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I have an older article I downloaded, "One of the Last Alaskan Sourdoughs: The Legend of Sheep River," whose subject is Ed Stevenson. It is reprinted with permission from Rifle Magazine.

His arsenal includes several lever action rifles. From its text, Mr. Stevenson was partial to big bore lever rifles, such as Browning reproduction Winchester Model 71 (348 Winchester), Winchester 1895 (375 Hawk/Scovill), Browning reproduction Winchester 1895 (411 Hawk), Browning reproduction Winchester 1886 (450 Alaskan), Browning reproduction Winchester 1886 (45-70).

While Mr. Stevenson's arsenal includes the usual medium and large bore bolt actions, the article represents him as preferring levers. This is both surprising and interesting. Well maybe not as surprising as I make it sound. I also have a downloaded video that is a YouTuber's mud test of an original Winchester 1895. The presenter mentions that Czarist Russia used many 1905s during World War I and that Russian soldiers held it in high regard. He then proceeded to determine how well the lever action would operate in the mud of war. He placed an original 1895 in 30-40 Krag in a wheel barrow filled with mud (hammer down, chamber empty, magazine filled). He dumped mud all over the action, I mean really slopped it on. He removed the mud covered rifle and wiped the action with his hands. He did nothing special or especially cleansing. Rifle still pretty well covered with mud, he fired the magazine without any issues.

Nearly all articles and online threads I have read show a huge preference by guides, and especially among sport hunters using guides, for bolt action rifles with telescopic sights. Is Mr. Stevenson's preference for non-optical sighted big bore lever action rifles, especially Winchesters, abnormal among Alaskan guides?


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Good Question. Complicated Answer.
1) Most Alaskan guides are no longer Alaskans.
2) Ed was a mountain man who lived and guided in puckerbrush. Those rifles worked great in his guide areas.
3) Some guides take rifle functionality as a primary element of a rifle. Many of these guides are longer in the tooth but can run a peep or run a scope to great effect.
4) Many guides run rugers. Try to find a boat paddle 77 in 338 or 300 win for sale. There are a lot of Ruger guide guns in 338 Win or 375 Ruger.
5) A lot of sheep and mountain game guides run Kimber montanas.
6) Moose guides will run Marlin 1895s in 45-70.

A lot clients are bringing up Gunwerks, Christiansens and other custom carbon fiber barreled and stocked rifles. There are some really funny stories about their performance. A lot of people know that its the Indian and not the arrow and you can't buy shooting proficiency.

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I wouldn't get nostalgic, cookie monster eyes over a 95 when compared to a Mauser. I'm only speaking from experience here:

From February by dog team in 30 below, clear through September by canoe, I have hunted moose and caribou with a 95 carbine. Sure they feed well, but you can't push them, pressure wise. Also, there is very little protecting you, in the event of a pierced primer or ruptured case. Though my meat cache is chock full o meat thanks to the 95, it is and never will be in the same league as a Mauser style rifle. There are some clear advantages to the 95 lever gun though: shorter length, quicker to a hot chamber and quicker to a second shot.

Any sort of silt gets in the chamber, the extractor will slip off the fired case head.

Some youtube idiot dumps mud on the action then fires it?!
That leaves no positive impression with me.

Lastly, big deal if some Russians were coaxed into buying lever actions for military service, a sucker is born everyday.

Last edited by mainer_in_ak; 10/09/20.
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Bolt action rifles work well, like pre-64 Model 70s and Mausers. The trend now on bolt rifles is no iron sights. Not a good idea.
The recent death of an Alaskan hunter skinning out a moose is an example of either poor planning or the bear came really fast-which they are capable of doing. Where was his rifle?
Ed Stevenson is not the only hunter/guide that relies on lever actions. Phil Shoemaker and family are Alaskan guides that use various Model 71/Model 1886 /95 rifles with success.
My instinct is that regular users of bolt action rifles without a G&H side mount and/or iron sights have never had a close call with a bear. I have a Super Grade early M-70 in 300 H&H-with G&H Mt- Lyman Alaskan.
It also has a Lyman 48WJS receiver sight that can be used immediately, by a slight eye shift. Handy in rain & fog or white out. Having both original 1886 and Model 71s in 450 Alaskan and 348 Ackley-with a few 405 1895s convinces may that they are faster than any bolt gun. Fast iron sights with a smoother lever cycle rate will put you faster on repeat shots. A big grizzly may well require repeat shots.
Get iron sights on your rifle. Those that criticise John Browning's basic 1895/1886 actions either never had one or are displaying their ignorance.

Last edited by 450Fuller; 10/10/20.

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Originally Posted by 450Fuller
Bolt action rifles work well, like pre-64 Model 70s and Mausers. The trend now on bolt rifles is no iron sights. Not a good idea.
The recent death of an Alaskan hunter skinning out a moose is an example of either poor planning or the bear came really fast-which they are capable of doing. Where was his rifle?
Ed Stevenson is not the only hunter/guide that relies on lever actions. Phil Shoemaker and family are Alaskan guides that use various Model 71/Model 1886 /95 rifles with success.
My instinct is that regular users of bolt action rifles without a G&H side mount and/or iron sights have never had a close call with a bear. I have a Super Grade early M-70 in 300 H&H-with G&H Mt- Lyman Alaskan.
It also has a Lyman 48WJS receiver sight that can be used immediately, by a slight eye shift. Handy in rain & fog or white out. Having both original 1886 and Model 71s in 450 Alaskan and 348 Ackley-with a few 405 1895s convinces may that they are faster than any bolt gun. Fast iron sights with a smoother lever cycle rate will put you faster on repeat shots. A big grizzly may well require repeat shots.
Get iron sights on your rifle. Those that criticise John Browning's basic 1895/1886 actions either never had one or are displaying their ignorance.

what? Where are your military credentials? How can anyone believe anyone without SPECOPS claims?


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There's one regular here who actually guided for Ed Stevenson. Perhaps he'll chime in.

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I talked with Ed Stevenson about four years ago for about four hours. He had just moved back to his place on Sheep River after getting healed up from his second severe bear mauling. The first time a Brown Bear nearly drowned him in the river while his client was stuck frozen. The second time he was 84 years old and was walking his dog who went ahead barking and brought back the bear on its heels. He ended up engaging the bear at point blank range. Fred Rungee and Jack Lee are the only other people that I have talked to that have been mauled by more than one grizzly in their time in the back country. I think one of the most interesting elements of our conversation was that there were so much alders and brush in his Sheep River area that he didn't have resident pressure on the Dall Sheep in his area. The country was so full of alders and brush that resident hunters would go elsewhere. This deep "puckerbrush" really allows quick lever guns to do their business.

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The bolt of a 95, in front of the locking lugs, is basically Swiss cheese. It looks like termites went after it. There is no protection, in the event of a case rupture or pierced primer.

I touch one of these off at 30 below zero from a dog sled. Swiss cheese bolt at 30 below, ponder that for a moment.

Bottom line: keep the pressures down around 50,000 psi. When the 95s let's go, it turns into a hand grenade.

This bear encounter bull sht is so incessant on this forum, its thicker than the alders Ed Stevenson hunted in.
[Linked Image from i.postimg.cc]

I had a primer let loose on a browning blr, I had no eye protection on. The force was severe enough to damage the fore arm wood. Because of the design, to protect in the event of a case failure, many thousands of psi did not destroy my eyes. The 95 has no protective measures.

I've spent my entire child hood and adult life, running leverguns. I have an illogical bias for em, just like Ed may have. Through that bias, I will not hesitate to admit that the bolt action big game rifle is sufficient and more fitting to the Alaskan environment.

I only speak from experience, after putting away thousands of lbs of meat with both designs.

Sunk a paddling canoe, lining up a swift creek. Lashed in the canoe was a CZ 550. With no tools and five minutes of work, the silty mess was cleaned out of the gun, and was back in action.

Good luck cleaning a lever gun after such an incident. I hope you bring a tool kit.....

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Rifles are like canoes, chain saws, and snow shoes. The choice is always up to the hunter but you will have to live with your choice.
For decades I have always carried two rifles on any hunting trip with extra ammunition. Sometimes two lever action older 86/71s
backed up by an early Model 70 375 H&H. Never had a problem that an extra rifle could'nt handle. Snow, ice , rain- dust and dirt
have never phased any of my 1886 or pre-war Model 71 rifles. J. Browning designed them to take a beating and function just
like the 1911 military 45 auto. Wider tolerances allow function in really tough conditions.

Bears are part of Alaska, its just the reality in the bush. Those who have all the answers may know what happened to Warden
Hosea Sarber many decades ago-but I doubt it. They never found him.


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I have read articles about Ed Stevenson for a very long time, some by Dave Scoville, Brian Pearce and Phil Shoemaker and a few others. The last one by his daughter after Ed passed away this last year. Stores about him were always an interesting read and big lever guns were always in the mix. From what I could tell year around life in Alaska was how he lived, a far cry from the many "seasonal" guides we now call a "master guide". He is a man I would love to have chased bears with. I seriously doubt I could of kept up with him.

As an after thought, I believe Marlin hit a bases loaded homer when they came out with the 1895 in .444 Marlin, 45-70 and the some what mis understood .450 Marlin. The 336 action is plenty strong for all three of those rounds, it is light weight, easy to clean easy to "customize". If a .35 and .375 caliber Marlin would come out based on a slightly lengthened .444 or 450 Marlin case it would be a welcome addition in my eyes. Good bullet diameter and weight for iron sight use on big game and the action is stronger as it is modified less then the 1895 in 45-70 is do to the large 45-70 rim.

Come on Marlin, make a new 336 action that is as long as your original old 45-70 action is. Then we cold have a couple of useful rounds that many would embrace. Please get rid of the side safety, it makes me cuss and does not belong on a lever gun.

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This is interesting because I am bias towards leverguns being a left hand user, they just work and suit me. Im also a big fan of the Mauser pattern rifles as well and have Ruger Hawkeyes as my bolt actions.

Now that I think of it a person is really in a bind if a John Browning levergun needs cleared or cleaned out in the field such as Maine In Ak suggests per a scenario. A Marlin 336 model is possible to disassemble afield and maintain easily but I dont attempt to disassemble my Winchesters because the parts are many, and its above my pay grade at the present. I can't imagine performing it afield unless one had tools and was a gunsmith. On the other hand ive got a few Mauser 98 rifles that are super easy to take apart without tools and my Ruger Hawkeye requires a paperclip or small nail to disassemble the bolt.

Personally I carry a Leatherman multitool and I hate to be without. Even so I see Mainer In Alaska point of the strength, simplicity, and safety of the bolt action compared to an lever action. For me the lever action is easier to work the action cycle and is faster as well, but I understand the upside of the bolt action and in particular the Mauser pattern with its robust feed and extraction features.

The Browning BLR is a neat rifle but man are they highly complicated and forget about any field maintenance.

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I like the 86/71 and the 95 Marlins. I have a 358 Winchester in a BLR as well. I enjoy the bolt guns too. The marlin would suit me more if the Safety were gone. I can see the safety getting bumped on and then a Griz attacks. Be Well, RZ.


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I wonder how Ed liked the way his son Bill handled a Cub parked on a strip he pretended was his?


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Originally Posted by Sitka deer
I wonder how Ed liked the way his son Bill handled a Cub parked on a strip he pretended was his?


Probably didn't care.

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Originally Posted by Rustyzipper
I like the 86/71 and the 95 Marlins. I have a 358 Winchester in a BLR as well. I enjoy the bolt guns too. The marlin would suit me more if the Safety were gone. I can see the safety getting bumped on and then a Griz attacks. Be Well, RZ.

I posted this in the barrel length thread, but the cross-bar safety can be deleted. More than one place sells them. Here's a link to one.

Basic Safety Delete For Marlin Rifle

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This thread brings back fond memories. I met Ed in 2007 and stayed the fall season with him for brown bear in the Chugach. Appears, I annoyed him slightly less than average, and he agreed to have me back for the then following four years, during which I stayed two seasons total in the Chugach and three in the Talkeetnas with him.

Talking guns and hunting with Ed will always be amongst my most cherished memories.

As to your question, Kaboku68 hit it on the button with his #2 answer.

Both in the Chugach and the Talkeetnas, Ed guided Puckerbrush and Salmon Creeks. Joe Want, another old time brown bear guide, was fond of saying "I like to hunt bears, where I can see them." Ed always said, he liked to hunt brown bears where they are - and in his areas, that was the puckerbrush and devils club next to the streams. A ghostring sighted levergun was a joy to carry, always at hand therefor and hence, Eds choice.

Someone told the last Bear encounter Ed had, that sadly killed his beloved Dog Kiki. Ed carried a 16.5" Marlin .45-70 that day and was adamant that this safed his life that time.

Ed passed away this spring.


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I always used to enjoy getting together with Ed at the Palmer and Wasilla winter gunshows. I was surprised when Ed told me that he really wasn't a fan of lever actions until Scovill left one with him. But he quickly learned the value of them in the country he hunted.
I also appreciate the 1886 45-70 stuffed with Buffalo Bore ammo and carried one when guiding Scovill. I also like my 1895 and contemplated having it rebored to 9.3x62 but wanted to first give it a fair test with 220 Partitions. It's still a 30-06.
And my son really like his 475 Turnbull M71


Phil Shoemaker
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www.grizzlyskinsofalaska.com

Anyone who claims the 30-06 is not effective has either not used one, or else is unwittingly commenting on their marksmanship.
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Originally Posted by Rustyzipper
I like the 86/71 and the 95 Marlins. I have a 358 Winchester in a BLR as well. I enjoy the bolt guns too. The marlin would suit me more if the Safety were gone. I can see the safety getting bumped on and then a Griz attacks. Be Well, RZ.


I just put an o-ring on the safety. Keeps it on fire, and I used the half cock for a safety. It is a bad idea for a safety the way marlin designed it.

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I had enough of the Marlin safety ground off so its flush. Not going to be bumped on but if really want it on any pointed object pen etc. can put it on but you can still take it off with a finger. Never have seen a need to put it on. --- Mel


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I removed the cross safety, ground the "safe" side to match the fire side so there was no chance of bumping it on, and reinstalled it.


Phil Shoemaker
Alaska Master Guide,
Alaska Hunter Ed Instructor
FAA Master pilot
www.grizzlyskinsofalaska.com

Anyone who claims the 30-06 is not effective has either not used one, or else is unwittingly commenting on their marksmanship.
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