Looking to buy a Lever action gun, need advice.

Nyles · #1 09-21-2009, 05:42 AM

Actually, I gotta chime in on the Savage 99 - back in the day they were extremely popular up here in Canada (in fact the whole .303 Savage chambering was meant to capitalize on the popularity of the .303 British in Canada). They are excellent rifles, and the .300 Savage round, if not as cheap as .30-30s, is better. If you can find one in the States they're great - don't let the admittedly unsual looks throw you off.

Excalibur · #2 09-21-2009, 08:28 AM

I was at my local gun store last week and was looking at their collection of level actions. I was surprised to fine a used Winchester 1887.

phalyn · #3 09-21-2009, 08:58 AM

I think one of the local shops has a Marlin, I'll keep my eyes on it.

k9870 · #4 09-21-2009, 12:47 PM

I love Marlins, the winchesters okay but felt a little sloppy and the cheapo plasticy stocks threw me off, the mossberg gets bad review, QC is horrible and the lawyer triggers.....

Gunmaster45 · #5 09-22-2009, 05:07 PM

While you can't get much bigger in caliber than .44-40, I think the Winchester 1892 Saddle Ring Carbine is just a firearms work of art. Smooth, accurate, light, most of them have ladder sights, it's just a great gun.

Personally I like the 1892 better than the 1894, because the '94 has a sloppy lever because Winchester cheapened their production, but the '92's lever always feels flawless regardless.

Or you could buy one of those cool new legal pistol length "Mare's Leg" guns, and with Zombieland coming out, that should become popular.

Nyles · #6 09-22-2009, 07:14 PM

Winchester cheapened their production in 1964 after the 94 had already been in production for 70 years. There's nothing cheap about a pre-64 Model 94.

Gunmaster45 · #7 09-22-2009, 11:33 PM

I was under the impression Winchester's production quality somewhat deterierated throughout the times in production, and some were hit or miss, but I must have been ill-informed. I've handled several '94 Winchesters, and all but one had that annoying sloppiness in the lever. The one without the slop was a pretty old one, like 1920s I believe. Most of the 1892s I've handled though range from the early 1900s (up til about 1930 I think), all very impressive in functionallity.

As for the Savage 99, the example my dad owns must not be best quality, because frankly I didn't like it very much. The action was heavy, awkward, and the gun just has strange ergonomics.

Jcordell · #8 09-21-2009, 01:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nyles

Actually, I gotta chime in on the Savage 99 - back in the day they were extremely popular up here in Canada (in fact the whole .303 Savage chambering was meant to capitalize on the popularity of the .303 British in Canada). They are excellent rifles, and the .300 Savage round, if not as cheap as .30-30s, is better. If you can find one in the States they're great - don't let the admittedly unsual looks throw you off.

Hey the Savage 99 was an excellent zombie killer in Dawn of the Dead. If it worked for that it will do for anything.