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.

I weighed a couple of mine out of curiosity. My savage 99f with 4 rounds weighs 7 pounds, my 92 with 10 rounds of 44 magnum cartridges weighs 7 pounds 1 ounce and my m94 with 6 rounds a 2x7 scope weighs 7 pounds 10 ounces.

The m94 feels much better without a scope, the m92 feels the most trim and balanced.

Thank you all. Marlin fan and they seem to weigh in a bit heavier than the winchester 94 or savage 99, have had a couple of winchester's and go back to Marlin, may have to try a Savage though

I have 4 Marlin centerfires from .357 to .45/70 and they weigh from 7.3lb (1894C) to 8.8lb (1895SS and 30AS). All have scopes.

I re-weighed my Savage 99F .300 Savage with a Leupold Vari-X lll 1.5-5x20 and came up with 7 pounds 3 ounces this time. My digital fishing scale bounced between 7 pounds 3 and 4 ounces, but settled in on the 3.

Then again, you could go a different route and try one of these:

Got too be the ugliest Lever Action ever made.
I remember when they released them. Couldn’t believe anyone would actually buy one. 🤠

I have a Marlin 1894 in 44 mag that I replaced the barrel with a light weight octagon one and cut the magazine tube back to 5 rounds. I never put more that 5 rounds in a rifle anyway, and that saves some weight too. I have a Williams receiver sight on it and it makes a very well balanced woods rifle. I weighed it the other day since this thread got me wondering and it came in at 6 pounds 8 ounces. I actually didn't do any of this work to lighten the rifle but was replacing the barrel due to an accuracy problem, and I'm not talking about 3 inch groups. I talking about 14 inch groups. You could look down the bore and the rifling just shimmered. Ive only seen one other barrel do that and it wouldn't shoot either. Any way it turned into a great cary gun.

I bought one in 22LR. It was on closeout at Sportsman's Warehouse. Yep, it's ugly. but it's also pretty functional. As my camp gun, I keep a light mounted on it. I have adjusted the stock in and out depending upon how cold it was and how bulky my clothing was.