Being old school I tend to favor Winchester lever actions although I have had several other brands over the years. Here are two, a Winchester 71 and a 94, that never seem to leave and a new Henry 22 LR that has tickled my fancy lately. These are my three favorites at the present and will probably remain so in the near future.

What lever actions are your favorites?

my Marlin 39a Mountie is at the top of my list...bought it new in 1966 for about $75 bucks and it still shoots as good as ever....

two favorites, no three
336Y
Golden Mountie
1894S in .44 Mag.

I could go the rest of my life, with just those three rifles.

Winchester 94 Trapper in .44 mag.

Mine was a limited run from the mid 1990's in All Stainless steel with walnut stocks. I've only seen one other like it.

Mine will shoot my 280 gr WFN LBT Cast bullets into a 5-shot 1.5" group @ 100 yards off of a sandbag rest. It's accounted for a truck load of feral hogs here T the Ranch.

If I am shooting peep/iron= Win 1895/95 SRC.

Scoped= Marlin 336


22= Marlin mountie

Takedown= Savage 99

Magazine= Win 88

Can't decide which kind I like best.

How can you have a favorite with so many great variations???

A couple rare Whitney Kennedy SRC in 45-60 and 44-40...

Would it be safe to say it's a "99"?

Nice collection BTW.

My, that's where they all went.

22- Henry
Nostalgic- 250-3000 savage
Modern - BLR 30-06
Go to- 444 marlin

A pair of Winchester 1876's...

Very nice!!

Thanks for posting.

That would be my Talo Marlin 1895GT 45-70 (sporting XS Ghost-ring sights)....

I find myself carrying one of the following rifles more often than not, lately.

Winchester 94 7-30 Waters


Marlin 336 .35 Remington

Looks like a great prairie dog gun..

.358 BLR(older model)with low power scope.

Winchester 1873 in 22 long...

The 99 Savage is my favorite for woods hunting. For varmints I used to favor the Winchester High Wall.

The 94 or 86 type rifles never interested me.

Marlin is my favorite repeater. But i do have a Rossi 92 i like ok. Just aint a Marlin. It will do til i can find/ afford a Marlin in 45.

I have three Marlins currently.
336 in 30-30
1894CP in 357
1894 Sporter 44 mag

Then my Rossi in 45 Colt

Lever action single shots, the Ruger gets the nod.

For general purpose work, I usually reach for a 92'. It will do just about anything in any of the available cartridges as long as you gauge the distance with the cartridge in the rifle.

But depending on the job, a 94' a 336, or even a 99' will fall in my hand. It has more to do with the cartridge I need for the chore, rather than the model of rifle.

I like them all.

Duplicate post.

I've hunted on and off for the last 19 years with a Winchester M88 in .308 WIN, but last year I was given an older M81 BLR Browning in .308 WIN - I love that Browning - plenty of power in a very light package.

Finnwolfs are great...

+1

cant beat the 99s, light weight, accurate, powerful and just a really neat gun. I have had marlins, 94s, 88s and a Finnwolf but they are just not a 99..

Is it heresy to say the Ruger 96/44??? Had one, lost it to a pawn loan years ago and regretted loosing and never replacing it. Once I decided to get a new one a couple years later, I found they had been discontinued. I paid less than $400 out the door new in 2002, and prices on used have skyrocketed with owners thinking they're made of gold apparently. And therefore rarely come up for sale at a decent price. Kind of funny, when you think they were constantly laughed at by the purists, nobody seemed to want them and had weak sales the entire time before they were axed. Always reminded me of a lever action M1 Carbine meets Savage 99.

I like my 96/44. It's hard to beat a lever you can work without shifting your grip. The throw is short enough that I can flick my fingers and load another one. Accurate. I like the removable magazine. It's handy when you go in and out of vehicles during the hunting day, or have to make road crossings.

And a scope looks right at home. I don't like to scope my traditional levers. I think it spoils the look.

I have a Ruger 96 in 17 HMR that I really like for hunting jackrabbits. Very light and extremely accurate. It's very refreshing to jack empties out into the snow and have no need to chase brass! I've had a 22 mag as well, was also very accurate.

Well.. hmm.. I do tend to favor the 99 just a tad bit.








Though it would unwise to bash my dad's 1954 Marlin. Probably the very last lever action I'd let go.

Although I've never owned one. I still admire the Winchester 94 carbines from the 40's and 50's. The ones with the barrel bands, ramp front sights, checkered steel butt plates and open sights. In 30-30 caliber of course. By the time I planned on buying one 1964 rolled around. Used ones from pre-64 were at, and still are at a premium, Oh well. I've had to settle for the following:
All Marlins

Model 1895 SS in 45/70
336 SC .35 Remington
1894C .357 Magnum
39A .22

Of those my favorite is the 336 SC. I purchased it new in the early 50's with money earned working after school in a small slaughterhouse/meat packing outfit. Shot both deer and elk with it.

Winchester 71

Mostly Old West guns, not so much Winchester 1895's or Savage 99's...

A Savage 250-3000 is still my favourite but I'd sure like to find a 25-35 Winnie 94.

I own and cherish quite a few lever guns but these rank near the top:

Savage 99 Brush Gun in .375 Win that took me 20 years to find


99 in .303 Savage


Browning BLR .358 Win


Winchester 71 .348 Win


Winchester 1895 .405 Win

That 73 is sweet. So is the Finwolf. I'll have to get over there one of these days and check out some of those toys. What do you actually use for hunting?

I'm going to narrow it down to 3.

Henry 22LR youth model. I chased a red squirrel across the back yard with a couple shots from it just yesterday. Smooth and quick to operate, the 2 shots couldn't have been any closer together if I'd been carrying one of my semi-auto 22s.

Marlin 1894P 44 magnum. Just a really handy rifle that packs a pretty good punch when loaded with 270 gr Speer Gold Dot soft points or my home cast 310 gr WFN bullet, both running in the upper 1,500 fps range.

Winchester 1894 in .32 Winchester Special. Made in '54, this was my Dad's only hunting rifle from the time he bought it from his older brother in the late 50's until last summer when he handed it over to me.

I try to use all of them at one time or another. I have killed just about everything in Montana from varmints to the biggest game with lever actions...

I won't bore anyone with my choices, just wanted to say, some fine rifles, gents...

Well i like all the older lever guns !! this is my newest favorite,a large frame Bullard in 45-70 caliber.It has some nice wood on it!

Neat old rifle loggah...

These two Winchesters are a couple of my favorites. Both have been around the block a few times but still have nearly perfect bores and they shoot very good.

The top one is an 1894 in 30/30 with a 26 inch barrel. This one had the name and address from a previous owner under the butt plate. I sent a letter to the old gentleman letting him know where his rifle had ended up. I never expected to hear back and I was shocked when he replied. He had bought it used during the 1930s and used it for years in Massachusetts deer hunting. I put his original note, his letter and my own note back in the butt stock for the next owner to find. I guess that makes this one kind of special to me and elevated it to the status of a real keeper.

The bottom one is a 53 winchester in 25/20. I bought it because it looked like a natural fit for the 94 in a caliber that would be fun to shoot and reload.

Both very cool rifles.

Call me an odd ball, but the 1894 Marlin is my absolute favorite. They just point right, carry like a feather and are sleek.

shrapnel, you and i have a lot of the same rifles ! i love all the lever guns, and like you try to use them all. i have a 22 long 73 like that , with proper tang sight. bullard 1886 45/70, and even an 1878 burgess 45/70.

i am bringing some of the them down to my place in bozeman soon [ up in spirit hills ]; bringing stepson down to school at MSU.. in a few years i will be living there half of the time.

[ will be down there august 2-11th, buying some furniture and shooting prairie dogs. --- including a couple of lever action 22 magnums of course. ]

hope to run into you some day down there some day.

My sentimental favorite is my M94 Winchester, acquired as a youth. It is still in good shape and hunts every year.

I fear nothing when I carry my Guide gun with 435 Grain LBT bullets moving at 1750 fps. Of course there isn't a whole lot to be scared of around here, but knowing that if the circus elephants get loose....

The one I thought of as the prettiest was my M71. I really regret selling it.

I started hunting with a 94 chambered for .32 Win. Special. I like the classic lines of the venerable 94, but I just can't fall in love with these old guns. Many Marlins have come and gone, from a 25-20, to several 30-30's, a .44 Mag which I still own, and an ugly old grey rat .35 Rem that shot an honest, 3 shot one hole group at 100 yards off the bench. To this day I kick my self for ever letting that one go. All this being said, I'm a total, unabashed fan of the 99. About a half dozen of these have been through my hands, and every one of them were good shooters. Dad hunted with a 99, and I carry one I bought off one of the Old Guard members of our camp. It just feels good in your hands, and many deer have been taken with it. I just had to have a Winchester 88 at one point in time and was totally disappointed with it. Heavy trigger, not very accurate, and just didn't feel like it was too well built. Once again, a very nice looking gun, but just not on my go to list.

I'm not a collector, though I've drooled a bit at some of the rifles posted here. I'm a hunter and shooter, and I am faster and more accurate with my 1894SS Marlin in 44 than I thought I could be with a lever gun. It feels good in my hands, shoulders without a thought. If only a few of the mechanics weren't so hokey, like the crossbolt safety, and the in-pieces firing pin. With my heavy cast bullets, it is near MOA, and good enough for anything I come across.

Mine is a good Marlin 336 in .30-30, made in 1953. I am hoping to add an old one like it in .35 Remington soon.

These two currently.

336SC in .30-30 from 1957. It wears a Lyman 3X.


Winchester 64 in .32 Special with a Lyman 66 receiver sight.

1946 M39 and 1976 1894 in 44Mag.



Honorable mention to my Henry Frontier in 22WMR.
Most accurate 22mag I've ever owned. I've killed a gob of game with that little rifle.

My next one:)

Marlin DOM 1969 in 35 Rem.

My 1899H 22 high power is high on the list but my most used and the one I would keep ahead of my other levers is a well worn first year production winchester 9422 magnum. That rifle has never let me down and has accounted for a pile of game plus its a pure joy to carry.

Here is an uncommon gun, a Marlin 1889 SRC in 38-40...







I will be around that time period, get in touch and we can tell stories about everyone else on the Campfire...

dang that is a nice 1889! looks nearly new never have latched onto a marlin 1888 or 1889...not for lack of trying though.

thanks,will try to give you a shout next week while we are down there.

Thanks to all who answered and posted pictures of their favorites. Many great rifles with a lot of history behind them.

It's especially nice to see rifles made from blue steel and wood.

Larry I just realized that you are the o.p. I love the model 71 you have there! We still haven't shot the Henry. We are waiting for the kids it get a little older before we get it going. Give my best to Miss Joanne.

My father purchased this rough 1899 Savage in 303 Savage caliber. He restocked it and jeweled the bolt, along with a few other improvements. Anyway, knowing I like Savages, he gave it to me, I assume because I helped him build a garage. It's a pretty cool rifle, and being nearly 100 years old, it still works as intended!

Tim, she says thanks. She still talks about the BBQ you treated us to.

Easy one. Daisy red ryder.

An 1892 Winchester Standard Sporting Rifle .44/40.

No finish left on wood or metal, reported to have been used in the Mexican Revolution. Brought out of Baja by a very good friend years ago, and given to me as a gift.


Also like Marlin M39 carbines and straight grip Savage 1899s.........

Easy one. Daisy red ryder


Yep, that's the one that started the sickness.
That and Dad's .35 336 Marauder that I had lusted for since about 10 years old, that was given to me about ten years ago.

I've a bunch of leverguns. However, only a few actually still get used. Those would be my Win 88, my Win 71s, and my Marlin 444SS.

I only take the 348s and 444 for bear hunting. The 88 just got a new VX2 put on and is a favorite deer rifle........

This one.

the one with a lever.


if I have to get more specific it would be a toss up between my marlin guide gun, my marlin GBL, my savage 99 284 win, my savage 99 250-3000, my Winchester 94 big bore 375, my 336w 30-30, or my daisy red rider.

yeah that is my favorite.

Right now I would say: my Marlin 39a and my Marlin 336A, I believe.. 24" half mag. job... Also a Marlin I rebarreled to .25-35.. Sold most of my 99's..

Anything Winchester.

What he said!

1924 Savage 99F in 300 Savage

My favorite is a 1955 Winchester Model 64 Deluxe in .32 Special. I no longer have it. It was stolen. Loved that gun.

Current is Ruger #3 Pac Nor barreled 6.5X55 carrying highly modified Ruger #1 type stock and forend plus other goodies.

Jim

My Sako finnwolf in 308 caliber

Favorite for what?

For plinking fun, the Marlin 1895 in .45-70 (top) gets the call. A tiny bit of pistol powder and 300 or 350g hardcast bullets yield ~1100fps with recoil about half that of factory .30-30 loads. My girls love them, as do I. The Marlin 375 (2nd from top, in .375 Win) was my first Marlin and will always be special to me. The 336CS (3rd from top, .30-30) is the only one that remains a hunting virgin in my hands and is the one I shoot most often using hunting type loads. On bottom is the Browning B92 (.44 Mag) that Dad gave me back in the early 1980's. It's light, handy and has provided camp security many times with my family. Awesome little carbine.



The Ruger #1 (.280 Rem) on the right was my most recent purchase in big game legal levers. I think it will be my antelope rifle again this year.



Back in 1960 or 1961 there were a couple of these under the Christmas tree - Ithaca Model 49 rifles (.22 Short/Long/Long Rifle). Brothers still have theirs but mine got away from me in the summer of '69. I spent several years looking for a replacement and found this one a couple years back. It was in exceptionally good condition with an excellent trigger - better than the trigger on most bolt guns when they come from the factory. The price was ridiculously low, too. Had it at the range last weekend and was popping clay pigeons at 100 yards with the iron sights, hitting about 1 of 5 and (very) narrowly missing the others. Kept shooting just under at 6:00 because I had to bury the target under the front sight a tad to get the right elevation. If the rear sight was more finely adjustable I would have been hitting much more often. Very fun gun that goes to the range almost every time I do, to kill time popping pigeons while my bolt guns cool down.

The Savage M1899/99. It handles like an English shotgun and handles cartridges that shoot much flatter than the Marlin and Winchester and for that matter, any other lever gun. It's pretty much the only lever gun that can handle pointy bullets with the exception of that God awful ugly Browning rifle. It is the Patrician of lever action rifles.

Would have to be my Turnbull '86 in 50-110 WCF.

Gunner, do you run BP-equivalent loads in that?

No Sir, I run the 525 gr Cast Performance WFNGC bullets to 1855 fps with RL-15.

There is no question that my favorite lever gun is the Savage 99. For many years that was a .308 FW version (pre-mil) with another in .250-3000 EG form as a sentimental favorite. In recent years I've find I most often choose reach for an EG model in .358 that I aquired a few years ago.

My first lever gun (in fact the first rifle I personally bought) was a Marlin 336 Texian (straight grip) in .35 Remington. It was replaced a few years later by another Texian Model in .44 Magnum. I still have a fondness for the straight grip Marlins.

I was never a real fan of the Winchester 94 until I first aquired a BB version in .375 Win. It's probably more the .375 round more than the rifle, but I've grown quite fond of that rifle as well.

The .22 caliber twin of the 94, the 9422 is my all-time favorite rimfire lever gun. Most seem to prefer the Marlin 39, but I've owned both and find the Winchester to be mre accurate and better handling. Just a personal view.

A gun that has always appealed to me (although I've never owned on) is the Winchester 95. The only "fault" is that it has top ejection making scoping it diffecult at best. A shame for a gun chambered in the longer ranged .30-06. My eyes, at least, just aren't good enough to take advantage of that range with open sights.

For a true "heavy hitter" lever rifle, I'd really like to own Teddy's "lion medicine", a Winchester 95 in .405, but have settled on one just as good.....the Marlin 1895 in .45-70. Mine is the straight grip early version that when loaded with heavy loads would handle any animal on the planet (although I'd be damned careful if I ever faced an elephant....even with heavy loads).

I've never really thought of myself as a "lever action guy" even though I am an admitted Savage 99 fanatic, but I somehow find that a fair share of space in the gun room is taken up by various lever action rifles.

1894-C
1895-GS
336-Y

All New Haven.

I had 8 of them and now it is down to 4, but I think the most pleasing one is my Winchester 9422M.

Straight to the Nuclear Option!!!

99-A 250-3000 with a stove hot load of H4895 and 87gr Speer HotCor

Winchester 94 Legacy. 30-30 is a keeper!

Sherwood

You can't kill an elk with no stinkun terdy terdy!!!

just because I have had it longest my Winchester BB 375. nothing I have ever shot with it has needed second helpings.
and that's from yotes to moose with a blackie thrown in. I generally don't shoot what I don't eat but the blackie had nasty designs on my sweet not so young body.
next or maybe a tie is my JM guide gun in 45-70. hands down that is my favorite cartridge. then a savage 99 of any flavor.
I have 2 GG's and 2 99's so they are close.
oh the heck with it !! if it has a lever it makes my sticker peck out!

From what I have read from the gun gurus, 30-30 bullets just bounce off deer and elk. It's way to under powered to kill anything.

Its cool you elk hunt with a lever gun.

I've had a few favorites, among them a '92 in .38-40 and a '95 in .405 both of which I owned back in high school. I gave my mom the .38-40 and my dad talked me in to selling the .405. I had about 30 lever actions at the time but those were the two I shot most.

At the end of college I bought a '94 trapper in .30-30. That was a fun gun.

After that I switched to Marlin "cowboy" models. I had a .38-55, a .32 H&R mag, and a .45-70. For a few years I shot a stainless steel Marlin guide gun in .45-70.

Every one of those Marlins was capable of MOA accuracy from the bench if scoped and fed ammo it liked. That's pretty impressive IMHO.

Today my only lever action is a late 70s Winchester 94 big bore in .375 Winchester. Inch and a quarter at 100 yards with iron sights. A local gunsmith installed a 1" decelerator and did a trigger job, both of which help a lot. My buddy Mike, a gunsmith, added a taller front sight so I could use a Williams receiver sight.

Tom

back when they first came out fav was mod 94 375win took 2 moose, 1 black bear, 1 brown bear and many deer. The 250pp performed perfectly and was very accurate. Then winchester dropped the 250 was never happy with the 200pp both in performance and accuracy, couldn't find a bullet to reload that was on par with the 250 so sold the rifle, will always regret that especially now that kodiak makes a 250. Swithed to the 356win, took several moose, 1 brown bear at and a lot of deer would have no reservations having it if charged by a brownie again. Had great success with the 220 peer and the kodiak 250 the 250pp didn't expand even on brown bear/moose unless shoot in shoulder. Recently switched back to the mod 71 win, have a new prodution and an older one converted to carbine. Always loved the rifle but until recently wasn't aware of any good bullets that would expand on deer but still tough enough for a close encounter with a brownie. After extensive testing have settled on the 250 woodleigh, outstanding accuracy and perfomance. Recovered 2 from moose shoulders, perfect performance! Use peep sights on all my levers.

I'm a Winchester fan myself, I say my favorite is my model 94 30-30 AE with a peep sight. My close second is Winchester model 88 in 308!

336 ss ltd stainless walnut 35 guidegun.

My favs are grandpa's 1895 Winchester '06, a Marlin 30TK .30-30, and a Marlin 1894 "The limited" .44 mag with a 16" barrel.

Mark, I'm strongly considering have the .30-30 rebored to .356 Winchester. I'd love hear more of your experiences with this round.

my favorite lever rifle is a Winchester 1886 in 45-70 with full octagon barrel. the action is full of grease and the outside finish is worn but still has traces of case hardening on the receiver. I shot some mild loads in it, cleaned it and put it back into the safe. this rifle has some historical value being marked CGH 1933 on the butt.

Bad idea. The .307, .356, and .375 are on a slightly different action with beefed up sidewalls to handle the extra pressure. If you look down on one from above you'll see a bulge / beefed up area where the locking lugs ride which is not present on the standard model 94s.

If you want to mess around with a std .30-30 action, .38-55 is probably easiest. Either .30-30 or .38-55 could be necked to .35 ... it's been done. Stick with standard pressure.

An option would be to look into the ".35 Lever Power". Never seen one, read about it, intrigued. Brass is formed from a shortened .303 British or .30-40 Krag case.

It's going to get pretty expensive. I think you'd be ahead spending the ridiculous cost for a factory .356.

Tom

I had Wild West guns work over my 1895 45-70 to a guide gun, before those existed. It has a mat chrome finish, shortened barrel 18-1/2" upgraded recoil pad (Pachmayer decelerator) and XS sights. Nice rifle. I prefer the pistol grip shooting a hot 45-70 load I prefer buffalo bore 430 gr hc.

In addition I like my 1894's in 357 Mag, 44 Mag, and 45 Colt.
My other favorite is the 336 in 35 Remington. Plus some others that I can't really see getting rid of.

A 99 without a doubt!!!
Have a few.
Cheers

Except he is talking about a marlin. Simple rebore.

.

Marlin is a simple rebore as mogwai said above. I agree with Tom on a Winchester, I would not do it. JES has done dozens of Marlins with no issues.

The only one I have ever owned...Marlin 1894. I had the .357 Magnum. Wish I had it back.

BROWNING 1895, 30.06, USED IT FOR ALL OF MY DEER HUNTING FOR 25 YEARS, UNTIL I COULDN'T SEE THE SITES ANYMORE. EASIEST POINTING FASTEST LEVER I'VE EVER HAD. USING A MARLIN 1895 GUIDE GUN 45-70, ALMOST AS GOOD AS THE BROWNING BUT I HAVE A SCOPE ON IT.

Mine is a Rossi Puma .38 / .357. It has a 16" barrel. I am getting old and can't see the sights too well so I had a peep sight put on it. I really shoots now out to about 100 yards with almost any .357 load. A friend of mine watched me shoot it on one of our "shootout" weekends during the summer when there is not any game to chase. He wanted it badly so I screwed up and gave it to him on a trade. (He is a good friend!) He decided he didn't like the peep sight so much so I talked him into trading me back for a new Rossi with the safety that I bought as fast I could. Got lots of nice levers but this is my favorite and the one that almost got away.

#1: Savage 99F .308 (does just about everything)
#2: Winchester 94 Ranger .30-30 (first rifle I hunted with)
#3: to be determined, want list includes a BLR 270WSM and an Marlin 1895

BLR is my favorite followed closely behind is a '99 .300 Savage. If I had a Finnwolf it would be first.

Mine is a Rossi M92 Stainless, round barrel, .357 magnum. Goes with me to my Northern BC bush camp for fun and peace of mind.


Flashlight, fire extinguisher, bear spray and rifle. Pretty much covers my needs for things that go bump in the night.

I am a lefty, so a lever is an easy gun to shoot.
I'm also old enough to have lived through the lever action guns i saw growing up and used in the field and deer woods.
Model 64 30-30, Model 94 30-30, 39A 22
336 35rem, 88 in 338-08, 99 358.

That 358 in a 99R is a rare one. Looks like a dandy too.