Why did Lever action rifles catch on but not lever action shotgun?

D

Deja vu

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Why did Lever action Rifles catch on but not lever action shot guns?

On another note why did Pump action shotguns become big but pump action rifles are not real common.

Is there some thing that makes a lever better suited to a rifle and a pump more suited for shotgun? I know you can find examples of both (lever shotguns and pump rifles) but they never caught on like the opposite format.
 
The primary lever action shotgun by John Browning turned out to have a quite sticky action. Browning only designed it at Winchesters request. The pumping action works much better when maintaining swing. Browning was already working on his first recoil operated semi auto at the time.
 
On the subject of pump action rifles...

The pump action rifle costs more to manufacture than a simpler bolt action rifle, almost as much as a semi-auto does in terms of numbers of moving parts.

As far as not catching on, the Rem 760 and 7600 have a cult like following in some crowds as well balanced, fast handling woods rifle. Remington found out though with the pump rifles that high pressure cartridges could cause "problematic extraction" which is why Remington kept the pressures "sedate" when they standardized the 280 Rem and 35 Whelen.

Remington tried to rectify the mistake with the 280 Rem by relaunching it as the 7mm Express Remington in the Rem 700 bolt line, but it didn't take and the rest is history.

Jimro
 
in the 70's and 80's the 270 and 30-06 were the pumps here in pennsylviana. then bolts started coming out in 90's and made there mark. i owned pumps ,levers, and single shots. the m94 in 30-30 still makes me happy, even tho'
i shoot t/c encores now.;)
 
Hollywood portrayed lever action rifles in movies. Until Terminator most people had never heard of lever action shotguns.
 
Lever action rifles are slab sided, flat, fit saddle scabbards, fit the hand, and are just plain handy because of their thinness. A shotgun has to be twice as thick because of the size of a 12 ga round so all the above handiness is lost. Since your off hand is already on the forearm a pump action is a natural. The grip and receiver are too thick for ergonomic, comfortable levering.
 
And, as someone else said: a pump shotgun is easy to maintain mount while cycling the action and a rifle almost guarantees you'll come out of the gun between shots due to recoil anyway. The feel of a lever rifle and it's balance make it extremely popular.
 
I can tell you why lever rifles were popular, but not why the market loves and ignores other guns.

The first successful repeating rifle was a lever action model so that was the first such rifle for most shooters. Secondly, it is flat. Back in the 19th century the horse was the common mode of transportation and that flat rifle carried nicely in the saddle scabbard.

I think maybe the double gun was too entrenched to allow the lever shotgun to succeed. I think they were also unreliable in the early days.
 
It's simple common sense,IMO. Shotguns are primarily for wingshooting where quick shots and quick followup shots are needed. A lever action shotgun, with the bigger thicker shell would be hard to work fast and the pump did it smoother and faster. Semi was even better!
 
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IMO, Pennsylvania has the most pump/slide-action rifles per capita, than anywhere else - most likely due to that state proscribing autoloaders for deer.



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There are some technical reasons that mitigate against lever action shotguns, but I think the main problem was that the early Winchester models were so awkward and plain ugly that shotgunners were just "turned off" on lever guns. It didn't help that at the same time Winchester was making pump guns, which were much cheaper (in 1895, a Model 1893 pump sold for $10-15, vs. $25 for an 1887 lever action). Plus, pump guns were not new in the late 1880's. Spencer had been making them for several years and, in fact, sued Winchester for patent infringement when the latter company brought out its Browning-designed Model 1893.

The Model 1887 lever action. unable to handle smokeless powder, was discontinued in 1900, superseded by the Model 1901, but that gun was made in 10 gauge only and didn't sell well. I am not sure when Winchester stopped making lever action shotguns, though they shipped some Model 1901's as late as 1920.

Jim
 
Why did Lever action rifles catch on but not lever action shotgun?
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IMHO: Taste in gun designs change. As the newer generation out lives the prior. Something Dad or Grandpa was efficient with is not always appreciated or wanted by the son or the Grandson. So the need for change.

Both the 1887s and 1901s lever Winchester Shotgun's were not very appealing too the eyes of many. And sold in two gauges only 10 & 12. I suspect the upland bird shooters desired a smaller less bulky feeling lighter shotgun. Like the Win-97 or the Marlin-1898 and later the model 12. My father use to call those 87 & 01s "Lap Guns. i.e. spent more time purposely laying in one's lap than being swung on game.__ But, both the 1887 & 1901 Winchester lever models did have a following. No doubt it was Law Enforcement for a couple reasons. 10 gauge capability and their having a magazine capacity of (4-shots)
Whether loaded up with double 00 Buck shot-shells or #2s for geese. Both models of levered Winchester shotguns had to be truly assume weapons during their time.
 
Why did Lever action rifles catch on but not lever action shotgun?
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Because in the movies, cowboys had lever action rifles and farmers had shotguns (both single and double barrel).
 
I always look at the Winchester slide action 22s but the prices on nice looking ones is OUTA SIGHT.

My brother in PA had a Remington 760 but he traded it for a Hi-Point pistol. Yeah, I'd like to kick him in the butt for that.
 
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