To be more precise, I love all Winchesters except the sloppy piece of crap Winchester 1894. The lever is all over the place and it isn't nearly as smooth as an 1892. I also like the 66 and 73 Winchesters, but they aren't smooth because the ones I own are from the friggin 1800s! Modern copies are pretty nice though.
I'd say Winchester's finish holds up pretty well as does Marlin's. They are both equally fine made guns, but I think Winchesters look nicer and the Winchester 1892 is probably the best lever action rifle ever made (which isn't a shock since John M. Browning designed it). But goddamn shirtmaker Oliver Winchester cheapened the production of the guns, which turned the well made 1894 into the POS I know and hate and made the 1892 only to descent standards.
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