Okay... I will be doing some extensive lever action hunting this year and am all fired up.... for some reason I get more out of harvesting an animal with an old lever action... Lets see pictures of your harvest, no matter what the game, to get us anxious for hunting this year!!! Ill start... here is a memorable hunt for me and my 100 year + Savage 1899 30-30.... pics of your lever action are great too!

Great pic! Great looking rifle also. What is the story behind the rifle?

Love the Savage 99. Have always wanted one. Had a Browning BLR in 270 for several years. Just inherited my grandmother's Marlin 336. Will use it this season.

we have a model 88 in .243 that sits in the safe. I don't think we have ever used it.

although a model 88 isn't exactly nostalgic

Marlins & Savage here!

Look close at my sig picture! That's a one owner(me)Savage 99CD!

I've got an old savage in the safe very similar to that, it has the last year of manufacture July 1911 stamped on the barrel, chambered in 250-3000 great old rifle, hasn't been fired in years. It belonged to my great aunt,was passed to my dad,then to me, will be handed down to my sons.

Marlins here, the little Marlin 1894 in 357Mag is the most often used truck gun and gets a lot of hunting time for deer and hogs as well.

Great looking old Savage on the OP

Hog with my little marlin 1894c in 357...

This will be the primary rifle I hunt with on my Blanco lease this year, at least that is the current plan...

I love a savage model 99! A guy I know bought one cheap off a guy that needed the cash, gave him 150 bucks for a 99 chambered in 300 savage, was in really good shape. I offered considerably more than he paid for it he said he would think about it but probably no... that was 3 years ago and he has never fired it.

Occasionally, I'll dust off a Marlin 1893 30-30 with octagonal barrel that was handed down from great-grandfather. Front site had been knocked off at some point and replaced with part of a buffalo-head nickel.

Something about racking that lever-action and hunting with open sights that really gets my blood pumping.

Here is a turkey I shot with my Marlin 44 mag lever gun at 260 yards with 240 grain XTP. I was checking feeders and I crested a hill at my brothers feeder and saw a ton of turkeys. I stopped and rested out over the hood of the truck. The first round struck at the birds feet. The second round I added a little more elevation, and a touch of lead on a moving bird, and dropped it in it's tracks. I have taken many of pigs with this same gun and ammo. I love my lever gun! I only scoped it (Weaver 1-3 power) so I could night hunt pigs from a bow stand with a scope mounted light.

Think we have talked about that gun before on here. My 357 is the same version Marlin. Amazing how accurate these guns are.

okay.. my blood is boiling!!!! here are three more of my lever actions!!!! these have not taken animals yet!! I plan on taking game with each..

winchester 30/30


Rossi .357


Marlin .22LR

I love the look of that long barrel especially being octagon!!!! What is it by the way?

I'm mainly posting to have this marked because I plan on gettin some blood on my open sight model 94 this year as well as seeing this thread grow!!

45-60 1876 Winchester reproduction by Chaparral 28" barrel cool rifles.. Uberti still makes them

Occasionally I still get my grandfather's Win 94 out and use it. Always does its job if I do mine. No pics of it, but I will have to remedy that.

I've got a 60 year old model 94 with a peep sight and a 336 in .35 Remington with a scope.

Winchester 1994

1894 sorry

My wife's grandfather gave us his Winchester Model 88 in 243. That thing is an absolute tack driver. Between it and my Rem 600 it's hard to choose

I have a 20 week old Browning BLR (stainless, 308win).

*cough* haven't fired it yet *cough*

-Mickey

Pictures fellas... I want to see em!!!

Sorry no pics, but have a Marlin 30AS brush gun that has taken many a deer. Like many, I tend to pull the old gal out of the safe every year and let the boys fight over the bolt actions. Easy carry, spot on and fun as heck to shoot, especially when spot and stalk. She has her battle scars, and is the one rifle I let her proudly display!

I sometimes hunt with my Model 94 30-30 passed down from my dad. It was made during the war years WWII and has the flat band behind the sight. A good shooting gun and is great in thick brush.

I dont even know how to add pictures lol

Dang! I haven't taken my 336 out to shoot hogs in over a year. This thread is giving me a serious itch.

Browning BLR Lightweight Stainless with Pistol Grip 308 Win



-Mickey

PS This is my 100th post!

Long live the levergun! I have a mix of Marlin and Rossi rifles chambered in everything from 218 Bee through 45-70 Govt, all I have hunted with in the last 30 years. Well, wait a minute, I just killed a hog with a new SCJ44 Circuit Judge chambered in 44 Mag!

Out of a line of over 50 leverguns, my hands down favorite is my 1972 Marlin 444T. Because of the service it has delivered, it was give a face lift this year through Bose's Guns, in NE. The Marlin finish was giving way on the stock as well as the bluing. Robert Bose put a beautiful oil finish to the stocks and as well as two-tone bluing.



The rifle does sport a Bushnell scope and has taken everything Texas has to offer expect the Desert Bighorn, may be one day. Here is a South Texas nilgai that the 444 Marlin put to rest.



I live on a ranch in DeWitt County and my leverguns account for an average of one hog taken for every week of the year for the last seven years. Here is one with a future lever hunter, I took this hog with my Rossi R92 44 Mag Scout Rifle.



I see a lot of youth hunters cycle through my place, helping me with MLD permits. All most all of them use my levers for their first hunt. Here is the youngest fellow that has been through, an 8-year old. This young fellow was so taken with deer hunting that I wanted him to kill a buck as a first deer. Opening afternoon he shot this 4 1/2 old 8 point at 70-yards, through the heart with a cast bullet out of my 1894C (357 Mag). He came back and killed a spike and a doe. Not bad for a first year of hunting. This year he is returning with is own 336Y. I would like to see him find a mature buck in the 155 to 160 range.



Like I said, long live the Levergun!

whats the story on the Mule deer.... tell it!!!! very nice... I want to shoot a Mule deer sooo badly with my lever gun.. but I can never find anyone offering mule deer hunts at a realistic price... just an honest mulie....not a 170 class animal

I hunt on a large ranch between Alpine and Marathon, it is costly. That mule deer was shot with a Marlin 336ER chambered in 356 Win at 225 yards. I have shot them as close as 35 yards!

With the demands placed on them by hunters and the limited range of the Texas desert mule deer, it will always be an expensive hunt. With the new CWD problem, it will only get worse. Just always apply for the hunt at Elephant Mountain, that is the best chance for success once drawn.

Here is an antelope my dad killed with his Win 94.



The God of Hunting was with us that opening morning as my dad was recovering from hip surgery and I wasn't sure how this would work. We sat up on a mesa in the truck on opening morning, back from the rim waiting for the sun to rise. I heard a shot to the distant east signalling the start of the season and new it would be "shooting time" soon. I walked to the rim to start glassing, leaving my dad in the truck and was surprised by a buck following several does right up the rim. I turned and bolted to the truck, my dad knew something was up. The antelope crested the rim and just swung around the truck, I just softly said "shoot him" as the buck was too rut crazed to even the notice the truck let alone me. By then my dad was out of the truck and shot him with the 30-30 Win as he passed 35 yards abeam the truck. He fell over dead. Three minutes into the season my dad was done. I've hunted Texas antelope a bit, it can be kind of easy to very hard. This was unbelievable!

You notice he hit him a bit high, that is the exit side. I gave him a bit of a time about almost missing a easy shot. He feels the "almost" doesn't count as he didn't miss! Said it is hard to pick a spot when all you see is fur in the scope!

Here's mine. 45-70 guide gun. The only deer I've shot with it I blew out the entire opposite side leg...so I put it away til I can hunt griz.

No pics but we've got a Ted Williams Model 100. Dad's only killed a Corsican ram with it.

"The Big Stick" has become my go to Rifle for anyplace that I expect to not have a shot over 100 yards (which is most places I hunt). 45/70 puts them down quick, and I have found that the big, slow round actually does less meat damage than either my 243 or my 270.

model 94 and Marlin 336 in 30-30 aint got nothing left to prove. they done it all in the continental U.S.

I've got a 336 in 35 Rem with a Peep and a Rossi 92 in 45 LC with buckhorns. Had planned for them to be hog guns but you guys sure got me wanting to take that 35 deer hunting.

My 336 35Rem w/ 3X9 and using 200gr is "nasty" on WT! Certainly not what I consider a real long range gun - but try it, you'll like it!

(Haven't tried the Hornady stuff yet!)

Think I'm going to stay with the peep at least this year, my eyes seem to be the only thing not failing.

Buffalo with Marlin 1895 .45-70

Very cool Buff! Some nice guns fellows!

well, i dont have any photos of my kills with my leverguns, but here are my only two leverguns..And I love em. Henry 22lr and winchester 1886 in 45-70. Since purchasing these, i rarely ever even hunt with my bolt action scoped rifles anymore. Open sight is so much more fun to me.

Eland, where did you take that buffalo at? Thats something id like to do one day.

I took that buffalo (cow) near Waco on the "Texas Safari" Ranch.

The hunt was set up through my buddies at MMK Outfitters: http://www.mmkoutfitters.com/default.aspx

Was there a challenge to the hunt? I mean are they wild and skiddish of humans? Most of the buffalo I have seen are farily tame and would be like walking up to a cow and poping it. I dont want to do that. If I do it..i want the challenge of wild game.

I will have my 30-30 marlin with me on every trip this year. I'm excited about continuing to make great memories with my family and this lever action. Wish I could find a youth model marlin for my wife to shoot as well...

http://i1059.photobucket.com/albums/t421/Mn-cowboy/th_209b2b32.jpg hog took on public land, 30-30 win.94

All depends on the budget. Browning makes a very nice one in several chamberings with the BLR, and marlin is another good go-to brand. I also love lever guns, and believe it or not a .45-70 makes a nice deer gun with 325ish grain loads. If you hand load, you can power them down to really tailor suit your needs. other good and power chamberings are 444 marlin and .308 win (made by Browning), not to mention 450 marlin.

You might be surprised at how accurate you can be with a peep. For 100 yards, I see no reason to put a scope on when you have a peep. At least not yet. That may change if my eyesight starts to go.

Actually, yes. This particular hunt was pretty fun. I've killed 5 Buffalo (all for meat)....and 2 out of the 5 were somewhat of a hunt. The other 3 were like shooting cows.

Buffalo can offer a fun hunt, but do your research beforehand....and don't go into it expecting them to be as wild as a free-range Whitetail in East Texas. Buffalo just aren't all that spooky due to lack of natural predators. Even the "wild" ones will let you walk up within 200-300 yards before they start getting uncomfortable. I recommend using an open-sighted rifle or pistol, and getting within 100 yards to increase the challenge a little bit....

I have a Marlin 308SDT Trapper with Brockman ghost ring sights that I have shot a couple of hogs with, gonna try to get a deer with it this year. Going elk hunting in Oct and my father in law will be using his Marlin 338MXLR. Hopefully I'll have some pics to post come Fall.

good luck id like to see that elk shot with a lever action!

Texas Dall last Sept. I have another Ram hunt in 2 weeks and my first Whitetail hunt early December, so more pics to come.

wow cool!!! thanks for sharing

Awesome, thank you man. I would plan on using my 86 winchester i posted above for it. I wouldnt even think of putting a scope on it. I love the iron sights.

I have never been around any texas buffalo, and yeah, i would not expect them to be completely wild like a deer..But up in oklahoma, I have spent alot of time around buffalo on a wildlife refuge. They are wild animals and will attack if you get too close..but yeah, like you said, its pretty easy to get within a 100 yards.

Thanks again for the info.

Hog I killed last night, using only ambient moonlight, with my Rossi Scout Rifle chambered in 45 Colt. Scope is the Weaver K4 Scout.

My first deer was killed with a Win 94 .30/30. Later I bought a Win 88 in .308, which I used to kill a few WTs and muley, but was never happy with the trigger. For the next 40 years or so, I hunted deer with a bolt, but last year began hunting with a beautiful Browning BLR in .223, which is one heckuva deer slayer, but tears up lots of meat. This year I plan to hunt with two Savage 99s, one in .250/3000 and the other a .243. Also have a Marlin .22 and an Ithaca .22 mag. My last lever is a Win 73 in .32/20, which I've never hunted with.

Some of my levers are straight stocked, some have pistol grips. I've come to prefer the pistol grip, because it feels more comfortable when I shoot. What do some of the rest of you think?

stormy, i dont have the lever savage in 250 savage, but i have a ruger bolt in 250 savage. I love that cartridge. Very accurate and perfect for texas deer. Too bad its not a more popular cartridge. The 243 kind of took over as more popular.

Sweet gun though, i would like to get a 99 someday.

anyone here have a winchester model 92? I have been thinking of getting one in 44 mag. I love my 86 so much i would like it to be a companion in a pistol cartridge.

Hunt some with a Winchester 94 Trapper in 44Mag. It was my Fathers main deer rifle for years. Will hunt with it some this year in memory of him.

Nothing wrong with carbines in pistol cartridges, they have been working for a long time.

I Would love to pick up a Marlin in 375win, or one in .32win spl.

Her's one of my lever actions. Winchester Model 94 in 30/30... Canadian Centennial Model...

This will be my first year with the .250/3000 so I'm really looking forward to learning about it. Back in the '50s when I was a kid, a lot of hunters used the .250/3000 in Savage 99, and also .25/35s in Winchesters. I'd love to try a .25/35 one of these days.

Nice limited edition Winny you have there dfwroadkill... I forgot I have a winny 38-55 Frontiersman.. have to dig it out to take pic.. I shot an axis with it!

WOW!!!! I WANT ONE. WHAT IS IT????

Y'all make me want a lever action.

I think you will really like the caliber. My dad gave me a ruger 77 in 250 savage as my first gun when i was a kid. Killed my first deer with it at roughly 420 yards with a 90 grn sierra hollowpoint. My dad still to this day cant believe i made the shot with it. Its still one ov my fav cartriges.

Yours is very nice also...

Nice!

That would be a one of 250 limited run of the Marlin 1894 in 44mag. They made 750 total, 250 in each of 357, 41, and 44 Magnums. Stainless 16.25 inch barreled laminate stocked versions. I know where 2 of the 357s are and Chad has one of the 44s. My 357 has become the preferred truck gun and has accounted for hog, deer, yotes, raccoon, skunk, turkey, rabbit...

I would prefer the 44 but would be happy with 357

All this talk...making me want to go out and buy a lever action. Just looks like to much fun and I'm remembering the days long ago growing up shooting the 30-30 of my fathers. I'm thinking 45/70 right now. I love hearing that round smack something. What a great gun!

UPDATE!!!!

My newest Lever Action Limited Edition NRA model Marlin 336 XLR 30-30 is no longer a Virgin...!! took this management Fallow last night about 125yrds he field dressed just under 205lbs... I was shocked to read the scale.. he will taste good for sure! Hope I have room in the freezer for some others!

Good Hunting

BUMP!! Let's see more pics!

Just a Win 94 Trapper in 30-30. Great brush/hog gun...

Winchester 375 and Winchester 30-30 copper. And no scopes will ever touch these two.

I like this thread. Let's keep it alive now that rifle season has kicked off.
Win 94ae Saddle ring trapper 44mag pre safety.
Shot this doe Friday at about 4:30p at 20ft from me.

Nice

Great thread, I was actually thinking to myself how many members on here hunted and liked to hunt with leveractions. Glad to see this thread. I for one also like hunting with leveraction,actually this season,a friend of mine and I are starting this hunting season using our leveractions. my friend is using his Marlin in 30-30, I think it is a 30aw if i'm not mistaken, and I am using my Marlin 45-70 guide gun. I have no pictures yet as I haven't taken a deer this season but will plan on taking pic of both the animals taken and of the rifles. my friend took a deer with his 30-30 the other day. I only have a pic of the deer and not of his rifle, but hope to remedy that on our next hunt. This year I would like to also try to hunt with my soon to be 1894 cowboy limited in .44mag once I get it out of layaway, I only have a couple of payments left them shes all mine....lol. Then I can hopfully get to hunt with it before the season ends, I'm hoping to get it out before Christmas,that'll be my little gift to myself....lol.

OK - Here's another one! (from last Sunday)



With my Marlin 336 in 35 Rem at about 100yds...took about a dozen steps and fell over.

This one is too rare to hunt with. .284

Man, this really makes me want to get out and buy a lever-action. I'm relatively new to shooting and I've always thought a nice Marlin 336 or Winchester 94 would be the perfect starter rifle. I think it'd be a great way to learn to be a great marksman. So classic.

Two of mine.



Top: Savage Model 99 in .300 Savage. My Favorite lever action.

Bottom: Winchester Model 94 in .30-30.

Nothing fancy like some of the guns on here, just a plain ole Marlin 30/30. Finally got to pull the trigger after 4 years on this lease. He was somewhere between 280-300 yards. Using Hornady Leverevolution Ammo. Went 10 yards. Point of trees to left in pic is 200 yards. White spot in field is deer.

Nice shot. You know your weapon well.

Nice pics... hope to see more on this thread.. great kills with these old girls.. like the Savage a few posts above. Great!

Really nice pics. Ive never shot at any thing besides a target with a leaver action.

My favorite 1876 Winchester,.45-75wcf cal.350 grn. lead bullet 72 grn. 2ff Swiss black powder.Hunting with the old levergun's is top's .

Heres one of my favorite photos. My youngest nephew with a 1914 Savage 99 in 22 Savage High Power. It was his first harvest at 6 years old. That smile says it all

He graduated to a Sako Finnwolf in 308 and has done quite well with these harvest

Such cool pictures!! The kids smiles for sure make if so much more fun!

whats the story on that buck with the Oringinal 1873 winchester? how far of a kill shot? details!!

Oldest boys 1st hog and 1st buck with a Savage Model 99 .300 Savage.

220 yd Marlin with 170 gr Remmington core loc

Some mighty fine levergun's on this string. The photo's of the youngester's are the best part. Remember when you was young and excited like that. Now my enjoyment comes from passing on what I have been taught and watching the new ones enjoy the sport that has been such a big part of my life.(safdm44) the rifle I used last yr. on my WT. hunting trip's is an original M1876 .45/75 cal.Winchester,look's like a 1873 but a bit bigger. Made for the big bore caliber's for big game and far shooting out west. I shot this bk. on my place up in Coke Co. free range ,at 148 paces . He went down on the spot recovered and made about another 40 paces before going down fer good.The last few yr's I have only used antique firearms or replicas to hunt with. Put's the fun back into it like when I was a youngester. Thank's for getting this string started. Been thinking about offering Vintage hunt's on the Wt. ranch and the Muledeer ranch......Dusty

marlin 30-30...last day of deer season, just before dark..better late than never..

Those are sweet looking lever actions!

Here are two more ,of my M1876 Winchester's ,both are 3/4 magazine,octagon barrel ,caliber 40/60 wcf 280 grn. lead bullets . This is the smallest caliber offered in the M1876. Still perty powerful...Dusty

My daughter with a Marlin XLR in 30-30 did a number on this Zebra.

Man id love to do a vintage hunt for mulies...if you ever offer that post it...i have an 38-55 waiting to take game.

My boy with last seasons buck, using the Marlin 30-30 I passed down to him the Christmas before.

Thanks!

Those are some fine looking Leverguns . Look's like those 30-30's are serving the youngester's well. safdm44 Will Do.

Love my 30-30 lever. Took this hog with it at 60 yards. dropped in his tracks. Left a nice exit hole. Looking forward to trying it out on deer this fall.

Marlin LTS, OAL 34", CB Stock, Ghost Rings, 16" Barrel

info on the peep sight from Marlin just above?? nice pics!

Thats a Marlin LTS with a stock from a CB. OAL is 34". Sights are XS Ghost rings. 16" barrel needed a .650 front sight height if I remember correctly. LTS uses old style front sight groove. Rifle now wears the barrel and with sling stud.

Its the best handling and lightest Marlin 336 know to mankind.

did they have to cut the dovetail for the front sight? nice rifle

35 rem

Wild Boar met 1876 Winchester cal. 45-75 wcf.

awesome guns i hope to get a rio grande in 30/30 and kill some stuff with it

safdm44,

No, the rifle is from the factory with a williams sight in a dovetail. I think there were only 2,500 or so of these made. The only non-special run Marlin I have is the Stainless 30-30 above.

Some nice pics on here for sure.

My Marlin 336 30-30JM has been good to me! Love this lever action!!!!

My stand is pink camo,You are a Sure Nuff Huntress,Good on Ya ,,,,Dusty caint beat a thuty thuty.

hog with Mariln 336 in 35 Remington

AWESOME!!! look at all those critters

Found some more pics

Savage model 1899A 30-30



Model 1893 Marlin 30-30 octagon barrel 26"

I really like this thread as I enjoy hunting with lever actions, just this Last year I hunted with my 45-70 and was able to take a decent buck on my friends place and an axis doe on my property. My place is a small parcel of land and I think the doe had escaped from a larger game ranch somewhere, from where? I don't know, as there are no exotic game ranches near by me that I am aware of anyway. I will try to post a pic on here of my axis doe with lever gun used to take her. Next week if all goes well I will go hog hunting on my friends place with a new to me 1894CB in 44mag, I hope to be able to post pics here of that hunt as well and share a successful hog hunting story.

I have Arnold savage level action 308 I have passed down.... killed my first deer with it many black bear and elk since..... I tried finding some more info but I come up empty.... says 1949 with the serial letter that's all I can get.....I jus assume its a 1899

Post some pics... im sure it is a Savage model 99

X2

They were some nice shooting guns, and classy looking.