Virginia Gun Owners Forum - VGOF

by **Jamie** » Sat, 07 Jul 2012 07:46:25

So I just got a bonus at work. As you all know, that means I need to buy another gun. (It's good to have people who understand me.) I think what I want is an affordable lever gun for hunting deer in Virginny.

I am, however, still cheap and poor.

Anyone have experience with the Rossi lever actions? http://www.cheaperthandirt.com/product/2-BRZRG3030B#

Any recommendations for other affordable lever guns in .30-30 or similar?

by **meak99** » Sat, 07 Jul 2012 09:22:47

I don't have experience with Rossi, but I just bought a new Marlin 1894 in .44 Mag. Remington took over Marlin a few years ago and quality really dropped off. Mine is accurate, but I'm not impressed with the fit/finish (and that's the price I pay for buying a gun sight unseen online). I'm having to do a lot of work to get the action smoothed out, and I have the dreaded Marlin Jam after less than 300 rounds - do a G search, you'll see what it is. All the screws were loose when it arrived. If someone who didn't know better, and just started shooting it, they would have had a broken gun in no time. I've been reading on the Marlin Owner's Forum and even a few over there are recommending the Rossi's over Marlin these days.

by **Kory** » Sat, 07 Jul 2012 11:06:27

There are tons of Great used 30-30s out there get a nice made in America one

[ Post made via Mobile Device ]

by **jdonovan** » Sat, 07 Jul 2012 13:10:33

Jamie wrote:Anyone have experience with the Rossi lever actions? http://www.cheaperthandirt.com/product/2-BRZRG3030B#

Any recommendations for other affordable lever guns in .30-30 or similar?

I've had some experince with rossi firearms and was not impressed with the quality. If it were my money I'd go with a marlin.

.30-30 is a fine deer chambering, but is a bit on the weaker side if you want to go after anything much bigger. I've got a soft spot for lever guns in .45-70. I was just about to pick one up, when I found a used rossi 92 in .454. So that scratched the itch for big-bore lever.

by **Jamie** » Sat, 07 Jul 2012 13:12:17

Heh. .45-70. I like overkill. How long ago did you have one? I think their quality has improved recently, but I have no firsthand experience.

by **jdonovan** » Sat, 07 Jul 2012 13:26:12

Jamie wrote:Heh. .45-70. I like overkill.

Take a look at a muzzloader that we all head to the woods with, and compare that to a .45-70 not overkill at all.

How long ago did you have one? I think their quality has improved recently, but I have no firsthand experience.

Probably about 10 years. But I've been burned on lower quality items, and try not to buy at the lower end of quality anymore.

by **grumpyMSG** » Sat, 07 Jul 2012 16:33:39

meak99 wrote:I don't have experience with Rossi, but I just bought a new Marlin 1894 in .44 Mag. Remington took over Marlin a few years ago and quality really dropped off. Mine is accurate, but I'm not impressed with the fit/finish (and that's the price I pay for buying a gun sight unseen online). I'm having to do a lot of work to get the action smoothed out, and I have the dreaded Marlin Jam after less than 300 rounds - do a G search, you'll see what it is. All the screws were loose when it arrived. If someone who didn't know better, and just started shooting it, they would have had a broken gun in no time. I've been reading on the Marlin Owner's Forum and even a few over there are recommending the Rossi's over Marlin these days.

The dreaded "Marlin jam" is usually caused by a person trying to be gentle with their rifle. If you work the action with a strong, smooth, fast stroke it won't happen. As for fit and finish, they have always been intended to be hunting rifles and not show pieces. I happen to have inherited one of the early 336s and it still has some file Marks on the stock where it was fitted/ shaped, and that was back in 1948.

I'd recommend going with a used Marlin or Model 94 Winchesters that are out there. You can usually find them for around $200-250 without looking very hard. I think most Walmarts in th western half of VA have a 336 in stock if you insiston new.

by **Kreutz** » Sat, 07 Jul 2012 17:07:06

There a practical reason for using lever action vs bolt action or is it just the coolness factor?

Never fired one before; they just look cool and old-fashioned.

by **meak99** » Sat, 07 Jul 2012 18:09:26

grumpyMSG wrote:The dreaded "Marlin jam" is usually caused by a person trying to be gentle with their rifle. If you work the action with a strong, smooth, fast stroke it won't happen.

I've actually heard the opposite. Cycling too hard causes the snail cam on the lever to gouge a notch into the bottom of the carrier. This allows the carrier to drop just a tad too low when the level is all the way open, allowing the magazine tube to let in two rounds, thus causing the carrier to not be able to lift the new round up into position for chambering. I'm working on a fix, but might need a new carrier assembly already.

by **Jamie** » Sat, 07 Jul 2012 20:02:10

Kreutz wrote:There a practical reason for using lever action vs bolt action or is it just the coolness factor?

Never fired one before; they just look cool and old-fashioned.

Coolness factor. Even guv'mint bureaucrats are allowed some style once in a while.

by **Diomed** » Sun, 08 Jul 2012 01:49:11

Kreutz wrote:There a practical reason for using lever action vs bolt action or is it just the coolness factor?

Never fired one before; they just look cool and old-fashioned.

You can get shots off much faster with a lever than a bolt. Leverguns tend to be more ergonomic and slimmer/lighter than boltguns too. They mainly lose out to bolts in terms of ammunition selection, calibers (magnums, etc. don't hold up as well in levers), and maintenance (levers are more mechanically complex).

by **jdonovan** » Sun, 08 Jul 2012 07:22:36

Diomed wrote:
Kreutz wrote:. They mainly lose out to bolts in terms of ammunition selection, calibers (magnums, etc. don't hold up as well in levers)

Check out the browning BLR. You can get lots of the hotter chamberings, the WSM, 7 rem mag, etc... in them. A bit spendy at $1000 MSRP, but they are a nice gun.

If you are an autoloader guy, the Browning BAR has many of the same magnum chambering available as well.

by **Kreutz** » Sun, 08 Jul 2012 09:18:38

Jamie wrote:
Kreutz wrote:There a practical reason for using lever action vs bolt action or is it just the coolness factor?

Never fired one before; they just look cool and old-fashioned.

Coolness factor. Even guv'mint bureaucrats are allowed some style once in a while.

Thanks for making this thread then, perhaps I'll pick one up in the future.

by **GeneFrenkle** » Sun, 08 Jul 2012 19:29:11

W00t! Pick up a new Mossberg Tactical 464 SPX lever action! Stick a laser, vertical foregrip, and a tactical flashlight on it!

They look kind of like the illegitimate love child between an AR and a Marlin, IMHO.

[ Post made via Mobile Device ]

by **Jamie** » Thu, 07 Mar 2013 12:00:45

Nice! Post a review after you've got some rounds through it. I was intrigued by that one, but it loses the Butch Cassidy & Sundance Kid appeal without the wood.