Lever Guns

G

Gunplummer

New member
Anybody notice the big interest in lever guns lately. Usually this kind of thing is started because of a magazine article or a movie. Did I miss something? Maybe it is because the major companies making them went out of the lever business? I like lever guns and have more of them than any other rifle, but this is just weird.
 
Just my pet theory, but I think that perhaps a lever rifle is representative of a simpler time, a simpler life? I know that as I age I have less and less interest in "tactical" anything. The world seems to have become so much more complicated and confusing, and I seek simplicity, which I find in the friendlier and familiar feel of the "old" rifles. A classic model 94 is comfort to me as is the familiar smile of an old friend who has weathered the years. The tactile feel of walnut and blued steel is warmer and friendlier than black plastic and aluminum to me.

I get my satisfaction shooting many fewer rounds out of either a single shot or a lever rifle than I can from other types of rifles. I guess do what brings you joy.
 
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I'd like some opinions an the Chiappa lever guns; They seem (on initial inspection) to be far superior to Rossi levers.
 
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lever guns

growing up in the 40s my dad taught real men shot off hand shooting from a rest was basically cheating
 
Like an old car or pickup with a carburetor on it and no air bags. Hard to find a lever action with plastic furniture and dull bluing, like so many guns these days.
 
Harumphhhhhhhhhhhhhh.......the rest of you are just catching up to what the rest of us already knew! And that is, how much fun certain guns are to shoot!

My likes are levers and falling block singles. But don't no one think for a moment I'm giving up my bolts or my semi's!
 
For me it is kind of like driving a car. I enjoy a manual transmission over an automatic, I like the input. Don't get me wrong, I like the automatic from time to time but there is just something about rowing through the gears myself...:D
 
Pistol caliber lever action carbines are popular home defense guns too, especially in jurisdictions where those scary looking black rifles are prohibited or severely restricted.
 
I'd like some opinions an the Chiappa lever guns; They seem to be (on initial inspection) to be far superior to Rossi levers.
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Superficially Chiappa are nicer than Rossi but internally 1 in 4 Chiappa is junk depending on which Italian made it (they can't be fired) per Steve Young of Steve Gunz. Some would say that's because Steve makes a living sprucing up Rossis but I think he is spot on. The Rossi's are fundamentally sound. Whatever you don't like (such as the goofy safety) can be addressed.

I had a Chiappa 44 mag that would lock up due to magazine tube moving. It was sent it back to Italy (they wouldn't provide parts to the store's gunsmith) and it came back 6 months later the same way it left. It was beautiful but pure junk.
 
Howdy

A great deal of the interest in lever guns, as well as single action revolvers, has been generated by the growth of Cowboy Action Shooting. Ever since the 1980s, CAS has been growing and much of the interest in these guns has grown with it.

Rifles in CAS are restricted to 'pistol calibers' and Uberti in Italy cannot keep up with the demand for lever guns such as the 1860 Henry, Winchester Model 1866, and Winchester Model 1873. Before their move to New York state, Marlin had models with octagon barrels specifically catering to the CAS Market. At slightly lower prices, Rossi has been making reproductions of the Winchester Model 1892.

All of these rifles are very popular in CAS.

I have two Uberti rifles myself.....

Henry07_zps6828738f.jpg


Uberti1873_zpsa8de5b61.jpg





Several old Winchesters.....

1892rifleandcarbine01_zpsde0960f1.jpg


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and an old Marlin....

marlin189401_zps9b279dab.jpg


that I bought before I ever heard of Cowboy Action Shooting. But if it were not for CAS, I would not be the lever gun addict that I am today.

Case in point, I just bought another Winchester 1873 made in 1882 this week. Haven't even had a chance to take a picture.


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Regarding Chaippa: Several years ago they made their debut. A few showed up at CAS matches, but you never see them anymore. The quality was not there, and they kept breaking down when subjected to the abuse that some of our guns see in CAS.
 
I think some of it may be due to the influx of new shooters. Us old geezers have been filling gun safes longer than most of the new breed of shooter has been on God's green earth. That and the popularity of Cowboy Action Shooting.

Personally I prefer Winchester and Marlin lever guns. Give me an early model 94 over any Italian or Brazilian knockoff any day. I still hunt with a model 94 in .32 Winchester Special. It's action is as smooth as the day I bought it. And who doesn't own a 30-30?

Lever guns are great brush guns. I still prefer bolt action rifles for hunting and yes, I own a few ARs set up with 5 or 10 round mags. I hope lever guns are around forever. I recently set up my model 9422 WMR with a scope for the first time. Small furry critters beware. Good luck on your search for the perfect lever gun.
 
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If by 'today', you mean since the early 2000s, then yes I have. I got the bug in 2008 after seeing a number of CASS matches at our club. As said above, CASS started in the 1980s and 20 yrs later is was big with a lot of people already deep into leverguns and single action pistols.

After picking up a Henry 22lr, I longed for a center fire levergun so I got a 24" Rossi 357mag rifle and I was in love. Next came a 357mag Rossi carbine (got to have a carbine with your rifle), and then came 6 more including Uberti 1866 Yellowboy carbine and 1873 Special Sporting Rifle both in 45 Colt, Mossberg 464 in 30-30, Winchester 88 in .308, and finally a Savage 99 in 300 Savage.

While I'm not into CASS shooting, but there is something uniquely American about owning a lever action rifle. John Wayne and all those cowboy movies when I was a kid back in the 50s I guess.

I handload for all but the 22lr and love to shoot them all. The 357mags are my favorites as they are cheap to shoot (I handload them for cheaper than you can buy 22mag) and my 24" rifle shoots with a tang rear and globe front sight shoots out to 300yds . . . . . and that's with a 158grn pistol bullet!

Decades ago I had a Winchester Model 94 and a Marlin, both in 30-30 but neither appealed to me as the Marlin was too thick and clunky and the Winchester had a sloppy action and floppy trigger which drove me nuts. As kids came along and I had pressing needs for money and no time for toys, then went to new homes. However, I don't miss either one.
 
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I`m with NWCP, and a few others...You Just can`t beat an old Winchester `94,
in 30-30.
I`m old, retired, and computer illiterate; so I can`t figure out how to post pictures...but I built a wall mount gun rack that looks like the sheriffs office in all the old western movies; standing up are 6 model `94, 20" carbines made in the forties and fifties. 3 in 32 Spl., and 3 in 30-30.

The old Winchesters are just special to me. I wouldn`t trade one of mine for a dump truck full of new imports. I know Miroku can make quality firearms; but I can`t warm up to the MADE IN JAPAN stigma.
 
Bought a Miroku Japan made, Winchester 1873 with an octagon barrel and case hardened receiver, in .38 / .357 earlier this year. A beautiful gun that is extremely smooth and very accurate. Has become my favorite rifle to take to the range. For all purposes an exact reproduction of the original.

Also have a Henry Golden Boy in .17 hmr. A tack driver and very smooth action. Just wish it had a loading gate instead of loading through the tube.

Both guns have renewed my interest in lever guns.
 
I know that as I age I have less and less interest in "tactical" anything. The world seems to have become so much more complicated and confusing, and I seek simplicity, which I find in the friendlier and familiar feel of the "old" rifles. A classic model 94 is comfort to me as is the familiar smile of an old friend who has weathered the years. The tactile feel of walnut and blued steel is warmer and friendlier than black plastic and aluminum to me.
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I'm the exact same way...+1. No more AR15s or AR10s here, and not even too much "want" for them. But I have bought a Henry and two Marlin 336s in the past year, and that's even WITH the trepidation one has now with buying Remlins.

Although I don't know if that explains the extra interest, or if there even is such a measurable increase in interest. Certainly the general interest is going to vary directly with number of CAS shooters, but again, don't know if that discipline is on the rise, wane, or holding steady.
 
I got a little curious and was cruising Gunbroker and looking at levers. The thing that surprised me was the price of Brownings. When I was younger, a Browning lever was kind of looked down on with the lever crowd. I don't ever remember seeing one carried in the deer woods.
 
Bought a Miroku Japan made, Winchester 1873 with an octagon barrel and case hardened receiver, in .38 / .357 earlier this year. A beautiful gun that is extremely smooth and very accurate. Has become my favorite rifle to take to the range. For all purposes an exact reproduction of the original.
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I bought 2, one in 357, one in 45 Colt from CDNN though mine have round barrels. I have yet to fire them. These are the only new Winchesters I'll buy because the other models have superfluous safeties. Ubertis are also excellent though you have to look around to find case colors or wood figure as good as Winchester. I have yet to fire them.

Someday I may get a Browning lever, always wanted one. Maybe a used steel frame 308 being a little heavier it might help recoil a bit. Can anyone confirm this notion?
 
Older BLR's did have steel frames, not sure how mch the weight changed though. I had a steel long action in 30-06, very fine finish on that rifle. I believe the steel receivers also had the straight grip stock also, some of the new ones I've seen have the curved pistol grip stock.
 
I remember picking up and looking at an older '06 Browning at a gun show. My first thought was "Wow, this thing ought to have wheels on it". It seemed huge at the time, but I was a lot younger then.
 
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