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I often wondered what most of you here prefer when it comes to rifles or carbines. Initially when I started collecting I only knew of the carbines, but as time went on I sold them off and steered toward rifles only.
If traditional open sight hunting is your thing, I guess the terrain you hunt would dictate carbine or rifle.
I’ve thought for some time now that rifles demand more value, and maybe they do overall, but I’ve seen some carbines north of my yearly income on many occasions lately so I’m not really sure.
My collection is now about equal with carbines & rifles. What’s your preference?
AG
My modest collect also started with carbines, and has now evolved (?) to exclusively rifles.
For some reason, my collection consists of more carbines than rifles. Not that I prefer one over the other. I just buy what I like at the time.
In addition to terrain, the mode of transportation can sway a person. You can carry a rifle on horseback, but a carbine is more convenient.
I like a rifle, but it’s purely for aesthetic reasons. A barrel can be too long, but unless it’s over 36″, I still like it. Even then, I might like longer, one but who knows. A blocky–looking 76 can always use some stretching out. There is a symmetry, and balance, and a pleasing look to a crescent butt, full magazine, long barrel (prefer octagon). I like a saddle ring, but it wasn’t standard, so . . . I also like the way a fore end cap stops that line while the barrel and magazine continues. The carbine band emphasizes the chunky look.
I’m the same way about SAA. I carry a 4 3/4″ but I like a 7 1/2″. The Buntline is pushing it, though. 7 1/2 is perfect.
Which has me asking: Is it purely aesthetic, or have I been acculturated? Since the TV and movies I grew up on tend toward carbines and short SAAs, I think it’s more aesthetic. I Think those design engineers back in the day actually did sit around in the back office with the marketing directors and management and say: What looks good? What will people like? No form over function, but function and form!
I mean, can you imagine a world where people actually thought a Spencer carbine was good for anything other than shooting? Just kidding, calm down.
Finally, should there be a movement to rename “The Rifleman” to “The Carbineman.” Again, just kidding.
I prefer carbines overall, however my collection is more rifles as I have found it more difficult to find antique carbines in good condition at a price I’m willing to pay.
Typically, old carbines seem to have been more heavily used tools of the day than rifles with condition usually reflecting that.
Winchester Model 1873 44-40 circa 1886
Kevin Jones said
I prefer carbines overall, however my collection is more rifles as I have found it more difficult to find antique carbines in good condition at a price I’m willing to pay.Typically, old carbines seem to have been more heavily used tools of the day than rifles with condition usually reflecting that that.
Good point. I would agree with that.
AG
I was a huge fan of carbines when I was a kid. I fondly remember hunting deer with my dad and brothers in the forested hills around Mt St Helens. One weekend I was packing a long octagon barreled Savage 30-30. I was 13. The barrel ended up with dirt in the end of it one too many times. After cleaning out a plug, I asked my dad if I could use my uncle’s 94 carbine in .25-35 the next weekend. Well, dad asked, and my uncle agreed. The following weekend I got my first buck with that .25-35. BTW, I now own a bunch of rifles and carbines in that caliber. Still have that old Savage .30-30 too, along with a featherweight in .22 Hi Power.
Shoot low boys. They're riding Shetland Ponies.
January 26, 2011
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Manuel said
Short Rifles make me happy! Best of both worlds!
Sounds good to me!
I have zero carbines at this time. Had a couple in the past but since about half of my collection is 1894’s I just steer clear of the carbines since there are so many of them out there. Well maybe not as true for the earlier ones, but they just don’t get me excited like a rifle with a few special order features.
~Gary~
I’m fond of both.
“If you can’t convince them, confuse them”
President Harry S. Truman
Since Gary chipped in, maybe I should too! I have a few carbines, generally only one in each of the major models of lever actions. To me, the rifles are much more attractive, and prone to “extras” that make them more interesting. Then again, I don’t have to carry them on a horse or such! That could change one’s perspective! Also the comments about the carbines generally having been used harder and thus generally in more common condition, shall we say, is right on the money as what I have observed. Tim
You know how hard it is to find a Winchester 1892 .44-40 carbine in decent condition? Also, Model 1886 carbines are much less common than rifles, about a 1:20 ratio.
mrcvs said
You know how hard it is to find a Winchester 1892 .44-40 carbine in decent condition? Also, Model 1886 carbines are much less common than rifles, about a 1:20 ratio.
I agree! I had to look long and hard to find the ’86 carbine I posted above. And the ones in good condition aren’t cheap.
Winchester Model 1873 44-40 circa 1886
I’m thoroughly enjoying reading all the replies to this thread. I actually started questioning my thoughts steering back toward the carbines but, like it was mentioned, we all kind of grew up watching carbines in tv and in the movies and that’s the only Winchester’s I knew of until this hobby(severe addiction) began.
I’ve parted with a few very nice rifles to acquire half a dozen carbines, but I don’t regret it as my collection was just missing something & a few are the best condition carbines I’ve had. I’m still more of a rifle fan but now I look at the gun racks and it’s much nicer to me with a mixture. Caliber and condition certainly play a role in my carbine acquisitions, but no regrets.
AG
AG said
I actually started questioning my thoughts steering back toward the carbines but, like it was mentioned, we all kind of grew up watching carbines in tv and in the movies and that’s the only Winchester’s I knew of…
I think that’s primarily for two reasons. The first being that Winchester rifles were discontinued by the mid 30’s in the Model 1894 and the Models 1892 and 1886 had ceased production by then. Of course, the Models 53, 55, and 71 were available, but they were less common. So, easily accessible commonly produced Winchesters were most likely to be the 1894, and that’s what Hollywood determined it would be, although many old Westerns feature the 1892 carbine, probably due to compactness and probably not for the reason that they chambered popular revolver cartridges of the day. Had the common early rifles not been discontinued before the advent of television, rifles might have been more commonplace in Westerns. The second reason is that the carbine has a neat little feature called a saddle ring and whether it’s the name or the fact it can hang from a saddle, or both, but that surely had something to do with it. Had rifles commonly contained saddle rings, TV Westerns might have been different. Saddle rings were discontinued by the mid ’20’s, and so producers would have to have looked at production from the past, although the heyday of Westerns was only a generation or so after the discontinuation of the saddle ring feature, so Hollywood producers might have had some familiarity with these from their youth. Also, a typical Hollywood producer from that era would have been a youth during the waning years of the Winchester rifle and a carbine would have been much more familiar. Completely independent of historical accuracy.
Of course, due to the centre of gravity and balance issues, a saddle ring on a standard rifle could prove awkward. Not sure if this is true with the short rifles, but I’m assuming so as many contained shorter forearms and I think an awkward centre of gravity would still exist. How many short rifles, if any, were fitted with a saddle ring?
Just to set the record straight, Winchester discontinued the Model 94 Sporting Rifle as of January 1938. In its place was the Model 64 Rifle (Standard and Deer Rifle). The Model 71 filled the need for a large bore rifle. Both the Model 64 and Model 71 were discontinued in the late 1950s. Model 94 Saddle Carbine production did not end in the mid 1920s. More accurately, it ended in April 1932 after seeing a noticeable decline in production that began in mid-year 1929. From June 1929 through April 1932, roughly 50% of the Model 94 production were “Eastern” Carbines.
Bert
WACA Historian & Board of Director Member #6571L
I have a Hotchkiss carbine and a M1 carbine. Been thinking of an early 73 carbine though. A 66 might not be so bad either.
Bert H. said
Just to set the record straight, Winchester discontinued the Model 94 Sporting Rifle as of January 1938. In its place was the Model 64 Rifle (Standard and Deer Rifle). The Model 71 filled the need for a large bore rifle. Both the Model 64 and Model 71 were discontinued in the late 1950s. Model 94 Saddle Carbine production did not end in the mid 1920s. More accurately, it ended in April 1932 after seeing a noticeable decline in production that began in mid-year 1929. From June 1929 through April 1932, roughly 50% of the Model 94 production were “Eastern” Carbines.
Bert
THANK YOU for the precise dates. In my post, I “winged it” from memory.
Well I like ’em both(carbine and rifle), however my all time most favoritest is a mod. ’94 15″ s.r.c., man You can just swing that thing around like Rooster Cogburn or Lucas McCain and not pull a muscle or hit Your chin doin’ it. Really I think they win the toss up between one of those and a 24″ deluxe t.d. pistol grip with a 4 cartridge mag and cres butt.. But Hell I haven’t seen an ugly ’94 anything yet.
W.A.C.A. life member, Marlin Collectors Assn. charter and life member, C,S.S.A. member and general gun nut.
Pirkle says “A number of 1894 carbines were manufactured with rifle style crescent buttplates installed and are referred to by collectors as Eastern carbines. These will almost always lack the saddle ring”.
So the way I read this is an eastern carbine always has a crescent buttplate ?
AG
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