If your looking to customize I would go with the ruger, if you just want to buy a gun and shoot it I would suggest the Marlin semi autos. Great guns for the money.

The advantage of the lever gun is that they will shoot anything you put in them from CB's to high velocity stingers.

The levers tend to have crappy triggers though and I don't think there is much you can do about it.

I've owned all three by the way, my pick would be the Marlin model 60 for an every day hunting/plinker.

Paul