Lever action rifles

[Chris]

I've never owned or fired a lever action rifle, but I have to admit, they appeal to me. It's probably all the western movies I've seen that makes me want one.

However, the more I read about them, the more it sounds like they aren't much good (as far as rifles go). It seems a bolt action is better in every possible way, which makes me think that the only purpose a lever action rifle has, is satisfying nostalgia.

Does anyone own a lever action rifle? Are they as poorly inaccurate (at long distances) as I read? Is there a certain model that stands out among others?

What kind of round are you using and are the rounds any different than a traditional bolt action rifle round?

 

[MikeM]

Chris for my part I have owned and shot a Winchester 30-30 long barrel that between my dad and my self has taken cleanly Black bear, elk, mule deer, coyotes and whitetails. It had buck horn sights and was a joy to shoot and it is older than I am and that is saying something. The only restriction I know of was not to use regular tipped bullets as the tip of one bullet rested on the primer of another bullet in the tube. Most commercial 30/30 rounds are factory loaded with a more blunt or round tip for safety. The lever action is a lot of fun to shoot and you can even mount a scope on one!

 

[Stinger]

Back in the day I had a Marlin 30-30 lever action. Loved it. Varied the load and bullet depending on what I was hunting. did everything that I asked of it. Later I got a 30-06 for the longer distances found in eastern Oregon and the Marlin with iron sights became my "brush" gun for western Oregon because I could find my target quickly with the iron sights. Later I mounted a scope on it for target identification under low light---just as sunrise or right at dusck. Ruined the gun and I got rid ogf that scope. My dad gave me this gun used (He traded an electric range for it) on my 12th birthday and I passed it on to my son 20 years ago.
Like I said--great rifle,

 

[UPJOHN]

I still have the Winchester model 94 30-30 my mom got for my dad for Christmas in 1939. She paid $26.00 for it new.
Not a good long distance gun, but it shot a lot of deer here in the UP.

 

[TJ4Jim]

Chris,

I own a Marlin 336C 35 remington with a Redfield Widefield scope and its a great rifle, and properly zeroed it's quite accurate. I also have a pre 1960 Winchester 30-30 iron sighted that is built like a brick outhouse.

 

[Chris]

I know nothing about lever action rifles, so bare with me here.

I'm not looking for something to hunt with. I'm actually looking for something just to do target practice with. It would be nice to have something that was effective at 300 meters (or even more if possible).

I realize I'd probably be better off with a bolt action, but I really just love the idea of a lever action rifle.

 

[Chris]

BTW, I'd love to see some photos of your lever action rifles everyone!

 

[StG58]

I'm shopping lever guns right now, as a matter of fact. Need a truck carbine to throw in the TJ when I go out and about.

Lever guns have their place in the grand scheme of things. Are they as accurate as a bolt gun or the Stoner / Armalite pattern rifles? Nope, and no way to get there from here either. It's a design thing. Can you get high intensity cartridges in a lever gun? Nope, it's a design thing. Can you shoot waaaay out there with a lever gun? Possibly, but it has more to do with the person behind the trigger than the what the rife will do.

So, what good is a lever gun? They are light, compact, carry a large volume of cartridges usually, and are stone cold reliable. They are fast on target. They are cheap enough and readily available, as are spare parts and ammunition. You can carry one all day and not get beat to death. They are easy to reload for, and components are cheap. You can throw one behind the seat of your Jeep and pack it all over hell and gone without worrying about breaking it. You can get lever guns that use the same cartridges as your revolver, in a pinch. (the loads for rifles and pistols differ somewhat if you are going for maximum accuracy) So, they do have their place.

For long distance, you can get them in 45-70 and .375 Win / 38-55. Cabelas in Tualatin has a really nice Winchester 94 in .375 Winchester right now on the used gun rack for less than $600 bucks. Grab a couple of boxes of Buffalo Bore high intensity 38-55 and hunt anything in North America out to about 150 - 200 yards. Grab a Marlin Guide gun in 45-70 and hunt anything you have a mind to pretty much anywhere.

300 meters? Stick with a bolt gun or something that looks like an Ar-15.

As an aside, the neighbor down the street parks his truck in his driveway. It's almost exactly 300 yards from my driveway to his taillights. Every time I'm feeling cocky about my ability to hit something at 300 yards, I walk out the front door and look at his taillights. I ask myself if I can snap-shoot one with any of the rifles that I own. The answer always comes back the same. Nope. With the right rifle off of a rest, yes. Not off-hand though. Maybe prone. Different rifles for different uses.

 

[TJ4Jim]

BTW, I'd love to see some photos of your lever action rifles everyone!

Here a pic of mine.

 

[DC0046]

I know nothing about lever action rifles, so bare with me here.

I'm not looking for something to hunt with. I'm actually looking for something just to do target practice with. It would be nice to have something that was effective at 300 meters (or even more if possible).

I realize I'd probably be better off with a bolt action, but I really just love the idea of a lever action rifle.

Just gave my grandson a Marlin 30-30 for Christmas with a cheap scope. Put see through scope rings on it so he could still us the iron sights in close conditions. It is a great gun for 100 yards in and if you are familiar with your ammo and drop, you can shoot it at greater distances. If you are interested in shooting out to 300 meters and greater and you don't intend to shoot anything larger than coyotes, a 22-250 shoots extremely flat, especially when zero is 200 yards. I put a Nikon P223 scope on mine with BDC and would be comfortable at taking a shot at 800-1,000 yards. Depending on the ammo and weight of the bullet, the muzzle velocity is around 4,000 fps. That is fast!

 

[StG58]

This-

To go with this-

To carry in this-

 

[Chris]

Thanks for clearing this up @StG58. So it sounds like a lever action rifle is best suited for something that's easy to carry, easy to store, and good to have on the go. It's not going to be as accurate as a bolt action as far as long range goes.

I guess I was struggling to see what the role of a lever action rifle was, but now you've made it clear. I still think I would like one, and I have been eyeing the Winchester 94, so I'll go take a look at that Cabelas.

Lately I have a real big hard on for lever action rifles and revolvers.

I really, really have been lusting after one of these:
http://www.colt.com/Catalog/Revolvers/Single-Action-Army

 

[StG58]

You're welcome, @Chris. Be aware that the Colt SAA is not a really strong revolver. If you get a lever gun in the same caliber, and shoot hot ammo in the rifle, don't use the same ammo in the Colt. Bad things will happen. You might look into the Ruger Blackhawks for something a little cheaper and a lot stronger.

Yup, easy to carry, easy to store, easy to have with you on the go. They've been filling that roll since 1873 or so. Interesting tidbit, more things have been killed in North America with a 30-30 than any other cartridge in existance, with the possible exception of the 45-70. Don't know if it's actually true or not, but I like to throw that out there. Heck, I still have Granddads pump action Marlin in 25-20. That thing dispatched a lot of varmints and put a lot of meat on the table over the years.

 

[UPJOHN]

The first time I took my oldest son deer hunting he used my 30-30. While loading, his thumb slipped off the hammer and the gun fired on the ground right in front of me. I got mad, packed up and went home to cool down. Later that afternoon he shot his first buck with that same gun. A bolt action would be a better rifle for a beginner.

 

[Chris]

You're welcome, @Chris. Be aware that the Colt SAA is not a really strong revolver. If you get a lever gun in the same caliber, and shoot hot ammo in the rifle, don't use the same ammo in the Colt. Bad things will happen. You might look into the Ruger Blackhawks for something a little cheaper and a lot stronger.

Yup, easy to carry, easy to store, easy to have with you on the go. They've been filling that roll since 1873 or so. Interesting tidbit, more things have been killed in North America with a 30-30 than any other cartridge in existance, with the possible exception of the 45-70. Don't know if it's actually true or not, but I like to throw that out there. Heck, I still have Granddads pump action Marlin in 25-20. That thing dispatched a lot of varmints and put a lot of meat on the table over the years.

I don't want the SAA for doing lots of shooting with. I want it to hang on my wall, just because it's a beautiful piece of American history!

But shit... I just looked at those Ruger Blackhawks and they are much cheaper, and from what I am reading they are a more modern take on the SAA, which probably means more reliable and less problematic?

Damn... Thanks for that! I'm liking these Blackhawks!

Anyways, yes, I have a Colt 1911, but I am looking for a revolver to carry around as well. I have a thing for Revolvers, and I think it would pair perfectly with a lever action rifle. I'll check out the Rugers that you suggested.

 

[Chris]

A bolt action would be a better rifle for a beginner.

I'm not a beginner with bolt-actions. I was in the Army (infantry) for long enough that I am experienced with a bolt-action.

I am however a completely newbie when it comes to a lever action! I don't expect it to replace a bolt action, I just think it seems like a fun rifle to own.

 

[StG58]

Oh, @Chris, check into getting ammunition in .375 Winchester before you drive up to Tualatin. You'll hate me forever if you don't. I reload and cast my own so it's not a problem for me. The .375 W is probably one of the hardest rounds to find out there. You can't just shoot any 38-55 in it, and Winchester only make one run a year in .375. Probably lots better off getting a Blackhawk in .357 and a Rossi R92 in .357. You can shoot either .357 or 38 Special in both. 38 Special is cheap, especially in bulk, and a great plinking round for messing about with out in the woods. It's also very adequate for game the size of deer or smaller, and varmints of the four legged or two legged variety. You get the look and feel of the old school revolver and lever gun, and it's not expensive to get into the game or to play.

 

[StG58]

I don't want the SAA for doing lots of shooting with. I want it to hang on my wall, just because it's a beautiful piece of American history!

But shit... I just looked at those Ruger Blackhawks and they are much cheaper, and from what I am reading they are a more modern take on the SAA, which probably means more reliable and less problematic?

Damn... Thanks for that! I'm liking these Blackhawks!

Anyways, yes, I have a Colt 1911, but I am looking for a revolver to carry around as well. I have a thing for Revolvers, and I think it would pair perfectly with a lever action rifle. I'll check out the Rugers that you suggested.

Colt SAA's are the quintessential American sidearm, aren't they? They just look and feel right.

The Blackhawks are great guns. They have an advantage over the Colt's as well. You don't have to do the load one, skip one, load four thing that you do with the Colts. Always carry with an empty chamber under the hammer with a single action revolver, with the exception of those that have a hammer block safety. The Ruger's do, the Colt's don't.

There's two Ruger Blackhawk single actions in the safe and one Ruger Redhawk double action. If that tells you anything. I carry the Redhawk.

 

[Chris]

When I was originally looking at the Colt SSA, I had decided on .357 instead of Colt .45

I had been doing research and most people seem to conclude that the .357 is the way to go. It's cheaper, easier to come by, and offers more penetrating power than the .45

So yeah, thanks for cluing me into that. I didn't know what the availability of .375 Winchester rounds was, but I don't want to end up with something that is extremely hard to come by.

If I can fire a .357 or a 38 special, that would be easy to come by, and much cheaper than the alternative.

 

[Chris]

Colt SAA's are the quintessential American sidearm, aren't they? They just look and feel right.

The Blackhawks are great guns. They have an advantage over the Colt's as well. You don't have to do the load one, skip one, load four thing that you do with the Colts. Always carry with an empty chamber under the hammer with a single action revolver, with the exception of those that have a hammer block safety. The Ruger's do, the Colt's don't.

There's two Ruger Blackhawk single actions in the safe and one Ruger Redhawk double action. If that tells you anything. I carry the Redhawk.

Yep. Sounds like the Ruger Blackhawk is the way to go. I'm not particularly set on having a Colt SSA, I just wanted something that was a single action and had that classic look to it. Because as far as revolvers go, nothing can beat that look.

I'm drawn to the 7.5" barrel too. It's a bit long, but those single action revolvers just look so good with that long barrel.

Only issue is that the 7.5" barrels only come in a Colt 45 configuration, no .357

What's the general availability / cost per round of a Colt 45 round?

P.S. I love how I've diverted this topic to revolvers now, LOL!