Which one do you prefer on your lever action & why?
Thanks.

I would prefer pistol grip over straight but that's not that important. Crescent or shotgun style butt-stock is.

This may or may not be important to you, but if you are hunting in winter and have a few layers of clothing under a pair of coveralls, your elbow needs to come up when you use a straight stock but not as much when you have a pistol gripped stock, so you can keep your elbow tucked in more and it is slightly (and sometimes more than slightly) faster to bring the gun up to bear on a quick shot.

The pistol grip helps to control recoil.

quote:

Originally posted by swampshooter:
The pistol grip helps to control recoil.

I agree with this statement to a certain extent, but find this to be the case with only some lever rifles, particularly the Marlin 1895, and Winchester models 71, 64, and 53. This just may be due to my personal geometry. I don't know. Most lever guns with straight grips seem to kick me harder. I've owned a Japanese made 1886 with the semi-pistol grip and an extra-light weight 86. These kicked me worse than the model 71 with comparable loads. Also with the 86's, I have to move my thumb to the right side of the grip in order to not give myself a good thump on my nose during recoil. The 71's stock allows my thumb to roll over the grip of the stock without issue. I guess the amount of kick isn't the issue, it's how the stock lets you deal with it. If I ever get Doug Turnbull to build me a heavy thumper on the 86/71 action, it will be a browning model 71 just because I personally feel the 71 is much more comfortable to shoot. I've never shot a marlin model 94 in either configuration, so I can't comment either way. The Browning repro of the win mod 53 is a 32-20, so recoil isn't an issue anyway, but I think it would have been very comfortable to shoot in 44 magnum compared to a straight griped model 92, which shares the same action.

I personally like both styles. However I preferre the shotgun butt over the cresent at any time.

I've fired Marlin 1895 .45-70's with both pistol grip stock and straight stock (my stainless guide gun being the straight stock) and found the guide gun to recoil harder. I'm sure 4" of barrel deficit and a weight discrepancy had something to do with it, but I run into the thumb/nose interface problem aforementioned if I don't watch where I place my thumb while shooting. I'd almost like to replace my stock/lever with a pistol grip stock/lever to see the difference (if any) in that gun.

quote:

Originally posted by swampshooter:
The pistol grip helps to control recoil.

Very True, more like muzzle flip, and felt recoil. On my 50 B&M Alaskans there is a big difference in muzzle flip between the Marlins, Guide straight stock, and the pistol grip 1895. Much prefer the Pistol grip stock for controlling muzzle flip, and keeping that muzzle on target for second shots. The M71s are even a tad better when converted, also a bit heavier as well. With that stock more in line with the bore you are much more able to control the muzzle. No doubts, no ifs, no ands.

Michael

I own both, does not matter to me, either is just fine.

To me it is more of a cosmetic deal, I just prefer a straight grip on a lever action. That might change if I was shooting some of the rounds some of the other folks are mentioning, although I did have an 1895 Marlin in 45/70 at one time with straight grip, but did not notice the recoil as being that excessive.

I prefer the pistol grip on a lever gun. Just seems to give me a bit more control and tad better trigger finger geometry. It also positions the lever a bit closer to the vertical so that the stroke is more of a forward than a down and forward. I've had straight grips for years, but just realized that my three current lever guns, a Savage 99, Winchester 64 and Marlin 39, all have pistol grips.

Thanks for all the replies so far gents,I presently have three levers,the two that I have been shooting the most are a 1886 45/90 with a straight grip & a 71 475 Turnbull with a pistol grip,The Turnbull has a bigger loop on the lever,it has been opened up but the 1886 lever is as it came from the factory(Japanese),I find that with heavy loads the lever bites my fingers a bit,whereas the 71 does not,& I was wondering if the straight grip was a factor in this?

Bill73,

IMO, don't give up on the straight grips. My wife & I shoot these almost exclusively. She is 5ft.2 and easily shoots our rebarreled .375 Ruger BLR. She plans to take a hippo with it. Adding mercury in the stock helps a great deal; of course, it also adds weight.

I have to go with the pistol grip all the way for me. Much better control with really heavy max loads. But really personal preference.

quote:

Originally posted by Bill73:
Which one do you prefer on your lever action & why?
Thanks.

I tend to agree with most responders, that grip is more a matter of aesthetics rather than control - unless the shooter has [some sort of] crippling in arms, hands, shoulders that restricts movement.

I have a particularly virulent illness creating and progressively worsening such restrictions. My Marlin 1895 stainless steel rifles have been customized by Grizzly Custom Guns in Columbia Falls, Montana, to improve reliability, etc., and to allow more nearly pain-free use.

Hope this helps.

I can use either without problems or caring much.
Shooting off a bench the pistol grip is a tiny bit better. Carried on horseback the straight grip is better.
The curved rifle butt sucks but I can even tolerate that on any thing less than a heavily loaded 45-70. What I do not like is a curved butt that slips and slides. The hideous exaggerated undershot curved butts are a no go however.

I have both hard press to say what one I like best they both work for me.

I have also used both, and really can't say which one I like the best.

My favorite lever is an 1895 in 405WCF, and it has a straight grip.

These rifles have a reputation for hard umcomfortable recoil, but I find the rifle plesant to shoot, probably because I have shot so many light weight 375H&H's, but I enjoy shooting and hunting with the 405.

Basically it's a choice between recoil control (pistol grip)
and SPEED (Straight grip)

a pistol grip isn't necissary for light kicking rounds like a 30-30 32WinSpl or 35Rem,

it is desireable for medium rounds like a 356Win 3855 or 375Win

For bigger rounds like the 444Marlin, 450Marlin or 45-70
(particularly with max effort handloads) it is highly desireable.

Shooting hot 45-70 handloads in a straight grip Marlin with a curved butt plate is an act of stupidity that you will immediatly be punished for, particularly if you are stupid enough to shoot it from the bench...


I can call ANYONE who does this any name I like, because I broke my collar bone TWICE with my Marlin. So I feel that after BEING stupid I know "Stupid"

I've shot it far more with even heavier loads since, but only after that curved butt-plate was GONE

and it isn't because I'm a "little guy", I'm 6'4" and 300lbs, basically the kind of guy who a Quarterback sees coming,
screams like a little girl and runs away....

I have 2 with a straight grip, and one with a pistol grip. From an ergonomic standpoint, I can't really tell the difference. Aesthetically, I prefer the straight grip.

Some rifles just look better with a straight stock.

Nothing goes in a horse mounted scabbard slicker than a straight stocked lever action rifle.

I have a straight stock Marlin 1895GS 45/70 as well as a pistol grip Browning BLR takedown in 450 Marlin. I really like the looks of the straight stock but the Pistol grip BLR is far easier to shoot even with much heavier loads. One problem with the Marlin is that it has a very narrow stock and a really hard recoil pad. I think if I change out the pad and put a Pachmayr pad on it it will help a lot with the recoil.

I use both, and one suits me as well as another. I like skinny stocks and a straight grip goes well in a saddle scabbard but again I just dont' care which.

Straight grip. No checkering. Shotgun butt.

Too many years of boltguns and single shots with the PG and checkering to change now...

Lighter cals. straight stock ok. Prefer pistol grip with heavier cals.

SaxonPig that is a mghty fine looking M99.

I have only shot Win 94 in 30-30 and 356 and a Marlin in 444 all staight stocked and have not noticed recoil. However this thread has me thinking about the heavy thumpers and I can see why a pistol grip would be handy on those.

I like the handling of the straight stock better - easier for one-handing, pulling from scabbard, etc.

Regarding recoil and muzzle-flip: the pistol grip stocks give you more drop, which gives the rifle more leverage to rotate up during recoil - so in theory that should cause much more muzzle-flip. But that stock geometry is usually easier for people to correctly mount the rifle in the first place, so they handle the recoil better.

The straight stock of the Marlin 1895 Guide Gun is the wrong geometry for anyone over 5' tall. A 5'10" man will almost always place the butt pad above the shoulder pocket in order to see the iron sights. Between the lighter weight and bad stock geometry, the GG can be a hard kicker.