Why Everyone Likes Lever Actions
BY Herschel Smith
6 years, 1 month ago
I’m sure this will be a great series and I look forward to the next installments. And don’t be fooled – when the communists go after semiautomatic weapons, they’ll come after lever action rifles too. The communists in New Zealand did, right before they began forced vaccinations and quarantine camps of their population.
Mine are going on a canoe ride if it ever gets to that.
Im not new to firearms at all, but have never handled, used, or owned a lever action as all my experience has been with everything else. So, im curious on what would be an economical first choice for learning the lever action.
Great vid.
I have two lever action rifles.
A Winchester Model 94, Trails End, color case hardened receiver, fore end cap, and butt plate; 20 inch octagonal barrel, in .45 Colt.
A Winchester Model 9422, .22 long rifle, with checkered walnut fore end and buttstock, color case hardened receiver.
I started bringing along a Winchester 9422 for my wife to shoot so I wasn’t burning through so much 556 or Blackout with the current shortage. I’ve got more 22 LR than I can count. Now that’s all she’ll shoot. She’s starting to handle the damn thing like Chuck Connors
To be honest, I am attracted to a Marlin lever rifle in .45-70 Govt. Like this one:
https://www.marlinfirearms.com/lever-action/model-1895-big-bore/model-1895sbl
Or, this one: https://www.marlinfirearms.com/custom-shop/model-1895/model-1895-modern-hunter
@pat,
I’ll also say that Henry makes some very nice rifles, esp. now that they have added side gate loading.
I’d like to have pistol caliber rifles (.357 magnum and .44 magnum). I tried to get Henry to send me a rifle for “review” over the blog, but they kindly told me to get lost.
Take a look at Winchester’s production of the model 1873 series. As a side note, Browning is producing all of Winchester’s shotguns and rifles, while Olin Corp. retained the ammo production. While you’re on their catalog pages, look at the rest of the lever rifle availability.
https://www.winchesterguns.com/products/rifles/model-1873/model-1873-current-products.html
@Herschel
I’ve looked at Henry’s products, they look good. I’ve never handled one, though, have you?
Let’s not forget the Browning BLR, including this interesting take-down stainless model. I think that all of the BLR models are box magazine fed, too.
https://www.browning.com/products/firearms/rifles/blr/current-production/blr-lightweight-81-stainless-takedown.html
Sadly, it appears that the Savage Model 99 is no longer in production.
Herschel – don’t be such a tightwad! :-) Just go buy one for crying out loud. If ya are that pressed for pennies start with a .22.
I’ll neither confirm or deny that I have a Henry (or 6 or 8) but you can bet that NONE of them will ever go for a ‘canoe ride’. IMHO if it is time for drowning them it is likely way past time to be using them.
BTW – try the .41mag (if you have a matching Model 57 S&W or Blackhawk).
I’ve got two Marlin 1894s, both made around the year 2000. One is a Custom Cowboy Limited in .41 Mag. The other is a .44-40, which was a special run of 325 for Davidson’s. The .41 Mag is partner to a 3 screw Blackhawk of mine and the .44-40 is buddy to a .44-40 cylinder I had made for my Bisley .44 Special. All the aforementioned firearms are drool-worthy.
If you own a Marlin you should check out the products Ranger Point Precision makes. Their stuff can make a fine lever gun even better. Their medium loop levers are particularly slick.
GomeznSA,
” … don’t be such a tightwad!”
Ha!
Two things. Bank account, and wife.
On top of that, I lost my job at the end of 2018 because I’m not female and black, but God graciously gave me another. Got to rebuild that account now.
BTW, the company that cut me, Duke Energy, has HR folks who told us the truth. The lawyers came in and made sure what they did couldn’t be challenged in court, but the HR folks knew it as the “white hair” layoff.
My Rossi in 454 Casull is my saddle gun and truck gun.
Function before form.
An 1873 Winchester tops my wish list. I lean towards a full length barrel. The reason for the long barrelis that quiet shots are possible. See for instance https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sJ00j5Uc9WE.
@ Coyote Hubbard
” So, im curious on what would be an economical first choice for learning the lever action.”
That’s easy…. get yourself a Browning BL-22 lever-action, which can fire .22 LR, .22 short, or the like. Very fun, economical to shoot, and a great way to learn about firearms and lever-actions. If iron sights don’t suit you, it can take an optic, too.
A really interesting historical video. I love my Mossberg 464..the classic model not the weird “tactical” version -and am hoping he covers this model in a future video.
The 464 is the poor man’s version of the Winchester 94. My only complaint is that you can’t switch out the lever loop for a larger one. But it shoots well with the iron sights and no mods.
The Russian Empire *really* liked leverguns, and more than half of the original production run of the Winchester Model 1895 were chambered in 7.62x54R and shipped to the Tsar’s Cossacks.
One advantage of the leverguns – even the side-ejecting ones – is that they can be manipulated equally well from either shoulder. Which is sort of important when you’re on horseback.
The Cossacks also sucked up most of Smith & Wesson’s revolver production for a while, in the form of top-break .44s. This was one of the few times pistols were issued as fighting weapons instead of backup arms or officer’s accoutrements. A pair of S&Ws gave 12 rounds right now, and Prideaux speed-loaders were in common use, though I don’t think they were officially issued. Pistols are also ambidextrous, and very handy in melee fighting where even carbine-length rifles are at a disadvantage.
I’m reminded of an article many years ago in SO or Fighting Firearms magazine about some upgrades to a lever action. Optic, light, etc.
See if I can dig that out of the archives.
Ned2 – I hate that they stopped production. I really wanted one of those. A 45 Colt with a 280gr hard cast bullet at a mild 1000 FPS will pretty much always shoot end to end through an elk.
I have to live with a 45-70, which I love, but still wish for the 454.
*SOF*
[…] (Hat tip to Herschel at TCJ.) […]