doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion Classic & Custom Single Barreled Sporting Rifles @ doublegunshop.com Older Lever - 1871, 1886, others?

I and thinking of a older lever gun with some old knock down. Maybe a Win .348, 45/7 or 45/90. I also like the 444 Marlin, but maybe in an older lever gun.

Anyone gone this route?

What do you want to knockdown? Elk? Bear? Hogs?

I have a Marlin 1895 (45-70) that's a nice piece or work. Also a 1955 Marlin 336 in 35 Rem., not so much knockdown but fun to shoot.

Me

Ballards are lever guns. I don't know about knockdown power but they get the job done


Marlin's beat Winchesters every time if you have to do the multishooter.

Rob -- I dunno. Anything disagreeable, but also paper and silhouettes. Just wanna punch big holes.

Nice moose. Nice gun. Cartridge?

Less knockdown but plenty of ability nonetheless.



I love the old lever guns. Single shots or multishots

In that case, look at the .38-40 and .44-40 lever guns. There are lots of old ones out there, and they are just a blast to shoot (yes, bad pun and all). I don't really know why I like them so much, but I do. I can load the tube with a dozen or more rounds and just bang away at whatever. They are surprisingly accurate and yet cheap and easy to shoot. It's nothing to shoot up 100 rounds of ammo in a couple of hours of shooting. Sort of like a giant .22, but the big bullets ring the gongs pretty well and punch holes that are easy to see.

Thanks. Tasty one it was too. The cartridge was the good ol' .45-70, loaded with black and paper patched bullets.

I like my .405 Model 95 Winchester Take down.

1886 Browning custom ,with a NL bull [img:center]https://imgur.com/lAS5cg6[/img]

CJ Dawe....great picture and that looks like a wonderful hunt, congratulations!! Thanks for sharing.

I stopped hunting with my modern bolt action rifles quite a few years ago, and switched to old leverguns and single shots from the 1800's. I have taken deer with .45-70, .40-60 Marlin, .38-55, .32-40, and 38-40 in both styles of gun.
I hunt with just old single shot rifles, and I'm still hoping to bring down an elk with an old single shot.

Couldn't find the image my nephew shot out in the field, but this mule der was killed with my Ballard in .38-55:

Nice buck!

I'd love to here about your loads for the .38s, esp the 38-40 and how it performed on game.

Side-Lever Roller inline .50 cal muzzleloader

Nice bull indeed. The 1886 -- what caliber?

Very cool. Probably the penultimate big bore lever gun.

Thanks guys ,the gun is chambered in 45-70 handloaded Woodleigh's at 2000 fps physically rolled him arse over head

Curious, is that large lever screw for tool free removal of lever and bolt for cleaning from the breech? Great idea.

Greg, that is exactly what the screw is for. I use blackpowder (46 gr) and a wad and a 250 gr Lyman flatnosed bullet.

The screws are sold on ebay for an exorbitant price, but they work really well. The original screw lives under the buttplate in the meantime.

I have a very low SN Marlin 1881 in 45-70 that's a cool old rifle. 28" octagon barrel and very heavy, that's fun to shoot. Killed a few whitetails with it in my youth.

Of course, I only shoot the low power loads in it, due to it's age and design. It was actually the first commercially successful lever action rifle chambered in 45-70.

I've seen a few for sale on some of the gun sale/auction sites.

Brent, my load for deer with the 1889 Marlin in .38-40 was 18 grs. of 2400 with a 170 gr. gas check bullet. I'm not sure why, but the reaction from thee deer on impact was the most spectacular kill I've ever seen. I was 80 yds. from the buck, and he froze when he spotted me. I sat there waiting with my sights on his chest, hoping he'd turn. I finally decided if he turned, he might simply bolt and I'd miss a chance, so I took the slightly angled shot on his chest. When I shot I saw the buck come straight up on his hind legs and land on his back. Never kicked or made any movement after hitting the ground.
I've had deer I shot with a perfect behind the shoulder hit with my old .30-06 that took off running, and acted as if it was a bad hit. But no matter what I've killed, nothing reacted like that buck hit with the .38-40 did.

Thanks Val. That is a lot of help. I have yet to shoot anything other than targets with my 3840. Maybe someday I will though.

I understand what you mean by the reaction to that frontal shot. I shot a small Book a few years ago with a 54 flintlock. Had the same sort of angle issue that you did but was much closer and using a load that moved at about 1800' per second. The buck did not rear up per say, he just rolled backwards in a reverse somersault. It was like a TV shooting where the bad guy goes flying backwards.

I'm guessing you're onto something Brent, as it pertains to the angle of entry. I figured it wasn't simply bullet knockdown power lifting the buck up and over on his back. More likely that he simply reacted to being hit at that angle and died as he was on his hind legs. But it was pretty impressive, regardless.
My niece's husband was with me and was hunting with his Savage 110 in .243 caliber. He looked at his gun, and said, "Maybe I should rethink this modern bolt action?"
His reaction at seeing the buck flip backwards shouldn't be printed here. But what he said was hilarious.

I too have experienced that same reaction, but only when the bullet (or piece thereof) hit the spinal column. Angle of entry doesn't matter as long that big nerve bundle is hit.

Any leads on a Marlin M1894 .44-40 or .38-40 barrel would be appreciated. Very early gun.

Copy and paste these, not great, but they are original
Mike

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Marlin-1894-94-38-40-Round-Barrel-20-Good-Shape-Original-Carbine/152858831997?hash=item239718ac7d:g:XaMAAOSw8vNaVBjd

Corrected Removed one of the links

Both of those links seem to go to the same place for me.

Also, the fourth paragraph looks like an octagon barrel but the description and the rest of the papers look like it is round.

I'd like to think my ol' 95 has sent at least a couple of tigers to their great reward. It is marked Lyon & Lyon Calcutta and has the requisite British proofs.

https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_from=R4...97&_sacat=0

Hope he needs a carbine barrel, as that's what both are.

I Just located TWO 99% Model 71s. One is as factory with all accessories - sights, hood, etc. Including a set of .348 dies and one hundred primed brass. $2400

The other is a custom Model 71 in .375 Alaskan - this is a 348 Ackley Improved expanded to take a .375 bullet. It has a heavier barrel and all surfaces are cleaned up and nicely rust blued. It is 100% - looks like it has never been carried and no handling marks at all. $2500

Hard to choose. The original condition gun has collector potential, the the custom gun is very cool and would be 'a hoot to shoot'.

Mybe I should get both?

Chukarman,
That would be a super easy choice for me. I'd take the first one without a second thought over the second one.

Yeah, I'm thinking maybe I'll get BOTH. I have a couple days to think about it.

I'm with Brent. I'd take the first gun without question. The 2nd gun might be fun to shoot, but if you tire of it, it will be a lot tougher to find the next buyer at that price. The first gun will likely continue to go up in value if cared for.

I'm convinced. This is a 'Deluxe' rifle in nearly mint shape and comes with 100 rounds of .348 Win ammunition. I called the seller and we agreed to a deal. Sorry, Brent. I know the pain of missing out on a gun that you have been searching for.

that .348 will kill anything that moves. Good choice! Now, what style of rear sight does it have? The receiver sight or does it ride on the bolt? The latter can have some durability issues so, as I heard it, the receiver sight was used on later versions because it held up better. Not sure if this is true, but that's the story from someone that had one.

As for missing out, don't grieve for me, I'm about to put down a bid on something I really "need".

Brent -- the rifle has a Williams rear peep sight mounted on the side of the receiver. It comes with the original factory sights and hood for the front ramp sight. Also has factory sling swivels.

I can't remember what receiver sight came with the later rifles. Might have been Lyman but I don't recall. May have been Williams.

I turned into a Marlin man, so I lost track of Winchesters, but there was a day when I held one in my hands and for just $1000, it could have been, should have been, mine.

Brent, I did the same thing. I found a minty Model 71 that was a last year gun in NIB type condition, and at $1000. Since I wasn't into them I foolishly passed on it, and called a friend I thought might appreciate it. He ran right over and bought it, and then turned around and sold it for double the money.
I got that, "why didn't I do that?" thought, and still regret not doing the same thing!

The Williams isn't a bad sight, but I'd keep my eyes peeled for a Lyman or Redfield receiver sight to go on such a fine rifle. Either would be a great improvement to the 71.

I may have a Lyman 48 around here somewhere. I may find it when I am packing to move to Arizona. I definitely don't want to be drilling any holes in this gun...

It is my understanding that these guns were sold with either the bolt-mounted peep sight or the receiver-mounted sight as factory equipment. Maybe it was an option, or maybe I entirely misremember, but there should be a "correct" make and model for that particular rifle.

I guess my point was that the gun should be drilled and tapped for one or the other type of sight.

I believe that the factory side mounted peep sight was a Lyman 56. Most of the DELUXE models I see have this option. I do not believe that the bolt mounted peep was stable and Winchester may have changed to the side mount unit partway through production. Just a guess.

C:

I don't know if this information is still good, but try checking with Ken Bean; they call him the "Sight Man". His company's name is "Sights and Antique Guns." He is located at: 383 Yorkana Road, York, PA 17406, (717) 755-9070.

He always had peep sights for the various Winchester lever actions when I was still running into him at gun shows. (I don't go to them anymore, as the things I'm interested in almost never turn up at the local shows).

Rem

I did have a question about an 1894 Winchester.
Amazing what a good night's rest will do.
I believe I'm going to pass on the one the local gun store has and wait for one to come along in better, more original condition.
Yall have a great Sunday.

I was at the shop today to do the California required BS paperwork. Turns out the gun comes with 400 rounds of ammo loaded with 57 grains of Reloader 22 and 220 grain Barnes bullets (flat tip). The brass is all WW Super and looks new or once fired.

Also have the apeture for the Lyman 56 rear sight, original dovetailed, adjustable notch sight, and hood for the front ramp. Also 2 sets of original detachable sling swivels - - one set 1-1/4" wide and one set about an inch wide. Considering the conditon, extra ammo and accessories, I think I did pretty well on this deal.