SB CLA ?

[chuck d]

What is a good rifle to get into CLA SB?

thanks
chuck

[the ex pom]

Marlin 39.... are good rifles that shoot well enough to win.

[44 mag]

Marlin 39a works very well and they are easy to work on. Triggers are simple to make shootable. Mike

[GregG]

http://www.cimarron-firearms.com/repeat ... ca202.html

This is IMHO the best SB rifle for the game. Unfortunately it is not cheap about 1k, street price. But the weight and balance make it idea.

[dustinflint]

http://www.cimarron-firearms.com/repeat ... ca202.html

This is IMHO the best SB rifle for the game. Unfortunately it is not cheap about 1k, street price. But the weight and balance make it idea.

Greg,

Does someone make a reciever sight that will fit that thing? How is the trigger?

BTW - my vote is for a Marlin 39A.

Dustin

[snaketail2]

1 vote for Browning BL-22. The trigger is heavy, but crisp - needs a pro pro to rework the trigger. Accurate and the short lever throw makes it very fast.
M

[GregG]

http://www.cimarron-firearms.com/repeat ... ca202.html

This is IMHO the best SB rifle for the game. Unfortunately it is not cheap about 1k, street price. But the weight and balance make it idea.

Greg,

Does someone make a reciever sight that will fit that thing? How is the trigger?

BTW - my vote is for a Marlin 39A.

Dustin

I can only say that both William and Pat are now shooting the platform. Both have nice triggers but that does not mean they were not tweaked. If and when I can find one, and at the time I have the money it will be mine.

Greg

[dustinflint]

William's rifle is a Uberti - He has worked on the trigger - I've shot both his Uberti Yellowboy 22LR and 22 Mag and they are sweet. I think he uses a tang sight. I prefer reciever sights and pistol-grip stocks but those rifles are very nice.

Dustin

[GregG]

Dustin, same thing. Williams is a cim... made by Uberti. I call them and they have a waiting list which I am suppose to be on. Cim... guns are made by Uberti.

[dustinflint]

Dustin, same thing. Williams is a cim... made by Uberti. I call them and they have a waiting list which I am suppose to be on. Cim... guns are made by Uberti.

Ahhh, I did not know that. Learn something new every day. Hope you get one soon so I can shoot it.

Dustin

[durant7]

Chuck and others,

Some thoughts. First, let's be clear. It is called Smallbore Cowboy Rifle or SBCR with the complete omission of the world LEVER. That is not to be a knit picker, just to ensure new shooters don't overlook a key issue. SBCR does not have to be a lever gun as it does in Pistol Cartridge and CLA. Now, I will be the first to admit, I jumped in line with everyone else and picked up a 39A 8+ years ago and it is a wonderful tool for the job at hand. But recent efforts to locate one for a new shooter gives me some pause. With the end of North Haven production in 2011, the general spastic demand for anything that will fire a bullet and the tendency of silhouette shooters to ALWAYS suggest a 39A, they are getting darn expensive on Gunbroker. Not that I am a fan of GB, but waiting to find a 39A in your local gun shop is about as difficult as finding primers.

They are accurate, always work, balance well and can easily accept a receiver sight (if drilled) or a tang sight. I am not clear why the 39A is always suggested over the 9422. IIRC sight options are limited when compared to the Marlin, but I might be wrong. Henry's are certainly limited unless you want to D&T that beautiful brass receiver.

So, I put a non Ilion, NY made 39A (non Mountie) as the first pick. No doubt. I have read and seen Ilion mfg 39A NOT WORK which is sad. I hope they get things worked out. For now, a JM marked 39A or 39AS with 23" barrel is the way to go.

But there are a slew of other options. I shot 17 rams in a row with a Winchester Model 74. Tube fed, semi-auto. It's a legal SBCR gun. It may be that you already have a nice Winchester 62A pump or similar gun, they are legal too. There is an ugly Mossberg 151M-B which is $110 on GB. It's legal and ready for an easily located Mossberg rear receiver sight. I retired my M74 because I felt I needed a micrometer rear sight vs the buck horn to get my 10 rams. I think for beginners with good eyes, buckhorns are not the end of the world.

The counter to all this is, why tie up $200 in something that will ultimately get replaced with a 39A? Valid point....if they catch the bug. I just believe there are other "second best" options that may be "in the family" already. Or, perhaps you can find a legal gun for just $100 because there is no interest in the model.

IIRC the SBCR Nationals was won a few years ago with a non 39A. It was back when the Redfield 75 ruckus was going on. I have always wondered what the gun was and if the gun, the shooter or the sight system contributed to the positive results. I do not intend to open that can of worms! But, I think it would be helpful to new shooters if we listed "second choice" options to the increasingly hard to locate 39A.

Here are a few I have shot with success.

Priced below current market 39A
Winchester M74 (cheap and plentiful but limited to buckhorn)
Remington 572 Fieldmaster. (cheap but no soul)
Remington Nylon 66 (Before my time but they seem to be collectable yet plentiful)

Priced at or above current market 39A
Winchester M63 (expensive and I don't think you can put on target sights)
Winchester 61/62 pump (sight limitation, can get expensive, many many out there)

[chuck d]

Thanks for all the reply's. It is surprisingly NOT a cheap leap. I recently purchased a Browning BLR for hunting and thought may be a BL22, almost the same as the BLR. Can't find a 9422 for less than $600- Looks like a 39A will be my best choice of good equipment and decent price.

How about a sight choice? I have a Williams on my Win 94, but an thinking a Marble- about $30 more. Is it a better sight?

thanks
chuck

[Tlee]

I've a 39A that I love, but a few rifles that folks overlook that often shoot better than most shooters are capable (usually found cheaper than 39As and some others listed above):

• - Marlin model 60... Not a lever gun, but a tube fed semi auto, which IS legal
  - Marlin model 57... But try to find one already with a good trigger
  - Henry Frontier (H001T, octagon barrel, blue receiver) w/Williams FP-GR and Lyman 17AUG front
  - Henry Golden Boy w/Marbles or other tang site and Lyman 17 front (won't accept a Williams FP)
  - Pretty much ANY Winchester or Remington pump

Lots of AAA and Master class scores have been shot with these and other "not as fashionable" guns....

Although my personal preference for silhouettes is the 39A, it took lots of work and round trips to Marlin and finally another 'smith to make the one I own shooting reliably.... And it is a JM stamped, pre-Remigton era version... So even those CAN have issues. For me, again for silhouettes, the choice would be a toss-up between a Henry Frontier and a Marlin 57 as to which I'd prefer next (I have one of each), if the 39A isn't available.
The 57 has an excellent sight radius, however their triggers are a challenge and right now to me it just doesnt feel as natural as the Frontier... Probably because the Henry Frontier is my favorite for general knock around plinking and "critter gitter" duty.

IMO, sights are often more personal preference than anything. As an example; I prefer the Williams FP rear sights and Lyman 17 fronts. I've tried Marbles tang sights on most of my rifles and even a Petersoli tang and Lyman rear on a couple... I keep coming back to the Williams FP. Probably cause its what I started with and am most comfortable.


My .02,

- Tim

[High Speed]

Chuck
Found you one (9422) tad more than your 600.00 max. Just think how you could strut up and down the line totting it though! Better hurry, times about up.
http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewIt ... =349403400
Stay Safe
Mark

[Tlee]

Thanks for all the reply's. It is surprisingly NOT a cheap leap. I recently purchased a Browning BLR for hunting and thought may be a BL22, almost the same as the BLR. Can't find a 9422 for less than $600- Looks like a 39A will be my best choice of good equipment and decent price.

How about a sight choice? I have a Williams on my Win 94, but an thinking a Marble- about $30 more. Is it a better sight?

thanks
chuck

Chuck -

Check your PMs... From your profile I'm not able to tell where you're located, but I sent you a link to a 39A available here in Texas that looks decent, that might be more in your price range.

-Tim