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What's the best B Western rifle?


Major J Hawk SASS#107720

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The B Western category appeals to me because I like old movies and if you're going to dress up like a pretend cowboy you might as well go all out.  Pistols I've got, shotgun I've got but I'm struggling with the rifle choice.  I've heard negative things about all the choices.  I want one that works.   Speed is of secondary importance.  Like Clint said, "a man's got to know his limitations".  

So let the opinions fly boys!

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The  92 Was Good Enough for The Duke !

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Both the Marlin and the Winchester 92 & copies use an angled elevator system.  Stock those can be a little finicky about cartridge length.  But almost always, you can find the length that your gun wants and they will then work very well.

 

Both the Marlin and 92 can be modified to be less finicky, with the Marlin being not at all.

 

The Marlin is generally a littele faster and smoother, but some of the 92's can be made to be very slick.  The 92 is a very nice handling, light rifle.

So if you get a good one, you will be in good shape either way - realizing that for most people, the Marlin 94 is a little faster and easier to clean fully.

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A Lightening rifle will get you some style points! My AWA runs well. 

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31 minutes ago, Hoss said:

A Lightening rifle will get you some style points! My AWA runs well. 

I bought an AWA Lightning the other day.  Took it to the range and it wouldn't work at all.  Wouldn't fire a chambered round (until it did when I wasn't expecting it), wouldn't cycle, and it even flipped rounds 180 deg.  Took it back to the store and got my money back.  I have considered a Pedersoli Lightning though.  Do they suffer the same reliability problems?

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1 hour ago, Tyrel Cody said:

Marlin 1894 is hands down the best for B Western. The Winchester/Rossi 92 is decent. You already changed your mind on buying my Rossi? 

Heck no!  I'm gonna need it this weekend.  My 66 won't shoot factory loads (too short) so I'm counting on yours.  Does it like factory .38?  

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Isn't there another thread on the Wire about how the new Marlins are junk?  Or is that the old Marlins?  

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Just now, Major J Hawk SASS#107720 said:

Heck no!  I'm gonna need it this weekend.  My 66 won't shoot factory loads (too short) so I'm counting on yours.  Does it like factory .38?  

 

Not really, but I'm  bringing some extra ammo that it will feed. Have you got a loading block of some kind? That'll help keep the longer ones separate and you can use them in your rifle(s). 

Who's posse are you on? If this is your first shoot it'd be good to pair you up with someone from the get go.

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11 minutes ago, Major J Hawk SASS#107720 said:

I bought an AWA Lightning the other day.  Took it to the range and it wouldn't work at all.  Wouldn't fire a chambered round (until it did when I wasn't expecting it), wouldn't cycle, and it even flipped rounds 180 deg.  Took it back to the store and got my money back.  I have considered a Pedersoli Lightning though.  Do they suffer the same reliability problems?

Generally the Pedersolis are considered the best, then AWA, then Tarus a distant 3rd. 

 I don’t shoot mine a lot, but have never had any trouble with it. 

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3 minutes ago, Tyrel Cody said:

 

Not really, but I'm  bringing some extra ammo that it will feed. Have you got a loading block of some kind? That'll help keep the longer ones separate and you can use them in your rifle(s). 

Who's posse are you on? If this is your first shoot it'd be good to pair you up with someone from the get go.

I'm on posse 4.  I shot today with the North Alabama Regulators and I didn't get DQd so that's a plus.  I have a lot to learn and a lot of practice to do.

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Just now, Major J Hawk SASS#107720 said:

I'm on posse 4.  I shot today with the North Alabama Regulators and I didn't get DQd so that's a plus.  I have a lot to learn and a lot of practice to do.

 

Good deal. We'll be there around noon and see if your 66' will feed longer ammo and settle up on the Rossi. @Randy Saint Eagle, SASS # 64903 will there be a stage available for troubleshooting and/or trying out guns?

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Rossi 92 rifle. Follow the tuning instructions from Steves Guns and replace a couple of springs, the magazine follower and sights of your choice. Ready to rock. I have a South American rifle that does not have the best fit and finish but it is unstoppable so far. Not as fast as a 66 but it has cycled every commercial manufactured 45 colt cartridge I have tried. Semi wad cutters included. It devours all of my hand loads and handles rocket fuel or gunpowder without complaining.

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1 minute ago, Tyrel Cody said:

 

Good deal. We'll be there around noon and see if your 66' will feed longer ammo and settle up on the Rossi. @Randy Saint Eagle, SASS # 64903 will there be a stage available for troubleshooting and/or trying out guns?

It ran fine today with El Camino's lipstick ammo.  His is 1.5 something OAL.

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16 minutes ago, Tyrel Cody said:

 

Good deal. We'll be there around noon and see if your 66' will feed longer ammo and settle up on the Rossi. @Randy Saint Eagle, SASS # 64903 will there be a stage available for troubleshooting and/or trying out guns?

Tyrel, we have every stage set up for something. Probably could function fire at the Cemetery, just won't be able to shoot any targets.

 

Thanks

Randy

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26 minutes ago, Phantom, SASS #54973 said:

The question posed is what is the BEST B-Western rifle.

 

Anyone that thinks that a 92 is better than a Marlin 94 is... How do I say this without pissing some folks off...is terribly mistake.

 

:mellow:

Please elaborate on your reasoning.  The '92 is a fine B-Western rifle choice.

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1 hour ago, Jailhouse Jim, SASS #13104 said:

Please elaborate on your reasoning.  The '92 is a fine B-Western rifle choice.

The question didn't ask what were the fine B-western rifles. It asked what the best was.

 

Who out there thinks that a 92 is a better B-Western rifle than a Marlin 94??

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7 minutes ago, Jailhouse Jim, SASS #13104 said:

Please elaborate on your reasoning.  The '92 is a fine B-Western rifle choice.

I'm going to echo Phantom's answer here... The poster wanted to know opinions on What's the Best B-Western Rifle.

Having a Rossi '92, a Winchester '92 and a Marlin '94 at hand, I have to say the '94 is best.  Not knocking those who run '92s, they are a fine rifle.

Just not "best".

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15 minutes ago, Phantom, SASS #54973 said:

The question didn't ask what were the fine B-western rifles. It asked what the best was.

 

Who out there thinks that a 92 is a better B-Western rifle than a Marlin 94??

I do, but besides my opinion, I am asking why you consider it a terrible mistake.

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32 minutes ago, Phantom, SASS #54973 said:

The question posed is what is the BEST B-Western rifle.

 

Anyone that thinks that a 92 is better than a Marlin 94 is... How do I say this without pissing some folks off...is terribly mistake.

 

:mellow:

I don't know how you can imagine the Marlin is a superior rifle. The term Jam-O-Matic was invented for that rifle. I often see Marlins hanging up and require effort just to run the lever. A 92 can be run with two fingers. The 92 also has an outstanding breach lock. I have played with a Rossi 92 chambered in 454 Casull. Don't remember Marlins operating with that much pressure. The only thing about the 92 that is unfortunate is the lever travel.

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Can't say which is best, can only relate to my own experience.  I have both, and both have action jobs by purportedly a couple of the best smiths in their respective guns.  My Marlin '94 will accept just about everything I feed it, without a jam.  My '92 will not.  It will run fairly well but only if the OAL is within some close tolerances.  I had a well known smith/shooter disagree with this some time back on here, but I never got a chance to ask him about OAL variances.  I figure the better gun is one that will run well with the greater OAL and bullet shape variations, so my nod goes to the Marlin.

 

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I'm not going to fight with anybody over this.  The poster asked for an opinion on "best".  I gave it.  My Marlin likes 1.44 to 1.50 .38s since I changed the carrier.  No hiccups, no jams.  Before I changed the carrier it liked full length .357s.  You have to feed the gun what it likes to eat.  Since my others are .45, I just feed them the normal diet.

 

Obviously some like the '92 better.  No problem.  

 

Just try out some folks' guns at a match and see what "fits" you.

 

 

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M/94 has far fewer parts to wear out than a JMB designed lever rifle does.

M/94s are far easier to keep running.

That's not opinion-Just fact, as the Marlin Patents were just one of the hurdles JMB had to contend with.

OLG

 

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I'll say that that 92 is better than the 94 without hesitation.   And I'll do so for a very simple reason.   Let's take the term "B-Western" literally.   In practically every one ever made, the hero carried a Winchester 92.   (For that matter, most of the time that's what was used in A Westerns, but let that go.)  I can't think of a single B Western where a Marlin ever is used.   Heck, I really can't recall seeing a Marlin in any classic Westerns whatsoever.   (I am sure someone has, and out of curiosity, I'd be eager to hear which ones!) 

 

As to a more generic question as to if the Marlin is better than the 92, that is absolutely a matter of opinion.   We all have our favorite rifles, and none of us is really right or wrong, we use what we like.   Personally, I don't care for the Marlin.  But I'm a southpaw, so that colors my perception of the gun.

 

 

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My Personal Opinion is the 92 is Far Superior rifle to the Marlin Jam O Matic  .

I Own several of both.

IMHO I will Take a 92 Over a Marlin Every Time !

But We all know what Opinions are like .

And yes I am One ! 

Rooster 

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1 hour ago, H. K. Uriah, SASS #74619 said:

 

Well, yeah.   That's what  B Western IS.   A movie.  :)

 

Throwing out context makes communication useless...

 

B-Western is a shooting category... obviously.

 

I'll ask again, how many B-Western WR and EOT titles have been won using a 92???

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