best lever action rifle ?
02-23-2007, 06:30 PM
#11
Thread Starter
Join Date: May 2005
Location:
Posts: 220
RE: best lever action rifle ?
ahankster - You had mentioned "cowboy action " shooting . I have a couple of sigle action pistols that I'm getting pretty good with . I'd like to get a rifle that I can take to the shoots . What are the rifle courses like ? Is speed and minimal recoil better than a longer flatter shooting cartridge ? Are most people shooting the older cartridges (like the one you had mentioned )? I would assume that long range shooting is done with a trap-door rifle . And your lever gun is probably used inside of 100 yds . Thanks for any info .
02-23-2007, 09:17 PM
#13
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: mississippi by way of Florida
Posts: 357
RE: best lever action rifle ?
Dog,
There are several variables here.
First, you have main match guns and side match guns. Side matches are competitions within themselves. They are a part of the main match, buteach is a separate competition. Side match guns are rifle caliber (30-30, 38-55, 45-70 and similar) and sometimes a pistol caliber side match. Usually, the rules are similar, just a different catagory. Rifle calibers CANNOT be used during a match. Only pistol calibers maybe used during the normal stages. Some folks use smokeless, some use black or a sub and some cross the fence as the wind suits them. Side matches usually range from 100 to 300 yards and are generally a five shot string with a time penalty for misses. Sometimes they allowshooting sticks, sometimes you canlay down and sometimes you have to stand like a man, it is always different. I personally shoot a Marlin 336 Cowboy in 38-55 and have won four different state champs with mine. I like the 38-55 over the 45-70 for recoil and heft reasons. Sometimes there is a single shot side match in rifle and/or pistol calibers as well. Every match you go to is differeent though. Some are total shots, some are a combo of time and shots, you just find out when you get there. There are folks that live for these side matches. They really enjoy cowboy shooting, but their pride and competitive juices flow for the side matches.
OK, now you have main match guns.
These HAVE to be pistol calibers, no rifle calibers allowed. Generally you run into 38, 357, and 45. Some folks will opt for 32, 44, and some of the other pistol calibers. In general, certainly not a rule, the more competitive shooters tend towards the 38 or loaded down 357. The top shooters in both local, regional and national level will generally be shooting 38 caliber bullets between 105 to 135 grains between 650 to 750 fps. There are certainly exceptions. Again, every shoot is different when it comes to the size of targets and range for main match scenarios. In general, rifle targets tend to be from 15 to 30 yards and around 24 to 36 inches in size. I have found that the bigger the shoot, the bigger and closer the targets (again, there are exceptions). So, for main matches, the accuracy of the rifle is rarely tested as the ranges rarely exceed 40 or 50 yards and generally are much closer. Due to this, you tend to see guns that will function fast and clean. This means three guns tend to rule the winners catagory. Those being Winchester copies of the 66 and 73 and the Marlin guns. A few folks use 92s, and very rarely you will run into other pistol cal lever guns. Course of fire can be anything from 10 shots on a 3 foot dia plate at 15 yards toa double sweep of 5 two foot dia targets at 30 yards and anything in between. With my Marlin, I can pick it off a table and dump 10 shots on a 2 foot target at 20 yards in less than 4.5 seconds. To sweep 5 twice takes a bit longer, but not much.
So, if you want something that you can play with and take to a cowboy match, Marlin is a good way to go. There are some lever guns, other than the 66, 73 and Marlin 94 that just cannot mechanically be made to function at the speeds CASS really demands.
Good luck with your rifle selection and giving cowboy action a try.
Hank
There are several variables here.
First, you have main match guns and side match guns. Side matches are competitions within themselves. They are a part of the main match, buteach is a separate competition. Side match guns are rifle caliber (30-30, 38-55, 45-70 and similar) and sometimes a pistol caliber side match. Usually, the rules are similar, just a different catagory. Rifle calibers CANNOT be used during a match. Only pistol calibers maybe used during the normal stages. Some folks use smokeless, some use black or a sub and some cross the fence as the wind suits them. Side matches usually range from 100 to 300 yards and are generally a five shot string with a time penalty for misses. Sometimes they allowshooting sticks, sometimes you canlay down and sometimes you have to stand like a man, it is always different. I personally shoot a Marlin 336 Cowboy in 38-55 and have won four different state champs with mine. I like the 38-55 over the 45-70 for recoil and heft reasons. Sometimes there is a single shot side match in rifle and/or pistol calibers as well. Every match you go to is differeent though. Some are total shots, some are a combo of time and shots, you just find out when you get there. There are folks that live for these side matches. They really enjoy cowboy shooting, but their pride and competitive juices flow for the side matches.
OK, now you have main match guns.
These HAVE to be pistol calibers, no rifle calibers allowed. Generally you run into 38, 357, and 45. Some folks will opt for 32, 44, and some of the other pistol calibers. In general, certainly not a rule, the more competitive shooters tend towards the 38 or loaded down 357. The top shooters in both local, regional and national level will generally be shooting 38 caliber bullets between 105 to 135 grains between 650 to 750 fps. There are certainly exceptions. Again, every shoot is different when it comes to the size of targets and range for main match scenarios. In general, rifle targets tend to be from 15 to 30 yards and around 24 to 36 inches in size. I have found that the bigger the shoot, the bigger and closer the targets (again, there are exceptions). So, for main matches, the accuracy of the rifle is rarely tested as the ranges rarely exceed 40 or 50 yards and generally are much closer. Due to this, you tend to see guns that will function fast and clean. This means three guns tend to rule the winners catagory. Those being Winchester copies of the 66 and 73 and the Marlin guns. A few folks use 92s, and very rarely you will run into other pistol cal lever guns. Course of fire can be anything from 10 shots on a 3 foot dia plate at 15 yards toa double sweep of 5 two foot dia targets at 30 yards and anything in between. With my Marlin, I can pick it off a table and dump 10 shots on a 2 foot target at 20 yards in less than 4.5 seconds. To sweep 5 twice takes a bit longer, but not much.
So, if you want something that you can play with and take to a cowboy match, Marlin is a good way to go. There are some lever guns, other than the 66, 73 and Marlin 94 that just cannot mechanically be made to function at the speeds CASS really demands.
Good luck with your rifle selection and giving cowboy action a try.
Hank
