Puma Rifles

[Schmidlin]

Okay ive gone from a .357 revolver to wanting a a marlin .357 lever action rifle to a black powder gun and now back to a .357 lever action rifle.

I was comparing the Marlin with the puma, whom i just found out was basically rossi. Anyone got any information on these guns? They look really nice and really finely built. But they also cost less then a marlin. So any information would be great.


Thats what im looking at


http://www.budsgunshop.com/catalog/p...ducts_id/48624

[Big Ugly Tall Texan]

I would say it depends on what you want.

If you are looking for the Old West look, that Puma is about as close as you can get to a Winchester Model 92.

The Marlin is more practical as a pure shooter.

[Schmidlin]

Im just going for a rifle that is the same caliber as my revolver. I figured it would be good to keep the cost of ammo down. Plus for all purposes a .357/.38special is a good round.

And they just look so cool

[NativeTexan]

I have one in .357 magnum and my son-in-law has one in .45 Colt. These guns are STRONG, even offered in .454 Casull. I would take issue with the Marlin being "more practical. I'd put my Rossi against any Marlin for accuracy. I have taken a doe at 80 yards with it and it groups sub 4" at 100 yards with iron sights. I have a ghost ring aperture on it, very fast to acquire, very accurate. I believe it's a stronger action design than the Marlin. And, it's just plain beautiful to look at and carry. The one practical aspect of the Marlin is the ability to mount a scope, but scoping this rifle would be blasphemy IMHO and un-necessary, really, unless you plan on night hunting hogs or something.

The Marlin has a good following, but so does the Rossi. There's a guy in the Beaumont area that specializes in slickin' up the little rifles and SASS shooters shooting CAS competition love the guns. That has driven their cost up in later years. Mine set me back $198 brand new about 1986. What I REALLY like about the rifle is the fact that I can raise the elevation (my sight has a click adjust elevation) for my 105 SWC .38 special load at 900 fps and go squirrel hunting. That load is 2" at 50 yards accurate. Then, I can lower the elevation back for my 158 SWC hard cast .357 magnum load and go deer and hog hunting. I'm planning to use it some this deer season. I haven't hunted with it much over the years, hunting with bolt guns or handguns.

The one thing BAD I have to say about the gun is the sights that come on it suck. I had this aperture on a little .22 I robbed it from. My son-in-laws has a Williams receiver peep installed. That takes drilling and tapping of the receiver and the sight is about 70 bucks, so add a hundred for that modification, but well worth it considering the crappy sights it comes with. The Uncle Mike's swivel studs were needed, too, to make the little gun even more handy in the field.

[Schmidlin]

that helped me out alot. i think im going to go see if my local shop can order one. might be a fun little gun to shoot

[Funshooter]

Biggest mistake I've made recently was letting my Marlin 336 in .44 mag go, but I had some finance problems. It did kick worse than my 12ga with 00 buck. The 1st of Oct there's a gun show here and the Puma .357 is what I'm looking for. If I don't find one there, it's off to Gander Mt and $500 for a new one. Here in Ks, they are legal for deer and a friend of mine took a deer every season with one or two shots, a few years back. The Marlin is a little heavier, I think, which doesn't matter with the .357. Go to You-Tube and type puma .357 in the search box. Pretty interesting videos. I fell in love with the one at GMt as soon as I picked it up. Nice match for my .357 Tracker.

[Big Ugly Tall Texan]

...I have one in .357 magnum and my son-in-law has one in .45 Colt. These guns are STRONG, even offered in .454 Casull. I would take issue with the Marlin being "more practical. I'd put my Rossi against any Marlin for accuracy...

I can't hit the broad side of a barn without a scope and the Marlin is ready for a scope right out of the box. For my old eyes, that makes the Marlin more practical as a shooter.

Personally, I prefer the Rossi because I like the way it looks and have been thinking about buying one in .44 Magnum to replace the Winchester 94 in the same caliber which I foolishly sold a few years back.

[schoonie]

Better yet, get an LSI Rossi 92 in .454 Casull. Then you will be ready for about anything around that might want to hurt or bite you.

[NativeTexan]

Well, if I wanted a scoped lever gun, not much available that can top a Marlin 336 in .30-30 for deer hunting. It's in its third century and still killin' deer. Me, I'd prefer a receiver mounted ghost ring aperture even on that, but I'm sorta traditional. LOL A scope would be needed with Hornady leverlution rounds to take advantage of their extended range capability, though. I have bolt guns for that, though, and my little stainless Remington M7 in .308 with 2x10 Weaver pretty much fills that niche. It's as light and handy as any 336 Marlin if not as handsome.

[Smokewagon]

Looked at a Puma rifle in .44 mag. last week. Love that old west look. I've got a Winchester 94AE in .45 Colt I might trade my dealer even. If he wants any cash, no deal. Whatcha think?