Lever Action Rifles And The Desert!

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Bryan Austin
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Lever Action Rifles And The Desert!

Post by Bryan Austin »

What is it about the great wide open? If I were to load up my 44-40 and drive out west to shoot in the great wide open....where should I go...where would you suggest? I doubt I will ever get to go....but maybe one day! :cry:
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GunnyMack
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Re: Lever Action Rifles And The Desert!

Post by GunnyMack »

One place that should be seen is The Whittington Center in Raton NM.
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ywaltzucanrknrl
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Re: Lever Action Rifles And The Desert!

Post by ywaltzucanrknrl »

I've shot on a lot of beautiful rifle ranges in Montana, Wyoming, Utah and Idaho, plus Raton and Ben Avery. I think most are accessible to non members if a person makes arrangements and consults their web sites. I kind of quit the competitive shooting and now I mainly shoot in the desert on public land. I like Wyoming best because I know it best---having spend pretty much all my 65 years here. But I shoot in Montana quite a lot and also Utah on public land. Probably my favorite range in Montana is the Butte range, and Anaconda is really cool, but I'm not sure about it being open to public shooting.

Cody is good and you could take in the museum and look at some of those Winchesters. Cody is supposed to have the State Shooting Complex sometime in the next few years and they already have the Cody Shooting Complex. Powell is close and it has a nice range with a metal bison way out there to plink at. I shoot on the Meeteetse range a bit, it's generally not crowded, but doesn't have long range shooting. Quite a few public land shooting opportunities in the Cody, Powell area also. Worland has a nice range and Worland is claimed to have the calmest conditions in Wyoming. Lander is also very nice.
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Malamute
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Re: Lever Action Rifles And The Desert!

Post by Malamute »

Wandering the wild country of the west and southwest with Winchester in hand are some of my best life experiences, and is a large part of the direction I desired and planned my life to go. Nothing newer or "better" ever carried and filled the general purpose walk around gun niche as well as a Winchester nor made the experience as much fun and adventurous.

Nice relaxing vid of a guy roaming with his 73 rifle.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sJ00j5Uc9WE

Coming home from town
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Out dog walking, 1927 made 94 carbine
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Notice how using a Winchester makes this ordinary looking woman look like a movie star and turns an ordinary shooting experience into an adventure. :)
Rachel with Winchester.jpg
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Last edited by Malamute on Tue Sep 16, 2025 3:39 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Eddie Southgate
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Re: Lever Action Rifles And The Desert!

Post by Eddie Southgate »

Some place Wide Open .
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Scott Tschirhart
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Re: Lever Action Rifles And The Desert!

Post by Scott Tschirhart »

I love the country along the Rio Bravo west of Big Bend.
1972RedNeck
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Re: Lever Action Rifles And The Desert!

Post by 1972RedNeck »

Not sure how the 44-40 would do but the Quigley Shoot near Forsyth, MT is on my bucket list. I haven't made it yet and I'm only 4 hours away.
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Bryan Austin
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Re: Lever Action Rifles And The Desert!

Post by Bryan Austin »

1972RedNeck wrote: Fri Sep 19, 2025 10:05 am Not sure how the 44-40 would do but the Quigley Shoot near Forsyth, MT is on my bucket list. I haven't made it yet and I'm only 4 hours away.
The 44 would do horrible but I would still like to shoot out there some day. Even watching in person would be fun!

I did shoot my friend Wesley's 45-70, but range is only 300 yards. Two shots.
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mickbr
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Re: Lever Action Rifles And The Desert!

Post by mickbr »

Come visit Australia Bryan. I moved back here some time ago, having lived abroad for decades. The continent is 75% desert :D Also a lot of original 44-40 in 1892 and 1873 abound in stores. In the colonial era which roughly timelines the wild west, many were imported to hunters, farmers, militia, state police and prisons. As such they are quite easy to find and cheap. An original 1892 with good bore runs about $400-500 USD here, an original 1873 is more expensive $1000-1500. Levers are one of the gun types they still let folks own here and they get a lot of respect. The go-to for pig hunters in my home state is a 44mag.
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