Pistol caliber lever action
 

What do you recommend?
Looking for a high quality reliable rifle.
I recently handled a Henry Big Boy. Found it to be too heavy and too pretty. This purchase will largely be function over form. A short stainless barrel and action would be nice.

Will be used for plinking and perhaps deer inside 75 yards.

Thoughts?

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What caliber are you looking at?

Haven't decided yet. What do you recommend?

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While it is not what you are asking for, Ruger makes a great bolt action pistol carbine rifle. It is light, can easily be scoped and is a very reliable firearm.

I have .357mag/.38spl in a Winchester 1873. A .44mag in a Marlin 1894. And a 45-70 in a Marlin 1895. For what you posted above, I would probably recommend the .44mag.

Be warned, levers are getting quite scarce in any brand (new ones).

I have a Marlin 357 lever action on my list of buys; more particularly the 1894 CSBL. Unfortunately I was about 3 months late deciding that was the one for me....

I'm not really a lever guy, but I bought this Rossi 92 a few years ago and it's a lot of fun. It checks off your boxes of being short barrel (16"), stainless steel, and available in 357 or 44 mag. Mine's in 44, and at one time you could get them in 454 Casull. Rossi rifles are not in the same league as Henry or Winchester as far as fit and finish, but for a rifle for fun, plinking, and short range hunting, I'm not complaining. I bought mine new for $550 about 8 years ago, and I see they're going for almost double that these days.

[IMG]https://i.imgur.com/FNKuK5u.jpg[/IMG]

I have a rossi 44 mag carbine and a Rossi 454 casull, both model 92’s and both run great. The 44 I needed to debur the loading gate because it hung the last round up when loading it. Easy fix and possibly my only complaint if you can call it that.

If you do settle for a Rossi, there is a guy by wildwood Alberta that has a few and he does have stainless models. That’s where I bought my .44 for 900 bucks. I can’t remember his name but he’s on town post, just search Rossi.

original
 

Winchester 92..................44-40

I’ve got a couple Rossi 92. One is a 20 inch and the other is the short ranchhand. Great guns for plinking, very cheap to operate. For Deer I have still hunted but haven’t had a shot yet. With proper ammo and good shot placement I am limiting myself to 75 yards. But inside of 50 would be great. If you are serious about deer hunting , stepping up to the 44 is a no-brainer. A little more expensive for plinking but a world better then the 357 for hunting.

.357 would be fine for deer inside 75yards. .44 even better. Your choices are pretty much Winchester Marlin Henry or Rossi. Cost wise Rossi is probably the best, but I have never even seen one in store. Only ever seen Marlin and Henry. Henry is heavy but you get good quality. Marlin depending on the year can be sketchy. Winchesters seem to command the highest price. As has already been mentioned, all lever guns are getting scarce new. Used the prices keep climbing. I just lost out on a cherry Marlin 1895G in 45/70 with a 1x4 Leupold scope for $750. I should have just done it, now I'm kicking myself!

May want to take a gander at some of chiappas Alaskan take down rifles, 44 mag matte chrome finish, in barrels as short as 12”, pretty much a mares leg with a full length stock, I’ve been considering the 45-70 in that configuration, but sadly I’ve already got a JM in 45-70 that I’m kinda partial to......