I'm really wanting to do some predator calling with a vintage lever rifle with a peep sight. So far it looks like my options are a Winchester 1892 or model 65 in .218 Bee or 25-20. Also Marlin chambered .218 Bee as well I think?
Any other options or experience with what I'm wanting to do?
Thanks.

.

Don't overlook the 32-20, it's more commonly available and easy to reload. My rifles are quite accurate and death on ground squirrels and assorted varmints.

or the 250 Savage, aperture sights are traditional for this rifle

the 250-3000 can get 3100fps with 75g bullets, plenty for flat shooting out to 200 yds, plus you can use pointy bullets! I'd be no good with open sights, so I need to be scoped.

Browning M53 32-20.

Savage 99 in 22 Hi Power or a Marlin 219 Zipper.

How about a 1921 vintage 1892 TAKEDOWN in .25-20 in high condition?

There's vintage and there's vintage.

Not too many years ago, Marlin offered 1894s in .218 bee, .25-20, .32 H&R Mag, and I think .32-20. .357, in current production, wouldn't be a bad choice. Henry offers a few lever actions in .327 Federal.

Older guns .. yeah, Winchester '92s and Browning reproduction '92s in .218 bee, .25-20, and .32-20.

A Winchester '94 in .25-35 would be a good choice. Truth is, a .30-30 is a good varmint cartridge as well.

I've spent quite a lot of time with the .25-20. My father has an old Winchester '92 and his grandfather had a Savage (23?) bolt action. I shot them a fair bit when I was in grade school. Dad doesn't take good care of his guns so the old '92 is in rough shape. The Savage is in my eldest cousin's hands. It's been well cared for. I hope to "liberate" it some time if only just to borrow it and do some load work. I've got a good stock of brass and bullets on hand. I killed 3 black bear with the Savage and one with the Winchester before I was 10. Think my cuz killed one with the Savage as well. Grandpa (great grandpa) would trap them and have us kids do the final execution.

Tom

How small?

.17-22/250

If you can find a savage 99 in 22 Hi-Power with a good bore and a receiver peep, that would be a classy rig.

I know. I have one. I also have a nice Marlin 1894 in 218 Bee and a custom Marlin 336 in 219 Donaldson Wasp. The 22 caliber centerfire levers are cool!

T.S.

Thanks for all the great input fellas, A buddy offered to sell me a Winchester 92 in 25-20 that I'll probably jump on. Any load/bullet suggestions would be great. Does anyone know if a Lyman 21 peep sight off a Win 94 will fit the 92?

Also I'm striking out on reloading components with the usual sources, any recommendations?

Bill here, What about the Browning levers? 223, 22-250, etc. Just a thought, not really too classic, or vintage though! They shoot good though? The ones that I've had. Bill🐾👣🐾👣

I bought a big batch of reloading supplies and gun parts and there are some 25-20 bullets in the batch. I'll be receiving them soon, you can PM and I'll let you know what I find.

it doesn't need to be a small caliber, 357 mag is good to 100 yards. I have a fantasy of thumping a coyote with my 1894 marlin in 357. I converted the sights to skinner ghost ring. while I love them for non moving shots, I think I prefer the buckhorns for moving shots. YEAH I think you should do it, I want to set up a stand in thick cover like I would for a shot gun but use the 1894 instead.

Dan, is that a selfie?

T.S.

what have you got...………..bob

when i call varmints sometimes its kinda nasty so i don`t like to use my Savage 99`s so if i was going to use a lever rifle i would just buy a new Browning BLR 223 or a 22-250 if you think you need more than one shot. but for me a built a 220 swift on a Ruger #1 with a Nightforce scope on it ,i use 60 gr. Nosler Partitions so i don`t ruin the hides with big holes anymore ,this rifle rides in the truck all winter with me and never comes out of truck tel spring ,i live in Northern Minnesota rifle always works just fine ,no matter the temperture, coyotes sometimes die hard so this year i went to shooting a 220 Swift. my Ruger #1 220 Swift shoots the 60 gr. Nosler partitions about 3500 fps + 3/4 inch at 100 yards right away off the bench, so i just load and shoot critters now and said good enough.

Uhhhhhhhhhhh, no. But I do smile a lot.

My Marlin 94 in .25-20. Started life as a .25-20 Marlin, but the bore was a mess. Relined and chambered in the Winchester cartridge. It do OK I guess.



Fart'n around, burning ammo for giggles on my hind legs near about as fast as I could flap that lever thingy and then reload.



If a fella was interested in a few of these I could probably be talked out of some....unsized and not lubed. Ya see, I can make more and it's no big deal. Ideal 257283 weighs about 85 grains in 30:1 and a wee bit less with harder alloys.



And I could mebbe be convinced to part with a little brass in the event of a national emergency. Maybe even some J-bullets for the old warhorse...anything is possible.

Bump

Savage chambered to 99 in 22/250 for a while. They are not all that common and can be a bit pricey but they are out there.

I bought a Bubba'd 99 take down in 22 High Power and rebarreled it to 219 Zipper which I use for much the same purpose as the OP suggests. I used a 1:8 twist so I can also shoot heavier bullets to duplicate the 22HP.

I came across 400 pieces of brass and ordered 500 of the 60 gn hdys so doin ok now. Ran 50 rds through it today, most fun I’ve had shootin in awhile!

Congrats on finding the brass. Starline does offer 32-20 brass and many are using it to form 25-20 brass. Over on the Single Action forum they have a group buy going for a 25 caliber 73 grain bullet mold. It's a Mihec mold and can be had in either gas check of plain base and with hollow point pins so you can cast a solid or an HP. With the large HP pins, cast of range scrap and powder coated I bet it would be a great varmint disrupter. Cast as a solid and water dropped to up the BHN it should work great on edible small game.

I've got the Browning 53 in 32-20 and the 65 in 218 Bee. Both are a hoot. I wish Browning had made one in 25-20.

Enjoy your new rifle. Small bore levers are tons of fun.

With the 24" .25 caliber barrel burning less than 20 grains of powder it's almost like it's suppressed. No recoil, muzzle jump or flash at all.

With some light loads you could easily get subsonic. I'd be tempted to try some Trailboss powder.