Parker

I read this article on the MarlinOwners forum a couple years ago. I dug it up for any lever action operators/aficionados who might be interested. Enjoy. http://www.warriortalknews.com/2011/04/the-combat-lever-action-rifle.html#.UqeUvDfwa59

I think it was 6,700 permits last year, and 6,445 permits issued as of last Friday night. Hunter turnout has been light, and the weather hasn't helped either. (9,200 bear permits were issued in 2001.) http://www.nj.gov/dep/fgw/bearseas12_harvest.htm

Looks painful, in more ways than one.

I'm betting a poor turnout today due to the inclement weather and other variables. There was less than 6,500 bear permits issued as of Friday. That's a low number. "6-day" is not what it used to be.

Agreed. The special traditional or primitive seasons that began in the seventies entailed flint or percussion, and iron or peep sights only. I remember when MD special season was blackpowder only, and PA specified a muzzleloader to be flintlock. Now many states allow smokeless muzzleloaders! Let's face it though, as technology changed so too did the game laws to adapt and entice more to the sport, whether they hunt or not.

All true. When it comes to metallurgy, both lever guns (the early ones) are comprised mostly of forged steel parts. They have for over a century endured the test of time. The 94 is typical Browning, more parts than necessary in some cases.

One can easily split hairs over actual working parts and "parts" between the 336 and 94. Whether you want to count grip caps, grip cap screws, filler screws, buttplate and screws, Marlin's "bullseye" mounted in the buttstock, swing swivel studs and post-84 crossbolt safety parts as "parts" and they might just be even. Disassemble a Marlin of its necessary working components and I think it is simpler and fewer.

Although I love the Marlin's, an argument could be made for the M94 over the 336. The M94's top ejection is easier to work with for clearing jams/misfeeds, and one fitted with the solid crosspins vs. the cheap rollpins would be optimal. Fewer parts and simplicity are in the Marlin's favor.

+1

The only use in the military was the 100 guns that went to the Philippines for use by the Army. It's noted in the link I posted. As for the reliability of the Marlin's, maybe mine's an exception, but my .444 has gone bang every time I've pulled the trigger since I got it new in the early 80's. I've certainly put more than 200 rounds through it in those years but certainly not tens of thousands of rounds. It can push full-house handloads of 265 gr. SP's @ 2300fps, or squib 240 gr. lead loads @ <1,100fps that are extremely accurate for short range, and Remington Express 2 1/2" .410's can be single-loaded if you want it to be a short-range "shotgun." It actually patterns 7 1/2's pretty well out to about 10 yds. The straight wall cases are easy to reload and brass isn't overworked and lasts a long time. I think it's a pretty versatile tool. It offers a different version of firepower.

My favorite part of that article is the reference to the National Match competitions, which began in Caldwell, NJ before moving to Camp Perry.

I wasn't aware the National Match .45 ACP is for wadcutters only, but that could have been the case if it was shipped with a light recoil spring. I've only seen one up close in my lifetime, but Colt made a National Match .38 Special that was for wadcutters only, as an alternative to the S&W M52. I just use an appropriate Wolff spring in my .45 ACP GC for different loads, and I've fired everything from light bullseye loads to hardball when installed. Mine is still ticking at 43 years old. Interesting read on the various Colt's: http://www.sightm1911.com/lib/history/nm.htm

Winchester 1895 http://www.rarewinchesters.com/gunroom/1895/model_95.shtml

In reality, in a SHTF scenario, what exactly would John Q. Citizen be storming? It's any interesting discussion, one weapon vs. the other, but the chances of storming anything or establishing a defensive position for a standoff is rather moot, if not suicidal. In a bad situation I will call upon my great-grandmother's Lakota Sioux skills and shapeshift into a coyote, slipping away into the night.

Um, that too. Back by the rear and front firing pins. (It's a lot smaller than that picture.) Okay, so there's a few. Never seen one break though.

The ejector on the Marlin is a leaf spring. Uh, and the loading gate too. Firing pin is floating with no spring. Hammer and trigger are coil and music wire springs. Magazine tube is coil spring. I sometimes forgot.

What lever action today uses leaf springs?

I have seen some RemChokes come loose with extended shooting. I have not experienced that with Beretta's Mobil-Chokes or Browning's Invector-Plus. There is a lot to be said for the simplicity of the old fixed-chokes Nothing to worry about as long as you knew the limitations of the choke you were using.

This is great! Towns up by me have imposed ordinances, building codes and permits for both permanent hookups and even for portable units.

Nice find and very nice. I see that's got the Colt Accro rear sight. The other rear sight popular on the Gold Cup in that era was the Elliason (pictured below.) The only gripe with either was the roll pin sometimes "taking a walk."

It might make a minimal difference, but firing with a loose choke tube allows powder and gases to infiltrate into the threads since the choke isn't fully seated and there is no "seal" against the shoulder. Plastic wads do hide a lot of patterning sins, but plastic wad buildup is one of the byproducts. Make sure you clean that area (shoulder and threads) out thoroughly before you reseat your choke tube. Use a good choke tube lube on the choke tube threads. One of the benefits of extended choke tubes with knurled ends is you can check them occasionally and tighten with your fingers. A wrench is still the best and if done properly, they will never come loose.

I've shot my friend's 1100 Trap Special and thought that was a nice, soft shooting gun with good weight to dampen recoil if you are a fan of its clubby forend. It threw some nice patterns too. The single sighting plane is what's preferable, which is why many gravitate to an O/U, pump, or semi-auto with a vent-rib for trap. I also liked using a Browning BT99 for trap. If I couldn't afford an O/U now but wanted to shoot trap, I would look around for a quality gas-auto. If you are dead-set to get an over & under, look around for a good used one. You can't go wrong with a Browning (Citori) or Beretta. Or one of the Browning clones like a Winchester 101. Charles Daly imported Miroku's (same maker of the Citori) many years ago and they are great guns if you can find them. The first "double's" of the day were side by side shotguns. Developed primarily as a hunting arm, they were also used for both trap and skeet competitions, as well as live pigeon shoots. Pigeon-guns had the dubious distinction of having no external tang safety. Trap's origin goes back to England in the mid-1700's. Trap was introduced into the U.S. by the late 1800's. Skeet is pure American in origin and was introduced in 1926 in the state of MA. Every quality American double maker made a SxS ideally suited for trap & skeet games long before an over & under, pump or semi-auto came on the scene. An Iver Johnson Skeeter, a Parker skeet grade with a Miller trigger or a Winchester M21 skeet grade were items that were prized and coveted. The demise of quality American SxS double's began after the Depression and companies disappeared by the start of the Second World War. Browning's famed Superposed hit the American market in 1930, Remington's fabled Model 32 was introduced in 1932 on the heels of the Superposed's fame. A quality pump action like a Winchester Model 12, known for its reputation on both the skeet and trap field, cost half what a Superposed was going for at the time. Not everyone could afford an O/U then either. There are still lots of trap and skeet grade M12's floating around today, but they are not cheap anymore. By post-WWII, the over & under came into its own and took over the shooting sports. 870's and M12's could still be found on the trap fields, but the O/U was already firmly planted on the skeet scene. Skeet's use of the 12, 20, 28 gauges and the .410 bore in regulation events also ruled out certain guns. Trap is a 12 gauge game. BTW - Why do you need an O/U to shoot trap? Unless you are shooting doubles, where two chokes would benefit you with multiple presentations, a single-shot, single-barreled gun would suit you fine for trap.

Yowza! That's a handful. What's the weight?

Mauser HSc

Congrats!