Swapping from bolt action to underlever

Pedro said:

Ah, an underlever. The suppressed cowboy frontier man that lurks in all of us.

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I'm a big fan of lever actions but it's never been a cowboy thing.
I just like the way they carry and how slim most of them are. Integral magazines and fast following shots.

stevec said:

I almost did the same thing a few years ago, but I changed my mind when I actually handled a couple. They were light and well balanced but I noticed they all had very short stocks and low combs.

I fired one and the trigger was very heavy and it jammed every few rounds.

I still like the idea, particularly not having a bolt on the quad bike scabbard.

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Which rifle?
The triggers on most of them are easily improved. Like any other rifle.

Smellydog said:

Which rifle?
The triggers on most of them are easily improved. Like any other rifle.

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I don't know what it was that I tried, only that it was a centrefire pistol calibre. It was around 25 years ago.

Lets get the terminology correct.

Under lever really refers to a single shot or break action where the the lever is under neath the rifle and is used to open the rifle.

Examples include the Martini, Farquharson and its modernish (well its 60 plus years old) Ruger No 1, and in shotguns push forward levers and rotating to the side levers on Jones Screw Grips.

What the OP is talking about are lever action rifles as exemplified by the likes of the Marlin, Henry and Winchester. I have used them a few times in 22 LR. Nice little things to use, better with age as things all wear and get nice and slick. A good friend when I was growing up had 22 Winchester which I put plenty of rounds through. Trigger pull a bit like most guns with an internal or external hammer - ie to be safe does need to be a touch heavy and with a good degree of sear take up. Think shotgun trigger pull, as opposed to best bolt action target rifle.

Modern ones don’t seem nearly as nice - the frame through which you hand goes is kind of sharp. Most of the modern ones are built on a budget and could do with a final fit and polish. Or just plenty of time and use.

Accuracy wise - well they are good enough with the open sights as fitted. But they are not 22 Target rifles. They are the sort of rifle for carrying and shooting a rabbit or guinea fowl off hand at 20 to 50 yards with a quick shot - in this sort of shooting trigger pulls etc are not really an issue.

Smellydog said:

I'm a big fan of lever actions but it's never been a cowboy thing.
I just like the way they carry and how slim most of them are. Integral magazines and fast following shots.

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I like the look. I like that there's less to get caught on other things.

stevec said:

I almost did the same thing a few years ago, but I changed my mind when I actually handled a couple. They were light and well balanced but I noticed they all had very short stocks and low combs.

I fired one and the trigger was very heavy and it jammed every few rounds.

I still like the idea, particularly not having a bolt on the quad bike scabbard.

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Low combs cause they aren't designed for using with a scope they are an iron sight tool.

A very nice rifle. These sorts of rifles were built by very experienced gunsmiths who had trained for many many years, using the best available materials. Inletting would have been done the proper way - with smoke and time. The wood selected for its strength and stability, having been properly seasoned for many years. Then when making the stock it would be part inlet and part shaped and put to one side for several months to let any final stresses and strains disappear. Then its fully inlet.

Scope mounts will have been properly fitted to both the rifle and the scope, ie lapped for perfect contact. And the whole rifle would have been regulated to a particular ammunition as specified by the customer.

It would then have been rust blued and oil finished again over a length of time.

It would have been spectacularly accurate and reliable for its time.

It’s a rifle that is old and has been used. Like a fine lady and should be treated as such. By all means craft a fine leather lace on cheek piece. If the stock is a bit long, move the scope back a bit.

But If you want fur coat, nae knickers and big tits buy a 6.5cm with anodised chassis system and free floating barrel. Looks nice in the pictures, shoots well, but after a bit of use get really scruffy and bloody horrible to carry about and live with.

Heym SR20 said:

Accuracy wise - well they are good enough with the open sights as fitted. But they are not 22 Target rifles. They are the sort of rifle for carrying and shooting a rabbit or guinea fowl off hand at 20 to 50 yards with a quick shot - in this sort of shooting trigger pulls etc are not really an issue.

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Wrong again.
130 paces off hand.

180 paces off hand.


None of my lever actions had or have heavy shotgun type triggers.
When you've shot as many lever actions and owned as many as me come back and then tell me what you have learnt.

Smellydog said:

I'm a big fan of lever actions but it's never been a cowboy thing.
I just like the way they carry and how slim most of them are. Integral magazines and fast following shots.

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Absolutely and I'm sure many like them for those qualities.

@Smellydog : what make and model would you recommend?

Mungo said:

@Smellydog : what make and model would you recommend?

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I'm not in a position to recommend one over another as I personally have only owned a Winchester in rimfire. A 9422.
I've only ever heard good things about Marlin 22's and the Henry/Erma's.
I did once shoot a Henry 17hmr at a range and was dancing a small Speer bullet box around the berm at 100m for 50rds.
Center fire wise I've only owned one 336 but have owned five Winchester m94. I do like the Winchester 94 action.
All the triggers are easy to improve without buying a thing.

Smellydog said:

I'm not in a position to recommend one over another as I personally have only owned a Winchester in rimfire. A 9422.
I've only ever heard good things about Marlin 22's and the Henry/Erma's.
I did once shoot a Henry 17hmr at a range and was dancing a small Speer bullet box around the berm at 100m for 50rds.
Center fire wise I've only owned one 336 but have owned five Winchester m94. I do like the Winchester 94 action.
All the triggers are easy to improve without buying a thing.

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Thanks!

Heym SR20 said:

But If you want fur coat, nae knickers and big tits buy a 6.5cm with anodised chassis system and free floating barrel. Looks nice in the pictures, shoots well, but after a bit of use get really scruffy and bloody horrible to carry about and live with.

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