Lets take a step back in time to our first lever gun

J Miller · Post by **J Miller** » Thu Feb 19, 2009 12:29 pm

We've had threads here about what is your favorite lever gun, which is better M, W, S, or others, so we've pretty much covered the bases.
But with all the political b.s. we've had to deal with the last couple months I thought about this question:

Q: What was your first exposure to a lever gun, and did that influence your choice of brands and styles?

A: Western movies and TV shows. John Wayne's most likely. Nobody in my family had any lever action rifles that I know of. To my knowledge my dad had a .22 rifle and a shotgun that I never saw except once when he and some of his friends went hunting. So they might not have been his.
Since all the western movie and TV characters carried Winchesters that is all I saw. I never even knew Marlins existed until the TV show Big Valley came on. I thought those Marlins were UGLY as sin compared to John Wayne's Winchester.
When I was about 15 I got an ancient Winchester 1894 SRC and loved it. It looked like most of those on TV, but I soon found out it was more than a pretty face.
I've had one or more Winchester 94s ever since.

Joe

Gun Smith · Post by **Gun Smith** » Thu Feb 19, 2009 12:45 pm

My first levergun was a Model 1895 Winchester in 35 W.C.F. caliber. I bought it at a local sporting goods store where I worked part time . Ammo wasn't available for it, so I rebarreled it to 30/40 Krag. A mortal sin now, but pretty common back in 1954. I always wonder where it is today.

Old Ironsights · Post by **Old Ironsights** » Thu Feb 19, 2009 12:47 pm

1st levergun: Savage 99E in .308.

Not mine, but borrowed to take 1st deer.

2nd Levergun: Marlin Guide Gun.

3rd Levergun: Rossi .357

4th Levergun: Ruger 96/22

5th Levergun: 1886TD Full Octagon.

Nope. No design preference in buying. But within each class of gun (spitzer, Big Bore, Pistol, Rimfire), I think I would stick to the first 4 designs.

Noah Zark · Post by **Noah Zark** » Thu Feb 19, 2009 12:58 pm

First lever gun I was exposed to was my late father's prewar 1894 Winchester, I forget what year it was made. I was seven yrs old and Dad had been taking me plinking for about a year and a half with 22s. He was getting ready for hunting season and let me put three rounds through the 30-30. That 94 was the first centerfire rifle I ever fired, and I used that same rifle to take my first deer, a four-point, when I was 12. Dad died in 1997, and I now have the Winchester.

My second lever was a first-year Marlin 1895 with eight-groove rifling.

Third lever was a Marlin 39A rifle.

Fourth, a Marlin 39 Mountie.

Fifth and up, can't recall.

Last one, a Marlin Marauder last month.

Noah

Modoc ED · Post by **Modoc ED** » Thu Feb 19, 2009 1:00 pm

My first exposure to a lever action rifle was in 1948 when we went to visit my Great Grandmother in Harellsville, NC and my Dad's uncle was using one to kill a steer for butchering. I don't know what brand the rifle was or what caliber it was.

My first lever action rifle was a .30-30 Winchester Model 94 purchased new for me by my Dad in 1956 (I was 13 yrs old). I still have the rifle.

m.wun · Post by **m.wun** » Thu Feb 19, 2009 1:09 pm

My first was when I was 17 in 1987. A 336 Marlin in 30-30. When I bought this gun every person I talked
to said you need a 30-06 or 270.You all know these guys,but as soon as you let them shoot and handle it
they cant put it down.They clean you out of ammo shooting it and then tell you its the most fun thing they
have shot.Two weeks later after reading the gun rags they start spewing about how that lever cant kill as
good as the 300 mag they have even when they learn too flinch so bad they cant hit nothing.

I had to sell that rile in my early 20s for some $$$. But I now have a 1894c and just bought a 336 30-30
(pre safety 1975).I loved that first one and I cant wait to hunt with this one!!!

Lefty Dude · Post by **Lefty Dude** » Thu Feb 19, 2009 1:22 pm

My first Lever Gun was my Daisey Red Ryder BB-Gun.

My Second Lever Gun was an Ithaca 22 lever single shot. Wished I sure had that little shooter.

Borregos · Post by **Borregos** » Thu Feb 19, 2009 1:27 pm

First lever gun was a Browning BL22, this was closely followed by a Browning BLR in .308.
Then I got into Marlins with a 1984 in 44Mag, then Winchesters with a 94 in 30-30.
Then I just seemed to keep getting leverguns on a regular basis, never ever got rid of one either

rock-steady · Post by **rock-steady** » Thu Feb 19, 2009 1:33 pm

+1 Daisy Red Ryder and Marlin 336 30/30.

stew71 · Post by **stew71** » Thu Feb 19, 2009 1:38 pm

Mine was a Marlin 336 chambered in 30-30 that my dad bought for me when I turned 14. Took that rifle on my first deer hunt and I still use it every year. It will be the 1 gun that will NEVER leave this family. I'm currently itching for a Marlin 39, but I have to find a way to sneak it past the wife.

rjohns94 · Post by **rjohns94** » Thu Feb 19, 2009 1:44 pm

my first lever gun was a marlin 1894 in .44 mag. ocatagon barrel, bought it in 94. I had shot win 71s, 73s, 94s, before that but didn't buy any, was into military guns for the longest time. I got the marlin and then a sharps right after. Eventually got 1895 marlin with a long barrel in .45-70. fell in love with that combo and been playing with them ever since. I had some single shot "levers" like ruger #1s and #3s, and lots of .22lr single shots along the way, but 94 was the first real lever gun.

salvo · Post by **salvo** » Thu Feb 19, 2009 1:49 pm

My first lever was my Dads 1949 336A 30-30, he gave it to me after my first mule deer kill, when I was twelve. I remember that hunt like it was yesterday. I have two older brothers that did not like hunting and could not pull the trigger.
I remember us pulling off the road on the way to the hunting area and my Dad said to grab the Marlin were going for a walk, he had a little .410 SxS shotgun and I was not sure what he was up too. We walked a bit and my Dad spotted a cottontail, he grazed the rabbit just enough to get it screaming bloody murder. he then asked me to finish it off. I remember a red mist and no more rabbit to be found. I guess I passed his test.

Levers that I have bought after that where mostly Winchesters and a few more Marlins. I guess I like them all.
My old 336A is my prized possession though.

Here is my Dad shooting the old Marlin last summer.

Hillbilly · Post by **Hillbilly** » Thu Feb 19, 2009 2:18 pm

Dad was a 94 man... for years he owned 2 guns... a full choke Model 12 and a late pre 64 94 30-30. He added a Ruger single -six one year when he was feeling flush.

Me... I grew up with Gene Autry and Matt Dillon on TV.... so I've always been a lever-holic.

El Chivo · Post by **El Chivo** » Thu Feb 19, 2009 2:26 pm

Marlin 1894 in .357. I wanted to get a Winchester, but when I handled them both I went with the Marlin.

86er · Post by **86er** » Thu Feb 19, 2009 2:45 pm

The first lever action I had was a Savage 99 in 308 that my uncle gave me in (around) 1985. I never shot it and four or five years later I sold it. I wrote a pretty extensive story about how I was reaquainted with it last year and took it to Africa to kill an Impala. I posted about it here too. Between 1985 and 2008 I started with one lever rifle, the 1886EL Wincheter Miroku. From a professional use point of view this rifle was better than the Marlin in a few significant ways (that I'm not going to get into here). My Professional Hunting both as a guide and a participant in nuisance bear shooting necessitated a better stopping rifle than the 7mm Rem Mag I had been using for 25+ years as my only rifle. The 7mm Mag killed bears just fine but rarely stopped them in their tracks. I had twice built a 450-400 3" double rifle for myself. After a few outings I sold each as they were just worth too much to the customers for me not to sell them. I needed ample close range stopping power and quick follow up shots. Extensive research and testing led me to the 1886 and the 45-70 in the modern, souped up loadings of 405gr @ 2000fps (and heavier and/or faster at first). After 30 black bears, the most memorable dead-right-there shots were with the 1886 in 45-70. I have used them to stop water buffalo (Piller- remember that?), cape buffalo and a hippo. Overall, I shot just a little over 100 animals with the rifle/cartridge combo. There were some memorable shots that the other PH's said couldn't be done. A 174 yard Gemsbok moving through the brush in S. Africa comes to mind. The PH said "Too Far" and "Thats a very tough animal". One shot penetrtated the heart and broke the off shoulder putting the bull down solidly and for good right there. At least two articles recently about Nilgai echo the same thoughts of two different authors, "Nilgai don't drop where they're shot and bullets do not exit Nilgai". 528 pounds of Nilgai dropped right there after the bullet broke both shoulder and left a 1 1/2 inch exit hole. RJohns94 repeated that on a golden Nilgai a few months later. After more than 2000 rounds of hot stuff I am satisfied with the rifle and caliber the way I have it loaded . It is the ammo that makes that rifle what it is to me. I used Buffalo Bore 405's ( Remington Core Lokt) and 350's (Speer Hot Core) and they failed more than once. I used cast bullets from Buffalo Bore (430 gr) and from Safari Arms (405gr, 420gr and 460gr) and they were just okay. The 405gr Kodiak and Punch bullets have been 100% reliable in penetration and expansion and I have found nothing better. That 1886 is a "work gun" and I trust it and the ammo it fires. On my own, I am rebuilding a relationship with the Savage 99 .308 that I foolishly parted with 20 years ago. I have also aquired a Marlin 39A, BL-22, Win 94AE .45 Colt and Marlin 336 30WCF. None of these are my favorites however. I still go back to the 7mm Rem Mag that I used for so long and I still favor a double rifle in 450-400 3" or 450NE for "work". Still, none of my leverguns are for sale. I'm not brand loyal at all with lever rifles. The only thing that ever influenced my decisions were personal and opportunistic. Regardless of the brand, you get comfortable with them and get to think of them as more than just tools after a while. That phenomenon is not attributed to any other kind of rifle so prolifically.

Pathfinder09 · Post by **Pathfinder09** » Thu Feb 19, 2009 3:34 pm

My first lever rifle and first center fire rifle was a Savage Takedown Mod. 99 in .30-30 with a tang sight. It was handed down to me from my dad when he passed away when I was 2 yrs old. At the age of 15 or 16 when I got my hunting liciense it was the gun I took deer hunting. It is an old model and it must be well before WWII. because I got my license in 1964/65. I still have that gun today, and it will go to my son. Along with that rifle came an original Winchester 1873 in 38/40. I have never shot it, but as far as I know I have it looked at by some gunsmiths who think she is in fine working order. It is still packed in cosmolene, and has be for the last 56 years.

I now have two Marlins, and 4 winchesters. I only own one bolt gun and that is a 30 year old Remington 700 BDL in .30-06 which I pucheased when I got out of the navy active duty. I have retired the Remington for my lever guns.

Post by **Hobie** » Thu Feb 19, 2009 3:41 pm

My first levergun.... I guess it was a Daisy. I had the same Hollywood influences but all the locals seemed to use levers in WV and KY. Funny, but nobody in MY family had one until I got one, a Marlin 336C, .30-30 on which I mounted a Williams FP. I stupidly traded that rifle off (for another levergun) but have come back to the fold...

Griff · Post by **Griff** » Thu Feb 19, 2009 3:51 pm

My 1st exposure to leverguns (that I remenber), was my uncle's 1894 Winchester in .38-55. 1st one I owned, a Daisy Red Ryder, 1st one I bought was in 1971, a 1969 Mdl 94 in .44Mag some sailor neglected to pay off his lay-away; my cost: $33. Annd although I have a coupla Marlins, I much prefer the Winchester.

Sixgun · Post by **Sixgun** » Thu Feb 19, 2009 4:08 pm

Mine was a brand new 1873 Winchester in 44 WCF that I bought with hard earned money back in 1884. I used to break green horses for the local ranchers. Soon after that, I bought a new fangled 1886 in 45-90.

Wait, I'm only 54--you guys are gonna know I'm lying------------but.........I wish it was true.

It was a Marlin 336 in 30-30 back in 1966 that my Dad bought me. I told him I wanted a Winchester so he bought me a Canadian Centennial that I killed my first deer with in 1967. That rifle has since been handed down to Sixgun Jr. and IIRC, he killed his second deer with it. His first was with an 1886 in .33------------------Sixgun

KCSO · Post by **KCSO** » Thu Feb 19, 2009 4:17 pm

I got an Ithaca M49 22 because it loooked like a M94, within a few years it was joined by a M94 carbine, pre war used for $55. In 1972 I got a Rossi M92 in 357 to carry with my Hiway Patrolman and that 357 has been my car gun off and on for 35 years.

Warhawk · Post by **Warhawk** » Thu Feb 19, 2009 4:41 pm

I got my first levergun while working for a Sporting Goods store, I was a starving college student so all my prizes came from the used gun rack, where as an employee I could buy a gun for what we had in it. That first levergun was a Marlin model 56, not exactly a traditional looking levergun, but it was dirt cheap. I quickly tired of it and sold it to my brother.

Standard trade in value on a Win 94 back then was $100, $125 for one in mint condition, less for one that was beat up. When a nice one with nice wood came in, I bought it. This was in Kansas, back in those days deer hunting was iffy in Kansas and deer rifles were not big sellers. I could have bought truckloads of rifles for $100-150 each that today would be worth many times that.

Another of my early leverguns that I foolishly let get away was a Win 92 that had been converted to 44 Magnum. It had the slickest action of any levergun I've ever seen. It also had very thin barrel walls and I was leery of shooting full power ammo in it.

Sadly, all these are long gone. Sold or traded to fund the next shiny gun that caught my eye.

tman · Post by **tman** » Thu Feb 19, 2009 5:16 pm

bought my first lever in a bar for $200. i was too young to be in the bar legally. did'nt know if the gun was hot or not. it was stolen years later, along with my grand prix and woolriches. got back from deer hunting late and was too tired to unload the car. got the car back, but not the rifle or woolriches. the rifle was winchester 71 carbine in .348 wcf. i later bought the new, just introduced 94 bigbore .375 wcf. to replace it. traded it in on a .356wcf which, to me, hit as hard as the.348. that was a long time ago. that was the beginning of my levergun addiction.

J Miller · Post by **J Miller** » Thu Feb 19, 2009 5:52 pm

Sadly, all these are long gone. Sold or traded to fund the next shiny gun that caught my eye.

Ain't that the awful truth? I've got more "I use to have" stories because of that than I do "I still have stories".

Joe

DBW · Post by **DBW** » Thu Feb 19, 2009 6:04 pm

I'm a newcomer to the levergun scene. I bought my first Marlin .30-30 about two months ago. A couple of weeks ago I bought another Marlin .30-30, a Marlin .44 Rem Mag and a Henry .22. Today I bought a Puma 92 in .357.

I became interested in levers when I stumbled across an article by The Mad Ogre about turning a Marlin .30-30 into a Cowboy Assault Rifle.

marlinman93 · Post by **marlinman93** » Thu Feb 19, 2009 7:00 pm

Well now the truth will have to come out! My first levergun was a Model 1894 Winchester rifle in .25-35, with full octagon barrel. Not sure why I first got interested in leverguns, but most likely it was television westerns. Of course like most everyone I decided that it had to be a Winchester, as that was THE name to own! After collecting 6-7 Winchester 1894 variations, I ran across my first 1893 Marlin in takedown with full octagon .25-36M barrel. Traded a SRC 1894 for it, and soon after sold all my 1894 Winnies and started buying Marlins.

jhrosier · Post by **jhrosier** » Thu Feb 19, 2009 7:25 pm

My first levergun was an 1889 Marlin in .44-40 that I traded for at a gunshow in about 1967.
Like most of us, I traded it off after a while for something else that struck my young fancy.
It shot as well as I could hold it out to about 100 yards.
Ammo was hard to come by for me and it probably got traded for something , long forgotten, that was easier to find ammo for.
Sure wish I could find another for $30.

Jack

AJMD429 · Post by **AJMD429** » Thu Feb 19, 2009 8:39 pm

Never paid attention to the ones on television enough to see the brand or anything, but after I got a Super Blackhawk as a teenager

I of course wanted a long gun to match. The Semiautomatic Ruger carbine was out then, but was pricey and 'only' held four rounds I think. Besides, I figured it might be 'finiky' with ammunition and intended to handload.

So I got a Marlin 1894 in 44 Magnum, and still have it. I've gotten it a few 'friends' over the years, too...

Post by **Old Savage** » Thu Feb 19, 2009 9:30 pm

First Levergun???

BLR 81 .243

MikeS. · Post by **MikeS.** » Thu Feb 19, 2009 10:36 pm

Of course I watched them on Tv and movies but didn't know anything about them. In High School my friend Karl had a Win. 9422 he bought with the money he made working at McDonald's. We used to take my Win semi-auto 170 and his 9422 and go shoot the afternoon away in the Sierra foothills outside of Fresno.

The 1st 1 I ever bought was a Marlin 1894 in .357magnum. I gave this away to my best friend Saxon a few years ago when he retired from work and got married all in the same week. He has always lusted after it.

2nd a Rossi SRC in .357. That is the lever that brought me here. Then I got the fever.

3rd a Marlin 336 in .30-30. 4th a Ted Williams in .30-30. 5th a Marlin 1894SS in .44mag. A ? in .308Winchester.

morgan in nm · Post by **morgan in nm** » Thu Feb 19, 2009 10:41 pm

My first levergun is a Winchester 94 in 30-30 made in 77 which I bought in 1991. I never got to play with the family winchesters when I was a lot younger. Those have since been sold, given away, or are now in a collection of a great uncle whom I don't even know. There wasn't any Marlins in my family simply because they weren't found much on the ranches of northern NM. Back then, you carried what ever the rancher owned and if they liked you, they would trade you an old rifle for wages owed. Most were in such bad shape that it was barely worth it but it was a job and you could put meat on the table with it. My aunt had one of the family winchesters years ago that was very nice but she kinda turned into a staunch liberal and told the police that she was afraid of it so they came and got it. She didn't want anybody else to have it either. It was a 94 rifle that a great uncle had a diamond inlaid in the front sight. I wonder where that is now? I guess thats why I have vowed to never sell a levergun. I always sell everything else first.

Str8man · Post by **Str8man** » Thu Feb 19, 2009 11:24 pm

Neat Topic!
My first levergun was a Used 1915 Stevens favorite that my Grandfather bought me for Christmas when I was eight.
In my young imagination it looked enough like a Sharps rifle so I was really happy with it.
I was heavily influenced by westerns and as another poster pointed out I thought the Marlins used on "The Big Valley" were ugly, (I got over that)

My first lever action was an oddball, The next farm down the road from us was owned by an old German named Hull Steinecker who was in his 80's way back then.
I did some work for him and spotted an old Levergun hanging on nails from the floor joists in his basement.
It was a Whitney Kennedy and I had never even heard of one before but I ended up taking that rifle as payment for a couple weeks worth of work, He also had a coffee can full of old 44-40 ammo for it . Old black powder balloon head cases with copper primers. Makes me nauseous that I shot all of those up before I new any better. That gun was my favorite for many years and I hung on to it long after I had bought sold and traded dozens of other leverguns.
I was in Pagosa Springs Colorado in 1995 when someone finally offered me too much for that rifle and I sold it.
It made it all the way from Michigan to Colorado though and I shot it for 21 years.
I feel stupid getting rid of it now.

Post by **Ysabel Kid** » Thu Feb 19, 2009 11:36 pm

My first levergun was also the Daisy "Red Ryder". I still have it, and it still works. It is hanging on the wall in Y2K's bedroom, along with his Red Ryder (which I purchased the day he was born for him), and my father's 1940's era Red Ryder (which also still works). Even got my daughter a pink-stocked "Red Ryder" this past Christmas!

My first firearm lever-actions came at the same time - the Marlin 1894C in .357 Magnum and the Marlin 39A Mountie in .22 rimfire. These were part of my father's collection, and were part of my "split" between my brothers after he died. My brothers barely had any interest in the firearms - and only in the modern stuff - so they had no problems with me taking all the lever-actions and single-action revolvers.

The first leveraction I purchased was a used Marlin 1894 in .44 Magnum - to go with my Ruger Super Blackhawk.

I'd have to say being addicted to John Wayne westerns specifically, and westerns in general, certainly started me down this sorrid path. Then I stumbled upon this place, and the addiction turned into a full-blown obsession!!!

Leverdude · Post by **Leverdude** » Thu Feb 19, 2009 11:49 pm

J Miller wrote:We've had threads here about what is your favorite lever gun, which is better M, W, S, or others, so we've pretty much covered the bases.
But with all the political b.s. we've had to deal with the last couple months I thought about this question:

Q: What was your first exposure to a lever gun, and did that influence your choice of brands and styles?

I had an uncle that used to let us shoot a red ryder type bb gun when we were real young. My dad had & still does a Sears 22 lever action that was the first real gun I shot & I watched a whole lotta westerns on TV.

It sure influenced my taste I think in firearms. Probably the TV more than anything else.

My first was a win 94 30/30.
I got it because it looked right & cowboys had Winchesters. I got rid of it pretty quick & toyed with other things for awhile before coming full circle back to lever actions. Well almost full circle. I stopped pretty much when I discovered Marlins. If I'da noticed they used a Marlin on the Ponderosa in The big Valley I coulda saved alot of fooling around.

horsesoldier03 · Post by **horsesoldier03** » Fri Feb 20, 2009 12:32 am

I bought my first levergun (Marlin 336 30-30) when I was 15 yrs old for approx. $150 at Kmart. My mom took me since my dad was working! That was in 1980, not sure what type of paperwork was required, but I killed my first deer with it that winter.

Post by **Old Savage** » Fri Feb 20, 2009 12:45 am

First exposure, a friends father's Model 94 in 32 Special sat loaded in a corner of their house.

bsaride · Post by **bsaride** » Fri Feb 20, 2009 12:54 am

First levergun was given to me when I was about 20. Grew up in a non-gun house, although
mom said dad used to have a 41 mag revolver. I started buying guns at 18 and bought myself
one a year up until about 1998. in 2001 I had to let them all go to pay bills. I was mostly into
DA revolvers and bolt actions then. Got back on my feet (sorta) in 2007 and bought a 1927
Marlin 39, a few other 22s (M52, IJ revolver, Stevens Favorite (pre 1900)) followed up with
a 1908 Marlin 1893 TD pistol grip 30-30, Savage 99 TD 30-30 and a couple more pistols.

I fired my first Winchesters in the early 1980s when a co-worker took me out a few times.
Shot original 1886 45-70, 1894 32 special and a 71 in 348. This was before I was given the
first levergun (1894 in 30-30). I gave this to my friends dad after he had a levergun stolen
out of his van (I believe it was my wifes loose lips at a party that caused the theft). After
I got back on my feet I thought I'd start with vintage guns and other than the Savage 22
I bought for my neice to use my newest long gun is dated 1929.

These should hold me over for awhile as I inherited several vintage guns from a family friend
and will work to getting most of those put together over the next year or so. They include
1903 Springfield, 1917, high and low walls and a Martini along with a couple pistols.

RIHMFIRE · Post by **RIHMFIRE** » Fri Feb 20, 2009 7:55 am

in the early 70s my dad got my great uncles
1926 model 94 SRC in 30-30

but we lived in a shotgun only county so i never
did get a chance to use it back then
And we watched every western that was on tv
re-runs of the rifleman, rawhide, bananza, wagon train
big valley, the wild,wild west.....

Buffboy · Post by **Buffboy** » Fri Feb 20, 2009 8:43 am

First centerfire rifle I ever shot was my father's 1893 Marlin 26 octagon in 30-30. The second was my Grandfather's Winchester 94, I hunted with it my first deer season. Back then you could only apply for a deer license every 3 years or every 2 if you were a land owner in South Dakota. With our family, it worked out that Dad had a license when I did so I never hunted with his rifle. I hunted with my Mosin 39 7.62x54R(Grandpa gave it to me when I was 13) second time as Grandpa had a license and I couldn't use his 30-30. I bought a Model 700 270 with my when I was 15 with money that I'd earned stripping bluegrass and my 1/3 interest in a calf, that was the first year I actually shot a deer(1972).

The first lever gun I ever owned was a Remington 76 Trailrider 22 that I still have. The second was a Marlin model 39M 22 a few years later. Next came a Marlin 1894C.

pokey · Post by **pokey** » Fri Feb 20, 2009 1:21 pm

oh man that was a long time ago, i can't remember what i had for breakfast. i guess it was,[like so many others] a red rider only we would run out of bbs, and on the old style guns you could pull the guts out of the barrel, jam the muzzle in the ground and shoot dirt clods at each other. my sons newer model you can't have such fun with.

Alan Wood · Post by **Alan Wood** » Sat Feb 21, 2009 12:41 am

My first firearm is the win 94ae carbine in 44 magnum "ranger" bought new so late that it has the tang safety not crossbolt. Still have it though I have wished more than a few times I had gotten it in 357 instead. Less pain in the wallet and shoulder after a box of 50 at the range.
Alan Wood

Jaguarundi · Post by **Jaguarundi** » Sat Feb 21, 2009 5:04 am

My first levergun was the Daisy Red Ryder as a teenager.My first exposure(besides the movies& TV)in my early twenties to a levergun was when I shot a friend's 1881 Marlin in 45-70.Soon afterwards I shot another friend's first-year Marlin 1895 with eight-groove rifling.I then bought a new 1895 for myself.It has long ago since been traded off.But with the collection I have now ...

I'm not lever poor.

missionary5155 · Post by **missionary5155** » Sat Feb 21, 2009 5:12 am

Good morning
My first lever was a Marlin #336 in 32 WCF. My Uncle had it and wanted to sell it and a me 15 year old kid picking apples in Michigan had an opportunity to get a real rifle (1966).