Traditional rifle?

Moosehunter

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Does anyone here hunt with a lever action or something with open sights of sorts. I have been kinda into the long-range thing and don't mean to give it up but have really been toying with the idea of getting something a bit more traditional.
Does anyone have opinions on the Winchester model 94's? I would ultimately own a pre 64 but also I would plan on handloading and want a really good bore. Im a little nervous to order a pre 64 because of condition of bore and just over all not really knowing what your getting into.
Also I realize there are a lot of other brands out there and maybe someone has had a good experience with one and has some input. Also was thinking mainly toward lever action chambered in 3030.
(Would not be mounting scope).


Thanks in advance!! Any and all input welcome!
 
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Im a marlin guy personally. 1894CB and the 1873 win (one exception) are my pistol cartridge levers(45LC of course). But 336, 1895 hands down for rifle cartridges (30-30, 35 rem, 45-70). Love me some levers!
 
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Moosehunter

Lil-Rokslider
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Thanks! Ya I have looked at the Marlin's and such but it just seems to me you can find so much bad on all of the different brands and models that it's hard to make a decision.
 
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Aesthetics and fate have been my guide. Always liked marlins better (with the exception of the '73), so thats just what found me and came home. Both will do fine.
 
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Im a marlin guy personally. 1894CB and the 1873 win (one exception) are my pistol cartridge levers(45LC of course). But 336, 1895 hands down for rifle cartridges (30-30, 35 rem, 45-70). Love me some levers!
Agree with this guy! My 35 Rem (Marlin, I think 336) is a tried and true slayer. Oddly it’s the only one of many rifles I own that does well with the core-lokt rounds. But 200 grain bullets always leave about 15’ of blood spraying out the other side and no critter goes very far. Even better you can eat around the hole. Wouldn’t hesitate to shoot anything in the lower 48 with it. This gun has over 20 deer and boars on it. A working man’s rifle.
 

keepriding

Lil-Rokslider
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I hunt with lever actions.Currantly i hunt with win 94 in 30-30,marlins in 357 magnum and 444 and savage 99s in 250-3000 and 284.I have killed deer with a win 94 in 32-40 and a marlin in 35 rem. I still have the 32-40 it was my grandfathers.I would like to add a 358 win to my collection in either a browning blr or a savage 99.
 

shmtastic

FNG
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Maine
I hunt the woods with a Winchester M88 308 rifle that used to be my grandfather's. It can hold a pie plate out to 250 yards, so it's good enough for hunting for me. I love quicker follow up shots with this old gun.
 

GLB

WKR
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Alaska
Yes. I have a Marlin 45/70 JM stamped and it is a shooter. However the current Marlins I have looked at are horrible as far as the QC. Winchester lever guns are made in Japan but are good quality.

Being a bit of a Cowboy I have always like that style of guns so I bought a Winchester 1892 recently in 45 Colt, very nice gun extremely accurate with my hand loads.
 

Tod osier

WKR
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Fairfield County, CT Sublette County, WY
Does anyone here hunt with a lever action or something with open sights of sorts. I have been kinda into the long-range thing and don't mean to give it up but have really been toying with the idea of getting something a bit more traditional.
Does anyone have opinions on the Winchester model 94's? I would ultimately own a pre 64 but also I would plan on handloading and want a really good bore. Im a little nervous to order a pre 64 because of condition of bore and just over all not really knowing what your getting into.
Also I realize there are a lot of other brands out there and maybe someone has had a good experience with one and has some input. Also was thinking mainly toward lever action chambered in 3030.
(Would not be mounting scope).


Thanks in advance!! Any and all input welcome!

get a 94 that you like the looks of and if the bore isn’t what you are happy with get it rebored by JES. I have one from my dad that shoots well enough, but opening it up would be neat and not too expensive if you hand load.
 
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Dirt Wagon

Lil-Rokslider
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I picked up an old Marlin 93 in 30-30 last year I've been meaning to get setup with a peep sight. I believe it was built around 1921-23. I piked it up for cheap since it's had initials carved into the stock and the receiver has holes drilled into it.

Good thing about these old rifles is that you can have it rebored by JES and they can change your rifle into a 38-55 or 375 win. If my rifle can't hold a decent sized grouping I plan to change it to a 38-55 so I can take it hunting someday.

Reboring by JES
 
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Love hunting with the vintage levers! I've got a 1930 vintage 94 30-30, a 1955 Winchester 64 in 32 special, a 50's vintage Savage 99 in 300 savage, and a 1972 Marlin 45/70. They are all great fun. That said, the old patina'ed 94 usually gets the nod - it just carries and mounts so naturally! I wouldn't shy away from a pre-64 from a barrel perspective - there are tons of them out there with fine bores. Its not really a barrel that gets "shot out", so basically if there isn't corrosion/pitting, you're probably fine. In fact a lot of old 94's that show a lot of outdoor "love" on the outside are in very good shape on the inside. Many spent a lot of time in a scabbard or bouncing around in the rear window gun racks of pickups for many years.
 
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Agree with this guy! My 35 Rem (Marlin, I think 336) is a tried and true slayer. Oddly it’s the only one of many rifles I own that does well with the core-lokt rounds. But 200 grain bullets always leave about 15’ of blood spraying out the other side and no critter goes very far. Even better you can eat around the hole. Wouldn’t hesitate to shoot anything in the lower 48 with it. This gun has over 20 deer and boars on it. A working man’s rifle.
My .35 is from 1953 and she loves 200gr gas checked boolits and Re7. Only taken her in the woods once and it was a bang flop within 20 mins of setting up.
Pure deer hunting class.
 
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I own a Winchester 94 in .30-30. I think it was made in 1976. I shot a few goats and pigs with it a while ago but hadn't given it any recent love, so decided to take it out during the fallow deer rut here in Australia. This was partly due to me blowing up my compound bow and not yet being bitten by the recurve bow bug. I used Remington factory 150gn loads and they were great on fallow deer. In future, I'll load 150gn Woodleigh bullets as I have a good supply of them.

One thing I will say is that a Williams aperture sight is a fantastic upgrade. Not overly expensive and easy to install.









 
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I've got a Ruger 96/44 in 44 mag as my pistol cartridge,and Marlin 1895 gs 45/70,444ss in of course 444marlin and a mxlr in 308marlin express. Got things pretty well covered from 10yards to 300...
 
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Here's a video of me shooting that chocolate buck with my .30-30. I'll do up a more comprehensive video with narration fairly soon and it'll have this footage as well as footage of me shooting the spotty fella.

 
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My father and I hunt and shoot with model 94s often enough. I really wouldn't worry about barrel condition as our guns are old but still shoot 2 inch groups at a 100 yards with pretty much all ammo. They have been pretty well taken care of but not babied by any means. All 4 are 32 specials both pre 64 and after.

Find one pre 64 you like the looks of buy it and go hunt with it.
 
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