Lever action rifles

[Sakobav]

I was looking up Winchester model 88 lever action rifle

http://www.chuckhawks.com/winchester_88.htm.

Sako Finnwolf

http://www.theothersideofkim.com/index.php/ggps/8333/

http://www.griffinhowe.com/usedgun-rf.cfm


Just wondering what members experience are with such guns for example chuck hawks states that trigger was an issue and its recoil
http://www.chuckhawks.com/lever_action.htm

Found a link for top 7 Picks
http://hunting.about.com/od/toppicks/tp ... rifles.htm

Cheers

[HSharief]

Depends on what caliber. I have a Marlin in .357/.38, slicked it up a bit using tips online. Even in larger calibers the Marlin line seems to be the best, to me. The Italian replicas seem to be good too, but I think the largest they make is a 45, mostly for Cowboy action shooting.

No matter, what caliber or gun, the lever actions are a hoot to shoot.

[MoA]

I have used a few from a .22 lr to 45/70, while they are popular I dont personally own one.
The Italian and Brazilian (not sure) are very decent in terms of workmanship, and do offer good price/performance.

No experience with the Win 88 as yet though..

[Sakobav]

Sharief Bhai

Do post the picture of your Marlin..

MoA

I thought Savage had a one too..Which Italian or Brazilian brands makes such rifles?

Cheers

[TwoRivers]

Rossi makes a copy of the M92 Winchester in a number of pistol calibers, including the .480 Ruger. Legacy Sports imported them under their "Puma" brand name, though now they have switched to a higher priced Italian clone, under the same name. Not aware yet of any one else bringing in these Rossi rifles. Would be a shame if no one picks up these guns for import again. Cheers.

[timmy]

Here's my experience and opinions:

I've owned Marlins and Winchesters. The Marlin is, IMO, a much more crude action than anything from Winchester. Their chief claim to fame is the solid top receiver that will take a scope very easily. I've had a pair of 336s in .30-30 and a 1895 in .45-70, which my older son still has. These actions operate on a simple lever that prys the bolt back away from the breach. The bolt is unlocked by the first part of the lever travel by pulling the bolt lock down out of a notch in the back of the bolt.

The Winchester has an open topped receiver, but its more complex leverage system with moving lever pivot operates much more smoothly than the Marlin action.

Both of these old-style lever guns have a simple trigger-sear and hammer arrangement and, if there are problems with trigger pull, it is easily remedied with some judicious stoning of the sear-hammer engagement surfaces.

The Winchester 88 and the Sako Finnwolf are more akin to a modern semiautomatic rifle action. In these, a spiral slot and a pin work together in the bolt and bolt head to supply a twisting motion to the bolt head, which unlocks and locks the action. Neither has an external hammer and ignition is accomplished by striker, controlled by a sear.

The Savage 99 looks like one of the more modern 88/Finwolf designs, but it has dropping/tipping block that is similar to an old Spencer rimfire repeater, a Winchester 88 Shotgun, or a Wnchester model 12 shotgun. The idea is that the rear part of the bolt is drawn down from a locking abutment, and then the lever pulls the bolt back. You might think of it working similarly to an SKS semi auto, but upside down.

The hammerless designs have the advantage of a box (or, in some Savage 99s, a rotary) magazine, which permits spitzer style bullets that can't be used in the tubular magazines of the older lever guns.

The Browning BLR is like the 88 and Finwolf, except that it has an external trigger.

I can't speak to these later guns. I can imagine that the more complex ignition system might produce an unacceptable trigger, if attention was not paid to the manufacturing process. Winchester also had a 100 model automatic version of the 88 that looked pretty similar. Recoil in these would be more a function of the stock than anything else, IMO. (Granting, of course, that the cause of nasty recoil doesn't make it any less nasty.)

As far as the rest, I can tell you this: If you subscribe to the theory that recoil isn't much of an issue because you carry a gun a lot more than you shoot it, then the Marlin 1895 is for you. It is very light and handy -- a dream to carry. However, touching off one of these with 52 gr of 3031 behind a 400 gr Speer will give you ample opportunity to reassess and call into question such a notion. Whew!

[marksman]

I have shot with a friend's Savage 99 in cal. 300 Savage. It was as accurate as any bolt rifle I had shot till then. It grouped around 1.5" at 100 yds with any factory ammo and that was good enough for anybody. Very pleasant to shoot with negligible recoil. It also came with a spare 410 shot barrel, if I remember correctly. I wouldn't mind buying it if I came across one in good condition.
Marksman

[MoA]

My mistake... Argentinian: Rossi and Puma
Italy: Uberti

Savage Lever guns, no idea.

You were right at the first guess. Rossi is a Brazilian company. Mod

[cottage cheese]

I think the Savage Model 99 is fairly common this side... mostly in its .22 Savage HP avtar... I've come across many with the 410 barrel combo.... ok don't ask me about the 410 and PB thing... I've come across only one other in 30-30.

In 22 Savage HP... I think what made them popular-ish was the fact you could fire 22LR with adapters...not that I saw any adapters the worked well....also wondered how they procured .22LR shots on strength of the license?

Big fat strong action. Troublesome rotary. But a nice gun nonetheless.

Hopefully this is not hijacking the thread or going off topic... er... what can anyone tell me about the Winchester Model1886 in .33? .... all I know is that its an obsolete cartridge - anyone have more info that that?

Regards,
cc

[TwoRivers]

The .33 Winchester is the .45-70 case necked to take a 200 grain .338 bullet. Muzzle velocity was 2200 fps. It seemed to be one of the few American cartridges that actually delivered the advertised velocity; unless the rifle I chronographed was exceptional for the velocity it delivered. That put's it into the ballistic realm of the 8x56 M-S, 8x57IR; or 9x56 M-S, and 9x57 Mauser with lighter bullets. Pleasant enough to shoot, and quite effective. It delivered the flattest trajectory of all the cartridges the M86 was chambered for. It was popular with elk hunters in the West, and in Alaska.

It was quite popular for the larger North American big game; but the Model 1886 was not cheap, and the cheaper bolt actions were gaining popularity. Winchester replaced it with the more powerful .348 WCF,based on the larger .50-100 case, with a choice of three bullet weights, in the Model 71. This model action only differs from the M86 by having its locking bars at a slight angle, to ease extraction. With too much bolt thrust it starts to open slightly. Cheers.

[Sakobav]

Thanks folks for great posts

Best

[cottage cheese]

The .33 Winchester is the .45-70 case necked to take a 200 grain .338 bullet. Muzzle velocity was 2200 fps. It seemed to be one of the few American cartridges that actually delivered the advertised velocity; unless the rifle I chronographed was exceptional for the velocity it delivered. That put's it into the ballistic realm of the 8x56 M-S, 8x57IR; or 9x56 M-S, and 9x57 Mauser with lighter bullets. Pleasant enough to shoot, and quite effective. It delivered the flattest trajectory of all the cartridges the M86 was chambered for. It was popular with elk hunters in the West, and in Alaska.

It was quite popular for the larger North American big game; but the Model 1886 was not cheap, and the cheaper bolt actions were gaining popularity. Winchester replaced it with the more powerful .348 WCF,based on the larger .50-100 case, with a choice of three bullet weights, in the Model 71. This model action only differs from the M86 by having its locking bars at a slight angle, to ease extraction. With too much bolt thrust it starts to open slightly. Cheers.

Thank you tworivers...much appreciated...

regards,
cc