Lever action FEVER

[SwwPlayboy]

Does anyone else have this fever? I swear, the most gorgeous bolt action could be sitting there, or the most advanced AR, but if a lever action with a nice wood stock is next to it, my eyes are on it. Something bout lever actions just sing to my heart.

I started really investing in guns little over 6 years ago and the majority of them have been lever guns. Winchester, marlin, henry, you name it there is a good chance I've got it. Lately I have been getting more particular about my lever action purchases, looking more for special editions or commemorative pieces. Mainly cause these will be the guns I will save and pass down to my children. Now don't get me wrong, my granddaddy's Savage 99 and my dads Winchester will always mean more to me than any commemorative piece, and my boys agree which tends to spark an argument between them as to who will get what gun lol.

My reason for making this post is for people that have my fever. Give them a chance to show off their favorite lever guns, share the stories that go with it, or maybe how you came about it.

Stay safe and happy hunting

 

[grasshopperglock]

If I could find a steel receiver Browning BLR in 243......

 

[Blind Sniper]

Not sure if it qualifies as a "fever" yet given that I don't own any, but I've always had a soft spot for lever-actions. I still regret having to pass on a 1953 (I think, anyway) Winchester '94 in .32 Special at the last gun show up here. Yeah, it was missing the magazine assembly, had the wrong buttstock and most of the bluing had been worn down to bare metal (I actually kinda liked the look of it too), but it worked.

 

[shutup&shoot]

I've got a 30-30 from Western Auto that was a gift from an uncle years ago. The one gun I would never think of selling. Maybe I'm partial to lever actions because of it.


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[Skip]

One of my favorite lever guns is the Henry. I love the way they look and feel.
"Character is doing the right thing even when no one is watching"

 

[Vaquero]

If I could find a steel receiver Browning BLR in 243......

I let that one go back around 1990. One of my biggest regrets as far as guns.

 

[Charlie]

I've got a friend that just told me (this morning) that he's seriously considering selling his Savage Model 99 in .308. It's a beautiful gun. If he decides to sell it I'll probably list it for him here on TGT.

 

[SwwPlayboy]

This my hog buster, Marlin 1895 SBL in 45-70. I think the round and the gun speak for itself.

I was first introduced to a 45-70 when I was 21. I had brought some buddies from college back to my home town to do some hog hunting. As country as these boys were, they had never actually killed a pig, blew my mind. At the time, my go to hog gun was my dads old 94 Winchester in a 30-30. I have been shooting this gun since I was a little kid, and back then I thought this gun was made for pain.....on the shooter that is. Over time the kick bothered me less and it became my go to for pretty much any critter. Now I told them we would be doing some stalking, not sitting in a blind and waiting, so a lever gun would be ideal. One of them brought a mini-14 and the other had a marlin lever action. I had never seen a mini-14 before so my attention was on that when they showed up. I know this pretty much contradicts what I said in my opening thread, but it was a mini -14 ranch rifle sporting that pretty wood stock. It was like having a party and one of your buddies brings the cute girl from next door, then your other buddy walks in with his cute friend from Germany, it was new and I wanted to play. After settling in, having a couple of lone stars, we hopped in the truck and headed out to the pasture. It was a hot day so I didnt expect to see any pigs out in the open. There was a creek bed that I knew they liked to hide when it got as hot as it was. We were on our way over to it when a group ran across our path. I heard that mini 14 rig out and saw 2 pigs drop in their tracks. It was this moment that lead me to start thinking bout me purchasing my own mini-14, but thats another story. Took the pigs back to the house, cleaned them up and made ready to cook. The sun was still in the sky and we had about another hour of day light, I wanted my other buddy to have a chance at getting his pig so we headed out and made for the creek bed. Now the way the wind was going, we had to come in from behind which ment walking through some thick thick brush to walking down a few water gaps to get to where they were laid up. Starting into the brush you could smell and hear the pigs. Treading softly was quite impossible, I was just praying the wind would help carry our noise away. We were bout 15 yards from crossing the first water gap when were heard a loud squeal and the crashing of brush. We froze. Couple of min past, the noise of crashing brush had stopped and the smell of pig was gone. I felt horrible. The creek bed I was taking them to was still a couple of water gaps ahead of us, never considered they might be hanging out in the water gaps. Figuring our cover was blown, I told the guys it would be easier to continued forward than trying to work our way back. We started talking openly, giving up on trying to stay quiet, talking bout our thirst for beer and taste of hog meet. We had topped the edge between the gabs and jumped down into the second. When I say we jumped right in the middle of a group of swine, I mean we jumped RIGHT in the middle. When we landed, it sounded like we had fallen through the ceiling of the dressing room at a strip club, squeals just exploded all around us....view definitely wasnt the same though. Luckily the majority decided to turn tail and run rather than hang around. Looking around, i found the biggest boar laid up in the mud just looking at us. Im not sure if he was still in shock over our sudden entrance or just knew he was big enough to not be as worried as the others. I threw my hand out to the left and hollered at my buddy take a shot at him. I was making a quick sweep with my eyes to see if there was anything else worth taking a shot at. My eyes came back to that big boar just in time to see him take that bullet. Now we were inside 10 yards of this pig, and my buddy wasnt 5 feet from me. That pig was big enough to where, even with my 30-30, I would have aimed at his ear hole to make sure he wasnt gonna get back up. When he let loose that chunk of lead, the boar was working his way to his feet. It might have just been the heat of the moment, but i swear, when that bullet made contact with that pigs shoulder, his whole body seemed to just cave in as he pitched over. My jaw just dropped. I had never seen a pig that big have such a reaction to being shot in the shoulder. I looked at my buddy and said, "what the hell have you been packing over there." To this day he still laughs at my reaction. After getting back to the house, I had to have a go. After a few shots in to the pond, I knew I had to have one.

Going through my gun bible, I found the 1895 SBL. I loved the large loop and the grey stock. The all around look, it was just a good looking gun. Sadly I would not find it for another year. I wasnt the only one who was attracted to this modle which made finding it very difficult. I finally broke down and went to a gun shop up in San Antonio and had it special ordered. 6 months later, i received a call saying it had arrived. I couldnt wait to get it home and try it out. To this day it is my go to hog killer. No matter how many times I shoot it, I still get chills pulling the trigger. Just so much power.

On a funny note, not to long after, I just happen to stop at a hole in the wall gun shop I had never been to. Off in the corner, I caught a glimpse of of a large loop sticking out. Looking closer, it was the same 1895 sbl. Asking the guy at the counter how long they had had it. Couldnt give me an exact time but it had been awhile. All I could do was laugh and walk out. This has taught me, dont judge a gun shop by the looks of the outside. You never know what they might have hanging on the wall.

 

[SwwPlayboy]

One of my favorite lever guns is the Henry. I love the way they look and feel.

I dont think anyone can deny, Henry's are just beautiful. Some of the smoothest lever actions out there.

 

[rl96ss]

I've always wanted to add a .357 or 44 mag lever action to my safe a Henry will do just fine.

 

[Mikeinhistory]

What about something like this? The carbine is in 30-06 and the full length is in 30-40 krag. Dated 1921 and 1913.

Here's one of them in action.

 

[SwwPlayboy]

What about something like this? The carbine is in 30-06 and the full length is in 30-40 krag. Dated 1921 and 1913.

Those are beautiful. There is suppose to be a a 405 at a gun show im going to in a couple of weeks. Not sure what the date is. Hoping I can get my hands on it

 

[benenglish]

I've got a friend that just told me (this morning) that he's seriously considering selling his Savage Model 99 in .308. It's a beautiful gun. If he decides to sell it I'll probably list it for him here on TGT.

So, how many PMs have you gotten saying "Don't bother to list it; just PM me."?

 

[SwwPlayboy]

I've always wanted to add a .357 or 44 mag lever action to my safe a Henry will do just fine.

Henry has got to be something that catches every ones eye. They are just beautiful guns.

I was in my local gun shop couple years back. He had a few Golden boys and a 45 long colt. On this particular day, I was walking the glass cases and saw he had a Henry mares leg. He must had just gotten it. I had been wanting one for a while but couldnt bring myself to order one for the price. Ranch hands are all around looking guns, but their uses are limited. The owner knew me rather well, so when he saw that I found it, he didnt ask, he just took it out of the gun case and handed it to me. Action was so smooth. I quickly reached for my wallet. Glad I did too. As soon as the paper work went through, someone had walked in to buy it. It is in a 357, ideally I was wanting one in a 44mag, but at that point in time I didnt care, I just knew I needed to go home with it. Shot it a hand full of times, mostly hip shot bets with my buddies. Its just fun, there is no other word for it. And it sure does look good hanging up.

 

[MikeTx]

got one these. with cb caps, no sound.

 

[JonFrankMc]

Grew up on levers and I will always have a soft spot for them. My go to lever for all around brush work is my Marlin .357.

For larger work its my Marlin 336 converted to .307. Thing is beastly!

 

[Couyon]

Just watched a good German flick that was set in the 1880s. The lead character used a lever gun to cause all manner of mayhem. Had me jonesing for a Model 1873.

 

[Rebel]

I do loves me some lever action goodness.

I really oughta get me a .30-30

 

[SwwPlayboy]

I really oughta get me a .30-30

Marlin 336W model is a great 30-30 gun price wise. Henry also makes a 30-30. Havent had a chance to play with one, but I cant imagen anything less than great from a Henry. Winchester 94 is gonna be your higher priced choice.

 

[SwwPlayboy]

This one is one my boys fight over constantly on who will be getting this jewel. This was my granddaddy's savage 99 in 300 savage. I killed my first buck with this rifle. Ballistics wise it is definitely not the flattest bullet but it has never let me down. And the durability of the gun is just unbeatable. I havent shot this one in awhile. Trying to maintain it as much as possible being as old as it is.