Home Forums Lever Action Central Lever Actions - General If you could own only 1 lever action rifle - what would you buy?

I have room for one - but only 1 centerfire lever action in my safe - what should it be? I don't have any specific hunting use in mind - just something to take to the range sometimes. No interest in scoping it to me this is an old style traditional rifle.

Your opinions are appreciated.

That depends on what trips YOUR trigger not any one elses. For me its an easy choice. A 1892 in 44-40 Although a '94 in 30-30 is a real classic or a 1886 in 45-70 or a '73 No No wait I would really like a Marlin! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

Savage 99 in .300 Savage. If you ever wanted to hunt with it you would have a great deer cartridge. Probably the most accurate lever gun ever built.

Winchester 95 in 30-06, reciever sight, recoil pad.
Jim

The only one I currently own: Savage 99EG, .300 Savage, fitted with a Stith mount and Weaver K2.5 60B with post-and-crosshair reticle.

Is this a trick question? Only one?

Lots of good choices out there. A BLR in 358 Win, Marlin Cowboy in 45-70 or a Savage 99 in 300 Sav would all be great choices. Which turns your head, straight or bottleneck cartridges?

well, I think I'd probably suffer a terminal meltdown if I had to make that decision. Love me some winchester 88 and some savage 99. that covers my affection for the box fed levers but what about the tube feeds? dang it, like I said, terminal melt down. Let's say I had to pick one more over what I have & I couldn't buy another for like....2 years. I can live with that question. in which case my answer would be a nice model 88 winchester in good old lack-luster trusty .308

Savage 99, I guess. Although those Winchester 71s are pretty cool.

Odd. Must be a one-gun safe. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused.gif" alt="" />

Savage 99F 358win.

Are there any true "gun loonies" out there who don't have a pre 64, 94 30-30 in there collection?
Dat would be #1 for me. (got one in my safe!) 'course there's a 9422 to go with it..... <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />
Virgil B.

Savage 99 EG in 300 Savage,although I do like pre stupid safety Marlins.

Solve the problem!! Buy another safe!! Your choices will expand accordingly! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cool.gif" alt="" />

How about one of each make?

If so, a Savage 99EG in .300 Savage. And, a Marlin 336 in .30-30. And, a Winchester 1886 in .45-70. And a Rossi/Legacy Puma in .454 Casull. And a Sako Finnwolf in .243 ( or just about anything else). <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

I did not give too much info in my original post because I wanted to hear everyones ideas w/o my bias. I think I want to buy new and I prefer popular calibres. So based on your comments I looked at all the lever actions offered by Winchester and Marlin. I'm leaning toward Marlin at this time because Winchester is out of production. Right now, I thinking 30-30 or 45-70 but I noticed how popular the 357s and 44s are. Whats up with this? Also, I really want walnut stocks so no synthetics - but stainless is interesting. Not sure what to do here. Any added comments or suggestions?

ok, you want new & you prefer popular, you like walnut & you mentioned a fondness for stainless. Any intended use or do you just want a center fire lever just to have one? Everything you just said points directly at a walnut/stainless Marlin. if you want the big boy go for the 45-70 in 1895GS 1895 guide stainless. very pretty. if you want the 30-30 you mentioned then just look for a 336SS.
I have an 1895G .450 walnut/blued, I like it a lot, took a cow elk with it last fall.

just get into the marlinfirearms website & swim around a little. If you like laminates they have a new line called XLR, laminate stainless, kind of neat.

Post deleted by northern_dave

Here's an idea: For just target shooting, you can't beat a .38 special. Buy a Marlin Model 94 Cowboy Competition in .38 special, and you have a rifle chambered for a cheap, accurate cartridge (not .357 mag like the 1894C), with a factory action and trigger job. Classic late 19th century looks too. Minimal recoil.

The only problem I see with this choice is, you will run into some Cowboy Action Shooters at the range, and they will talk you into buying a couple of single-action revolvers and a SxS shotgun so you can have a heck of a lot of fun at CAS meets.

Several others have touted the Savage 99 in various cals. The only change
i`d make is with cal........... my choice would be a .250. A Savage 99
(pre-mil) in any cal, now there`s tradition. No offense to post mil owners.

I'd sell a few other guns in your safe to make room for samples of these three. One lever action is just not enough.
88 in 338-08
64 in 30/30
99 in 358
39A in 22 (missing from pic.)