Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles What is your dream lever action rifle?

dream lever for me would be a 1886 lightweight with shotgun butt chambered in 33wcf.

If money was no object ( haven't seen that yet) I would have turnbull build one off a Miroku ( no sense chopping up an original)

Sycamore

I have my pre-64 Model 94 Win. in 30-30. Now I want a BLR or that new Henry in 308 Win.

When I started deer hunting in PA about 1955,I would have given anything to carry my mother's 1936 Winchester 94, 30-30.No such luck.I was doomed to carry what ever rifle was left. Mostly an old Remington pump in 32-20 or a H&R 20 gauge single shot break open using round balls.

To dream of carrying my fathers Marlin Octagon barreled 94 in 38-40 was pure fantasy

When I moved to NM in 64,the first gun I bought was a Winchester 88 in .308 thought I had it good.I never liked the looks of the Savage 99's.

My folks have passed on and I have that 94,30-30. My brother got the 38-40, but I found one that I refurbished and I still have the 88. To save face as my brother knew I wanted the 38-30,he GAVE me a 1906 Colt SAA in 38-40.Only because he had one of those special run Buckeye Rugers in the same chambering.

I can't think of any other lever gun I want

I've always wanted a nice original Win 71. Not a showpiece but a nice unmolested shooter. A Browning repro might work also.

Another one I am enjoying, a Browning M53. Beautifully made as is my M71. I am thinking the 115 gr FN's that I use in my 32 H&R Ruger's for next years hog hunt.

I have been fortunate enough to find most of my dream levers..
If I had to choose one to take every where it would be the 88 in 284
The 71 is just too heave and too big for som situations
The 1895 just too heavy..
The Marlins and win 92-94 just not versital enough.

For quite a few years,I wanted a Winchester 1886 in 45-70. Finally bought one of the Browning reproductions.
I killed two elk with it and sold it. Darn thing was 13 pounds fully loaded

I have mine now for a while
Winchester 1895 405 WCF Custom by Z-HAT
AMRA

The two best levers I've owned were 22s. A Browning and a Mossberg palamino. The palamino had a two finger trigger, but could shoot.
A Sears 54 with a stubbed magazine and a peep was mighty slick too.

First .22 I ever had was a Monkey Wards rendition of a Mossberg Palamino! 😁

Marlin 1893 .38-55, Winchester 1876 short rifle with pistol grip in .45-60, and an 1873 Winchester in any chambering, preferably .44-40 or .38-40.. If a repro, then .357.

You could add a '92 in there somewhere too... Had a takedown in .25-20 and sold it. Don't regret selling it, but do miss having it around sometimes. If I get another I would probably like it in .357 and it would be a bunny bustin' s.o.b...

Here is the .25-20.....




Ben

The Nashinator digs this one and so do I.... Browning 1895 .30-40, got from the classifieds here.. It is a sweet shooting rifle, and just oozes cool.




Ben

Villain rifle!

I can think of several Savage or Winchester dream configurations, and none of them would be in 6.5 or have Creedmor or Creedmoor or Creedmore stamped on them!!

My first levergun was an Ithaca Model 49, a single-shot drop-block rifle chamgered for .22LR, They had a retail frice of about $22 when they were introduced in 1962. Big Brother and I got one both found one under the Christmas tree that year. Little Brother got one the next year.

Mine got away from me after high school and I spent several years in the last decade looking for another. I finallly found one in near perfect condition an paid $105 for it after a bit of dickering. Asking price was $125.



The Ithaca is my most-shot rifle these days. It usually foes to the range with its bigger cousins, where I use it to shoot clay pigeons at 100 yards while the other barrels cool. My eyes don't care for irons but on a good day I can hit about 35% and misses aren't by much. It is one accurate little rifle.


Here's some of the Ithaca's grown-up cousins. Top to bottom:

Marlin 1895, .45-70
Marlin 375, .375 Winchester
Marlin 336C, .30-30
Browning B92, .44 Mag



My hunting buddy, who has a Marlin .30-30 as well, and I have a saying that pretty well describes our feelings toward such rifles - we call it "Lever action satisfaction". No bolt gun will ever be as much fun.

I already have my dream lever - a 50's era Mod 94 in 32 SPCL.
I got it back in the 70's. A guy owed me $100 and paid me with the rifle.
Unfortunately, someone had borrowed the rifle (before I got it) and put it into a plastic case while still wet with rain. The receiver and areas of the barrel were rust pitted but the bore was (and still is) bright & shiny.
It is my favorite "carry" rifle and has accounted for numerous critter - coyotes, raccoons, squirrels, rabbits and a few pick-up truck beds full of whitetail - including a 10 pt. 17" buck that is hanging on the wall above me.

The .32 Special was very popular and common here in PA a few decades ago.

Lever action satisfaction - yeah I get that.

I am thinking about a Winchester 86 or if I could find a Winchester 95 in .303 that wasn't worn inside out...

Nice rifle, is that a blacktail? He looks huge!

I like that '95 kaywoodie! I've forgotten what caliber that rifle is. Is it a 30-40 or a 35 Winchester?