Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles Lightweight Lever Action

Has anyone done a build lightning up a traditional lever action? I have always been a fan of the Marlins and know the Winchester 94 is a bit lighter. With all of the aftermarket parts out there, just would like to know who has tried and how much weight have you been able to reduce it

I had a scoped blr at 6 lbs 11 oz after a bit of mindless work:

https://www.24hourcampfire.com/ubbt.../13268585/ultralight-blr-358-win-project

Winchester already did that long ago. They called it the model 94 trapper. A fella'd have to be pretty petite and frail to think a 94 carbine or trapper needed to be lightened.

I run around with a Winchester model 64A that happens to be in 30/30 Ackley. Light and handy with some power. 170 partitions at 2400.
Also have a pre war model 64 rebored to 38/55. Lots of power, light and handy. 255 grain Vollmer soft nose at 1850.
Just too much recoil, neck still healing from posterior fusion.

The Winchester 94 kicks just fine as is. The Marlin is a softer shooter.

ever tried a 99F?

I’ve got a Ted Williams Winchester. It’s a post 64 and an early post 64 at that. So it was already pretty ratty looking and feeling. But it shoots danged good. So, it’s my truck gun. I found some Butler Creek synthetic stocks at a gun store that was closing and out them on it. It feels like it weighs about 3 pounds. It’s probably five pounds or so and it’s my truck gun. It has a Williams receiver sight on it.

Yes, Savage 99F, in 250 or 300 Savage is a pretty sweet package

Ranger point precision makes several light weight parts specifically for Marlins, lever mag tube forearm and stock. Check out their website. Otherwise a model 94 with peep sights is pretty light.

My 99F .300 with a Leupold 1.5-5x20 heavy Duplex goes 7 lbs 4 ounces, but it comes up and points like my index finger and a 94 or 336 never did that for me. Fit for me matters more than lighter weight and that Savage hits harder than a .30-30.

I have three 99Fs, 2 in 300 Sav and 1 in 308. All wear Leupold M8 6x scopes and all weight right at 7.7 lbs. They balance well and carry great.

Oh yeah, they work.........

Curious here, you and Windfall listed weights that are less than my 99-A 250-3000 with 20" barrel, Leupold VX - II 1-4x20mm.

I have to agree with Black Fart

Roundoak, that was from memory because mine is a spare up in the gun vault at the cottage. Headed up there next weekend and can double check with my digital fish scale. If anything, I would think that a fish scale would weigh toward the plus side. That 99F barrel is a narrow taper and given equal barrel outside diameters, a .25 caliber barrel will weigh more than a .30 caliber barrel.

I think my stock 94 (1927) with Williams or Lyman aperture sight comes in right around 6.5, under 7.0, anyway, empty. I'd have to weigh it again. It is the lightest of all my rifles, shading out the 700 and 725.

How about a synthetic stock? It will ads some recoil though.

I don't know the weight of a 99A model, but the 99Fs have a hollowed out butt stock and somewhat thin forend.


My rifle bare is 6.7 lbs and with a Leupold 6x I can keep it 7.75 lbs. I just weighed it.

Jim, I located a 1971 Savage Arms catalog and it satisfies my curiosity. It lists the F weight at 6 1/2 lbs. and A at 7 lbs. Also, note it says the 99-F is "The lightest lever action big game rifle around."

I have seen it at 6.75 as well. All I know is I like how they feel and how well they work. Thanks for the info.

Did some weighing. Here are pics.

Actual weights with scope setups. Probably could do lightweight rings and such a shave a few more ounces.

First three pics are 99Fs. One 1957, 1958 & 1959. No particular order. All 3 wear Leupold m8 6x scopes. Two are 300 Savage and one is 308.

The stainless BLR in 308 also has a 6x fxll. It is for reference weight.