I have owned a shot just about all of the leverguns mentioned here as well. My general observations on each are as follows.
Winchester 94 - Light, trim and well balanced. The older ones are very well put together. Many made in the 70s and 80s are pure junk. Even the old ones have too much slop in the action to suit me. Most I have owned have been accurate enough
Winchester-Browning 92 - The slickest levergun I know of. They are extremely light and handy, but very expensive for the originals and Miroku clones. The Rossi, EMF, etc 92 clones can be made into very serviceable deer rifles, but are often quite rough from the factory.
Winchester/Browning 1886/71 - Same action, different stock and chambering. Strongest levergun design out there. The action is pure butter when broken in. Even the lightest ones are pretty heavy for a general use hunting rifle. The originals are too expensive for most of us to even think about hunting with and the reproductions have starting prices in the 1K range.
Winchester 88 - Well balanced, chambered in 284 and other longer range cartridges. Bigger and heavier than I would like and the triggers on the three I have owned ranged from heavy to awful. One early 308 I had was very accurate though. They have a very smooth action.
Marlin 336 - A little heavier than the Winchester, but much more user friendly and chambered in the excellent 35 Rem which the Winchester is not. The older ones are smooth as glass, the newer ones a more hit and miss on the quality. I have had several that were sub MOA shooters. A great value for the money
Marlin 1895 - Working man's 45-70. They are great big bore rifles for the money. Easy to scope or mount a receiver sight. Usually quite accurate. I especially like the 1970s versions with the 22" barrel and straight stock.
Marlin 1894 - Working man's pistol cartridge carbine. They are almost as light and handy as the 92s, but much more user friendly with regard to scopes, reciever sights and takedown. The older ones seem to have better fit and finish than the newer ones on average. I have had several that were very accurate. The used ones are a great value for the money.
Browning BLR - Extremely smooth with wonderful fit and finish (too shiny and fancy for a hunting rifle in my opinion). Chambered in just about all of the popular long range cartridges. The short actions are great, the long actions seem very awkward to operate to me. They do not have the feel of a levergun to me and the whole trigger assembly moving with the lever does not seem natural. The ones I have had very accurate though.
Savage 99 - The action takes some getting used to, but is very fast once you get the motion down. Some of the newer ones with the pressed checkering, no cartridge counter etc are near junk, but not as bad as the Winchester 94s of the same vintage. The older premillion rifles are very well made and wonderfully balanced. Anyone who thinks a 99 is not well balanced should handle and 99EG with a receiver sight or a 99F with a compact scope. The lever safety is a bit awkward to use. I have had several that were very accurate. As a pure hunting rifle, it is hard to beat a 1950s 99F in 300 Savage or 308.
