Lever action rifle question

Does anyone here beside Brooke have a Wild West Co-Pilot and do you like/dislike it ?

Does anyone here have a Big Horn Armory and do you like/dislike it ?

Does anyone here have a Marlin 1895 Modern Hunter and do you like our dislike it ?

thank you

Cheyenne, my son looked at the first two and liked everything about them but the price. I know nothing about the third one

But reading between the lines of your post, so to speak, you might also look at the Marlin and Winchester Trapper Carbines. Both nice rifles and one screw makes them a takedown, However, from memory they only come in 30/30 and that may not be enough gun for what you want it for.

Sorry Cheyenne but I know nothing of the lever action rifles you mentioned.
I presume they are in either 450 Marlin or 45-70.

Of the three you mention in the $2k price range....the Big Horn Armory would be my choice hands down.

The Wild West Co-Pilot and the Marlin 1895 are both basically reworked/gussied up 1895 actions. The BHA is a "new" 1886 type action which will be more similar to your M71 Winchester.

The BHA is getting a good reputation as a well built, well made premium grade gun. Lots of power in a compact package. None of these are really bad choices, but I like the BHA better. I'll get one, one day...whenever I quit buying bolt actions.

I'm a big fan of the 1895 action. I have handled and used many of them. They are definitely easier to mount optics on.

IMHO you pay a lot for the name when buying the Wild West gun. If the takedown feature is important to you there are guys out there that do it just as well and cheaper.

If you don't need the takedown feature I would probably just go with a marlin.

The Wild West aftermarket parts are pretty tough to beat.

The BHA is off the charts on the cool factor though!


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Cheyenne,

I can only speak to the Marlin 1895 of which I have the 1895G Guide gun in 45-70.
I mounted a Leupold VX-3 1.75-6x32mm scope. It is a joy to carry and accurate.
Best group will the Nosler 300 GR BST at 2100 fps went .400" at 100 yards.

JD338

Thebear_78":1zadribf said:

I'm a big fan of the 1895 action. I have handled and used many of them. They are definitely easier to mount optics on.

IMHO you pay a lot for the name when buying the Wild West gun. If the takedown feature is important to you there are guys out there that do it just as well and cheaper.

If you don't need the takedown feature I would probably just go with a marlin.

The Wild West aftermarket parts are pretty tough to beat.

The BHA is off the charts on the cool factor though!


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Couldn't say it better. I dig that BHA.

I've got the 45-70 and 444. Great lever rifles.

In this 45-70 lever gun class...also look at the Henry.

I've looked at a few of these and they are very nice rifles with very good machine work and top notch fit and finish for the price range ($800-1000 USD). The over-grown ".22" tube magazine is a deal breaker for some folks, maybe not your cup of tea either. Certainly not BHA cool, but they have a utilitarian appeal.

I do like the fact that the Henry and the BHA don't feel the need to stick a useless push button safety on a lever gun.

Cheyenne,
I got to thinking and looked up the Browning BLR to see what calibers it came in and if your looking for a big bore Lever they come in 325WSM, 358W and 450 Marlin, 20"-22" and 24" stainless and there is also a take down model with open sites and of course you can mount a scope on them also.

hodgeman":30mg3ckv said:

In this 45-70 lever gun class...also look at the Henry.
I do like the fact that the Henry and the BHA don't feel the need to stick a useless push button safety on a lever gun.

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Cheyenne, I tried to contact you in a different way but continued to get disconnected, so will tell you here.

Our family agrees with the above statements by Hodgeman

We have experience, with all three of the rifles you mentioned and the BHA wins, in our opinion, hands down!!!!

my uncle has also ask me to mention to you that you might look for a custom 1895 in a 375 or 411 Hawk, if you want something a tad different. Your grandfather could load them for you with all the empty 30-06 cases you have.

Brooke

thanks guys, appreciate your taking the time to share your knowledge with me

hodgeman":3e172k7c said:

In this 45-70 lever gun class...also look at the Henry.

I've looked at a few of these and they are very nice rifles with very good machine work and top notch fit and finish for the price range ($800-1000 USD). The over-grown ".22" tube magazine is a deal breaker for some folks, maybe not your cup of tea either. Certainly not BHA cool, but they have a utilitarian appeal.

I do like the fact that the Henry and the BHA don't feel the need to stick a useless push button safety on a lever gun.

Click to expand...

We have a Henry and like it. It is the steel/round barrel version and the barrel is only 18.5 inches, walnut pistol grip stock, love it I think the one hodgeman speaks of is the brass/octagonal one with a 22 inch barrel.

BTW Hodgeman, really enjoyed your articles on a different thread, thanks for sharing those

hunternyny":3l0ch1fc said:

I think the one hodgeman speaks of is the brass/octagonal one with a 22 inch barrel.

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The one I looked at was stainless with a dark walnut stock and round barrel as well as a steel/round.

The brass receiver thing has some historical appeal....not my taste.

I only have owned one lever rifle in my lifetime, a Marlin 1895 In 45/70. To me it is the perfect short range thumper in a perfect caliber. I have not seriously hunted with it, but have used in for a carry rifle while hiking I got the dark. The cartridge has been around since 1873, and is still going strong because it works.

thanks again

Hodgeman, Bear, Scotty, Brooke ( the BHA fans ) what do you think about the "Trapper" with a 16 inch barrel ?

This will be a short range purpose rifle with no scope

Also you fellows from Alaska, your favorite slug gun set up ? thanks

Well my opinions on shotguns in a nutshell "they're for the birds!"

A 16" levergun wouldn't hurt any at all. The standard 18" guide gun setup has proven very handy. I had a stainless guide gun set up with ghost rings and scout setup.



It would be very hard to beat this setup. It's a standard wooden stick refinished with spray on bedliner. It holds up very well, practically impervious to weather. I also highly recommend the light mount. Any of my animal defense guns have lights mounted.


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Thankful Otter":39mlzjri said:

thanks again

Hodgeman, Bear, Scotty, Brooke ( the BHA fans ) what do you think about the "Trapper" with a 16 inch barrel ?

This will be a short range purpose rifle with no scope

Also you fellows from Alaska, your favorite slug gun set up ? thanks

Click to expand...

The 16"barrel would be very handy and the 500 S&W cartridge would still perform well.

My favorite defensive shotgun setup is a Benelli M2 with a smooth bore 18" barrel with rifle sights. Slugs shoot good to 50 yards or so, buckshot to about 1/2 that.

Buckshot is almost without merit when it comes to bears, the only slug I would trust would be brenneke black magic hard cast slug. The m2 mentioned by hodgman would be a good one, but still a poor replacement for a rifle


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Cheyenne considering the conditions you would use a shot gun in I think I would go with a known reliable pump shot gun which would be light and easy to carry with an 18" barrel.
Not sure if they still sell them or not but the hour glass lead sabot was a great penetrater and was load by Winchester and Federal, I still have several boxes stashed that I use for deer in shot gun only areas.
A four inch rifled choke tube will make the sabot style slugs shoot very accurate to 100yds.
Your grandfather can load them for you also. Ballistics Products sells a type of shot gun sabot and slug for loading your own.
You can also get popper shells that is used to scare birds and make a loud bang when they explode in the air.
I have this one for sale but I know it can't be shipped to you because of the boarder.

Thebear_78":o765n961 said:

Well my opinions on shotguns in a nutshell "they're for the birds!"

A 16" levergun wouldn't hurt any at all. The standard 18" guide gun setup has proven very handy. I had a stainless guide gun set up with ghost rings and scout setup.

It would be very hard to beat this setup. It's a standard wooden stick refinished with spray on bedliner. It holds up very well, practically impervious to weather. I also highly recommend the light mount. Any of my animal defense guns have lights mounted.


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That's a Very Cool camp & canoe rifle, or for hiking too... Pretty much anything would fall to a hit from that little howitzer!

Guy