New Marlin vs. New Winchester lever guns

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  • Dark Star

    Plinker
    Rating - 0%
    0   0   0
    Sep 4, 2019
    39
    6
    South bend
    Heya do any of you have any experiences with both (or either brand) winchesters and marlins of the past 5 years or so?

    In dreamland I've always wanted one of the Uberti Winchesters or a Chiappa Spencer rifle (not that I think of the Spencer as a lever gun in the traditional sense) but my inner cheap guy always balks at the prices. For sure they're going to look and be nicer, be more of a functional piece of art, but I can't always afford the art part.

    Yet I still keep wanting a lever gun.

    Any of you had really good or really bad luck with the functionality of the current marlins and winchesters?

    From hickok45 to others whose names I don't even remember, I've watched the youtubes. Just wondering how some Indiana forum posters feel. Thanks for anything contributed. ☺

    Edit: oh forgot... Could you also chime in with what caliber you have, or have shot, if you reply. Been thinking .357 for myself even though I'd be getting a more traditional lever caliber if I had Uberti money.
     

    joncon

    Sharpshooter
    Rating - 100%
    23   0   0
    Mar 30, 2013
    699
    47
    Bartholomew County
    I have a Winchester 94AE in 38/357. I like the gun. I bought it new, and haven't shot it a whole lot, but it seems to shoot 38's and 357's equally well.
     

    Thor

    Grandmaster
    Site Supporter
    Rating - 100%
    2   0   0
    Jan 18, 2014
    10,704
    113
    Could be anywhere
    I have a Win 94 in .30-30 (my first rifle), a JM Marlin 1895CB in .45-70, and Rossi Win 92 in .45 Colt. They all shine in their own arenas and I've had nary a problem with any of them, which one you would buy depends on what you want to use it for. If you just want to plink and have a cowboy assault rifle for home defense any common pistol caliber would be a fine choice. .30-30's have been taking deer since Teddy R was a piker, and the .45-70 has dropped shiploads of bison and all the dangerous game in Africa.
     

    drillsgt

    Grandmaster
    Rating - 100%
    108   0   0
    Nov 29, 2009
    9,627
    149
    Sioux Falls, SD
    Heya do any of you have any experiences with both (or either brand) winchesters and marlins of the past 5 years or so?

    In dreamland I've always wanted one of the Uberti Winchesters or a Chiappa Spencer rifle (not that I think of the Spencer as a lever gun in the traditional sense) but my inner cheap guy always balks at the prices. For sure they're going to look and be nicer, be more of a functional piece of art, but I can't always afford the art part.

    Yet I still keep wanting a lever gun.

    Any of you had really good or really bad luck with the functionality of the current marlins and winchesters?

    From hickok45 to others whose names I don't even remember, I've watched the youtubes. Just wondering how some Indiana forum posters feel. Thanks for anything contributed. ☺

    Edit: oh forgot... Could you also chime in with what caliber you have, or have shot, if you reply. Been thinking .357 for myself even though I'd be getting a more traditional lever caliber if I had Uberti money.

    I had a newer Marlin 336 in .35 Remington that functioned just fine and had a nice fit and finish and the same goes for my 1894 in .44 Magnum, no complaints. The Winchesters are usually too few and far between, you don't really ever see new Winchester levers anymore but the ones I have seen have looked nice. The Winchesters have been made by Miroku in Japan for almost 15 years now, all their guns now are made at various plants overseas, like Browning they are pretty much just a name now. Miroku makes very good guns though.
     

    Trapper Jim

    Master
    Site Supporter
    Rating - 100%
    22   0   0
    Dec 18, 2012
    2,676
    77
    Arcadia
    Heya do any of you have any experiences with both (or either brand) winchesters and marlins of the past 5 years or so?

    In dreamland I've always wanted one of the Uberti Winchesters or a Chiappa Spencer rifle (not that I think of the Spencer as a lever gun in the traditional sense) but my inner cheap guy always balks at the prices. For sure they're going to look and be nicer, be more of a functional piece of art, but I can't always afford the art part.

    Yet I still keep wanting a lever gun.

    Any of you had really good or really bad luck with the functionality of the current marlins and winchesters?

    From hickok45 to others whose names I don't even remember, I've watched the youtubes. Just wondering how some Indiana forum posters feel. Thanks for anything contributed. ☺

    Edit: oh forgot... Could you also chime in with what caliber you have, or have shot, if you reply. Been thinking .357 for myself even though I'd be getting a more traditional lever caliber if I had Uberti money.


    I have shot a lot of all these rifles and extend an invitation to greet and meet for a hands on presentation and shoot any caliber you want.
     

    Mgderf

    Grandmaster
    Site Supporter
    Rating - 100%
    43   0   0
    May 30, 2009
    17,875
    113
    Lafayette
    In the past 5 years I've bought a new Marlin 1895 in .45-70gvt and a new Marlin 336 in .35 Remington.
    Not a complaint with either.
    I don't buy guns for their looks, but they look pretty good to me.
    They work as advertised, and that's what I want.
     

    1nderbeard

    Master
    Local Business Supporter
    Rating - 100%
    38   0   0
    Apr 3, 2017
    2,529
    113
    Hendricks County
    I bought a Marlin 30-30 used a few years ago. As said above, I don't like the finish on the metal parts and the stock is birch. But the function of the gun is fine. Shoots as well as you'd expect from a modern rifle.
     
    Rating - 100%
    44   0   0
    Nov 23, 2008
    2,742
    12
    Mishawaka
    I have a JM Marlin 38/357 and a 2017 Marlin 1895G 45/70 with Walnut stock. The overall attention to detail on the JM is nicer pertaining to the rounded edges but other than that their pretty much the same. Both have functioned perfectly and i'm quite happy with either one. I've read that the 2009 to about 2013 models were the offending examples but after that their function became increasingly better.
     

    Leadeye

    Grandmaster
    Rating - 100%
    4   0   0
    Jan 19, 2009
    36,686
    113
    .
    Spend the money, get the Uberti if you are going pistol caliber and just want to shoot it. Get the Marlin if it's primarily a hunting gun as scope mounting is a lot easier. Learn how to and invest in casting/reloading and shooting will be a lot less expensive.
     

    openwell

    Sharpshooter
    Rating - 100%
    4   0   0
    Mar 31, 2014
    734
    34
    Carmel
    They all work great in their own ways.
    Winchester 94 legacy 30/30 has 24" barrel I thought would spoil the great "light-weight" I desired is great!
    shoots so well I have yet to mount a scope. Only down-side is I miss the "half-cock" position & has the cross-bolt safety button.
    I had new Marlin 1895 45/70 gov. Had great deep ballard rifling for cast bullets and shot extremely well with everything from Horady leverevolution 300gr. to 415gr lee casts. And even with 1.8 inch "pistol-calber-Indiana-rifle-caliber-crap law" custom cases with 405gr JFN & special order Lee crimp die.
    Sadly I Sold the Marlin to fund a S&W 586 I needed (wanted) but still all the stuff & would buy another new Marlin in any caliber.

    The new cnc parts don 't look as pretty but they make sure the parts work the same. that means one works like the other.
     

    Mgderf

    Grandmaster
    Site Supporter
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    43   0   0
    May 30, 2009
    17,875
    113
    Lafayette
    I know it wasn't mentioned, but I bought a .30-30 a few years back, but believe it or not, it was a Mossberg model 464 lever gun.
    I can not say enough good things about this rifle.
    The one I bought came from Gallery of Guns, was an exclusive offering, and carries their lifetime warranty.
    It has their "Marine-Cote" which is more or less a Ceracote, and has a beautiful laminated stock.

    It was at a special price at the time, and I would buy another one if I found the need for a second .30-30.
    Check them out. They're great guns, and well built.
     

    DeadeyeChrista'sdad

    Grandmaster
    Site Supporter
    Rating - 100%
    35   0   0
    Feb 28, 2009
    10,070
    149
    winchester/farmland
    Derf, I'm flummoxed as to why Mossberg hasn't expanded their lever action line. There is certainly a market out there, and Mossberg's initial offerings were very nice. I imagine a 464 in 6.5 creedmoor, or .308 would just be the bee's knees.
     

    openwell

    Sharpshooter
    Rating - 100%
    4   0   0
    Mar 31, 2014
    734
    34
    Carmel
    Derf, I'm flummoxed as to why Mossberg hasn't expanded their lever action line. There is certainly a market out there, and Mossberg's initial offerings were very nice. I imagine a 464 in 6.5 creedmoor, or .308 would just be the bee's knees.

    could be that some shooters think of mossberg as "cheap plastic" guns as they do have a long history.....

    and I know MANY recently manufactured guns have lots of plastic trigger guards and such.....

    It took me around 20 yrs to see how guns like glocks could ever replace CZ75s or S&W 1006s......

    but gen 4 & gen 3 Glocks showed me even plastic horse-shoe sights were OK
     

    openwell

    Sharpshooter
    Rating - 100%
    4   0   0
    Mar 31, 2014
    734
    34
    Carmel
    Why not a Henry?

    Good fit and finish, multiple calibers, wonderful support...

    really?
    Henry lever gun design is a little "nuvo" for me.
    with all the "golden boys" "silver boys"
    & no loading ports! just tubes like a 22lr?

    very clunky looking guns to me.
    but designed for who?
    they may shoot well.
    they just don't have any traditional look or feel.

    YMMV
     

    Bapak2ja

    Master
    Rating - 100%
    10   0   0
    Dec 17, 2009
    4,580
    48
    Fort Wayne
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