There are few firearms that just give me such gratification as a lever action rifle. The elegant lines that fuse form and function with a mechanical simplicity that makes the Lever Action one of the most beautiful of all firearms. Doesn’t matter which lever you have… they are truly lovely. I find myself simply taking out my Rossi made Winchester 92 clone, just to look at it, just to feel it, just to hold it in my hands. I’ve got a lot of other guns that I like… but they don’t stick in my mind like that little 92. I’ve got my guns I use for certain purposes… and to be honest, this 92 doesn’t fall in to any of those purposes. But that’s all besides the point. I could probably very easily adopt the 92 for more serious purposes. Maybe I will. But I do prefer the right tool for the right job, shotguns, magazine fed semi-auto rifles, long range precision bolt actions. And they are all fine and good within their spheres. But if I had to have just one gun… well… that would still be an 870, but the 92 is encroaching on that in a big way.
Tag Archives: Rifles
What is it for?
That’s a question most often uttered at the gun counter while the person is looking up at the .50 caliber rifle. Many of those people asking came out to the factory range day and tried it out. Just an observation here… but not one person at the range day who watched or tried firing the .50 cal ever uttered that stupid question. ‘What is that for?”
I did get a lot of questions about if it’s legal to hunt with. “Yes, with soft point ammo.” I heard people utter their desires to take elk, mule deer, and bear with it. Many people actually do and it doesn’t destroy as much meat as people think. There are a lot of Urban Legends and Myths about the .50 that were dispelled at the range day.
Below are some of the people that when asked, can tell you what the .50 cal is for.
Bushmaster BA50, .50 BMG Rifle.
This has become my favorite .50 BMG rifle. Okay, I know the audio cuts out… but watch.
My impression is that this is the best production .50BMG on the market. Great action, very accurate, and it’s the softest shooting .50 BMG out there. I’ve shot a number of other big fifties, and this is the softest shooting of all of them.
I like everything about this gun… save for one thing. The trigger pull is not good… But I think it’s going to be able to wear in just fine. Regardless… I think this one to buy. More accurate than an M107, softer shooting too. And it’s half the price. And you can shoot it just as fast with some practice.
Crusader Weaponry could really take one of these to the next level.
The Savage Axis
The Sub-300 dollar Savage Axis has been impressing me more and more. In just about every caliber, the reports have been overwhelmingly positive. The only hesitation or complaints have been in the trigger. It’s not a bad trigger by any means… it’s just not a good trigger by any means either.
Available in all the classic calibers, and 7mm-08. I think in the .223, .243, and .308, are the more appealing of choices to me. Quite honestly, this makes the cheap little Axis a very interesting rifle. Very interesting indeed. For a knock-around working gun, this just might be an absolute ideal platform.
Now, what scope would go good on this one? Normally, I’d personally start out with a Nikon Monarch. However, I want to keep this package as “affordable” as possible. Say, something in the 200 dollar range, or even a bit less. Nikon’s new ProStaff’s are pretty good. But I’d also take good hard look at the Vortex Diamondback BDC scopes. Something in a 4-12 would do quite well on this.
Let’s see… this rifle, with the Timney upgrade, and a Vortex Diamondback… You are looking at about 600 dollars total. I think this would make for a great lightweight knockabout package. Yes, very interesting indeed.
Edit: The Howa 1500 Scoped Rifle Combo that usually retails for about 499 is a good deal on a good rifle. The comparison to the Axis becomes a natural one. Which would be more accurate is a good question, which I can not answer. Both have proved to have very good accuracy. So I’ll judge that to be Sixes. The Howa package however is considerably heavier and it lacks a detachable box magazine, a feature that I favor when I have the option. Considering that with this Timney upgrade, the Savage Axis then has the better trigger, lighter weight, detachable mag… I think the Axis is the choice to make.
Marlington
I think Marlin, and by that I mean Remington, needs to stop making the X7 centerfire bolt action rifles. Marlin is a Lever Action Company… they need to stick to that. They do fine Rimfires… which is fine. Remington has nothing in that market. But Remington making a Marlin branded Savage Knockoff? Feh… Why? To get that 300 dollar rifle Market? I thought they already had that with their 770. Which is total crap, but hey. It’s at least a Remington.
Now, there is really nothing wrong with the X7 rifles. It is quite good for a cheap knock-around gun for those that have a hate for Savage and refuse to buy one… so now they can buy the Marlin option, which is a Savage knockoff crossed with a Vanguard if it got drunk with ambition and delusions. Reportedly the X7’s shoot pretty good. Especially their heavy barreled .308. But why would Remington want make that, when they would rather be selling their own 700 SPS Tactical? I don’t get why they feel the need to make a product that competes with their own product. Remington needs to squelch that.
I still assert that Mossberg needs to GTFO of the Lever Action market too.
Winchester 94-22M Temptation
We have a Winchester 94-22m .22 Magnum that came in on trade. It’s sporting a nice peep sight set up, nice checkered wood stocks… really nice looking. From a distance. Up close the gun is ugly. Pitting everywhere and the wood has more dings than I’ve ever seen. Some are unfortunately too deep to fix, and wood was amazing. New, this rifle would have been stunning.
The temptation is to restore it. No collector value, that’s just gone. This would be a rescue.
I want a custom Marlin…
I’m thinking of a Marlin 1895 “Trapper”, much like this one:
However, I’d like it with a blued barrel and magazine tube, stainless receiver, and walnut stocks. The peep sights from Wild West Guns in Alaska, and a Big Loop.
Hmmm… Perhaps – also – maybe 336 version in .30-30 Win.
Marlin Firearms
I’ve mentioned the issues I’ve seen with rifles from Marlin, say the last 2 years. Sloppy fits, poor assembly, bad fitting parts/stocks, and wood on the butt stock that looked like it came from a different species of tree than the fore end. Just not a gun I’d recommend to anyone.
Well, last couple of months we’ve been getting in new Marlins. And I’m very pleased to say that each one has been better than I’ve ever seen from Marlin before. The quality is there. These are the best guns ever to have the Marlin name. The fit and finish are outstanding.
Weatherby’s New Vanguard
I have the utmost respect for Weatherby and their Vanguards. However I just don’t really care for them. I’ve sold a ton of them and I’ve shot plenty enough… it’s just not my flavor.
Well, Weatherby had given the Vanguard’s a face lift. Most noticeable is the new stock. It looks much better… and it feels much better. But what I like the most is the accuracy guaranty. Sub-MOA, something you had to spend extra on with the old Vanguards.
I sold one to a fellow here… a good shooter. In .223, it was. The next day he comes back with his target. Even while adjusting the scope’s magnification, and using off the shelf ammo… 1/2 MOA. It was still under an inch at 200 yards. I don’t care who you are, 1/2 MOA out of the box with off the shelf ammo, for 449.99, that is flat out impressive.
I’m not in the market for a new rifle… but I could buy one of these new Vanguards myself. I really could.
Now, if I wanted to get one of these new rifles… for general hunting of North American Big Game or what have you… I think i’d probably have to take it in good old .270 Winchester. Accurate round. Good ballistics. Hornady’s Custom #8056, 140 grain BTSP Interlock is probably the ideal load for factory ammo. 2940 FPS. Not too shabby. That would do the job on dang near everything in North America.
A quick look at “Tactical .22” rifles.
For some reason, this segment of the shooting community has exploded. Because evidently classic .22 shooting just isn’t cool enough anymore. You have guns like the Ruger 10/22, the Marlin Model 60, the Marlin 39A Lever Action, or something simple like one of the excellent CZ bolt actions…. but no… they are not “TACTICAL”. Let me tell you, the Lever Action was Tactical before the word was invented. Because if “Black with Rails” means Tactical then I guess it’s not. If Tactical means it can be applied with tactics, or if it’s user friendly and provides actual utility in different situations, then absolutely. Well, some folks think it’s all about the AmTracks… so we have to roll with as many rails as possible to be even more tactical. I mean, hell, we have Rails for our Rails because no one is making a gun with enough rails so we have to add more. Anyways, the rifles. Let’s take a quick look.