Ever Had This..?

[hawkeye]

Any of us ever had a truly accurate lever action rifle? Some folks tend to underestimate the accuracy of lever guns. Winchester 94 rifles chambered for 30-30 can be very accurate. What is your opinion?

Thanks,
Hawkeye

[Jack]

Welcome to Hunting Firearms, Hawkeye!
I haven't owned a lot of leverguns. Only 2- a Marlin 375 (the Marlin 336 chambered for 375 Winchester), and a Winchester 94 XTR, also in 375 Winchester. I guess you can tell I like the 375 Winchester cartridge.
The Marlin was not very accurate. The best I ever got with careful handloads and using a scope at the range were 3 inch groups (5 shots) at 100 yards, and 4 inch groups were more typical.
The Winchester is a different story, That rifle will stay between 1-5 and 2 inch 5 shot groups @ 100 yards - and that's with a peep sight.
A couple of friends of mine own 94's, also. One has a 30-30, of about 1970's vintage, and that one does about 2-3 inch groups at 100 yards, peep sights. Another friend owns a 94 XTR in 307 Winchester, and that thing really shoots. I saw him shoot 8 shots into 1.5 inches from the bench at 100 yards, with the factory open sights.

[jmarriott]

Accuracy, yes I will put up my Marlin model 39a 22 against most CZ, ruger, and rem bolt guns and for its use it is more accurate than I am.

I think lots of levers get a bit heated when bench shooting and that is one reason I seem to stay away from barrel band levers.

Want the same in 22 mag and you have to go to the win 9422m the first gun I purchased for myself.

these two 308's shoot well but the savage 99 shoots as well as my 308 bolt guns. the blr open sights has not really been accuracy tested. I seem to shoot the savage more.



With peeps and handloads my 336 marlin with 20 microgrooves is a little tack driver for the woods. I don;t get to shoot her as much as I would like she is in semi retirement. I don't have my 35 rem dies yet so that will change.


At 50 yards my marlin limited 1894 can touch 3 shots. I set her yp for quick shots on moving deer so shes minute of deer. then again a 44 mag is not really a great accuracy round.


Between my father and I we own 4 marlin model 39's a browning bl-22, a marlin 336 in 35 rem and 30-30, browning blr in 308, savage 99 in 308 and 2 marlin 1894's in 44 mag. so that is 11 levers. Soon to be 12 as I have a deal going on to get a marlin outfitter 444. Like a guide gun. that will make an even dozen.

The most aaccurate lever (centerfire) I have shot was winchester 94 XTR in 7-30 waters. That one really rocked.

I love lever action rifles as you can tell.




I have a marlin

[deputydon]

Welcome Hawkeye!! Greetings from Northeast Nebraska!!!! Pull up, grab a cup, and stay a while !!! I have owned a ton of lever actions. I have all shot good enough to hunt with. That includes some orginals over 100 years old. As I boys who live around here know if I own em I use em.

[jimiowa]

Welcome Hawkeye! I only have one lever action and have never really seriously put it on a bench to test it's accuracy.
But I am real pleased with it, It's a Marlin .444.
Iowa is real restrictive on centerfire rifles for hunting deer. It's a Shotgun only state, with the exception of a Doe only season in late January and that only in the bottom two tiers of counties.
So I don't get to use it as much as I would like to.
I actually bought it, when I thought I would get to go to Texas to hunt hogs. Finacial issues have held up that plan.

[bounce]

Browning BLR .243 200yds a 6oz juce can on every shot, is the best down range shooter I ever owned in a lever

[twomoons]

The BEST shooting lever gun I ever had was a 250-3000 Savage TAKEDOWN I got from Bill. Groups with that gun ran between 3/4 and 1" and the largest groups were in the 1 1/2" range and this was with a 3X scope. I normaly expect a good lever gun to shoot under 2 1/2" at 100 yards and I am working on a Marlign right now that should go under 1 1/2" at the same range. If your levergun shoots worse than this it needs tuning. Fore end properly bedded screws set properly and magazine tube bedded. Do it right and a levergun will shoot right up there with most factory bolt guns.

[dovehunter]

Welcome to HF!

My son inherited a post-'64 model 94 in .30-30 from my dad. IMHO it is very accurate. Between my son and I we have taken several deer with it and have never had to shoot them more than once.

[Purebred Redneck]

Welcome Hawkeye,

My dad has a Marlin 336 30-30 that is scary accurate. He keeps the scope at 4x (or else it will lose zero) and it will shoot about 1.5" groups at 100 yards.

He's killed quite a few deer past 200 yards with it.