Which Cowboy action rifle?

[Tony-c]

I fancied a henry, but for 1500 etc the tube loading seemed just too much like hard work

[Dougan]

The finger guard certainly could do with some work, it is barely big enough to get my fingers into and the edges although not sharp are 'cleary defined'

1894C.jpg

It doesn't look too bad...it's got a lighter wood color and more detail than mine.

The finger guards are small; I only use a couple of fingers in mine...the beauty of the marlin is that you can trick and slick them (lighter hammer spring helps), and even after slicking, the more you use them the easier the action gets...no exaggeration; I could use mine with my little finger now.

[Tony-c]

yup, mine cycles with little finger, ruger hammer spring and federal primers, or the woolf trigger spring kit if your rich :)

polish and radius etc the finger lever detent plunger, change spring, reprofile and polish the hammer, polish and work on internals, inspect underside of lifter, polish and inspect the safety block, releive some pressure from the safety mechanism that acts on the sear

jobs a goodun

[Mike357]

Welcome to GR Ovenpaa. They are great fun, cheap to run and pretty bombproof. That Marlin you have picked looks to be in great nick. Shall we see you at The GR Nationals ?

[ovenpaa]

Well that is one Marlin 1894 dismantled and reassembled about a dozen times. I now have a far greater understanding for how it works, what is good and what is not so good design wise and a reasonable idea of how to smooth things out.

Next thing is to find some dies, source some consumables and get to it. Time for another thread.

[Sim G]

Not being an under lever shooter this is not an area I know a great deal about other than getting my hands on the occasional rifle to plink with, so I am interested in peoples opinions as to the best choice of new or less than three years old under lever rifle make and cartridge for general target shooting indoors and outdoors and out to 100 yards.

I so wish I'd seen this thread when it started....

Now I've had a lever gun or two in my time and there are a couple of fine guns that people have neglected to mention.

The Uberti 1873 Winchester is a lovely, lovely rifle. One of the Special Sportings with a 24" barrel and walnut pistol grip is really exquisite. Mine was in .357 that would stay in the black at 200. Expensive, but one of the slickest guns going out of the box. American CAS shooters love them. There are a number used at top comps that have fired 50000 + rounds.

There are new "Winchesters" around. Made by Miroku and the way they should have done in the first place, fit a pistol cartridge into the 92, not the 94 frame. There is even a real natty 16" barreled, pistol grip stocked, take down model!!!

Marlin? I would have told you to stay away from the Remington versions. One thing to remember, Marlin as a rifle is gone. What remains is a trade mark that someone has put on an inferior product....

[BestDrugDoc]

I have an older Marlin 1894c .357/38.

Very pleased with it - but so much more accurate with .357 mag than .38 - I only use factory ammo though.

I wonder if other people find that. the .38 gets a powder scorch type mark down the side of the cartridge. Not being a reloader or up with these things, I am wondering if that is normal? Is it to do with the shorter length cartridge?

Also there is a little screw on the side of the receiver that is apt to fall out with use - new ones seem to cost a fair bit!

Joss

[David TS]

I fancied a henry, but for 1500 etc the tube loading seemed just too much like hard work

£1500?

A Big Boy is under £1,000 tongueout

[Tony-c]

No match 1500 you wally

[Blu]

The 100/200/300 yard gallery rifle event has people using 358 pointy rifle bullets.

I know you know what you're doing Mag; but I feel compelled to point out to anyone who may not know, that pointed bullets would need loading singly, and should not be loaded into the tube where the point will be against the primer of the round in front...

Dougan, don't know if you are aware or if you are allowed to have them but there is a pointed bullet made specifically for under lever rifles. Those would be the Hornady FTX (flexitip) bullets. My father in law uses them and they are very accurate and flat shooting, they come in all the under lever calibers.

Blu