I owned a lever action Marlin .44 mag years ago. It was a fun little gun to shoot and hunt with. I just used open sights on it and shot a couple of deer with it. I had no trouble with it. I certainly would never categorize it as a "piece of crap" or anything even near that. I think I traded it for a muzzelloader. I don't remember. But I didn't get rid of it because I had any problems with it, I think I just wanted something else and didn't use it much, so it was sacrificed in a trade.