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Posted: 3/14/2012 5:06:57 PM EDT
My friend really wants a lever action for his first gun, he wants a .30-30 but I tried to tell him to gat a .357 so he can shoot it for less.
Anyways, what would be a good first lever action? If you're going to ask me about price then what you will suggest is too expensive a, |
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I have a marlin and its my goto thick woods deer rifle. It's accurate and haven't had any deer that I have shot with it go real far. Plus there isn't much recoil either.
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IMO the answer is Marlin, regardless of caliber. If you don’t reload, .357 is probably a more practical caliber, and is certainly much cheaper. If you reload, it doesn’t matter much. .30-30 is a better deer caliber, but .357 will also work within its range limitations.
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Winchester 1894 ––- pre- '64s are the most highly regarded, but a nice pre=safety AE if you want to mount a small optic.
A Marlin handles like a fat little club in comparison Either way, you'll have to shop used ––- new Winchesters are expensive, new Marlins are made by the Remington owner's group and QC has been shockingly bad But you should be able to score a decent Winchester AE for no more than 400- 450 bucks and a Marlin for perhaps a hundred bucks less |
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Rossi Rio Grande read about them for the money new not bad, accurate. and they strip down like a marlin.
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If your friends on a budget, he could browse the local LGS´s and classifieds for a good used Marlin or old Winchester in .30-30 and i suggest you help him look it over.
He can get lucky and find one for a good price, or not as LGS´s are often overprized but it´s worth a look. You know, sometimes people buy one for deer season and sell it after the season is over..... And if he´s lucky, he can find one that had less then a box of ammo through it for a price far lower then a "NEW" gun with a 3-4 round count (testing/proof test) versus a gun that had 20 through it.... Overall, a Levergun in .30-30.... not that bad! Instant Hillbilly Assault Rifle! |
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Marlin! Best decision I made in regard to lever action rifles.
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Marlin, go used and you should find a good deal on a shooter.
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I have a Marlin 336C .30-30 that I love. Handles really well, was easy to mount XS sights and scope rail so now it's set up as a scout rifle. I can take the scope off real quick and be back to a well handling, accurate, iron-sighted lever gun. Can't go wrong.
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My buddy was looking for a Marlin 30-30 for his sons birthday.I was at a gun show in Tampa and a guy was walking in with a lever gun so I asked what it was, and it was a 30-30.I talked him down to $200.00 and got it and made my buddy and his son happy.It was like brand new and made in the year 2000.Guy said he bought it for his daughter and only put one box of ammo through it.Point is there are deals to be had just have to look hard enough.
As an after though........30-30 ammo is pretty cheap I have seen recent sales that were 7 to 8 bucks a box of 20. |
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Marlin 336 in 30-30 will handle alot of needs for the non-tactical type. Self-defense with a 30-30 is more than adequate providing you have distance between neighbors.
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I own a Winchester model 94. A 1965 model with the top eject. I absolutely love the model 94. It's light, and carries easy. I also say that the Marlin is a better design. Side eject makes a stronger receiver and easier scope mounting.
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It's hard to argue that the Marlin isn't a stronger design, and it sure makes mounting scope easier.
But for a .30-30 the '94 is more than strong enough and mounting a scope is violating one of the 5 of the 15 commandments on the tablet that got dropped coming down the mountain. The '94 has classic lines and absolutely superb balance - without a scope attached. Get a '94 and put either an Marbles or Lyman #2 tang sight on it. |
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If you're looking at brand new, Marlin is NOT the choice to consider because of their horrible QC issues. Rossi's Rio Grand which is a semi copy of the Marlin (their birch pistol grip version is at Bud's for $392 delivered) has been getting good reviews. Mosberg's 464 models (their walnut pistol grip version is at Bud's for $403 delivered) seem to have worked the bugs out and they have been getting some good reviews lately too. I would pick either of these over a new Marlin right now and of the two, I like the Mossberg version best.
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I did not like the Mossberg at all. I have a bunch of Marlins and the only thing I notice with the new one I have is the metal edges are not as smooth as the older ones. Otherwise the action is good and it shoots as good as my others. Its hard to beat an old Winchester for looks and carry, but the post 64s are a lot more hit or miss.
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I did not like the Mossberg at all. I have a bunch of Marlins and the only thing I notice with the new one I have is the metal edges are not as smooth as the older ones. Otherwise the action is good and it shoots as good as my others. Its hard to beat an old Winchester for looks and carry, but the post 64s are a lot more hit or miss. Can you explain why? I have had one for a couple months now and it is turning into one of my favorites. |
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I love my 94. That is all that I have a lot of rounds through.
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If you're looking at brand new, Marlin is NOT the choice to consider because of their horrible QC issues. . The above is correct. Buy used JM stamped Marlins only. |
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Marlin made before Cerebus closed the plant in New Haven, CT.
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buy an old jm marlin.the marlin is so easy to disassemble for cleaning you only remove the lever screw on the 336 then you clean from the breach.the winchester is a little lighter and slimmer but nobody i know cleans it from the breach just a pain to take apart.check out the marlin owner forum.
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If you're looking at brand new, Marlin is NOT the choice to consider because of their horrible QC issues. . The above is correct. Buy used JM stamped Marlins only. ok a couple of months ago i bought a "new" marlin from the remington plant and THEN read all the stuff about QC issues. of course i was concerned that i messed up, but having put roughly 100 rounds through it, i can tell you that i haven't had a single miss fire or jam or anything bad happen. maybe i was just lucky. i really enjoy the rifle more than i thought i would. i wouldn't hestitate to get another. just my 2 cents. |
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If you're looking at brand new, Marlin is NOT the choice to consider because of their horrible QC issues. . The above is correct. Buy used JM stamped Marlins only. ok a couple of months ago i bought a "new" marlin from the remington plant and THEN read all the stuff about QC issues. of course i was concerned that i messed up, but having put roughly 100 rounds through it, i can tell you that i haven't had a single miss fire or jam or anything bad happen. maybe i was just lucky. i really enjoy the rifle more than i thought i would. i wouldn't hestitate to get another. just my 2 cents. Finally a Positive review on a new Marlin I am thinking about adding to the collection. |
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I did not like the Mossberg at all. I have a bunch of Marlins and the only thing I notice with the new one I have is the metal edges are not as smooth as the older ones. Otherwise the action is good and it shoots as good as my others. Its hard to beat an old Winchester for looks and carry, but the post 64s are a lot more hit or miss. I dont have much bad to say about my new Marlin either! |
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Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: If you're looking at brand new, Marlin is NOT the choice to consider because of their horrible QC issues. . The above is correct. Buy used JM stamped Marlins only. ok a couple of months ago i bought a "new" marlin from the remington plant and THEN read all the stuff about QC issues. of course i was concerned that i messed up, but having put roughly 100 rounds through it, i can tell you that i haven't had a single miss fire or jam or anything bad happen. maybe i was just lucky. i really enjoy the rifle more than i thought i would. i wouldn't hestitate to get another. just my 2 cents. Count yourself lucky because a number of guys at our club bought new Remlins and to a man they are upset with the poor quality. Further, many have had to send them back, sometimes more than once, to get obvious things fixed. That said, I'm sure that there are some out there that are fine just as every manufacturer screws up some of their products too. I just am not interested in rollin the dice on a Remlin for now. |
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If you're looking at brand new, Marlin is NOT the choice to consider because of their horrible QC issues. . The above is correct. Buy used JM stamped Marlins only. ok a couple of months ago i bought a "new" marlin from the remington plant and THEN read all the stuff about QC issues. of course i was concerned that i messed up, but having put roughly 100 rounds through it, i can tell you that i haven't had a single miss fire or jam or anything bad happen. maybe i was just lucky. i really enjoy the rifle more than i thought i would. i wouldn't hestitate to get another. just my 2 cents. Count yourself lucky because a number of guys at our club bought new Remlins and to a man they are upset with the poor quality. Further, many have had to send them back, sometimes more than once, to get obvious things fixed. That said, I'm sure that there are some out there that are fine just as every manufacturer screws up some of their products too. I just am not interested in rollin the dice on a Remlin for now. maybe we can narrow this down. i bought the 336 xlr. what model(s) did the folks from your club buy? |
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I bought the 336 BL. It's smooth, cycles well, and is accurate. I did take a stone and smooth some edges on the loop and the hammer.
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I have 2 win 94s, and they're fine... but every time I shoot one I miss my 1975 Marlin 336.
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If optics are a must then a marlin, looks and carry then the 94. Both shoot good. But I avoid the ugly safety like the plague ,because I the are one.
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I love my 1979 336. Got it used from a buddy who got it from his father-in-law. Shot very little. Sights leave something to be desired. Once scoped and with starting reloads, I am getting 1.3 inch group @ 50 yards!!
Craig |
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I guess I'll have to vote for the Mossberg 464 with walnut pistol grip stock 'cause I just bought one. It has the looks of the Winchester but is stronger and with the frame over the rear of the bolt, it's d&t for a 'carry handle' too. Surprisingly, it's got good sights too.
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I guess I'll have to vote for the Mossberg 464 with walnut pistol grip stock 'cause I just bought one. It has the looks of the Winchester but is stronger and with the frame over the rear of the bolt, it's d&t for a 'carry handle' too. Surprisingly, it's got good sights too. would that be the fiber optic sights? |
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...and mounting a scope is violating one of the 5 of the 15 commandments on the tablet that got dropped coming down the mountain.... Amen. |
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...and mounting a scope is violating one of the 5 of the 15 commandments on the tablet that got dropped coming down the mountain.... Amen. Now thats pretty damn serious right there...............How do you date a Marlin. I got a bead on two for $225 each and one has a gold trigger but just a lil surface rust?? What's the JM stamp about?? |
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...and mounting a scope is violating one of the 5 of the 15 commandments on the tablet that got dropped coming down the mountain.... Amen. Now thats pretty damn serious right there...............How do you date a Marlin. I got a bead on two for $225 each and one has a gold trigger but just a lil surface rust?? What's the JM stamp about?? Take the first two serial numbers and subtract from 100,that's your year. JM stamp means it's a real Marlin |
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on the 464, i read something about weak ejection of the spent casings. what has been yor experience?
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I didn't like the glomin big plastic tang safety, and mine didn't shoot for crap. Mossberg that is.
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Quoted: on the 464, i read something about weak ejection of the spent casings. what has been yor experience? I'll let you know after this weekend. We're going to Pawnee National Grasslands this Saturday with the guys for some long range shooting and I'm going to break her in then. It's anemic with full rounds but consistent. Even though they don't come flying out, I've cycled a couple hundred rounds through it to function check and 100% have been extracted, however, those are unfired rounds. |
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Gentlemen, I degress, the best handling, most artistic, slimmest, most accurate 30-30s are the somewhat hard to find Savage 99 EGs.
Better sights, stronger receiver, better trigger, shorter lock time, can load pointed bullets, etc., etc. Savage 99, the pinnacle of American lever action development. MLG |
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Savage 99, the pinnacle of (ugly) American lever action development. MLG |
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