Home Forums Lever Action Central Lever Actions - General Best levergun?

I have several Marlins, and I really like them. Can't really appreciate the newer Win 94's. I don't think it gets anybetter than the Sako Finwolf (I'm with you on that Pacecars) had one in 308 and like an idiot let it get away. I do like the newer 86 versions (Browning). The BLR just leaves me cold. IMHO YMMV

I think the choice has to be among the actions that handle pointed bullets, which leaves out the Marlins and all the Winchesters except the 88 and 95. The 88 has a horrible trigger, the 95 a protruding magazine, so they are out. The BLR is just plain ugly. That leaves the Sako and the 99 Savage pretty much tied for first place, the Savage gets my vote for the classy rotary magazine.

I dislike the BLR for many reasons. The number one being they spend more time being repaired than any of the other models mentioned by far. I like classy, traditional style lever guns also. Not shiny stocked, gold-plated triggered models with "Made in Japan" on the side. Go ahead and put a scratch or two on one of these stocks and see how easy they are to get rid of as opposed to a nice oil-finished one. They're just not a practical choice for someone who hunts hard. More gearded toward those who'd rather look at their rifle, IMHO. I also do not like the balance of them as compared to other lever guns. The big, awkward looking receivers are probably the culprit. The "lines"(shape) of these rifles are horrible to me. Can't really comment from experience on how well they shoot on average, but I'd definitely wager that they shoot no better on average than an 88, 99, or Finnwolf. We all have our own tastes, I have no problems with anyone who likes BLR's, and any 358 is nice, but these guns just don't appeal to me in any way---2MG

Just why do you feel you need an action that handles pointed bullets? For an open sighted lever action, 200 yards is about as far as most would ever want to shoot, which is well within woods range. Check out the ballistics, or better yet, see a .348 M-71 shoot at 200 yards. Same goes with a .45-70 and hot loads like 350 gr Buffalo Bore rounds at 2150 fps. Nope, I don't think flat nosed bullets are a detriment one bit at normal levergun ranges.

By the way, the best levergun ever made is the Browning copy of the Winchester 1886, which can handle loads that the Win cannot.

BMR, even if you ignore the ballistic advantage of pointed bullets for shots over 200 yards, many of the top premium bullets simply are not available in flatnose.

That's true, but for deer-sized game a premium bullet doesn't matter in a caliber like the .45-70. And for taking very large game, there are a number of bullets, such as those used in the cartridges sold by Buffalo Bore and Garrett. The Super Hard Cast and the Woodleigh Weld-Core are two such examples used by Garrett. None of the pointed bullet rounds used in any of the mentioned leveraction rifles approach these rounds in knockdown power.

I'm with BMR. When you start talkin' ballistic advantages and shots over 200yds and pointy bullets, you should be talking about a different kind of gun. It is not what the beauty of a lever gun is all about. There are PLENTY of tough bullets for lever guns around. Cast bullets also. You don't need failsafe's or TBBC's, although A-frames are available also. Some of the most dramatic kills I've ever seen have been with big, slower moving flat-nosed bullets. I mean visible knock-down power that makes you say "DAMN!" The Win 71 348 still has a deserved following in Alaska to this day, the factory load of choice was 250gr flat-nosed silver tips, not the faster 200gr crap they load now. If I'm planning on shooting over say, 150 yds, I take a bolt action(not that no levers are capable of such shots). If I want a fast handling woods rifle that will anchor something right now, I take a big-bore lever. And have never felt handicapped in any way in doing so. In fact, quite the opposite---2MG

BMR-- guess we were typing at the same time. Sounds like we agree <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />---2MG

2muchgun, I'm planning on using Buffalo Bore 350 gr rounds in my Browning 1886 for deer hunting in WI this fall. I know it's a heck of a lot more of a round than necessary for a deer, but that's what my rifle is sighted in for and it shoots extremely well with that load.

That BB stuff is expensive! I basically duplicate one of their loads in my 444, otherwise I'd be paying $40/box for it. Where are you at in Wisconsin? I hunt in the U.P. often, and will going on my next bear hunt not that far from your northern border. My buddy shot his first deer last year with a 350gr 450 Marlin load that I found for him, he'll also be on that bear hunt. I'll be taking my 348, I think. Killed my last bear with the 444---2MG

2much. I won't deny you're entitled to your opinion, but you ought to try and base it on facts.
I have 2 blr's neither of which have seen the inside of a gun shop since the day they were purchased. Both have been put thru more hard use than most guns are.
One is a peice of "japanese" crap with FN Belgium stamped on the barrell. The other is Miroku made, and like I said before neither has been babied. Both will shoot 1 inch or less 3 shot groups with their favorite loads, and neither one has let us down whether it was 90 degrees hot and dusty or -40 and 3 feet of snow on the ground.
You may just want to try one once. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

2muchgun, I am in western Wisconsin, Jackson/LaCrosse county, just east of the Mississippi.

R-13, I don't want to get in an argument with all the BLR fans out there. I'm sure there are plenty that have provided years of reliable service. I'm also pretty sure that more problems have occurred with them than most Winny's, Marlins, or Sav99's. If I could get over the looks of one, I could possibly try one. Not only do I detest shiny stocks on hunting rifles, the shape(lines) of these rifles are most unappealing to me. I have a good friend who asked me about picking one up in 358. He has pretty much every type of rifle he needs now, except a big-bore lever. I told him to buy one if that's what he likes. I am glad that the BLR is keeping the 358 afloat. It is too good of a cartridge to die off IMHO. I let him take my Marlin 444ss on a deer hunt to Pennsylvania, now I think he's pretty much hooked on it and will probably buy one instead of the BLR. The fact that I own a whole bunch of lever guns and no BLR I think also influences his opinion. Still, I never asked anyone what they thought when I bought all of mine, and neither should he. You're always going to get varying opinions. As they say, opinions are like azzholes, everyone's got one---2MG

2much , I don't have any problem with folks having opinions. The problem comes from when you flat out state that the Blrs are junk, and admit to never owning one. My point is you might try one before you dismiss them as Japanese junk, and then state the same without having used one.
You did it again in your last post when you say the Blr breaks down more than the other leverguns, that just hasn't been the case in the ones I own, or the ones I know of other folks owning.
If they don't appeal to you that's fine, just say so and leave the rest of it alone until you have the personal experience to back the "japanese junk".

Winchesters, Marlins & Savages are all leverguns in the "classic" definition of same. The BLR, while it may be efficient, may be accurate, and certainly may be to the liking of some (or even many) is not a "classic" lever gun by any stretch. Personally, I thought the old steel receiver BLR 81s were "OK", but only that. The new aluminum receiver versions are just flat-out abominably ugly. And yes, I know you can get it in 358 Win, which is a big plus. ...but if it's so ugly as to be embarassing, what's the point???

R13--I understand your point. However, I know enough, read enough, and hear enough from "gun people" to know that certain products have a bad rep. Even if I knew nothing of it, I still would never buy a BLR beacause of other reasons. If you owned one and it broke, you'd say it was junk. Even though it was but one of however many thousands made. Somebody else has one that works fine and it's a great product, if you ask them. My opinion is simply based on all the bad stories I personally have heard about them from various sources through the years. Enough to make me, personally not want one, even if I did like them. If you try to convince me that they are as reliable as a Win 94, 86, 71, Sav 99, or Marlin 336, or 1895, guns that have been around for 100yrs, I'm simply not buying it. You make a good point, and I fully understand your argument, as I will never have enough experience with a BLR to back up my "opinion" on them---2MG

2much, I own and shoot Winchesters, Marlins, and Savage lever guns,and BLR's I've done so since long before lever guns were the" in " thing to do. I've had more problems with the first 3 than the Blr's.
The most disgusting was the 99 that after carrying the magazine full for 4 days in near zero weather, the moment of truth popped up, and the rotary magazine wouldn't push the top cartridge up far enough for the bolt to push it in. Didn't think the rifle was junk then and don't now.
I do wish Browning would see fit to recycle the aluminum, and use good old cold steel in the receivers again, I also wish Marlin would sell off the supply of used telephone poles they got for forearms, and let somebody elses grandkids play with the checkering press for a while, and get back to the trimmer lines of days gone by.

AMEN, brother! Preach that True Gospel...

R13--Yeah, I know. I wasn't planning on getting too technical here, but the aluminum receivers are another turn-off for me. Even though the bolt locks up in the chambers on these guns not the receivers. So I guess technically they are still strong enough. They also have, or at least had, plastic bushings in them at one time. I've also heard of the teeth on the gears being too fine and "chipping" off. They also do not point well for me, like they are receiver or stock heavy and the barrel is too light. What can I say, I'm a big lever guy, but they're just not my cup of meat---2MG

I've heard of the teeth chipping thing too, but out of the dozen or so, miroku made rifles I'm familiar with none have had that problem, and several of those have seen alot of use.
The orginal FN made ones were all steel.
The biggest thing keeping me from getting one of the new ones in the wsm cartridges is that aluminum receiver. I agree its probably strong enough, but I just can't get past it.
My favorite BLR's are the 81 steels, in the short action cartriges. Much more comfortable for onehanded carry than the original design, which I've heard was actually one sort of on John's Drawing board way back when. Don't know if its true or not but they certainly show classic John M lines.
The long actions don't seem to handle to well for me, they do seem a bit long and clumsy.