Today I finally added one of my bucket list rifles to my assortment. Picked up this Smith & Wesson Stealth Hunter in 357 Mag with a Magpul ELG stock and Sig 1-6x24 optic for $1099 as a preowned. The load gate barely shows signs of use so it must of been lightly enjoyed by the last owner. Got home and threw on a Rugged muzzle device and hopped my Alaskan 360 on it. Now I have a six-round quiver shipping to add to the stock and then a two-round one for the hand guard. Can’t wait to hit the range with this thing! Happy to officially be a Space Cowboy 🤠

Waiting for my leather cord to arrive so I can wrap the loop. Then just need to print my new shell holders and rail panels in black. I had her setup in OD green previously.

Bought a Marlin 336 in 30-30 about a year ago. I love it to pieces, but since then I've wanted something easier (and cheaper) to shoot as a range toy, and my Henry in .22 just wasn't doing it for me.

Enter this lil thang in .357 Mag from Rossi! Very happy so far, and day one I already sent 150 rounds through it.

There are absolutely plans for a rail and a red dot and to space-cowboy it out, though that'll be far more into the future.

Here's a couple of my levers I have made a couple of additions to in order for them to be more useful for hunting and critter control. One is my pre-64 Win 94 in .32 Win Spcl. Added a Pearsons No Drill rail to it so I could mount a scout scope while still having the a tion top eject. Works great with my old eyes and a raised comb butt cuff. Plus, the mount is low enough that I can remove the scope (QD rings) and still use the Williams FP-TK aperture sight with my Williams Firesight front sight.

The other is my 357 Mag Henry Big Boy Steel. From Skinner sights I added an aperture sight and a nifty little clamp on picatinny rail Lever Light Mount he makes. Super simple to add a flashlight on it in case I need to see what I am shooting at in the dark.

That's as close as I will ever get to a space cowboy conversion. Still plenty of wood and bluing to keeps their souls around.

I was fortunate to have my grandfather’s old JM Marlin 336 passed down to me and I’m all of a sudden interested in going hunting with some friends. I’ve never purchased a scope before, but plan to go with a Leupold based on my research. I’m looking for an older gloss finished one, likely a Vari X-III or VX-II or VX-III. Ideally I would purchase the 1.75-6x32 but they seem to be super scarce and pricey.

Is 1.5-5x20 enough magnification for a new hunter to chase white tail in AL and TN? Or should I move up to 2-7x33 to be safe?

Thanks in advance!

Above is the pairing of the Ruger/Marlin 1895 SBL in .45-70, and the Ruger/Marlin 1894 SBL in .44 Magnum.

The 1894 has an Obsidian 45 can on it in its shorter (6.7") form.

The 1895 has the Burris 2-7x Scout scope on it. The 1894 has the Vortex 1.5x5.5x Scout scope. The Vortex rear eyepiece was a tad wider and required a scope mount 1/10" higher to accommodate.

The 1894 SBL is so much shorter than the 1895 SBL that even with the can on it the 1894 is only around 1.75" longer than the 1895 SBL is without a can.

The choice of Obsidian 45 was driven by two main factors: I wanted as slim a can as practicable that was user serviceable. Say what you want about throwing non-serviceable cans in an ultrasonic to clean them out, but I shoot coated cast bullets and I wanted to ensure I had direct access to the baffles in case gunk was getting in there that an ultrasonic might not get out.

I really, really loathe the look of leverguns with really fat cans hanging off the end. The Obsidian 45, at 1.37" diameter, is very slim. The pic doesn't do it justice: in person this is a very slim can, probably about as slim a can as I can envision anyone putting out that's rated up to .45-70.

The 1895 SBL is heavier by a pound than the 1894 SBL is. With that can, which weighs 10.7 ounces, the 1894 is still lighter with the can on it than the 1895 SBL is without a can. I suspect the can is actually a little lighter than 10.7 ounces in short form, because it ships with the Nielsen device for use with pistols, and the fixed mount weighs less.

I've got probably 150 rounds through the .45-70 and I really like it with my medium-power loads. That is, 350gr bullet at 1600fps. I've had the .44 magnum with a 240gr XTP up around 1760, and am currently working up my load for my 250gr lead wide flat-nose solid cast (coated and with gas check) bullets, but anticipate stopping somewhere in the 1700s. I'm around 250 rounds in with the 1894, and it's the one I'm currently shooting while I develop my loads.

I enjoy the .44 Magnum a lot. It's a joy to shoot, actually. A can is just about the most efficient muzzle brake you can even contemplate, so recoil with my subsonic loads (just under 1100fps) felt so light it reminded me of shooting a freaking .22lr. Even with the heavier loads, with the suppressor on they are so easy shooting you could shoot these all day, and without the can I honestly was expecting more recoil than I actually feel. Perhaps the extra padding from my stock wrap (both use the exact same Wayne's Dog stock wrap and sling) is contributing to that, I don't know. I just know I really, really am enjoying this rifle, and the can on it is just the chef's kiss.

The 1894SBL uses a 5/8x28 threaded fixed mount, while the 1895 SBL in .45-70 uses 11/16x28, so you need the separate fixed mount and can't just swap the can from one to the other without swapping the fixed mount. I have the mount for the .45-70 but haven't shot it with the can yet - soon. :-)

Looking for a semi compact scope that can get me out to 200 yards and won’t break the bank. Any thoughts?

Loaded 8 with 15.8gr of Power Pistol behind a 350gr coated FN. No issues. Fairly accurate. Decent punch. Not a powderpuff load but very comfortable Also first time testing Ginex primers from American reloading. Primers are an absolute pain to seat correctly, but also no issues.

Hi I’m trying to figure out what’s wrong with my 336. The lever won’t fully close and the trigger is floppy and will not release the hammer whatsoever. My sister took it hunting the other day and it worked fine when she practiced before but when she went to take her shot it didn’t go bang! It feels like the lever is coming in contact with something internally, not allowing it to close. I have the bolt out for investigation and it has the same symptoms with or without it.

Does anyone know if the modern front tenon for a Marlin 444 will fit an original JM stamped rifle? The original tenon is stripped to shit and all the old oem parts are sold out. I know the new tenon has different screw pitch, I’m just worried it won’t fit the dovetail.

Thank you for the help.

G'day from Australia! This is my lever gun collection.

Top: Winchester Model 1894 30 wcf (30-30) from 1902

Middle: Henry Big Boy Silver in .357 Mag/.38 Spl

Bottom: Browning BL-22

My goal is have One Brand, One calibre for my Lever Guns. So I am open to suggestions to what Brands and in what Calibre I should get next.

Thanks.

I have a 30-30 model 94 that im looking to mount a scope on. Ive ordered a "Pearson no drill tactical rail" and i was planning on purchasing a Vortex Crossfire II 2-7x32 Scout but they appear to now be completely gone.

Is there a good alternative in the same price range and quality? I cant find much of anything that isnt much higher in price.

This is a Marlin 1894 Cowboy chambered in 38/ 357. I have been looking for a while and found this one online. I manage to drive over this weekend and finally picked it up. This is a non standard 1894. Being as it is the “Cowboy” edition, it has a 20” tapered octagon barrel and the strait stock. Finding one chambered in 38/357 showed to be more of a challenge than I anticipated.

Special edition for the Canadian market 🤌🏼

Anyone know where to find one? They’ve been out of stock for almost a year.

Just got a brand new S&W 1854 .44 Mag and the trigger feels wiggly front back left and right. I didn’t notice it when I first got it - should I be concerned?

Share the love for the 1895 :D

Stunningly beautiful crisp morning, just hanging out with my dad's 444p. JM stamped, first production year. God I love this gun.

I’ve never shot it. It’s the 357/38 model. I’ve been working the lever by hand for months to get it slick. Finally brought it out today, opened the lever and it seized up.

Looks like ejector pin is protruding in front of the bolt and maybe holding it in place.

No idea what happened, how I caused this, etc.

Help?

Howdy,

I'm looking to pick up a gun to go with my revolver that will also be used for southeastern whitetail deer and hog hunting. Looking to run some hand load and run some heavy 250-300 hot loads for the hunting tasks. Which would you choose for +P / hot loads and why?

So I just bought a Rossi r95 45-70 for deer hunting. I’m wanting to see scope setups and what y’all are using scope rings rails and scopes I’m wanting the vortex cross fire ll 3-9x50.

First moose hunt and my grandpas 3030 get the job done.

Buddy also got his first deer with a rifle. 45 70 was overkill but its meat in the freezer