Underlever choices

[Sky888]

There are many builds where people just fit the forend and keep the laminate stock. You could do the same?

The SGC is quite pricey too. I did consider the new 9mm straight pull but even that is £2k! You can change the look by stock and forends but the body will the same

[Scrumbag]

I do like the look of the RPP Stock. I think the "tacticool" stocks are more useful than the hand guard as most lever action stocks are set up for shooting with irons rather than a scope so aren't high enough.

[DaveB]

I just bought a new-production Winchester 1873, and am quite taken with it. I wish however, that I had bought it in .357 Magnum. Instead I went for tradition and bought in .44-40. It is impossible to find .44-40 ammunition for sale here, and I have had to invest in reloading equipment to keep this rifle fed.

[Vossie]

I have an Uberti 1860 and an 1866, I love the 44-40 cartridge but I only reload it with Holy black.
The wife now exclusively shoots the 1866.
Recently handled the Winchester 1873, and now I think I must have one, it was butter smooth, but at a loss as only have one kidney left.

[Graham M]

I have the Winchester Legacy in .357 mag but really wanted the Marlin but couldn't afford it. Picked up the Legacy for £400 because they seller had brazed up the ejector because he couldn't find any new ones. My son sent me four over from the States at the time and I bought a new lifter from Homestead Parts so I won't have to worry for a few years.
Can't stand the way that Winchester have fitted the cross-bolt safety and the squeeze safety and made the trigger as heavy as possible.
Spent ages polishing everything to make the trigger pull acceptable but nothing like my 1978 Marlin 39A

[DaveB]

I/We have a few lever-action rifles/carbines.

I bought a Rossi in .44 Mag almost 30 years ago, and still have it. It will happily use .44 Spl too. My wife has a much newer Rossi in .44-40.

I also have a Second Model 1894 Winchester in .30-30 that has an awful gum wood stock marked "City of Toronto" so probably used at the county jail. Fortunately it still has the saddle ring. Most had had theirs removed, in many cases not very carefully. Unfortunately the head spacing is off, and the barrel is pitted. Finding somebody to rebarrel it has been much harder than I thought.

I inherited a model 94 Golden Spike Commemorative, which I keep for sentimental reasons - I do not foresee ever firing it. Pity my uncle threw away the box, somewhere between 1969, and 2000.

Finally, a Trapper Model 94 - a transitional model with a saddle ring, rebounding hammer (vice half-cock), no manual safety, and traditional top eject, which I prefer. Somewhere around I have a 3-shot cloverleaf I fired at 200 yards. Not bad. I think the Angle Eject loses something in the translation, and don't even get me started on stupid unnecessary manual safeties. Somebody once told me that the only safety I needed was the one between my ears, and I have found that very true over 45+ years of shooting.

Since I posted this, I have also acquired a Miroku-made Winchester 1873 in .44-40. It was an impulse buy and while I love the rifle aesthetically, if I had done a little research I would never have bought it in .44-40, as at present in New Zealand there is no source of loaded ammunition in that calibre. None. The 'supply chain issues' that started during Covid have never ended here. Had I known this I would have bought it in .357 Magnum instead. Loaded ammunition in that calibre can be had locally - at least for now. I have bought dies and whatever else I need in .44-40 and will start loading - something I had rather hoped to avoid. Oh well, mustn't grumble.

Sorry guys, completely forgotten that I had posted about this before. Apologise for what is essentially a duplicate post. The system won't let me delete this post, so there you are.

[drone]

I had a win 94 357 AE, couldn't wait to get rid of it. Homestead parts is your friend but be advised shipping from their shop is on an irregular basis.
Currently I have a 94 win in 30/30 pre 64 and a rossi r92 357carbine. The winchester suffered the usual problem of the link snib (stops the flow of cartridges from the magazine) either wearing out or bits breaking off it, an original from homestead cured the issue.
The R92 is a delight I bought it second hand and after cleaning it thoroughly it's been flawless apart from the stupid rear sight which heavy magnum loads cause the elevator to creep back, I've changed mine from that to a fold down leaf.
Scopes actually can work but look like carbuncles.
I never liked Marlins dating back to a 22 levergun in the 60s don't know why but you pays your money etc etc.
In the following image the gun wearing the red dot is the 30/30.
By the way the 30/30 carbine weighs a midges dick more than 6 pounds, don't let anyone tell you the recoil is light with 170 factory loads it's very noticeable.

[drone]

This is the rossi wearing the folding rear sight.

[rufrdr]

Thank you all for the replies.

only minor setback is it's a model 1894 with top eject so mounting a scope is somewhat of a problem, but I shoot it with an aperture sight.

I would like the option of being able to put an optic of some kind on whatever I end up getting.

Have a look at Uberti as well. Keep an eye out for auctions as lever actions quite often appear there too

Auctions? Where can these be found?

Have you spoken to Roger at Rimfire Magic (South Yorkshire Shooting Supplies)?

SY19498 Henry Big Boy Steel rifle in .357 calibre, a fine example of the tube magazine loading lever action rifle in a popular calibre. This example has fibre optic sights fitted and is also supplied with a scope base. This one is in excellent all round condition with blued receiver and blued 20″ round barrel …… £750 https://www.rimfiremagic.co.uk/secondhand-firearms/

Also, try Alan at A&A Gunsmiths https://www.aandagunsmiths.co.uk/

I purchased my .44 Marlin Dark from Roger. Alan at A&A 'slicked up' my Marlin .357 (very worthwhile having done), I have been very happy with the service from both companies.

I haven't been in contact with Rimfire Magic before. That Henry does looks nice, but I want side gate, not tube loading.

The Rossi 92 is drilled and tapped for a forward long eye relief scope or red dot. You'll need a weaver-type rail as the mounting point. Look under the rear sight for the plug screws in the barrel for the mount. The rail is sold by Rossi and also by several vendors on Ebay.