Looking for a saddle gun. Not a rifle for when out big game hunting but a rifle for carrying when just our riding. I like the idea of a lever action due to the slimness of their width.

Any other options? Calibers? What do you use for everyday riding?

Rossi 92 SRC .45 Colt
16" barrel

nice little gun, low $$

Rossi 92 or Marlin -either 357 or 44 mag, which ever you have a pistol in.

SSR

Nothing wrong with the plain old 30-30 for such duties. A good 25-35 would be neat though

I've wanted to buy a Winchester 8410 Lever action .410 Just to have for grouse and snakes.

Winnie 94 or 92 clone. I like the 44 mag, got a rifle and pistol. Be sure and get a decent scabbard.

quote:

Originally posted by Painted Horse:
I've wanted to buy a Winchester 8410 Lever action .410 Just to have for grouse and snakes.

I bet a 9410 would be a lot of fun.Are they rifled or smooth bore? Ive got clients that bird hunt off their horses, Id like to show up with an ol' lever action in my scabbard and ask where the quail are? LOL

I reckon it is where a fellar rides but I mostly just carried a 30-30 Winchester pre-64 when I was riding. No scope just iron sights and it did all I need to do.

Now some years later when riding in the Mark Twain Forest and wild hogs were around, I went to my Marlin in the 444 caliber.

71 ---348
86---45/70
88---308

Have borrowed a BLR in 308 to give a try. Right now thinking my CZ 527 in 223 or whatever caliber is slim and thin and as good a fit as the lever guns.

I have got a couple of those CZ 527 models in the .223 caliber other in a .222 cal. However they are not great saddle guns in my humble opinion. You want something you can pull out in a big hurry and shoulder fast if your on that horse. The lever guns are suited for this type of use.

marlin 336 in 45/70

Depending on what kind of country you are riding in, and how much of a rifle "nut" you are...

If you carry a 44 Mag revolver, then a 44 Mag lever.

A 30/30 is hard to beat if you do not plan on snhhooting elk or bears...

A 45/70 is a great choice in thick country, especially for elk and bears...
A Winchester in 405 is one of the finest Levers on the Planet...

Around our place, I always had a Winchester Model 94 pre-64 .30-.30 in the boot. Most of the bluing wore off so I've taken to carrying a Marlin 1895XLR in .45/70 when home.

quote:

A Winchester in 405 is one of the finest Levers on the Planet..

As much as I love mine and have written about it--

-How could I leave it out?

A good lever gun is hard to beat on a saddle I've got a 94 30WCF that fits just fine with me they are slim quick and handy. Plenty of power for anything I could encounter 2 or 4 legs and enough reach in case it was getting away. So many people under rate a 30/30 but it is no popgun!
The amount of Deer, Black Bears and yes even Elk that have been cleanly killed with a 30/30 are staggering (300 Whiz bang Magnum is not always required)
I like to have my scabbard forward facing where I can keep an eye on it and its very handy to pull the rifle if need be, if you have the scabbard rear facing (how I see most people do it) you have to un naturally look back to check on it. Tie your rifle "in" with a simple knot you can untie with one hand.
If you use a bolt gun make sure the bolt will lock closed I've heard stories of retracing steps to find the lost bolt from a bolt action rifle on several occasions even though its not happened to me.
Your rifle will have scabbard wear on the blueing if you carry it frequently.

Just my experience and 2 cents......

If you want more cartridge than the pistol calibers dont forget the Savage 99.

SSR

I'll go way out on a limb here and recomend an M1A with a 5 round mag. The rifle fits well in the old Garand scabard that I think was made for motorcycles back in WW2. Still works well on a saddle. I have seen the scabards at different gun shows but I use the one my dad left me. Just a thought.

long time ago when i had to "cowboy " for a living, i saved $$ until i bought a 9422m winchester... 22 mag... it took deer, turkeys, varmits, and was cheap (at the time) to shoot...later i scoped it to take care of a feral dog problem in all my angora goats...old saddlemaker by the name of west, in llano tx, made a saddle scabbard for me...i also carried a marlin in .44 mag, several win 94's in 30/30... always wanted to carry my '86 in 45-70, but it was too heavy and didnt fit the scabbard...

i don't hunt from horses because they really enjoy scraping me off with the nearest low tree branch, but if i did....i would use my winchester 94 in .375win. after reading the other post suggesting an m1a, a garand with 8 available 3006 rounds sounds real interesting also.

A lot of my time is spent in grizzly country. My saddle gun is a Marlin 1895XLR (laminate/stainless steel) in 45-70.

I carry a marlin guide gun 4570 in my horseback expeditions after water buffalo.

I don't ride much anymore, but when I did, I carried my old Marlin 336 .30-30 in a Ray Holes saddle scabbard. Butt forward on the left side of the saddle. Worked just fine for me.

L.W.

Ive got a 22mag pump rifle thats spent some time
in my scabbard as well. Weighs a lot less than my winchester, and isnt as loud to a younger horse either.

You gents that went to slinging a 45/70 on the side of a hourse I understand you betcha. A grizzly is nothing to joke about and they are faster than many horses in 50 to 75 yards.

I never had that problem on horse back but I would trade in my 444 Marlin for that 1895 45/70 in a heartbeat and then sling some of those hardcast piledriver bullets at that "teddy bear".

One that has become a favorite of mine is a Henry replica in 45LC. Rides flat in the scabbord and that makes it easy on the inside of my leg. I carry mine with the butt to the rear. Makes it easier for me to retreave it when out of the saddle.

Winchester 1886's and Marlin 1895's all in 45-70.
Browning 92 in 44 mag is a good one also.

I carry a Marlin 30-30 in a roughout leather scabbard on the far side of the saddle.

Never needed one, but it would be the Henry in 30-30 if I did.

I pack a 94 SRC in 25-35 quite a bit. but if I am hunting deer or elk horseback I have a Savage 99F in 308, and another in 250-3000, both have 3X Leupold scopes on them..I have had these guns for many years and they work for me.

I also like the Win. Mod. 95 SRC in 30-06 with 200 gr. Noslers. I just sold this one to a good friend of mine who didn't have a good saddle gun.

By the same token, its not a problem to pack a bolt action rifle in a saddle scabbard..We packed the old std. weight Mod 70s for elk hunting but I like the fwt. models better.