Now that you have your AR/AK........

[Jose]

And your semi auto handguns, it might be a good idea to back them up with a couple of revolvers, a lever action carbine of the same caliber, and a pump shotgun with two barrels (a long one for hunting/sport and a short one for social use) and a removable magazine extension. Those will also be easier to acquire off paper for those in free states, too.

Just saying......

 

[Rockrivr1]

I have a good assortment of semi autos, bolt actions, pumps and revolvers, but I'm missing a good lever action. I've been wanting one of these for a while and have been thinking of getting a Puma 357 mag lever action with the 24" octangle bbl. I tried C-Pher's at one of the shoots and it was a sweet rifle. One of my top purchases I think. Plus it works well with sharing the same ammo with two of my S&W 357 mag revolvers.

 

[Raoul Duke]

I have a good assortment of semi autos, bolt actions, pumps and revolvers, but I'm missing a good lever action. I've been wanting one of these for a while and have been thinking of getting a Puma 357 mag lever action with the 24" octangle bbl. I tried C-Pher's at one of the shoots and it was a sweet rifle. One of my top purchases I think. Plus it works well with sharing the same ammo with two of my S&W 357 mag revolvers.

I've always wondered about the Puma's. I really want a lever action but the problem is I want a .357 and the only .357's that Marlin makes come with very short barrels 18" or the even harder to find 20" I want at least 20" and the Puma's always seemed to fill that spot but I don't know anyone with one so I wondered what the quality is.

 

[Rockrivr1]

I've always wondered about the Puma's. I really want a lever action but the problem is I want a .357 and the only .357's that Marlin makes come with very short barrels 18" or the even harder to find 20" I want at least 20" and the Puma's always seemed to fill that spot but I don't know anyone with one so I wondered what the quality is.

If you're going to the pumkin shoot you should IM C-Pher and see if he can bring his along. The 357 Puma's are going around mid to upper $400s. I believe that C-Pher had a trigger job done on his and it very smooth. I've heard that without the trigger job, the lever action can be a little rough on the Puma's. For the price though, it's not a bad deal.

 

[Raoul Duke]

If you're going to the pumkin shoot you should IM C-Pher and see if he can bring his along. The 357 Puma's are going around mid to upper $400s. I believe that C-Pher had a trigger job done on his and it very smooth. I've heard that without the trigger job, the lever action can be a little rough on the Puma's. For the price though, it's not a bad deal.

Will do.

RD

 

[Palladin]

my lever action is a 336C in 35Rem, shotguns a plenty all varieties, S&W586 & a 442.
M1 carbine & a few .22's.

 

[Jose]

Raoul, I'd gladly trade 2" of barrel length for Marlin's well known quality, parts availability, and factory service backup.

I have the choice of .44 or .357 Magnum since I have revolvers in both but I am strongly leaning towards .357. There is a much better selection of defensive ammo, there are also some good hunting loads (180 grain hard cast SWCs) in .357. .357 defensive loads are easier to find in your typical gun store. Recoil is less. And terminal performance is beyond question.

In addition, my .357 Magnum revolver (S&W Model 65) is easier to carry and conceal than my .44 Magnums (though I can and do conceal them very well).

 

[Zappa]

I've always wondered about the Puma's. I really want a lever action but the problem is I want a .357 and the only .357's that Marlin makes come with very short barrels 18" or the even harder to find 20" I want at least 20" and the Puma's always seemed to fill that spot but I don't know anyone with one so I wondered what the quality is.

Years ago I bought a new Rossi Puma .357 and it turned out to be quite a disappointment. The action was not nearly as slick as the Winchesters or Brownings that I was used to, and feeding was always a problem. With .38's, every third or fourth round would hang-up during cycling, but the worst problem was case head seperations with .357's. This was especially disconcerting because it was a real PITA to remove the shell body from the chamber, and I had to do it with live rounds in the magazine because you couldn't jack them out while the chamber was obstructed.
The last straw came when I laid it down on the bench (on its left side) with the action open and the pivot pin that holds the lever nose in the bolt slid out of position and locked-up the action. That was a real head scratcher. I studied the exploded diagram for awhile to try and figure out what happend. I finally figured out that if I slammed it down on the bench on its RIGHT side, the pin would slide back the other way, freeing up the action.
After that episode, I couldn't get rid of this POS fast enough. I dumped it and got a REAL Browning BL-92. Although the Browning only cycles with .357's, the quality difference is night and day. A few years later I picked up a Marlin 94C, which works perfectly with both .38's and .357's. The Marlin is also a superb rifle compared to that Puma, and it cost me half what the Browning did.

 

[Raoul Duke]

Jose, Zappa:

Thank you both for the insight. I believe in paying for quality so the price of a Marlin or Winchester doesn't rule them out. I actually haven't shot a Rossi yet (I did PM Cpher and ask him to bring his). I have a feeling I will go with the Marlin afterall. I few other people PMed me and said- go with the Marlin. I too like the .357 model.

Zappa: I haven't seen the browning variants. How much do those go for and what model's were you referencing.

Jose: We don't always agree on politics but your taste in firearms seems to be pretty close to mine so I'll take your comments seriously as I evaluate the options more. Further, your comments about the terminal velocity of the .357 were right on. I wouldn't want to be hit with a .357 coming out at carbine velocities. Further, when you add in the ability to reload without disabling the firearm and the ability to be low key- it's a pretty convincing package for those of us who live in the sticks.

In the city a gun is a gun - they all scare people.
In the sticks, a lever-gun is just another wooden rifle. People don't tend to notice them as much as a $2000 EBR.

With that in mind. I agree, a .357 concealed with a short barel .357 lever action is a formidable package.

 

[Jose]

Further, when you add in the ability to reload without disabling the firearm

Didn't think of that. But now that you mention it, it is a great point. With practice it should be pretty fast to keep the rifle topped off from an ammo pouch.

In the sticks, a lever-gun is just another wooden rifle. People don't tend to notice them as much as a $2000 EBR.

Yes

 

[Zappa]

I have several Brownings and love every one of them. These include a BL-22, BAR-22, BL-92, Citori Skeet and a High Power. Unfortunately they don't make the BL-92 anymore. It's basically a Browning made Winchester 92. The 92 itself was a JMB design which he sold to Winchester. The Browning built guns were made when Browning and Winchester were totally seperate companies. Nowadays they're pretty tough to come by. I saw one for sale at a gun show about 5 or 6 years ago and didn't have the $500 he was asking, which I thought was a bit expensive at the time anyway. Later I looked around for one and came up empty. Then a few months later I saw the same vendor at a different gun show and he still had the same Browning 92. By then he had jacked up the price to $575. I asked to examine the rifle and told him "it looks like the same one you've been schlepping around to the shows for the last several months". He looked at me kind of funny and admitted that it had been lingering in his inventory for longer than he expected. I then said "you had it priced at $500 at the Marlboro show, if you want to sell it now, I'll give you the $500. I wanted to buy it then, but didn't have the money at the time." He agreed and I took it home. The action is so slick and smooth that it puts my Marlins and Winchesters to shame.

 

[Raoul Duke]

I have several Brownings and love every one of them. These include a BL-22, BAR-22, BL-92, Citori Skeet and a High Power. Unfortunately they don't make the BL-92 anymore. It's basically a Browning made Winchester 92. The 92 itself was a JMB design which he sold to Winchester. The Browning built guns were made when Browning and Winchester were totally seperate companies. Nowadays they're pretty tough to come by. I saw one for sale at a gun show about 5 or 6 years ago and didn't have the $500 he was asking, which I thought was a bit expensive at the time anyway. Later I looked around for one and came up empty. Then a few months later I saw the same vendor at a different gun show and he still had the same Browning 92. By then he had jacked up the price to $575. I asked to examine the rifle and told him "it looks like the same one you've been schlepping around to the shows for the last several months". He looked at me kind of funny and admitted that it had been lingering in his inventory for longer than he expected. I then said "you had it priced at $500 at the Marlboro show, if you want to sell it now, I'll give you the $500. I wanted to buy it then, but didn't have the money at the time." He agreed and I took it home. The action is so slick and smooth that it puts my Marlins and Winchesters to shame.

Thank you very much. Great insight.

R. Duke

 

[highlander]

Rather that a lever action,why not a pump? Taurus,U.S. Firearms and Beretta all make a very nice copy of the Colt Lightning though the price on the Beretta and U.S. firearms is quite stiff. I believe all three make them in 357 mag and 45 Colt. Saw a few up to Riley's in Hooksett awhile back and if I had the $1000 I'd have grabbed one and as I recall it was a Beretta.

 

[fubar]

I have A Walther P22 and a Ruger 10/22 ,

a S&W Model 29 and a Winchester 1894 in .44 rem mag. ...

and a Thompson Gun and a 1911 in the obligatory 45acp.

Now if I could only find a 12 gauge revolver to match my shotgun ....

 

[EddieCoyle]

Get a flintlock or two also... Maybe a big stick in case they all don't work.

 

[depicts]

Get a flintlock or two also... Maybe a big stick in case they all don't work.

I think Eddie Coyle has a big stick, because I keep hearing him say "I'd hit it." Must be some sort of stick!?

 

[Knob Creek]

Rather that a lever action,why not a pump? Taurus,U.S. Firearms and Beretta all make a very nice copy of the Colt Lightning though the price on the Beretta and U.S. firearms is quite stiff. I believe all three make them in 357 mag and 45 Colt. Saw a few up to Riley's in Hooksett awhile back and if I had the $1000 I'd have grabbed one and as I recall it was a Beretta.

I have a original Colt Lightning in 38/40 and its a sweet gun The USFA guns are good also. Beretta's OK from what I head but stay away from the Taurus. they are a jam-o-matic only use is as a tomato plant stake.