[BigBlue 94]

I don't know what model it is but Ruger made a rotary mag lever gun. A friend let me shoot it the other day.

Very smooth and very fast.

That is the Ruger 96 series. Available in 22, 17HMR, and 44 mag that i know of. I have a 44 mag and have shot a 17 HMR. I love em. But its not real fair with their short stroke action.

 

[Picher]

I don't own any lever guns now, mostly because I handload and prefer bolt guns, due to relative ease of extracting reloaded empties.

 

[351 WINCHESTER]

Blr a neat rifle, but nobody in their right mid would ever call it smooth, what with that camming ratchety action. Dont get me wrong, I'd love to have one. Savage 99 is another neat lever gun that isn't particularly smooth

I must not be in my right mind. Yea, it's pretty darn smooth.

 

[CoalTrain49]

I would say Henry out of the box, but the CAS winner is an 1873 repro well polished up. A good one is not cheap.

All those CAS shooters want speed, not necessarily accuracy. A rifle chambered for a pistol cartridge is a platypus. Half fowl, half mammal. An evolutionary throwback to a time nobody here can remember.

Rifle cartridges have shoulders, pistol/revolver cartridge's don't.

I know, we all have fun with the role playing and we need those reproductions to make it happen. Not trying to rain on anyone's parade.

 

[Seedy Character]

I am considering buying one in a pistol caliber. I have only shot two center fire lever actions. A Winchester Model 94 in 30/30 and a Marlin 1894 in 44 Mag. The Marlin 1894 threw pie plate groups off a rest at 50 yards.

what bullet are you shooting?

that Marlin should be good. Browning B-92, Uberti, Rossi and Henry should suit you needs

 

[Obturation]

Henry.
I've got 1 winchester remaining , sold 2 and 5 Marlins that I won't part with. My 45-70 Henry is smoother then any of them. Blasphemous maybe but it's about as smooth as they come and 8t has been since new. Now a couple thousand rounds later , it's even smoother and still tight and very accurate. My Marlins are smoother then any of the winchesters I've owned and they're simple designs that are easy to disassemble for cleaning. Can't say the same for the winchester rifles, they're terrible to service.
My only remaining winchester is the bastard son of the family, a model 250 in 22lr. I traded 100 rds of 45 acp for it years ago but I will say that's an accurate rifle. Last year I came in 2nd out of 10 or so shooters in an informal competition at my cousins house - every one else was shooting modern semi autos with optics- some of the courses were timed, if not for that I'd have gotten 1st.

 

[Speedo66]

I must not be in my right mind. Yea, it's pretty darn smooth.

I had a BLR, an early "Made in Belgium" model, I also thought it was smooth.

 

[Dave Markowitz]

My toggle-locked rifles are all very smooth. I.e., my Uberti-made 1860 Henry, 1866 Sporting Rifle, and an 1873 Sporting Rifle. None of them have any action work done other than replacing soft screws.

I also have an Interarms Model 65 (AKA Rossi 92) in .44 WCF that is very smooth, after deburring everything and installing lighter springs. I bought it used last year and it was rough. A couple hours with stones, files, and new springs from Steve's Guns really transformed it.

A friend bought a new stainless 20" Rossi 92 in .357 last weekend. That rifle was extremely smooth right out of the box. If his sample is any indication, Rossi has really upped their game.

 

[stownsend]

In terms of the smoothest action, I give another vote for the Sako Finnwolf, but they are not pistol caliber. I think they only came in 308 and 243 that I recall.