The Firing Line Forums - View Single Post - Need more advice on lever action "cowboy" rifles

Nite Ryder · December 9, 2010, 11:23 PM

Well Bedbug, you've gotten quite a few answers to your question about a rifle with a cowboy flavor. I've been collecting guns for close to fifty years, yes I'm an old guy, raised on a cattle ranch and consider myself a cowboy. I'm a life member of SASS, and have been to many, many cowboy shooting matches at our local range, and to other ranges in our state. For the money you can not beat a Marlin 1894. I own 14 lever action rifles, all but three can be used in cowboy matches. I have Marlins, a '73, a '66, a Rossi '92 and a Winchester '94. The '73 is made by Uberti and is 357 caliber, it is my favorite and was the most expensive. I prefer it to the '66 because of the side plates, which allows you to get to the toggles for cleaning, etc without disassembling the rifle. Another advantage to cowboy shooters, the '66 and the '73 toggle action rifles can have a true 'short stroke kit' installed, possibly making them a bit faster to shoot than a Marlin. A Marlin is easy for almost anyone to slick up, and usually gives shooters very little trouble. Some of them are sensitive to the over all length of the cartridges, others are not. I would not waste my money on the Cowboy Competition Model of the Marlin 1894. It has an octogon barrel and color case colors on the receiver, the one I have has 38 Special written on it instead of the usual 357 Magnum, it costs almost twice what the standard model costs, and is no better. Several first time shooters have showed up at our matches, and a few of them have purchased Henry Rifles, usually in 44 magnum. Very few of these guys that continue shooting at our matches continue using the Henry's. Most of the other cowboy shooters think they are a piece of junk, but they are not cheap, they are expensive for what they are. If I could have only one rifle, and I wanted it to be a lever action, it would be no other than a Marlin. At one time I much prefered a Winchester model 94, but they are no where near as easy to work on as a Marlin. I do my own repair work on my own guns, and those of others in our club. I know Steve Young, owner of Steve's Gun's, while he specializes in '92, I think he might recommend something else.

December 9, 2010, 11:23 PM	#27
Nite Ryder Member Join Date: June 29, 2009 Location: So. Oregon Posts: 81	Need more advice on lever action "cowboy" rifles Well Bedbug, you've gotten quite a few answers to your question about a rifle with a cowboy flavor. I've been collecting guns for close to fifty years, yes I'm an old guy, raised on a cattle ranch and consider myself a cowboy. I'm a life member of SASS, and have been to many, many cowboy shooting matches at our local range, and to other ranges in our state. For the money you can not beat a Marlin 1894. I own 14 lever action rifles, all but three can be used in cowboy matches. I have Marlins, a '73, a '66, a Rossi '92 and a Winchester '94. The '73 is made by Uberti and is 357 caliber, it is my favorite and was the most expensive. I prefer it to the '66 because of the side plates, which allows you to get to the toggles for cleaning, etc without disassembling the rifle. Another advantage to cowboy shooters, the '66 and the '73 toggle action rifles can have a true 'short stroke kit' installed, possibly making them a bit faster to shoot than a Marlin. A Marlin is easy for almost anyone to slick up, and usually gives shooters very little trouble. Some of them are sensitive to the over all length of the cartridges, others are not. I would not waste my money on the Cowboy Competition Model of the Marlin 1894. It has an octogon barrel and color case colors on the receiver, the one I have has 38 Special written on it instead of the usual 357 Magnum, it costs almost twice what the standard model costs, and is no better. Several first time shooters have showed up at our matches, and a few of them have purchased Henry Rifles, usually in 44 magnum. Very few of these guys that continue shooting at our matches continue using the Henry's. Most of the other cowboy shooters think they are a piece of junk, but they are not cheap, they are expensive for what they are. If I could have only one rifle, and I wanted it to be a lever action, it would be no other than a Marlin. At one time I much prefered a Winchester model 94, but they are no where near as easy to work on as a Marlin. I do my own repair work on my own guns, and those of others in our club. I know Steve Young, owner of Steve's Gun's, while he specializes in '92, I think he might recommend something else. Last edited by Nite Ryder; December 10, 2010 at 12:05 AM.