The purpose of lever action rifles in today's market

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cowboys

As the others stated, short, fast, light, convenient and comes in a variety of calibres.
My go to gun for big boar and bear has always been Marlin .444 with 290gr cast lead.
I have no problem achieving hunting accuracy.
One shot drops are commonplace.
 
I think there’s a lot of dismissal of levers that goes on simply because people perceive them as less accurate than bolt guns, firing rounds than are only good for a measly couple of hundred yards. Whether or not these things actually matter or are true is debatable, but people seem to care about the perception.

Lever, bolt, semi, whatever – they’ll all get the job done so it’s simply a matter of personal preference at this point.

One of the things I like about levers is they’re all set up for iron sights. I have scoped bolt actions and enjoy them but I like to shoot iron sights now and again. Most bolts aren’t even available with irons and if they are, are still stocked for use with a scope. There are exceptions of course but they’re not as common as they used to be and can be expensive.

Even better, most lever actions can be had with receiver or tang mounted peep sights, which I love to shoot with.
 
Why own a Harley Davidson when a modern crotch rocket does everything asked of a motorcycle more efficiently? Why have an old sail boat when a modern motor boat will get you there faster, safer and in more comfort?
Why fish for trout with a fine fly rod when an M-80 will produce more fish? (just kidding on that one)...
Perhaps it is a matter of aesthetics - an appreciation of the beauty found in art. Perhaps it is an interest in history or in adding a certain challenge to the endeavor at hand.
Perhaps it's because lever rifles are just so &^%$#@* cool.
 
Many states prohibit the use of semi-auto rifles during deer season, but allow lever actions which allow faster follow up shots than bolt actions.
 
I just traded for a Marlin 1894 in 44Mag. Didn't have to have it but I have always wanted one. I took it to the range and with 44spl ammo was very accurate and fun to shoot with low recoil. Plus now I can carry it and my Dan Wesson 44Mag Revoler in the woods together and not have to carry 2 kinds of ammo.
 
The reason I left Henry's out of my discussion is simply numbers. While among the oldest of lever gun designs, Henry's were out of production for so many years, only fairly recently being made again, that the numbers in the hands of shooters is still quite low.

There are many designs of lever guns currently in use in very limited numbers, compared to the Win 94/Marlin 336 and pistol caliber guns. Some are long out of production, others only produced in small numbers recently, and not what jumps to the mind's eye when someone says lever gun. Guns like the Winchester 88, Sako Finnwolf and Finnbear, the Winchester 95, 86, and 73 for instance. And even though the Savage 99 is our of print, its long production history has kept it in place in the forefront of classic lever guns, many, many of them are still in use.

I also have to wonder, why the huge numbers of .22 lever guns have been left out of the discussion. True, the semis dominate and have for decades, but I think .22 leverguns hold second place still today. Bolts and single shots are strong as initial trainers and target guns, but in the field, taking everything from rats to raccoons, odds are, if its not a semi, its a lever.
 
Yep! I plink with .22 rifles every day around sunset and twilight in my rural front yard. Yesterday, I started with a Savage Mark II GL; took a few carefully aimed shots at a hanging metal gong. Put the Savage away and picked up my Henry H001 with fiber optic front and tang sight on the rear. Kept shooting and plinking at various targets I've set up. When it started getting dark I installed the next largest tang sight aperture and continued. This compact little rifle suits my purposes exactly out here in my river canyon. I like it so much as an all-around plinker/critter persuader and carry gun that I'm planning to get a Henry youth rifle (H001Y) and outfit it the same way. All of my limited activity combined with the great variety of guns you-all enjoy constitute "The Art of the Rifle." (Of course, someday I may get a Marlin 795 to set up as a Liberty Training Rifle for Appleseed; then perhaps, something in .308 left-handed bolt-action, then perhaps a pump shotgun.) Being retired on a fixed income kinda limits things, though. At any rate, whatever you're using, happy shooting to you all!
 
twins


It's rare (haven't seen one yet this year and it's June already) that I see someone shoots a lever-action rifle at a range. So I'm still perplexed as to the advantages behind owning a lever-action.

I'm definitely not knocking it, cause I've never owned/shot one, just trying to find reasons to owning one.
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Get you hands on one and shoot it, then report back to us.
 
My son has "evolved" from a bolt gun shooter, to a shooter of auto's to now preferring a Marlin 1895. He is now biased (as am I). I barely hunt with a lever anymore, and prefer to bow hunt when possible. I do, however, reload an awful lot, and weekends for us are spent plinking with a levergun invariably. We also fish, bowfish, hike and include our time in front of steel targets and cast boolits as part of our outdoor experience. If you have to ask, we wouldn't expect you to understand. Those that have shared our passion, have long since decided they are just plain fun!

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Here is my 12 year old shooting at an 8 inch steel disc 120 yards away.
 
The reason I left Henry's out of my discussion is simply numbers. While among the oldest of lever gun designs, Henry's were out of production for so many years, only fairly recently being made again,
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If you're referring to the Henry Arms Co. they are a brand new company with completely different designs. They are not affiliated with the original Henry in any way, altho they do like to give that impression. The original Henry was made by the New Haven Arms Co. before it was called the Winchester Arms Co.
 
Levers are the heaviest of all repeating actions
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Savage 11g: 6.75 lbs
Remington 700 BDL: 7.5 lbs
Weatherby Vanguard: 7.25 lbs
T/C Venture: 7.5 lbs
Mossberg 464: 6.7 lbs
Marlin 336c: 7 lbs
Win 92: 6 lbs

Seems to me like the weights are pretty similar - all within 2 lbs of each other. Notice that the lightest on the list are levers, though.

Lets not go accusing others of ignoring the facts before we have done our homework, shall we?
 
I love the feel of a lever gun, nomatter winchester(or replica) or marlin, they just come up on the shoulder perfectly. I went to the store the other day and held a marlin 1895cowboy, 45-70 26" barrel 9+1 magazine. For as big as it is, it was not uncomfortable to hold, shoulder, bring around toward targerts and such. It was just not unweildy, but comfortable, and that to me, is saying something for such a big lever action.
 
Mordis, 9 rounds of 45/70 in the mag really changes the balance of them. I still love mine but just wanted you to have a heads up.
 
I use a Savage 99 for Deer hunting in Northern MI, I enjoy the nostalgia and the .300 Savage Cartridge is a joy to shoot. I like it so much I have been picking up other rifles chambered in it. Remington 760, Remington 81 and one of the 50th Anniversary Savage Model 10's.

My Son and I did a "Retro" hunt last year. He used a 1951 Model 94 and I used my 1952 Savage 99. He used the new Hornady Leverevolution 30-30 rounds.
 
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