Lever Action Rifle Suggestions??

[ksig1869]

Hey since I was a young kid I have always wanted a lever action rifle. After I get my tax return back Im going to seek out a rifle. I was just wondering how are the Henry Repeating Rifles and which caliber should I be looking at. I know that 22lr is cheap to shoot but I think that im interested in something a little more powerful. Any info on 357 , 45 colt or their new 30-30 lever rifle? A friend wants to introduce me to hunting on his property so it could also be for hunting. Thanks

[93-2.3]

i dont know about henry but i used to use a 30 30 marlin lever action when i started hunting it was a good gun and you can pick up nice used ones in the 300 to 400 dollar range atleast before obama you could i dont know if they jumped up since then

[brian]

Any info on 357 , 45 colt or their new 30-30 lever rifle? A friend wants to introduce me to hunting on his property so it could also be for hunting. Thanks

do your home work first.
a few months ago i picked up a henry in .45 colt.......without looking at the cost of store bought ammo....it's with in a stones throw of $40 a box.....and has driven me to reloading.

really if you plan on dual purposing this rifle on deer your calibers are more limited. IMO that would be the .44 mag(can also shoot .44 spl iirc) or the .30-30.
with that being said i'm not one bit sorry for buying it. it is a sweet rifle.

of course if you're looking at 30-30 lever guns, winchester model 94's need to be included on the list.

[shermdo]

I agree with the .45LC ammo comments. Unless you plan to reload that could be an expensive option if you plan to shot a lot. It is also harder to find then the other options. I am NOT saying that you can't find .45LC at a good gun shop or Cabela's, etc. but you won't see much of it at Wal-Mart.

I have been wanting a Marlin lever gun in .357 mag. You can always shoot .38spc which is a little less expensive for plinking. Also, you can usually always find .38/.357 ammo at any store that sells ammo. Wal-Mart sells the 100 round boxes of WWB at a good price.

The .357mag will do fine for deer here in PA. You can also get hot .357 rounds from Buffalo Bore for hunting.

Enjoy your gun shopping experience. Let us know what you end up with.

[rich e]

Look at the Mossberg line of levers...They seem to be a little more robust than the Henrys

[Rainier42]

Marlin probably makes the best lever guns in the market today. If you're interested in hunting I would seriously consider a Marlin 336SS (SS: Stainless Steel) in .30-30 Win or a Marlin 1894SS in .44 mag.

[schr8er2000]

I have had both the Marlin 336C in 30-30 and the Winchester Model 94, also in 30-30. If you plan on using it for taget shooting either would be fine, but if you decide to go hunting then I would opt for the Marlin since it has side ejection so you can mount a scope right on top where it belongs... JUST MY OPINION....

And good luck

[cdarney]

I have a Marlin 39M for .22 and it's a blast for plinking and small game. No scope...just a peep sight. For larger game my Savage 99 in .308 is quite a shooter. I have a peep on that as well.

[elston32]

Hey since I was a young kid I have always wanted a lever action rifle. After I get my tax return back Im going to seek out a rifle. I was just wondering how are the Henry Repeating Rifles and which caliber should I be looking at. I know that 22lr is cheap to shoot but I think that im interested in something a little more powerful. Any info on 357 , 45 colt or their new 30-30 lever rifle? A friend wants to introduce me to hunting on his property so it could also be for hunting. Thanks

As I am partial to Marlin lever-guns, and prefer versatility in my firearms I would recommend either the Marlin 1894c .357Mag or the 1894 .44Mag.

I own both; I shoot both.

Either caliber carbine is suitable for hunting deer in the wilds NEPA.

Marlin's quality and reputation are superb.

Henry has great customer service.

They both manufacture in the U.S. of A.

Whether or not you decide to reload for these pistol cartridges, the ammunition is relatively cheap and readily available.

I would advise that you go the Marlin route for serious shooting; but if you want a fancy looking rifle give your money to Henry.

MHO...

Stay well.


---elston

[str8shooter]

I buy guns with both history and capability in mind, and if you have your heart set on a Henry, you can't go wrong no matter what caliber you choose. Their significance in the expansion of this country and the civil war is undisputed, and I think even a modest collection needs at least one Henry repeater.

However, I'm going with the crowd and suggest you don't overlook Marlins and Winchesters for a hunting rifle. I have a Henry .22lr for plinking and teaching the kids, but .30-30 is the most popular deer round for a reason, and both Marlin or Winchester have stellar reputations for lever actions in that caliber.

For a hunting rifle, I made up my mind on getting Winchester '94 in .30-30, again, the history of the '94 had a lot to do with my decision. After a lot of reading I learned there were years and sub-models of the '94 to avoid, but I found what I wanted, bought it, and love shooting it. However, I've heard nothing but good things about Marlins and although I didn't research them much, my impression is that they didn't have problem years like the Winchester '94, so finding a great used one is easier, and will probably cost less than either a Winchester or Henry.