Hunting Washington Forum

Equipment & Gear => Guns and Ammo => Topic started by: D-Rock425 on July 12, 2012, 07:13:34 AM

Title: lever guns?
Post by: D-Rock425 on July 12, 2012, 07:13:34 AM: Starting thinking last night it would be cool to have a nice scoped lever gun for bear hunting and such on the westside. Im not much of a gun buff so im not sure of a good cartridge and effective yardage. It would be nice to have one capable of shooting out to 200 yards. Any input or suggestions.
Title: Re: lever guns?
Post by: CP on July 12, 2012, 07:32:26 AM: I like the .35 calibers.

This one is very nice:

http://hunting-washington.com/smf/index.php?topic=100222.0 (http://hunting-washington.com/smf/index.php?topic=100222.0)
Title: Re: lever guns?
Post by: boneaddict on July 12, 2012, 07:34:38 AM: Curious as to why scoped?

Biggest benefit to most "brush" guns is open sites.
Title: Re: lever guns?
Post by: deerslyr on July 12, 2012, 07:36:02 AM: 45/70 is a wicked round. id like one in a stainless guide gun. I think itd be a 200 yard bear gun if that was your true limit with it. My buddy and I shoot his 45/70 handi rifle at 200 yards all the time and it does good enough.
Title: Re: lever guns?
Post by: h20hunter on July 12, 2012, 07:38:44 AM: I think you have seen my Marlin...........308 Express. Pretty cool gun in my opinion.
Title: Re: lever guns?
Post by: D-Rock425 on July 12, 2012, 07:50:10 AM: Quote from: boneaddict on July 12, 2012, 07:34:38 AM
Curious as to why scoped?

Biggest benefit to most "brush" guns is open sites.
I only seem to bear hunt with a gun and most of the time its in open clear cuts so i thought why not put a scope on it :dunno:
Title: Re: lever guns?
Post by: Huntbear on July 12, 2012, 07:52:07 AM: Quote from: D-Rock425 on July 12, 2012, 07:13:34 AM
Starting thinking last night it would be cool to have a nice scoped lever gun for bear hunting and such on the westside. Im not much of a gun buff so im not sure of a good cartridge and effective yardage. It would be nice to have one capable of shooting out to 200 yards. Any input or suggestions.

If you go with a Browning, the sky is the limit on range and calibers..

From 22 LR to 300 WM.. The BLR has a rotating bolt head that LOCKS into place. It will shoot right alongside off the shell bolt guns for accuracy, and you can reload them up just like a bolt gun due to the way the bolt turns and locks the action...

I have a pre 81 BLR in .308 It shoots the lights out. Usually 1/2 in. groups at 100 yards... so yea basically one ragged hole.. It is light, easy to handle and makes a great brush gun. I keep a 3.5-10 scope on it, and I find it very easy to shoot at close range...
Title: Re: lever guns?
Post by: pianoman9701 on July 12, 2012, 07:54:19 AM: I sold a Sears Model 94 .30-30 with iron sights - one of the biggest mistakes I've made. The gun was about 40 or 50 years old and one of the most accurate guns I've ever shot. Never had any problem with the action, either. Great gun, especially within 150 yards.
Title: Re: lever guns?
Post by: grundy53 on July 12, 2012, 08:00:04 AM: Quote from: h20hunter on July 12, 2012, 07:38:44 AM
I think you have seen my Marlin...........308 Express. Pretty cool gun in my opinion.

I have the same gun except mine is the .338 Marlin Express I love mine too. I would highly recommend this round for bear. 200 grain bullet that has the same ballistics as a 30-06. Really flat shooter for a lever gun round.
Title: Re: lever guns?
Post by: muzbuster on July 12, 2012, 08:01:22 AM: Quote from: Huntbear on July 12, 2012, 07:52:07 AM
Quote from: D-Rock425 on July 12, 2012, 07:13:34 AM
Starting thinking last night it would be cool to have a nice scoped lever gun for bear hunting and such on the westside. Im not much of a gun buff so im not sure of a good cartridge and effective yardage. It would be nice to have one capable of shooting out to 200 yards. Any input or suggestions.

If you go with a Browning, the sky is the limit on range and calibers..

From 22 LR to 300 WM.. The BLR has a rotating bolt head that LOCKS into place. It will shoot right alongside off the shell bolt guns for accuracy, and you can reload them up just like a bolt gun due to the way the bolt turns and locks the action...
:tup:
I have a pre 81 BLR in .308 It shoots the lights out. Usually 1/2 in. groups at 100 yards... so yea basically one ragged hole.. It is light, easy to handle and makes a great brush gun. I keep a 3.5-10 scope on it, and I find it very easy to shoot at close range...
Title: Re: lever guns?
Post by: netcoyote on July 12, 2012, 08:02:06 AM: Quote
Quote from: boneaddict on Today at 07:34:38 AM

Curious as to why scoped?

Biggest benefit to most "brush" guns is open sites.

I only seem to bear hunt with a gun and most of the time its in open clear cuts so i thought why not put a scope on it :dunno:

Lever guns do quite well with open sights. I have several that I use with peep sights and fiber optic front sights.
Marlin has a couple of good bear guns in a 45-70 and 444 Marlin. I'd recommend looking for a pre-Rem version if you go with Marlin.
Title: Re: lever guns?
Post by: D-Rock425 on July 12, 2012, 08:11:34 AM: I really think they just look bad @$$ and would like to own one for the cool factor.
Title: Re: lever guns?
Post by: Huntbear on July 12, 2012, 08:14:30 AM: Quote from: D-Rock425 on July 12, 2012, 08:11:34 AM
I really think they just look bad @$$ and would like to own one for the cool factor.

There is a great Bear gun in the classifieds.. a BLR in .358 Win. Would put a whooping on bear, deer and elk out to 250.

http://hunting-washington.com/smf/index.php?topic=100222.0 (http://hunting-washington.com/smf/index.php?topic=100222.0)
Title: Re: lever guns?
Post by: h20hunter on July 12, 2012, 08:18:39 AM: They are bad a**.......leverguns are simply cool. I saw the one in classifieds as well. Cool gun.
Title: Re: lever guns?
Post by: wraithen on July 12, 2012, 12:16:37 PM: Lever guns are awesome guns. 2 pieces of advice though. Make sure to cycle the action ALL the way! I have a 94 and my lee die won't adjust don any further so my rounds are a couple hundredths long. If I don't make sure to get the lever all the way forward, sometimes the round fails to move away from the magazine far enough and I end up with an empty chamber, but you can feel when you aren't locking up on a round.

The other piece of advice is once you put a scope on a lever gun you are no longer the BA cowboy and your gun just turned into white trash. You CAN NOT have a scoped lever gun and still have the same cool factor. I would recommend a peep site though. I can't use a dovetail to save my life. I'm used to that aperture though from shooting m4/m16s.
Title: Re: lever guns?
Post by: h20hunter on July 12, 2012, 12:21:20 PM: Well......sing me up as a member of the WTLG........white trash lever guns...........!!
Title: Re: lever guns?
Post by: Goldeneye on July 12, 2012, 12:24:48 PM: You don't need a scope for a lever gun. I got a .348 that does just fine to the range your talking about. It does hit animals really hard. The last deer I popped with it just got drove to the ground and didn't move.
Title: Re: lever guns?
Post by: jackmaster on July 12, 2012, 12:29:13 PM: 30-30 with open sights looks pretty sweet, and they actually have some good thumpn power, that was my first gun and i was deadly out to 150 yds, or you could take it in and have peep sights put on, once you get use to them its like shootn a fixed power scope :tup:
Title: Re: lever guns?
Post by: scottcrb on July 12, 2012, 12:37:15 PM: i have an old model 94 in .38 win special and it is bad ass and i wouldn't put a scope on it. small light weight and packs punch would be a great bush gun or on horse back.
Title: Re: lever guns?
Post by: wraithen on July 12, 2012, 12:38:55 PM: If you do get a 94 and want to put a scope on it I have the pre-angle eject scope base and rings. The extra long receiver screw all by itself is worth about 6 bucks. :yike:
Title: Re: lever guns?
Post by: D-Rock425 on July 12, 2012, 12:44:09 PM: Quote from: h20hunter on July 12, 2012, 12:21:20 PM
Well......sing me up as a member of the WTLG........white trash lever guns...........!!
im in now you put white trash on something and im sold.
Title: Re: lever guns?
Post by: CAMPMEAT on July 12, 2012, 01:05:08 PM: I have a 450 Marlin.1895M. I do believe it has more snot than the 45/70. I did however put a Leupold 1xwhatever it is on it. I also have the 450 in a T/C Encore 15 barrel w/brake. CANNON TIME !!!!
Title: Re: lever guns?
Post by: washelkhunter on July 12, 2012, 01:08:13 PM: My babies! The one on the right is a marlin 444s; its my deep dark rainy woods grizzly, moose, elk, bear, deer, engine block, zombie destroyer. Incredibly accurate. Its puts the 265 gr hornady Levo bullets thru bullet holes at 50yds. A guaranteed 200yd whacker and stacker.
The one on the left is a J.C.Higgins branded marlin in 35 rem. A sweeter fast handling thick woods lt. wt. elk, deer, bear slayer you will not find. Highly accurate with a butter smooth action. Another 200 yarder.
I also have a BLR in '06 and hate it in the timber. Its uncomfortable and awkward to carry in the hand esp with a conventional scope mounted.
Title: Re: lever guns?
Post by: et1702 on July 12, 2012, 01:25:37 PM: My gun has a lever on it too! But, its a 45/70 Browning Hi-wall single shot. Very accurate w/open sights!

ET
Title: Re: lever guns?
Post by: Austrian Hunter on July 12, 2012, 01:33:27 PM: Love my 30/30 Marlin. Never killed anything with it but it shoots 2inch groups up to 150 yards. Steinless steel with a silver Bushnell elite scope :tup:
Title: Re: lever guns?
Post by: D-Rock425 on July 12, 2012, 01:51:25 PM: Nice looking gun.
Title: Re: lever guns?
Post by: CAMPMEAT on July 12, 2012, 02:15:01 PM: Quote from: washelkhunter on July 12, 2012, 01:08:13 PM
My babies! The one on the right is a marlin 444s; its my deep dark rainy woods grizzly, moose, elk, bear, deer, engine block, zombie destroyer. Incredibly accurate. Its puts the 265 gr hornady Levo bullets thru bullet holes at 50yds. A guaranteed 200yd whacker and stacker.
The one on the left is a J.C.Higgins branded marlin in 35 rem. A sweeter fast handling thick woods lt. wt. elk, deer, bear slayer you will not find. Highly accurate with a butter smooth action. Another 200 yarder.
I also have a BLR in '06 and hate it in the timber. Its uncomfortable and awkward to carry in the hand esp with a conventional scope mounted.

Oh,Oh. We might have something in common..................... :chuckle:
Title: Re: lever guns?
Post by: carpsniperg2 on July 12, 2012, 02:17:57 PM: I have a couple old lever guns. They are always fun to shoot and they add to a nice collection :tup:
Title: Re: lever guns?
Post by: Curly on July 12, 2012, 02:35:11 PM: BLR (http://www.browning.com/products/catalog/firearms/detail.asp?fid=003B&cid=034&tid=010&bg=x) in .450 Marlin would be cool...........or 325WSM, or just about any other caliber that floats your boat.

(Why they don't make the BLR in 338 Federal, I don't know; but it would be cool if they did). :twocents:
Title: Re: lever guns?
Post by: MikeWalking on July 12, 2012, 03:24:42 PM: I don't have my own pics but this is a Marlin 1895LTDIII

I have a Pachmayr recoil pad on mine and the Happy Trigger kit. Sometimes scoped with a 2-7x Nikon.

Hasn't killed anything yet but it was aimed at a North Slope Griz last trip till the bear decided to turn away, steps from the "Line"

If the money was there I'd pick up an 1895xlr and tune it my way :tup:
Title: Re: lever guns?
Post by: Rob on July 12, 2012, 03:52:38 PM: If I was going to scope a lever gun, I'd put a scout scope on it. I love the way those look and the concept of a "both eyes open" scope on a lever action brush gun is really cool.

I'd go with the stainless Marlin 45/70 with a leupold scout scope. I plan to have that set up within a couple years.

Here are some photos I pulled off the web (in case you have not seen what a scout style scope looks like)
Title: Re: lever guns?
Post by: CAMPMEAT on July 12, 2012, 04:00:18 PM: My scope looks like those dinky African type of scopes you see on the boobtube. Very clear and good target acquisition. Should be for a Leupold..
Title: Re: lever guns?
Post by: Special T on July 12, 2012, 04:50:17 PM: My cousin has a Browning lever in 30-06 with the nikon BDC reticels on it. It is a great gun... If it were me i'd get one in whatever caliber you already have. :twocents:
Title: Re: lever guns?
Post by: epq21 on July 12, 2012, 04:54:39 PM: My last bear was taken with open sights on a 1895 cowboy 45-70 and it did a fantastic job of dealing with a very tough animal. However, this was at a very close range and in very dark terrain which makes it difficult to ensure proper placement of the front post/bead on a dark target in dark timber. I would definitely recommend using a peep with some type of luminous front post/bead. Optics are also great if the scout version is used. Based on my limited experience hunting bears, shot placement is everything wether from a close range or a distant target and being able to acquire and shoot accurately very quickly is definitely a plus and I would even say a necessity. My bear hunting mentor (RASBO), turned me to the dark side and I prefer to get them in close and enjoy the rush. If i don't use my bow on the next hunt it will be a stainless Alaskan guide version of the Marlin 45-70 with a scout scope on it. This is plenty effective to two hundred yards which is likely to be at least 150 yards farther than the bear will be if I get a shot at another bear this year. ALWAYS PUT A SECOND ROUND IN QUICKLY WETHER YOU THINK YOU NEED IT OR NOT...a wounded bear can be very difficult to track at times.
Title: Re: lever guns?
Post by: CplRaines on July 12, 2012, 04:59:00 PM: I have a Marlin Guide gun in 45/70. One of the original versions with the factory ported barrel. I had my gunsmith put on an aftermarket peep and he built a new front site ramp to match it. I will post up a pic in a few, have to take one. ;)

Also have a Winchester model 94 30/30. Killed all kinds of animals with that rifle. ;)
Title: Re: lever guns?
Post by: CplRaines on July 12, 2012, 05:15:59 PM: Here's a few pics of my guide gun. No scope needed or wanted. :IBCOOL:
Title: Re: lever guns?
Post by: h20hunter on July 12, 2012, 05:38:39 PM: Sweet gun.
Title: Re: lever guns?
Post by: grundy53 on July 12, 2012, 05:49:40 PM: Here is my .338 Marlin Express...
Title: Re: lever guns?
Post by: yorketransport on July 12, 2012, 09:40:54 PM: I love lever guns, I just don't seem to keep them for long. :dunno:

I had a Marlin 1895M in 450 Marlin is the XS Sights ghost ring, scout scope rail, and Burris 2x scope which was a great gun, somebody just came along and offered me some cash which I liked more. :chuckle:

I do still have a Savage 99 in 300 Savage with a Lyman peep sight on it which is a lot of fun. And I just traded for a 444 Marlin guide gun. Neat caliber, but it's not as good as either the 45-70 or 450 Marlin. :twocents:

Andrew
Title: Re: lever guns?
Post by: Bigshooter on July 12, 2012, 09:54:19 PM: My first choice would be a marlin in 375 winchester.
My second choice would be a marlin in .444. I would not get an old one because of the mirco groved barrel.
My thrid choice would be a marlin in .356.
And my fourth choice would be a marlin in .338 Marlin Express.
And my fith choice would be a marlin in 45/70.
Title: Re: lever guns?
Post by: Fl0und3rz on July 12, 2012, 10:13:18 PM: https://hunting-washington.com/smf/index.php?topic=60755.msg752595#msg752595

(https://hunting-washington.com/smf/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=60755.0;attach=121543;image)
Title: Re: lever guns?
Post by: winshooter88 on July 12, 2012, 10:37:01 PM: Bigshooter, I get the feeling that you really like Marlin Lever guns. I've had a few and they are great guns. My only lever right now is a Winchester model 88 in .308 Winchester. It's taken both deer and elk with no problem.

Dave
Title: Re: lever guns?
Post by: huntnphool on July 12, 2012, 10:58:05 PM: http://hunting-washington.com/smf/index.php?topic=98291.msg1274575#msg1274575 (http://hunting-washington.com/smf/index.php?topic=98291.msg1274575#msg1274575)
Title: Re: lever guns?
Post by: 6x6in6 on July 12, 2012, 11:01:25 PM: Love my Marlin Triple 4 with open sights. She's a tackdriver.
Title: Re: lever guns?
Post by: Swannytheswan on July 12, 2012, 11:35:14 PM: Quote from: h20hunter on July 12, 2012, 12:21:20 PM
Well......sing me up as a member of the WTLG........white trash lever guns...........!!

lol sign me up too! got a 30-30 with a scope and see through ring just incase i need to shoot fast or at moving targets...works great!!
Title: Re: lever guns?
Post by: Bigluke1981 on July 12, 2012, 11:42:14 PM: I have marlin in 35 rem that I love to shoot. I have not killed anything with it yet but plan to carry it a little more this year for west side bear.
Title: Re: lever guns?
Post by: snowshoes22 on July 12, 2012, 11:57:09 PM: My favorite is the 444 marlin it shoots flat enough and hits hard. I use it for bear in the NE and i used it for Mule deer last year just for fun. My advise if you get a marlin is to get a model with an end cap on the forend and not a barrel band. The barrel band hurts accuracy and can get loose if it takes a hard knock. It will make the forend loose also.
Title: Re: lever guns?
Post by: RG on July 13, 2012, 04:12:19 AM: I've had 3, a Marlin 45-70, a Winchester 30-30, and a Winchester 94 in .356 Win. I shot deer and elk with the 45-70 with handloads, deer with the 30-30, and so far, nothing with the .356. The 45-70 needs to be handloaded to get decent velocities since the factory loads were developed to be safe in the old trap door springfields. The newer .450 Marlin improves on that I think. I shot a deer with that gun with the 300 grain bullet at 175 yards but it was holdover and guess. I hit him right but it was lucky. The guns that hang around 2000 to 2100 fps seem to be good for around 120-130 yards or so before you have to start making big adjustments for trajectory. My .356 pushes up to around 2500 fps, as does the .358 with a 200 grain bullet which really does get you out to the 200 yard range with much less holdover. The new hornady lever action rounds have a spire point bullet that works in tubular magazines and that's a big improvement too. I'm really interested in that .338 Marlin round though because it has even more to offer in terms of velocity and effective range. Lever guns are way too cool. I sold a bunch of rifles a while back but had to keep my model 94.
Title: Re: lever guns?
Post by: Dirty Mike on July 13, 2012, 06:17:18 AM: Savage model 99 in 308 or 300 savage. Classic piece of history. Surprised somebody hasnt mentioned ot earlier. Some come factory tapped for a scope. I love mine
Title: Re: lever guns?
Post by: Huntbear on July 13, 2012, 07:05:33 AM: Quote from: MasonCtyHitman on July 13, 2012, 06:17:18 AM
Savage model 99 in 308 or 300 savage. Classic piece of history. Surprised somebody hasnt mentioned ot earlier. Some come factory tapped for a scope. I love mine

Most guys that have these want a freaking fortune for them... the guns are collector items and everyone knows it.
Title: Re: lever guns?
Post by: Curly on July 13, 2012, 07:14:08 AM: Here's a link to some pics of my Savage 99 in 250-3000: Link (http://hunting-washington.com/smf/index.php?action=media;sa=album;in=618)
Title: Re: lever guns?
Post by: D-Rock425 on July 13, 2012, 07:14:13 AM: I believe thats what my grandpa still hunts with today in. 308