.38/.357 underlever recommendations

[LDC1982]

I have no experience of under lever type rifles and have an itch and an empty slot for a .38/.357 rifle.

Can anyone offer some input on what i should be looking out for and what a budget of £700-£800 will get me.

The rifle will be used as a range fun gun so no competitions just plinking steels and paper.

[Alpha1]

Winchester 94AE.

[DavidRees]

You might plan on it being a fun gun, but there's lots of fun to be had scoring 300 on a T&P1 target :)

Get a Marlin 1894, either .357 or .44. At your price point you may have to go for a 2nd-hand one, but that's not a bad thing. Look for the JM stamp on the barrel if you can. Either regular or microgroove barrel are fine; my microgroove 1894 .357 shoots incredibly tight groups with the GM 180gr Lead Truncated Cone bullet easily available from several major vendors...

Great fun to shoot with the original sights, peep-hole sights, or a scope.

Fairly easy to strip down for cleaning, and if you should need them, spare parts are available, even in the UK (google marlin spares).

Easily resellable if you decide it's time to part with it (though you probably won't!)

[Daryll]

You might plan on it being a fun gun, but there's lots of fun to be had scoring 300 on a T&P1 target :)

Get a Marlin 1894, either .357 or .44. At your price point you may have to go for a 2nd-hand one, but that's not a bad thing. Look for the JM stamp on the barrel if you can. Either regular or microgroove barrel are fine; my microgroove 1894 .357 shoots incredibly tight groups with the GM 180gr Lead Truncated Cone bullet easily available from several major vendors...

Great fun to shoot with the original sights, peep-hole sights, or a scope.

Fairly easy to strip down for cleaning, and if you should need them, spare parts are available, even in the UK (google marlin spares).

Easily resellable if you decide it's time to part with it (though you probably won't!)

+1 for this... I bought my Marlin 1894 in 1998 with my pistol compensation money. Still got it, and its still more accurate than I am after many thousands of rounds through it.

Daryll.

[dodgyrog]

If you do buy a Marlin DON'T get one made by Remington!

[Tony-c]

Yup thats bang on the money for a good used marlin. Get one slicked and with scope for that kind of money.

[LDC1982]

If you do buy a Marlin DON'T get one made by Remington!

How do you know if it's made by Remington? Should I look for a particular year of manufacture?

[Tony-c]

Older guns are better. Barrel will be stamped jm on the older better rifles

600 to 750 will get you something very good.

[ukrifleman]

Don't forget the Rossi M92's, they are very good value for money.

ukrifleman.

[channel12]

+1 on a Marlin, side eject, easy to fully strip and with the bolt removed simple to run a cleaning rod through from breach to muzzle.

And yes I bought mine using my pistol compensation money.
So I give up my dangerous 6 shot revolver and accquire an accurate 10 shot lever action carbine and world is a safer place.


The story is now Remington have finally got their act together but if you can find a JM marked Marlin go for it.