Lever Guns

Discussion in 'Knives, Gear, Guns And Other Tools' started by Zeek, Jan 19, 2018.

  1. Zeek

    Zeek Member

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    Last edited: May 23, 2018
  2. HEADACHE

    HEADACHE Member

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    Something very special about the old guns indeed.

    My oldest is a Winnie, it's a 46, I believe.
    I have a Winnie and a Marlin turdys from 71, my year.

    We also have an old octagon 22wcf converted to shoot lr. It was my grandma's, she used to shoot dinner with it back in the Ozarks nearly a hundred years ago.

    I love new guns too, but there's something super cool and nostalgic about an old lever gun.
     
  3. koolaidnd

    koolaidnd Member

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    I only own one right now. A Marlin 1894c, pre freedom group production.

    Too bad it’s locked in a safe at the regional game and fish office. The fine has been paid, but the warden needs to set up a time for me to meet with him there for the handoff. Should be this month sometime.
     
  4. HEADACHE

    HEADACHE Member

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    I tend to love Marlin more than the Winnie. Not to start a war or anything, in my experience I have found the Marlin to be more accurate, and it tends to " wear in" whereas I think the Winnie's tend to "wear out" I think the blueing holds better with the Marlin.
    I dislike some of the fat forends on the Marlins, nothing a good sander can't fix.

    They are both extremely handy!

    My Marlin 30-30 actually saved my life one fine day, but that's a story for another time.
     
  5. ManOfSteel

    ManOfSteel Member

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    Can’t say that and not tell the story. @Strigidae will ban you if you don’t.
     
  6. HEADACHE

    HEADACHE Member

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    Fair enough...ha ha
    Where should I share it? Start a new thread or add it here?
     
  7. Andy the Aussie

    Andy the Aussie Administrator of the Century Staff Member

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    My 30/30 Trapper, bought new @1983....

    [​IMG]

    I have another 94 in the back of the safe in .32 Winchester Special. It's destine to become a .44mag one day.
     
  8. DYSPHORIC JOY

    DYSPHORIC JOY Administrator Staff Member

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    We need to hear this survival story. Could be some valuable info for everyone.
     
  9. HEADACHE

    HEADACHE Member

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    ok, here goes:

    Quite a few years ago:
    It was mid February, I woke one morning ready to go coyote hunting. I gathered all my things, pack, caller, cold weather gear, and the most fun part, choosing a rifle. I grabbed the ol Colt ar-15..... then put it back. Settled on the .243 bolt. Scooped up some ammo for it. A little voice inside my 8-yr old cub scout head said "grab a lever gun too.... be prepared."
    So I reached for my Beloved Marlin 30-30 made in `71... the year I was born. My old grandpa helped me pick it out just before he died... he was special and he's the one who had given me my love for hunting. It is a special rifle to me.

    Anyhow I tossed it all in back of the Cherokee and south I went..... I live right smack dab in the center of AZ.... south equals desert, north equals pine forest, its a pretty awesome place to be.

    About 45 minutes south I started noticing lots of hunters pulled off the roads.... "Pig hunters!" Crap I didn't want to mess around with Javelina season! Didn't want to interrupt anyone's chances of getting a stink pig as we call them.... so I made a U-turn and headed north!

    Ended up at one of my favorite places near Stoneman Lake. Thick pine forest, loaded with game, and great hiking.

    Around this time of year it's really smart to take note of where you find Elk... specifically Bulls, because anytime from Feb-end of March, they drop their antlers. Its profitable to know where to look.
    As I piled out of the Jeep executing "plan B" I opted for the old lever gun! The scoped 243 was not as useful in this thick stuff. I grabbed my pack, a mouth call (left the FoxPro) and off I went.

    About a mile in, I spotted elk... an entire herd of them, the snow from the previous week had pushed many of them down to lower elevation and right into my pocket. I saw over a hundred cows that morning. "Great timing I thought!"
    Soon I started spying smaller bulls... I was walking through the patchy snow getting closer and closer to 2 4point bulls sparring with each other, kind of like 2 middle school age boys putting each other in headlocks... not seriously fighting, just messing around. I pulled my phone out of my pocket, and started recording the action, I was about 45 yards from them jacking around when the wind swirled and off they ran. Exciting times enjoying Gods creation.

    Another 200 yards as I was creeping along listening intently for quiet bugles and elk noises I heard a loud thump behind me to my left, it sounded like it was about 20 yards away! Sort of like when you shoot a squirrel out of a tree top and it drops to the ground.... only much louder!

    I jerked my head around to see a mountain lion pouncing toward me!

    It was in this moment that I was truly astonished and most of this story takes place.... the first second of the dangerous situation. How much information flies through your brain.... the whole life flashing before your eyes kind of thing.
    I am so immensely impressed by how much your brain can actually work in that instant!

    I yanked that rifle off my shoulder, cocked the hammer on the way up and Bang! the Lion dropped from my view at about 10 yards!
    As the lever flicked another shell into the chamber (fastest I've ever flicked that lever by the way) I saw two lions tails whip around a tree at about 30 yards from me and those two lions scampered off very quickly. As my eyes widened even further I spied a large Lion broadside from me, ears back hissing a horrible sound at me from about 50 yards away!
    FOUR LIONS!!!!
    I put the gold bead on that lion and spoke the words "if you take one step my way I'm gonna....." Well at exactly that moment, the lion I had shot (at) popped up and came right at me around a juniper tree and was now 3 yards from me moving fast! I yanked the rifle to my right and bang! let that cat have it through the tree figuring I may have had time to get another one in it before it was chewing on me.
    That bullet zipped through its belly and it began flailing around and making a god-awful sound as it flopped away from me.
    Popping another round through that Marlin I pulled the bead on that big sucker that at been hissing at me.... it slowly started walking away, glaring its evil stare into my eyes and deep into my soul..... That thing Hated me.... and finally it was out of sight.

    I took a small breath... spoke a few words to God.... kept looking for the other to lions over my shoulder for a good twenty minutes I just stood there watching all around for any other ambushes by the devils..... slipped 2 rounds back into the gun..... just sat there for a while trying to un-pucker myself.... gather my senses and calm my brain down.

    As it turned out, the first lion was so friggin close, I just missed it.... the rifle blast in its face made it cower down and freeze I guess.

    They had actually been sitting there on a dead Cow elk carcass ( I found later as I was walking over to pick up my dead lion) and I had mistakenly walked right on by. (be aware of your surroundings)

    The thoughts running through my head during this encounter were amazingly fast, it's like every video about tactical encounters and the millions of hours watching hunting videos and whatnot all played back through my brain, I remember thinking coyotes! coyotes! because my brain wasn't willing to accept lions, 4 of them, all sitting there together!

    I remember thinking 4 lions, 7 shots, better not miss much! Training your brain for such an encounter is good idea.
    A slew of things came flying through my memory banks during those few seconds! When people say everything was in slow motion, I now know why..... because MAN! there is a lot of information processed in such a short time!

    I never really panicked, my heart rate never felt out of control, just bang bang get on target kind of feeling took over.

    Good thing I had my lever gun.... that scoped .243 would have totally missed, up close like that... and this story could have ended up as a man hunt for a lost hiker.... Yay Cub Scouts! Yay Grandpa! Yay youtube! Yay leverguns!

    nowadays I never leave the house without a pistol, and a large knife on my hip... no matter which rifle I'm packing, I have options in lion country.

    I have since spoken with many lion hunters about the ordeal, and since killed other lions too, but we all tend to agree that its pretty rare to have 4 together like that, the lion I shot was a young 2 yr old male, probably had never seen a human before, was either hopping over to check me out, or else run me off their kill. He wasn't like running after a rabbit fast, more like trotting over to tackle his playmate.... but let me tell you, a lion moving toward you unannounced out in the woods at 20 feet looks like Godzilla!
    Ha ha ha.

    Anyhow, that's how my Marlin saved my life!
     
    Last edited: Jan 20, 2018
  10. DYSPHORIC JOY

    DYSPHORIC JOY Administrator Staff Member

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    Thank you for the story. Good one.
     
  11. Boker55

    Boker55 Member

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    I wanna hear this story.
     
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  12. koolaidnd

    koolaidnd Member

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    Party hunting is illegal in North Dakota. Everybody does it. I got caught. Won’t ever do it again.

    I’ve never really got in trouble for anything but speeding. The game warden gave me a break because of my clean record and cooperation. He talked to the states attorney and I was able to buy my rifle back.
     
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  13. Zeek

    Zeek Member

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    Great story man!!! This is exactly the sort of thing I wonder about every time I see an old firearm... what kind of stories could it tell? It's also why I want my grandpa's Winchester model 43. I remember my dad telling me hunting stories about my grandpa and that old gun. Make sure yours stays in the family.
     
  14. Boker55

    Boker55 Member

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    Party hunting? Does that mean hunting in a group?

    Edit. I looked it up. That’s a stupid law. I’m sure you already knew that.
     
    Last edited: Jan 20, 2018
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  15. koolaidnd

    koolaidnd Member

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    My dad and brother both had tags. I didn’t and I shot a small doe for my brother. We were all present when it happened. Yeah it’s a dumb law but I understand the conservation reason.
     
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  16. koolaidnd

    koolaidnd Member

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    I just got the call from the warden. I pick up my marlin on Monday. 5 hour round trip for 15 minutes at the regional game and fish office. But my collection will be whole again!
     
  17. 480 RUGER

    480 RUGER Member

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    My Win. 9422. I mowed lawns all summer when I was 10 so I could have it in time for the fall rabbit season
     
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  18. Zeek

    Zeek Member

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    Niiccceeee!!!
     
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  19. 480 RUGER

    480 RUGER Member

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    My JM stamped 45-70 stainless Guide Gun. I love this rifle!!
     
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  20. Lockster

    Lockster Member

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    I’ve got a Rossi 44 mag trapper, love a light lever gun, so quick to target.
     

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