Where are all the old coots???

[big bear]

I joined back in 2007. Under the influence of this forum my shooting interests veered from active IPSC competition to investigating lever action rifles along with a big commitment to mountain game hunting. I accumulated a bunch of Winchester, Browning, Savage and Marlin leverguns and components. I have survived long enough to retire. I am now trying to shoot up all the stuff I hoarded back in my working days. There were a bunch of guys on here back then who shot their lever guns a lot and shared their experiences freely. I know some sadly have left the range but surely there must be a few old guys still around.

So maybe if I chum the water maybe I can get some of those fellows talking again.

Current projects that would benefit from advice and new perspectives:

Anybody casting/shooting cast bullets in their Winchester 71s? Should I dedicate one of my 71s for cast bullets only?

Loads for both cast and jacketed bullets in my Browning 1886 SRC, using the ladder sights (it's a High Grade version that I got a great deal on). I mention that because I am not going to alter the sights . It is shot purely for fun, out to 200yds, no more.. Not for hunting but it is brought along sometimes for a camp rifle as I live in bear country.

Finally can I ask safely here, why am I finding that my Marlin leverguns are not very accurate?? ( I dare not ask this on a Marlin forum). I have Marlin's in 357Mag and 218 Bee , both with scopes.My Browning 92 and 65 both shoot better groups (MUCH better)at 100yds with their tang sights.

Cheers from Canada

[JimT]

I don't know if I am old enough to be a coot, but I am still here.

[Old Savage]

Still here from 2007. All my Marlin rifle calibers are accurate.

[samsi]

In 2007 I wasn't young but I also wasn't old yet. My little brother turned 60 recently, I think that means I am getting old although I'm not sure when the changeover to Coot-dom occurs.

This may be a more important debate than Marlin accuracy...

[joepb]

I am new only joining in 2008.

[big bear]

Still here from 2007. All my Marlin rifle calibers are accurate.

Hmmm? Must be me. I gave a waffletop 35Rem that I can get 3 shot 1.5" or better groups with the Levergun powder recipe on the container. My 375Win Marlin does under 2" , 4 shots at 100yds and I haven't tried many loads in it. It is also a JM model. the problem children are Remlins, maybe that is the issue.

[big bear]

In 2007 I wasn't young but I also wasn't old yet. My little brother turned 60 recently, I think that means I am getting old although I'm not sure when the changeover to Coot-dom occurs.

This may be a more important debate than Marlin accuracy...

If everything aches when you wake up in the morning, you sit up and smile cause that means you are still alive, then you know you are old. Being a coot is more of an attitude (devilish) thing

[jeepnik]

Like you Big Bear I joined in 2007. I also wasn't young, but not yet old. I am officially old now and my wife frequently calls me an old coot. I don't get the connotation, as I think coots are fine looking birds. I do shoot my lever guns more than my other action types. But where I live it's an all day trip to do so. So, I shoot handguns much more these days. I shoot, pun intended, to go to the range weekly. Doesn't always happen but it is pretty regular.

I must also admit that I now load somewhat lighter for my 45-70 than in days of old. But since I mostly shoot cast in everything, including horror of horrors, my Glocks I never did push the velocity/pressure envelope anyway. Should I need T-Rex killers I keep a few Buffalo Bore and Garretts around.

The two lever guns that get the most work out are the 1895 GS and Centennial Model 39. The midrange calibers sometimes must feel like step children.

[jkbrea]

Wow...I joined in 07. I was 45....now in my 60's!! Time flies. I only had a Mossberg .22 lever then. Now I've gone through about half a dozen 30-30's, .22's 45-70....and that's just in leverguns.

[COSteve]

I joined in 2009, however, I still qualify as an "old coot" as my next birthday I will celebrate my 3rd lap around 26.

(For those who are math challenged that's 78 yrs young).

[Nath]

Finally can I ask safely here, why am I finding that my Marlin leverguns are not very accurate?? ( I dare not ask this on a Marlin forum). I have Marlin's in 357Mag and 218 Bee , both with scopes.My Browning 92 and 65 both shoot better groups (MUCH better)at 100yds with their tang sights.

Cheers from Canada

It's a standard feature of Marlin, dint ya know.....

[oldebear1950]

I am older than some on here and not as old as others.
I was a late joiner, but been shooting lever guns since I was 10 years old. I am now 74.
I don't know if that quals as an old coot or not.

My two granddads were old time town marshalls in Oklahoma during the oil boom of the 1920s and 1930s.
They taught us to shoot their lever guns and one had a Winchester 73 in 44-40
and the other had a Marlin in the same caliber, but I do not remember the model number.

They both carried Colt revolvers in the same caliber as their lever guns. Said it saved them from mixing up ammo.

Been shooting them ever since, Winchesters, Marlins, Savage.
I have shot Winchesrter, 73, 92, 94, 95, Marlin 45 colt, 45-70, 30-30, and a 300 savage.

I am still learning and hope I never quit learning

[oldebear1950]

You apparently have not found the right combo for your rifles. My Marlins have always been accurate at 100 yards.
Not tack drivers, but can keep all 7 rounds from a 30-30 inside a plate sized target, and the same with 45-70

[Bill in Oregon]

Another coot-certified latecomer from 2008 here. Drifted over from the old Sixgunner.com site.
Alls I have leverwise right now is an Uberti 73, but I have had a slug of Marlins over the years and a few Winchesters as well. Wish I had kept the Marlin Cowboy in .38-55.

[rock-steady]

If I remember correctly, I had to re-register here in 2007....I was rock steady without the hyphen before.

I do know this was one of the first sites I joined when we got the internet. The other site was the old Marlin Owners site.

Remember Big Mortie and his wife (287lbs) and shotting squill and beer bottles in his backdoor yard with greenbox ammo?

[bgmkithaca]

I am a late comer - joined in 2010. I lurk here daily but don't post often, this is post number 124. As far as accuracy with marlins go most of mine have been an inch or less at 100 yards but all of them took a fair amount os tweaking to get there. Have had much better luck with them than winchesters and a lot easyier
to work on. I am 77 years old-does that qualify for an old coot?

[ESisk]

The Coots have progressed to Curmudgeons, with some attaining Dinosaur statis.

[jeepnik]

The other site was the old Marlin Owners site.

Please tell me that net nazi run site is no more!

[big bear]

Browning 71 carbine, FastFire sight, 200gr Hornady bullet/H4831sc load at 100yds. I get 2" 5 shot 100yd groups, same load in my iron sighted Winchester 71 rifle, usually 3 of the 5 are in a 1" group.

[gamekeeper]

Been here since re-registering in 2007 but doing more with shotguns now..

[gray1]

I never had 336 that I would call accurate. I couldn’t shoot a 1 inch group at 50 yards with any of them. I think I’ve had at least 6 of them.

[JRD]

I’ve been here since 2007 as well.
Was this current forum an extension of another forum before it? Something is making me think we were part of this site before 2007.

[hfcable]

yes, it says i joined in 2007 but i was sure it was earlier. i was on the " campfire' web site from 1999 onward.

i am an old coot, but i do have a lot of lever guns and have had even more over the years.

one of my most favorites is this 1876 winchester in 50/95 caliber





it is amazingly accurate

[big bear]

Sweet, beautiful old rifle.

[.45colt]

I'm not a Coot....I'm a COG .Certified OLD Geezer. I showed up here in 2000, then when they re-did the forum All had to sign up again . I have Marlins in many calibers and haven't had trouble getting decent groups. .

[Echo154]

Well I’m not an Old Coot, but my wife calls me a COB…….Cranky Old Bastage!

[Ysabel Kid]

Here from 2007, and the earlier version dating back a few years before that. Mrs. YK will tell you all I was born an old coot!

[Echo154]

Some say it’s a gift but I practice at it every day

[Grizz]

yes, it says i joined in 2007 but i was sure it was earlier. i was on the " campfire' web site from 1999 onward.

i am an old coot, but i do have a lot of lever guns and have had even more over the years.

one of my most favorites is this 1876 winchester in 50/95 caliber





it is amazingly accurate

i'd love to shoot that rifle. beauty!

to the point of the 2007 join date, that was caused by a database kaffaffle that erased all the data. the sight was reconstructed and everyone who had history with the forum got the 2007 re-do. it was years worth of worthy conversations . . . gone with the wind . . .... :)
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