Why Lever-Action Rifles Are Popular Again
BY Herschel Smith
1 week, 3 days ago
The result is something few people would have predicted twenty years ago: a lever-action rifle that can comfortably coexist alongside AR-15s and modern carbines at the range. Models chambered in .357 Magnum hold a considerable number of rounds and provide impressive muzzle velocities. They are very easy to hit with, fast cycling and loads of fun. On the flip side are the .45-70 Governments and .444 Marlins big-bores which hit hard putting large diameter and heavy payloads on target. In-between are the traditional .30-30 Winchester and similar cartridges which slay white-tailed deer just as well today as they did 100 years ago.
I like lever action rifles, but for me it’s just as much the fact that you can’t put a .444 Marlin or 45-70 Government into a modern semiautomatic firearm and expect it to function reliably. On the east coast, you’re not likely to need more than these two can give you to take down game animals. We rarely get a shot beyond about 150 yards.
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On August 30, 2026 at 9:08 pm, Georgiaboy61 said:
In the Old West and on the frontier, there was often considerably utility to having a revolver and lever-action carbine chambered in the same cartridge. That utility has not disappeared in the modern world. Many owners of revolvers and lever-guns in today’s world enjoy the convenience and usefulness of having them share the same cartridge.
Such an arrangement works for .38 Special/357 Magnum, Colt 45, and 44 Special/44 Magnum, to name a few.
One could also do target-practice and training with less-expensive .38 Spl. and switch to more powerful 357 Magnum when hunting. The same is possible with 44 Spl. and 44 Magnum.
The possibilities abound…
On August 31, 2026 at 7:50 am, Fred said:
The surge in lever gun popularity began with California and other states banning scary features. The “tactical” home-defense lever gun grew quickly on the West Coast. From there, good marketing pointing to nostalgia and quality brands in popular large cartridges sent the trend nationwide. Not being cynical here, I love me a good lever gun. Gen X seems to like them, so middle-aged men with a little money are probably the primary demographic for them now.
On August 31, 2026 at 10:24 am, john said:
458 SOCOM will get you traditional 45-70 performance in a semi auto.
On August 31, 2026 at 1:09 pm, X said:
I’m on the fence about leverguns. I inherited a 1950s Marlin .30-30 which is kinda cool in some ways, but my floated, glass-bedded Remington 700 ADL .30-06 with a Timney trigger outperforms it in every single way — carry, balance, ballistics, pointability, range, cheek weld, etc. Accuracy is good and on par with the ’06 out to 100 yards or so, of course at 200+ it is no contest. Recoil is minimal, however.
I am thinking of using the Marlin to kill a deer with this year just because, but if I do I know I will have to pass up shots I could make with the ’06. So I am equally thinking about selling it as much as making a kill with it.
On August 31, 2026 at 1:15 pm, X said:
“…you can’t put a .444 Marlin or 45-70 Government into a modern semiautomatic firearm and expect it to function reliably. On the east coast, you’re not likely to need more than these two can give you to take down game animals. We rarely get a shot beyond about 150 yards.”
On the East Coast you don’t need more than a .223 to kill deer within 150 years. I’ve killed 4 or 5 of them with a .223 and all have been one-shot kills. I’m actually thinking of using it more — light, handy, accurate, zero recoil. You have to be disciplined about picking your shots, though, because it may or may not leave a blood trail.
Pro tip: the Nosler 64-grain bonded and the Speer 70 grain semi-spitzer will flatten deer, and a 1/12 twist WILL stabilize them quite nicely.