Author Topic: Cant Decide!!!! (Read 1427 times)

NYpsycho · « **on:** September 30, 2008, 09:12:00 AM »

Hello everone. i am a new member to this forum. i have been going through all the posts about leverguns for like 3 days, made it to page 58. I didnt own a lever gun yet but i am definitely going to buy one. The thing is i have never shot, or worked the action on one before, so this decision is purely based on what i read here.
OK, so what i think i have decided the 44mag, because i want a gun i can shoot a lot, but also big enough to kill any animal i want to hunt inside 100. i also considered the .357, 30/30, and 454, but i think the 44 fits the bill the best.
Now i just need to pick a gun, from what i have read on this forum for the past 3 days i have came up with good and bad for each gun, i guess i just want everyones opinion on what to do.

marlin- people say that the marlins like to jam a LOT in 44 mag, and that the bore of the barrel is to big sometimes

winchester 94- people say that the ones after 64 have junk parts, jam in 44mag and are sometimes inaccurate, also i read a lot of barely bands just wont stay on. The pre 64 look OK but are way to overpriced and who knows what kinda shape the rifling will be in a gun that old (chances are i will be buying from an auction site like gunbroker and wont get to inspect the gun).

puma-Most people say that the actions are slick and strong and that they cycle 44's OK, but that the furniture on then ain't the best. also I'm wondering how great the parts are inside, i mean since there a newer made firearm, are the parts inside going to be kinda junkey like in the newer win 94's?

o and 1 more question, i red in 1 post a guy said that a 20 inch barrel with a pistol round is a waste because pistol ammo uses faster burning powder, if that's true I'm going to go with a 16" barrel, but i have never messed with pistol rounds and don't own a handgun so i wouldn't know so let me know what you all think.

STUMPJMPR · « **Reply #1 on:** September 30, 2008, 09:25:42 AM »

If I went with the 44mag I would go with the marlin or the puma.... Both are well made guns.... The puma is hard to mount a scope on... You seem to have ruled out the 30-30 for ammo cost.... With rising price of ammo you can buy 44mag ammo for about the same price as 30-30.... With the 30-30 you have a 200 yard capable rifle if your shooting a scope...

canon6 · « **Reply #2 on:** September 30, 2008, 10:07:59 AM »

I have both a Marlin and a Puma.I like the Puma best, lighter, slicker action(IMO) but I am some what confused about your choice. All of the ones you listed would get the job done at 100yards but the 30-30 will give you 200yds with ease.
However if pushed I would opt for the Puma in 357. hth Doug

NYpsycho · « **Reply #3 on:** September 30, 2008, 10:19:10 AM »

i am definitely not mounting a scope on this rifle, i have other rifles with scope and i want something really fast with open sights. and the choice of a handgun round instead of a 30/30 is because i have found a lot of ammo in boxes of 50 for way cheaper than 30/30. i want to be able to shoot this gun a LOT. i love to shoot and levers look like a blast. i live in upstate NY and the bigest thing here to hunt would be black bears, i am almost considering a 357 now, i just red a post and a Lot of people say the 357 is big enough for bear, plus i found the ammo is even cheaper that .44 mags, and lighter recoil is always a good thing......... sometimes i almost hate that there is so many choices.........

Rangr44 · « **Reply #4 on:** September 30, 2008, 10:35:05 AM »

[marlin- people say that the marlins like to jam a LOT in 44 mag, and that the bore of the barrel is to big sometimes] - Both BullPukey - Unless you're gonna be a Cowboy LB shooter (hundreds/rounds/week)

[winchester 94- people say that the ones after 64 have junk parts, jam in 44mag and are sometimes inaccurate, also i read a lot of barely bands just wont stay on.] - Go with a post-71 or a 94AE.

[The pre 64 look OK but are way to overpriced and who knows what kinda shape the rifling will be in a gun that old (chances are i will be buying from an auction site like gunbroker and wont get to inspect the gun). - AFAIK, There were never any Pre-64 M-94's made in .44 Mag.

[puma-Most people say that the actions are slick and strong and that they cycle 44's OK, but that the furniture on then ain't the best. also I'm wondering how great the parts are inside, i mean since there a newer made firearm, are the parts inside going to be kinda junkey like in the newer win 94's?] - Puma's are fine - You just have to realize that they are made to fit a priceline, and a little aftermarket work, by you or a good '92 leversmith (there are several), will do wonders for one.

[1 more question, i red in 1 post a guy said that a 20 inch barrel with a pistol round is a waste because pistol ammo uses faster burning powder, if that's true I'm going to go with a 16" barrel] - More bull-pukey. Don't believe everything you read. Buy whatever floats your boat - neither you nor the deer will ever be able to tell the difference.

.

NYpsycho · « **Reply #5 on:** October 01, 2008, 06:02:00 AM »

Hey can anyone give me the link to the steve guys websight where u would order lever actions from him. Everyone seems to be happy with his work and im thinking about just ordering a 92 in 357 from him so i can be sure its nice and slick. but i cant find his information anywhere.

Swampman · « **Reply #6 on:** October 01, 2008, 06:22:32 AM »

I'd go to Walmart and buy a Marlim 336 in .30-30.

towpro · « **Reply #7 on:** October 01, 2008, 06:48:28 AM »

I received an email from Legacy International (importers of Puma) saying that the 357's are back in stock, both in blue and stainless.

List for the blue was a little under $500, list of the stainless was a little over $500.00

STUMPJMPR · « **Reply #8 on:** October 01, 2008, 06:55:49 AM »

NYPSYCHO,
I think you may be a little more gun than a .357 if you encounter a black bear.... The only one I have ever seen in person was bigger than anything I ever shot and killed.... Even black bears are an animal that you would want to put on the ground fast.... I imagine they could hurt you pretty bad if they wanted too...

NYpsycho · « **Reply #9 on:** October 01, 2008, 07:19:10 AM »

yeah u are probably right bout the bear, but now i think i have decided to go with an emf because they don't have the stupid little safety on the top and the only prob is i cant seem to find any emf in 44, but lots in 357.

Illhunter · « **Reply #10 on:** October 01, 2008, 07:31:54 AM »

I beleive if i was going to be in bear country i would go for a 30-30 marlin but that is me. I do have a few questions for you NY.
1. did you look into henry if staying with pistol round or the new mossberg 464.
2. what are you looking to spend on the rifle itself.
3. how much is ammo in your area for the 44mag just curious cause i can get 30-30 ammo cheaper here.
4. how many rounds a week do you plan to shoot cause if it is going to be alot you might consider taking up reloading to save on ammo.
I think that is about all i want to ask and if i encounter a bear i want more power than a 44mag just my .02 cents

Terry

NYpsycho · « **Reply #11 on:** October 01, 2008, 07:51:04 AM »

I'm looking to spend about 450-500 buks I'm thinkin.
I compared prices of ammo at http://www.ableammo.com/ i can get like 50 rounds of 357 for 17 buks, the cheepest i can get 30/30 for is like 13 buks for 20 rounds. so that means i can shoot a lot more with the 357. i know the key to shooting accurate is shooting a lot, and i don't got a lot to spend on ammo.
the cheapest 44 mag ammo on that sight is about 27 buks for 50 rounds. i plan on shooting as many rounds a week as i can afford. i LOVE to shoot, and practise makes perfect. i really like the emf 92's i found on gunbroker. probably my favorit gun so far.

Graybeard · « **Reply #12 on:** October 01, 2008, 09:31:06 AM »

If you are just wanting to shoot then by all means get a .357 and for an iron sight only gun I do kinda prefer the Rossi to the Marlin but both are good guns. Personally I'd want to step up to the .44 magnum for hunting especially if bear are on the agenda. For deer only the .357 should do fine and for small bear maybe so too but black bear can and do get rather large at times and to me the .44 mag would add a comfort factor the .357 lacks.

Quite frankly if shooting a LOT is what you want to do you need to learn to reload. You can get by fairly cheaply getting into reloading and if you really do shoot a lot can recoup the cost of your loading tools in a rather short time.

kyelkhunter3006 · « **Reply #13 on:** October 01, 2008, 09:42:33 AM »

+1 for the .44 mag, and in the Marlin too. I used to have one and I never had a jamming issue with it. It'll do the job on anything in the US within 150yds with the proper bullets. I don't think that many people realize that .44 mag out of a Marlin 18"-20" barrel gives the almost same ballistics as a 240gr sabot and a 90-100gr of powder in a muzzleloader, which many people use every year to take all kinds of big game out to 150yds or more.

NYpsycho · « **Reply #14 on:** October 01, 2008, 10:43:04 AM »

well thx a lot for your opinions guys i sure do appreciate them. This guna will be a multi tasker, i will use it for my plinking and deer gun, might shoot a black bear if i saw one during the seson and it was in range. i kinda prefer the 44 mag also for knockdown power, im having a hard time finding an emf in 44 tho and i realy like the look of the 92, looks like what u think a cowboy gun should look like. here is the only one i can find in 44 http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.asp?Item=111853087 but here is what i want, just in 44 instead of 357 http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.asp?Item=111843181 the only thing i got against the puma is that safety. mabey im to pickey but to me when u are guna spend this much money u should get just what u want.

Graybeard · « **Reply #15 on:** October 01, 2008, 11:35:56 AM »

You can buy directly from EMF and have it shipped to an FFL dealer near you. I'm not sure if EMF has a list of dealers who cooperate with them but most any local FFL dealer will accept it for you for a small fee how small varies widely.

NYpsycho · « **Reply #16 on:** October 01, 2008, 02:00:27 PM »

yeah i didn't really think bout that, hope i can get it as cheap as i can on gunbroker tho, if not ill just try to be patient and keep a good wach on all the listings...... man I'm not very patient when it comes to buying a new gun tho.....

Rangr44 · « **Reply #17 on:** October 02, 2008, 02:47:52 PM »

http://www.stevesgunz.com/

towpro · « **Reply #18 on:** October 02, 2008, 03:16:14 PM »

I have the legacy and yes it has that little safety on top of the thing. I have never even moved it, and if it did bother me I hear you can remove it.

kkirkup · « **Reply #19 on:** October 03, 2008, 05:48:42 AM »

I own a Winchester 94AE in 30-30 that I bough new in 1993 and it's a great gun. I just got into cowboy shooting though, so I needed a pistol caliber lever action so I bought a Puma 45 LC to match my Colt SAA in 45 LC. The Puma and the Marlin were on sale for $399.99 at Big 5 Sporting goods. The Marlin did not have the authentic "Look" of the old lever action cowboy rifles (angled lever). The Puma looked like the originals and shoots great. I could have got both the Marlin or Puma in 44 Mag for that price too. If I were going to hunt I'd use the 30-30 or the 44 Mag. Just my opinion...