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Old May 3, 2013, 10:33 PM   #1
QuarterHorse
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Lever Action gaining in popularity?

I've been wanting a Rossi 92 in 45 Colt for a while now. I've wanting one in stainless, round barrel, 20" gun and for whatever reason they're next to impossible to find at the normal price. I've seen them with typical inflation prices of right at MSRP or better than and it makes me shake my head.

Well I went to a shop about an hour away from home that has a LOT of inventory who had one in a 16" barrel. I ALMOST walked out with it but she worked with me, called her supplier and got one reserved for me. WHY ARE THESE THINGS SO HARD TO GET NOW!?

Anywho, can't wait for it to get here and get some loads worked up for it. It will be going with me on my pig/ram hunt next January.
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Old May 4, 2013, 07:28 PM   #2
Ralph Allen
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Leverguns are like a certain kind of potato chip. "You can't own just one". Probably the all around fun guns. Swallow the kool aid, and ask for more.
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Old May 4, 2013, 08:32 PM   #3
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I have two more on my short list I want. Several on the big list.
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Old May 4, 2013, 08:34 PM   #4
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Lever guns are offered in a much wider variety of calibers than pump guns and for whatever reason more companies produce quality lever guns. Lever guns are also a valid option for a semi-auto replacement, they shoot quick, accurate and reliable. With all the threat of AWB I'm sure people are picking them up for a gun to have when they have ship their "assault weapons" out of state or surrender them. Lever actions are great all purpose guns and will continue to be useful for a very long time.

I want a .30-30 older Marlin or Winchester 94.
A .44 Magnum 18" full length tube is on the list(might be scrubbed if I can get a deerfield carbine).
A .357 Magnum in 18" full lenth tube.
EDIT: a .308 Marlin and a .308 Win Browning BLR Takedown


30-30 will be setup with a traditional 3-6X40mm scope.
.44/.357 will have iron sights or XS ghost rings.

Last edited by triggerhappy2006; May 4, 2013 at 08:46 PM.
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Old May 4, 2013, 09:01 PM   #5
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Could it be the cowboy in a lot of us?
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Old May 4, 2013, 10:22 PM   #6
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I'm with JWT on this one. Think about it like this, the under 30 generation that grew up with a Daisy Red Ryder now wants a adult lever gun lol. Well, that was my excuse lol.
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Old May 4, 2013, 11:05 PM   #7
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I suppose it's the "cowboy" wanna be in me. I also fit the "age group" at 30 years old haha.

I have a list of single actions that need to join up in my safe as well after I got my 1st Ruger two years ago. A lot of that is the fact I reload and 45 Colt is an AWESOME caliber to reload for. I ALMOST brought home a Super Blackhawk Hunter in 45 Colt yesterday and still may go get it but shouldn't as the funds are for something else haha.

Just joining the madness I guess.
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Old May 5, 2013, 07:20 AM   #8
DonB77
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I had a .32 Winchester special back in the fifties and just recently bought a Henry Big Boy in .38/.357. It has a really smooth action and without touching the sights it's deadly accurate out to 50 yards.
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Old May 5, 2013, 11:00 AM   #9
tahoe2
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lever resurrected

By Marlin firearms with the introduction of the 308 & 338 Express and the 450 Marlin. However the use of lever action carbines in pistol calibers has been around since their invention.
The use of long range bottleneck cartridges with pointy bullets (official technical term) has been done by Winchester (1895), Browning (BLR), Savage (99),
I'm sure I'm missing some, but lever lovers have known about these for decades.
So I say "Welcome to the Club" the waters fine come on in.

Last edited by tahoe2; May 5, 2013 at 11:05 AM.
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Old May 5, 2013, 07:09 PM   #10
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Yep. Lever guns are in the blood of many American families. In my family everyone boy or girl gets one for their 13th birthday and it is to be passed down to his their kids. I have my 100th anniversary 94 30-30, my 94-22, 94 in 44 mag, grandma's 94 30-30 and great grandpa's 1895 30-03.

Got to love the lever guns. They were the "assault rifles" of their day.


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Old May 5, 2013, 07:16 PM   #11
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Double post
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Old May 5, 2013, 07:26 PM   #12
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Yeah, I've got a few. No collection is complete without one. Sadly they don't get shot much anymore.

So many guns, so little time.
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Old May 5, 2013, 07:31 PM   #13
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Not here... we moved out into the prairie a couple of years ago, where 300+ yard shots at deer & coyotes are not uncommon. I just sold my last levergun to finance a 30-06.
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Old May 5, 2013, 08:12 PM   #14
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I won't sell guns, I've sold two and regretted one really bad.

For some reason I've got the wan't/need for several lever guns. They've jumped ahead in getting another semi-auto sporting rifle.
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Old May 5, 2013, 08:30 PM   #15
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In the past month, I too started looking into Lever Action Rifles. I do not even shoot a rifle but likes the look. I was lucky enough to find 2, a pre-64 Winchester 94 in a 30-30 caliber and a pre-64 Marlin Model 39A Golden Mountie 22.

Saw a Rossi 45LC with the big round lever in a shot barrel (45LC) but it jsut did not look right. Passed on it.

Next quest is a Single Action Colt 45.
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Old May 5, 2013, 08:31 PM   #16
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press

There's been a lot of press on lever guns in recent years which has likely fueled the lever gun revival. Most of us will never hunt griz or brownies, but the guide gun and its likes are hugely popular. Pierce and Scovill have written a bunch of material on the practicality of all types of levers, and that, and the fact that some of the little carbines (not everybody needs or wants a .45-70) have some distinct advantages for most of us, have swayed a whole new generation.

In .35 cal and down, the levers are flat and light, rugged and sufficienty accurate and powerful for what most of us do. The pistol cals add affordability and a pretty good mix of power in the magnum versions and capacity.

I would not let my .357 Marlin go, period.
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Old May 5, 2013, 09:33 PM   #17
tahoe2
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Model 94

finally got a pic of the 94 today, a whopping 87 degrees here in Western Washington today, that's like 107 in Texas, around here.
Last weekend raining, this weekend "hotter then Hades", still a great day and great fun! darned pics won't load ! Uugh !

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Old May 5, 2013, 10:01 PM   #18
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I suspect all guns may be inflated right now due to panic buying. Some states/cities are banning semi-autos and a few people may be turning to lever guns as replacements. the late Jeff Cooper suggested a short lever rifle in pistol caliber for areas with handgun restrictions and it may be happening with new laws against autos.
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Old May 5, 2013, 11:18 PM   #19
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Quote:
Originally Posted by QuarterHorse
WHY ARE THESE THINGS SO HARD TO GET NOW!?
I am not certain about Rossi, but finding a particular model may be a matter of production scheduling. I searched for nearly a year to find my .357 Marlin. I apparently made my decision to buy the gun just after most of the previous production run had sold out and had to wait until Marlin did another run of .357s in the model I wanted.
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Old May 6, 2013, 04:53 AM   #20
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Just bought a Rossi M92 357 MAG lever action. Big mistake. Very bad feeding problems with 357 and 38 specials. It went back to the place of purchase the same week. I am now waiting to hear from them whether they can fix or if it must be shipped back to Taurus for 4-6 weeks. Hope they can fix it but I would recommend something besides this.
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Old May 6, 2013, 11:25 AM   #21
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I think EVERY centerfire rifle type is popular right now. One factor lever action rifles might be especially so is the scarcity/high cost of AR-15 style rifles, especially those chambered in medium bore cartridges.
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Old May 6, 2013, 08:01 PM   #22
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I picked up a used Marlin 1894 last fall in a .44 mag. it very quickly became a favorite. I can see myself adding to it and enjoying every round. I had mine out earlier today and it's just plain smooth, accurate low recoil and fun. I also took three deer with it last fall. quite the competent plinker I tell ya.
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Old May 6, 2013, 08:38 PM   #23
QuarterHorse
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Quote:
Just bought a Rossi M92 357 MAG lever action. Big mistake. Very bad feeding problems with 357 and 38 specials. It went back to the place of purchase the same week. I am now waiting to hear from them whether they can fix or if it must be shipped back to Taurus for 4-6 weeks. Hope they can fix it but I would recommend something besides this.
I'm sorry for that. I wouldn't go as far as saying every Rossi will be having this issue. I've settled on the Rossi as I'm really wanting a '92 style and at it's price point and aftermarket for it, it seems to be the way to fly.

I got my hands on a 16" barrel of what I wanted and ALMOST walked out with it, however, I wanted the 20" and the 8 round vs 10 round capacity wouldn't allow me to use it in CAS events.

Even covered in the thick oil from the factory the action was smooth and it shouldered great. I can not WAIT to get mine in, cleaned up, and run some reloads through it!
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Old May 6, 2013, 09:34 PM   #24
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In our family lever guns were never unpopular. Here is a coyote I took yesterday at 150 yards while she was on the dead as run. This was my grandfathers Marlin.



My grandparents, pictured here:

My father...the kid in the middle after shooting his first bear:

Between my grandparents, my dad and myself, this little lever gun has put a lot of meat in the freezer. Now that my dad is too old to get out there and drag a deer back to camp, it's my turn to show my kid how to use it. I need to see if I can find the slide of my first deer with this gun...hopefully I can still find the slide at my dad's place.
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Old May 7, 2013, 05:16 PM   #25
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Those are some great pics.
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