Lever Action What Caliber

I agree, the henry is just wicked slick and well made for the low price point. I bought one for my youngest brother's first 22. That was 15 years ago, and untold thousands of rounds. Still functioning perfectly. I bought a frontier model with the octagonal barrel a couple years ago. Nice gun a little more fullsized than the H001, but still without the gaudy gold reciver (imho).
Hey if you want an odd ball, I have a Winchester 1895 in 30-06, lever action but with pointed bullet capability. Not as cool as a Russian 1895, but prettier.
 
The Browning BL.22 is a sweet thing Zappa but sure has a different price break than most lever .22's. It's on my list just cause it's fun.
I am surprised that the .44 mag has better ballistics than a 30/30 at under 100 yards. Live and learn I guess.
So many guns and so little time. I have always thought you just needed one gun for each purpose but I keep coming across New purposes. I don't have a good woodchuck rifle but now I have an invite to upstate NY for some Chuck dumping. Thinking of a heavy barreled .243 cause it will be deer legal. I'm sure the glass for it will cost more than the gun.(sigh)
 
I can choose from a stable of lever-action hunting rifles. Winchester 94's in .38/55, .32 Win Special, .30/30 Win. How about a Winchester Model 64, called "The Deer Rifle" by Winchester. Mine's in .32 Win Special. A Winchester Model 71 in .348 Win. will take a moose or grizzly. My Model 1873 in .44/40 is effective deer medicine. I know of many deer killed by my uncle and cousins with a Winchester Model 92 carbine in .25/20, but I haven't used my Model 92 rifle in the same caliber to deer hunt. Marlins in .30/30 Win and a Stevens Model 425 in .35 Rem. help to fill up my stable of lever rifles for hunting. Decisions, decisions.

I nearly always reach for a Model 94 in .32 Win Special first. My father gave me this gun 40 years ago and it has value far beyond dollars.
Winchester, Marlin, Savage. Henry, Uberti, Ruger, Browning and Mossberg all make lever action rifles. The fun part is getting to make the choice.
As far as caliber is concerned, you can't argue with success and the .30/30 has to be the king of deer cartridges. Have fun.
 
I was at Shooters Warehouse today in Tewksbury and saw several of the new Rossi 92's on the rack.
A few .44mag 20" stainless models, a blued .357 and a blued .45LC Trapper 16".
 
I have a Sako Finnwolf in .243 with a 10 power Weaver on it that was devastating to the woodchuck population in PA/NJ when I used to handload and chuck hunt.
-mike
 
Nicole said:
Oh, also, we have a lever chambered in .444 Marlin. Overkill for deer, but you're welcome to test that too and see if it floats your boat. :)
Click to expand...

I bought a .$$$ (.444) a few years back as a go to hunting gun. I can load it down, load it up. I love lever guns for hunting with ghost ring sights. I waited till i could get one without the microgroove barrel.

Boghog1 said:
You think .44 would work for Black bear?
Click to expand...

I want to say yes due to the close in distance and bears not being super huge around here. But I have never shot one so I can't comment past me guessing.

Id like to think if you can kill it with an arrow, a .44mag will work to.
 
fencer said:
I have a Marlin 336 in 30-30 and I am awfully fond of it.
Click to expand...

I've got one, too. Biggest POS I've ever bought brand new off the rack. Worse than a Taurus .45 ACP. ( Marlin should get an award for achieving the otherwise impossible in manufacturing a firearm that freaking bad. Seriously.) 5 rounds through it brand new and the safety fell off and the trigger started doing this dying fish floppy dance every time you cocked it. Against my better judgement I sent it back to be fixed instead of pushing it through a press break and hucking it in the woods.

It came back with the safety fixed, but the trigger was still flopping all over the place. A little research online revealed that the factory trigger is SUPPOSED to do this. Flop, flop, press, bang. Ummm... ok, dudes. So I ended up making a trigger for it. That worked for another five rounds before the loading spring got all funky and interfered with cocking it. So I tossed the damn thing behind a bureau for about 7 months until I finally got around to ordering a new loading spring. Went to install that and noticed that the trigger block spring was bent sideways. Figured I'd just ignore it.

Another five rounds and the trigger can't be pressed anymore due to the block spring.

So here we are at this point with a brand new gun that's needed a new trigger, loading spring, and trigger block spring, not to mention that the internal finish is crap. Little burs and dings all over the place.

And it was brand new.
 
Timber said:
I've got one, too. Biggest POS I've ever bought brand new off the rack. Worse than a Taurus .45 ACP. ( Marlin should get an award for achieving the otherwise impossible in manufacturing a firearm that freaking bad. Seriously.) 5 rounds through it brand new and the safety fell off and the trigger started doing this dying fish floppy dance every time you cocked it. Against my better judgement I sent it back to be fixed instead of pushing it through a press break and hucking it in the woods.

It came back with the safety fixed, but the trigger was still flopping all over the place. A little research online revealed that the factory trigger is SUPPOSED to do this. Flop, flop, press, bang. Ummm... ok, dudes. So I ended up making a trigger for it. That worked for another five rounds before the loading spring got all funky and interfered with cocking it. So I tossed the damn thing behind a bureau for about 7 months until I finally got around to ordering a new loading spring. Went to install that and noticed that the trigger block spring was bent sideways. Figured I'd just ignore it.

Another five rounds and the trigger can't be pressed anymore due to the block spring.

So here we are at this point with a brand new gun that's needed a new trigger, loading spring, and trigger block spring, not to mention that the internal finish is crap. Little burs and dings all over the place.

And it was brand new.
Click to expand...

Well them, guess I will have to do some more reading before I buy a lever gun.
 
Timber said:
I've got one, too. Biggest POS I've ever bought brand new off the rack. Worse than a Taurus .45 ACP. ( Marlin should get an award for achieving the otherwise impossible in manufacturing a firearm that freaking bad. Seriously.) 5 rounds through it brand new and the safety fell off and the trigger started doing this dying fish floppy dance every time you cocked it. Against my better judgement I sent it back to be fixed instead of pushing it through a press break and hucking it in the woods.

It came back with the safety fixed, but the trigger was still flopping all over the place. A little research online revealed that the factory trigger is SUPPOSED to do this. Flop, flop, press, bang. Ummm... ok, dudes. So I ended up making a trigger for it. That worked for another five rounds before the loading spring got all funky and interfered with cocking it. So I tossed the damn thing behind a bureau for about 7 months until I finally got around to ordering a new loading spring. Went to install that and noticed that the trigger block spring was bent sideways. Figured I'd just ignore it.

Another five rounds and the trigger can't be pressed anymore due to the block spring.

So here we are at this point with a brand new gun that's needed a new trigger, loading spring, and trigger block spring, not to mention that the internal finish is crap. Little burs and dings all over the place.

And it was brand new.
Click to expand...

Holy bad review Batman. I have a 30 year old Marlin that I bought used for like 300 bucks and it has been solid as a rock.

Well nothing left to do but put it in the Classifieds for like $1200 bucks. It has "upgrades".
 
I think the quality issues are very recent due to a merger or an aqisition where quality kinda suffered.

My marlin was purchased brand new 3 or 4 years ago and it is solid.
 
Timber said:
I've got one, too. Biggest POS I've ever bought brand new off the rack. Worse than a Taurus .45 ACP. ( Marlin should get an award for achieving the otherwise impossible in manufacturing a firearm that freaking bad. Seriously.) 5 rounds through it brand new and the safety fell off and the trigger started doing this dying fish floppy dance every time you cocked it. Against my better judgement I sent it back to be fixed instead of pushing it through a press break and hucking it in the woods.

It came back with the safety fixed, but the trigger was still flopping all over the place. A little research online revealed that the factory trigger is SUPPOSED to do this. Flop, flop, press, bang. Ummm... ok, dudes. So I ended up making a trigger for it. That worked for another five rounds before the loading spring got all funky and interfered with cocking it. So I tossed the damn thing behind a bureau for about 7 months until I finally got around to ordering a new loading spring. Went to install that and noticed that the trigger block spring was bent sideways. Figured I'd just ignore it.

Another five rounds and the trigger can't be pressed anymore due to the block spring.

So here we are at this point with a brand new gun that's needed a new trigger, loading spring, and trigger block spring, not to mention that the internal finish is crap. Little burs and dings all over the place.

And it was brand new.
Click to expand...

Was it is a JM stamped Marlin?? Or a REM stamped Marlin??

I have 2 JM stamped Marlins, from like the 50's & 70's and they are both flawless. One is a bolt gun in 22mag, and the other is a levergun in 44mag. Model 1894 SRC (Saddle Ring Carbine)

The older JM stamped Marlins are much better, nicer guns. Also both pre safety. I would never buy a REM stamped marlin, but would buy a JM stamped one in a heartbeat.
 
ntomsw said:
Was it is a JM stamped Marlin?? Or a REM stamped Marlin??

I have 2 JM stamped Marlins, from like the 50's & 70's and they are both flawless. One is a bolt gun in 22mag, and the other is a levergun in 44mag. Model 1894 SRC (Saddle Ring Carbine)

The older JM stamped Marlins are much better, nicer guns. Also both pre safety. I would never buy a REM stamped marlin, but would buy a JM stamped one in a heartbeat.
Click to expand...

Where do I find that info? The one thing that's catching my eye on the barrel is "WARNING: USE OF THIS FIREARM MAY BE HAZARDOUS TO YOUR HEALTH AND CAUSE YOU TO BLEED OUT OF YOUR EYEBALLS IN FITS OF RAGE"
 
Timber said:
Where do I find that info? The one thing that's catching my eye on the barrel is "WARNING: USE OF THIS FIREARM MAY BE HAZARDOUS TO YOUR HEALTH AND CAUSE YOU TO BLEED OUT OF YOUR EYEBALLS IN FITS OF RAGE"
Click to expand...

Right up by the receiver, on the left side of the barrel, you will see a small 'stamp.' It will either say JM with a circle, or REM with a circle. The Remington stamped Marlins/Remlins is after Remington bought out Marlin, and a lot of people claim that QC went way down hill.

Although supposedly it is starting to come back.


100_1068.jpg
 
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Right side = "REP" in an oblongish circle shape followed by a "T"
Left side = "3 E" on the lower end. "CG" higher up and closer to the reciever.

whywecanthavenicethings1.jpg

madeintheUSA.jpg
 
Timber said:
I've got one, too. Biggest POS I've ever bought brand new off the rack. Worse than a Taurus .45 ACP. ( Marlin should get an award for achieving the otherwise impossible in manufacturing a firearm that freaking bad. Seriously.) 5 rounds through it brand new and the safety fell off and the trigger started doing this dying fish floppy dance every time you cocked it. Against my better judgement I sent it back to be fixed instead of pushing it through a press break and hucking it in the woods.

It came back with the safety fixed, but the trigger was still flopping all over the place. A little research online revealed that the factory trigger is SUPPOSED to do this. Flop, flop, press, bang. Ummm... ok, dudes. So I ended up making a trigger for it. That worked for another five rounds before the loading spring got all funky and interfered with cocking it. So I tossed the damn thing behind a bureau for about 7 months until I finally got around to ordering a new loading spring. Went to install that and noticed that the trigger block spring was bent sideways. Figured I'd just ignore it.

Another five rounds and the trigger can't be pressed anymore due to the block spring.

So here we are at this point with a brand new gun that's needed a new trigger, loading spring, and trigger block spring, not to mention that the internal finish is crap. Little burs and dings all over the place.

And it was brand new.
Click to expand...
Just your luck I guess, 1 in a million, never heard a bad thing about a Marlin 30-30 .
 
Timber said:
Right side = "REP" in an oblongish circle shape followed by a "T"
Left side = "3 E" on the lower end. "CG" higher up and closer to the reciever.

View attachment 76852

View attachment 76851
Click to expand...

Ok maybe it was REP not REM.

I believe what you have there is a Remington made Marlin. There were a lot of issues in the beginning, but were suppose to be squared away by now.

What year is your Marlin/Remlin?

I believe anything like pre-2004 or 2005 should be good to go.


ETA: Yes, should be REP, not REM. Sorry about that. I was close. [laugh] Remingtons stamp is on the right side, a 'real' Marlin JM stamp is on the left side. That part I was right about.
http://www.marlinowners.com/forum/marlin-collectors/69414-jm-stamp.html
 
Last edited:
ntomsw said:
Was it is a JM stamped Marlin?? Or a REM stamped Marlin??

I have 2 JM stamped Marlins, from like the 50's & 70's and they are both flawless. One is a bolt gun in 22mag, and the other is a levergun in 44mag. Model 1894 SRC (Saddle Ring Carbine)

The older JM stamped Marlins are much better, nicer guns. Also both pre safety. I would never buy a REM stamped marlin, but would buy a JM stamped one in a heartbeat.
Click to expand...

So. How do I load it?
 
ntomsw said:
Ok maybe it was REP not REM.

I believe what you have there is a Remington made Marlin. There were a lot of issues in the beginning, but were suppose to be squared away by now.

What year is your Marlin/Remlin?

I believe anything like pre-2004 or 2005 should be good to go.


ETA: Yes, should be REP, not REM. Sorry about that. I was close. [laugh] Remingtons stamp is on the right side, a 'real' Marlin JM stamp is on the left side. That part I was right about.
JM stamp
Click to expand...

It has to be later than that. Unless my .444 was sitting around for a while I bought it brand new between 08 and 10 (foggy memory) and it is JM stamped.
 
There was also some talk about rifles being made in North Haven CT, which were suppose to be much better than the ones made out of Ilion NY.

With all of the problems you are having, even with fit and finish, I bet it is a Remlin.
 
[cerberus];3386235 said:
It has to be later than that. Unless my .444 was sitting around for a while I bought it brand new between 08 and 10 (foggy memory) and it is JM stamped.
Click to expand...

Interesting. Read that link I posted above. It speaks of some barrels still having the JM stamp on them. I don't believe you will find any new ones now off the shelf. They will all be stamped REP now. That barrel there could've been lying around or something.

Zappa will know more then me.
 
ntomsw said:
There was also some talk about rifles being made in North Haven CT, which were suppose to be much better than the ones made out of Ilion NY.

With all of the problems you are having, even with fit and finish, I bet it is a Remlin.
Click to expand...

Mine came out of North Haven, CT. Stamped on the barrel.
 

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