Why are lever guns so attractive?

[Hoosier8]

Not because they are faster or better but they are just more appealing. Maybe it’s because I was raised watching The Rifleman and westerns as a kid.

Guns are simple machines and lever guns have an aesthetic that makes beautiful form of the function.

I am not rolling in dough so I picked up a few along the way for decent prices at the time including the Winchester 94 30-30 yesterday.

The others are:
Rossi 24” octagonal in 44 mag
Rossi 16” in 44 Mag
Winchester 9422 Trapper unfired original box
Winchester 94 Trapper unfired in 44 mag original box
Marlin 336 30-30 with scope
Marlin 39a Golden Mountie JM stamped

The Rossi’s actions are kinda rough but I bought some stones to smooth them out. I believe the unfired Winchesters actions have never been cycled. The 30-30 Winchester and Marlin are smooth as butter!

 

[ed1838]

No Winchesters in my line up just never come across one when I had extra cash. Do have a few Marlin's and Rossi's

 

[Hoosier8]

No Winchesters in my line up just never come across one when I had extra cash. Do have a few Marlin's and Rossi's

I forgot to add my Marlin 336. It’s perfect and picked it up at Cabela in Hammond when I used to have to travel through for work.

 

[ed1838]

I forgot to add my Marlin 336. It’s perfect and picked it up at Cabela in Hammond when I used to have to travel through for work.

My wife says its to many if I forget having somthing. I keep telling her no. Its a sign of my age.

 

[92FSTech]

There's something about blued steel and walnut that just appeals to the soul. There's also something about the cowboy genre that appeals to a lot of men...freedom, independence, self-reliance, hard work, adventure, exploration. Any time I pick up a lever or a single-action revolver that's where my mind goes.
While I wouldn't trade a good AR for one in a fight these days, the lever-action is the tool that gave a lone man a chance to take on an entire group of adversaries with a possibility of coming out the other side on top...that wasn't really a thing with a muzzleloader.

They're also handy, well-balanced, practical things. They're lightweight and easy to carry long distances through the woods, quick on target, and make great hunting rifles. I own them in everything from .22LR to .45-70, so they're a viable choice for anything from squirrels to grizzlies. I also have several that share ammo with my pistols, so I can spend time on the range and only have to worry about loading and bringing one caliber.

There are pretty much four genres of guns that I enjoy. Modern defensive/LE stuff, US military surplus, double-action revolvers, and "cowboy" guns. Even though I don't compete or shoot CAS, they're will always be leverguns in my safe. My personal preference are Marlins and Ruger Blackhawks.

 

[Hoosier8]

There's something about blued steel and walnut that just appeals to the soul. There's also something about the cowboy genre that appeals to a lot of men...freedom, independence, self-reliance, hard work, adventure, exploration. Any time I pick up a lever or a single-action revolver that's where my mind goes.
While I wouldn't trade a good AR for one in a fight these days, the lever-action is the tool that gave a lone man a chance to take on an entire group of adversaries with a possibility of coming out the other side on top...that wasn't really a thing with a muzzleloader.

They're also handy, well-balanced, practical things. They're lightweight and easy to carry long distances through the woods, quick on target, and make great hunting rifles. I own them in everything from .22LR to .45-70, so they're a viable choice for anything from squirrels to grizzlies. I also have several that share ammo with my pistols, so I can spend time on the range and only have to worry about loading and bringing one caliber.

There are pretty much four genres of guns that I enjoy. Modern defensive/LE stuff, US military surplus, double-action revolvers, and "cowboy" guns. Even though I don't compete or shoot CAS, they're will always be leverguns in my safe. My personal preference are Marlins and Ruger Blackhawks.

I have some milsurps, some too nice to mess with but most I could freshen up. Some civil war rifles in various states. Most old guns I have are not collector value but just fun to collect IMHO.

The worst shape pistol I have is an Iver Johnson 32 black powder revolver, rusted and loose lockup, that I only keep oiled and will never fire because it was the pistol my great grandmother slept with under her pillow.

 

[Hawkeye]

Lever guns are their own reason. They just are.

Sleek, functional and power. Handy and leasing ot the eye.

I have several. .22, .44 Mag, 45/70 and 30/40 Krag. May add more. A classic 30/30 would be nice, as would a .308.

 

[Magyars]

There's something about blued steel and walnut that just appeals to the soul. There's also something about the cowboy genre that appeals to a lot of men...freedom, independence, self-reliance, hard work, adventure, exploration. Any time I pick up a lever or a single-action revolver that's where my mind goes.
While I wouldn't trade a good AR for one in a fight these days, the lever-action is the tool that gave a lone man a chance to take on an entire group of adversaries with a possibility of coming out the other side on top...that wasn't really a thing with a muzzleloader.

They're also handy, well-balanced, practical things. They're lightweight and easy to carry long distances through the woods, quick on target, and make great hunting rifles. I own them in everything from .22LR to .45-70, so they're a viable choice for anything from squirrels to grizzlies. I also have several that share ammo with my pistols, so I can spend time on the range and only have to worry about loading and bringing one caliber.

There are pretty much four genres of guns that I enjoy. Modern defensive/LE stuff, US military surplus, double-action revolvers, and "cowboy" guns. Even though I don't compete or shoot CAS, they're will always be leverguns in my safe. My personal preference are Marlins and Ruger Blackhawks.

Well stated!

 

[Thor]

If you get a Rossi and don't like the action just put in a good western show and work the action a few hundred times while backing up your western heroes...works every time and is fun to boot.

 

[Hoosier8]

If you get a Rossi and don't like the action just put in a good western show and work the action a few hundred times while backing up your western heroes...works every time and is fun to boot.

I like working on guns.

 

[patience0830]

Lever guns are obviously magic. Cowboys in the movies never seemed to run out of ammunition in one and the bad guys just kept falling down. Only one I have is a Marlin 57M .22 WMR that my grandfather kept for shooting squirrels and groundhogs. Trigger is like 2 miles of bad road, but I killed my first squirrel with it. Really need to add a 336 or a 94 to the safe.

 

[Thor]

Lever guns are obviously magic. Cowboys in the movies never seemed to run out of ammunition in one and the bad guys just kept falling down. Only one I have is a Marlin 57M .22 WMR that my grandfather kept for shooting squirrels and groundhogs. Trigger is like 2 miles of bad road, but I killed my first squirrel with it. Really need to add a 336 or a 94 to the safe.

Hollywood...what are you going to do; see any automatic weapon ever, they are bullet factories. Even so, when I had my '92 at the range people started looking when I kept shooting; I said is was my Cowboy AR.

 

[Ziggidy]

I love levers. I grew up in the post WWII era where cowboy movies were just as popular as cartoons, if not more. About 8 years or so ago I broke down and got a Henry Big Boy 357/38 and love it. Only put about 50 (if that)_ rounds in it. It’s a beautiful gun and is as smooth as butter. I have often thought about selling it but it’s one of those that I would fully regret selling.

Sometimes you buy something just for the pleasure of knowing you have it. This is mine.

 

[Farmerjon]

My wife says its to many if I forget having somthing. I keep telling her no. Its a sign of my age.

Then turn around and look at her and say, "what? who are you anyway?"

 

[Pepi]

Because the rifleman used one

 

[Ziggidy]

Because the rifleman used one

Steve McQeen worked a Mare’s Leg pretty good!

 

[Winamac]

I love levers. I grew up in the post WWII era where cowboy movies were just as popular as cartoons, if not more. About 8 years or so ago I broke down and got a Henry Big Boy 357/38 and love it. Only put about 50 (if that)_ rounds in it. It’s a beautiful gun and is as smooth as butter. I have often thought about selling it but it’s one of those that I would fully regret selling.

Sometimes you buy something just for the pleasure of knowing you have it. This is mine.

Ziggidy,

WOW! I never thought of it in the way you explain it. "Sometimes you buy something just for the pleasure of knowing you have it. This is mine." I have been wrestling with the chance I have to buy a 1940's Winchester 94 in 32WS caliber. Thing is, I do not hunt and the ammo is CRAZY stupid in price so plinking would happen rarely. The only reason I want it is because I own a 1942 94 in 30-30 and having a 1940's 94 in 32 WS would kind of compliment the 1942 30-30. That is my ONLY reason and your statement just REALLY hit home as justification to possibly get it. You are a wise person. Thank you.

 

[Kirk Freeman]

Lever guns are less than optimal but Horse Operas made them great again.

Long cultural echo.

 

[Trapper Jim]

The levergun is classic. Actually shooting them is classicer. Many rag authors over the years have written that levers are cumbersome and inaccurate, usually bolt target rifle scribes. I’ve been proving them wrong for over 50 years.

I have been blessed to really wring out the levergun line up in my life. And yes, the novelty of yesteryear and grace of the true levergun has been more of a completion of my character and cannot be replaced by different lever variants.

For me, The Savage 99 was the first variant of the true levergun. This insightful lever had its place. But the variants through the ages not so much.

The original pre 64 Winchester 94 and 92, the Marlin 94, 95 and 336, and the current run of the Chiappa 92 Clone, are the only ones worthy of my battery.

Winchester licensed guns, Rossi and others muck up the offerings. The Henry, while I applaud its efforts, has a gun that looks good but its balance and compromised materials is a hard pass for me.

Balance in a gun is a skill set awareness and many manufacturers don’t care as long as the ledger shows black ink.

The variant crowd finds pleasure and fun in what they think leverguns should be and I’m ok with different strokes. It is unclear to me the vision of romance that these variants give up for Different Folks.

As a so called purist, the feel, sound, balance, looks, durability, trigger, steel innards, stiff loading gate, semi buckhorn sights, distintion in wood, clean lines and mag capacity of what I call true leverguns, complete the ambience.


Think I’ll go run some steel at the range with my Original PCC. Of course starting at 100 yards. Any less and a handgun is all that is needed.


See you on the range.

Trapper

 

[Gingerbeardman]

I read way too many Louis L'Amour books growing up to not have lever guns as an adult. I took one to steel challenge awhile back and was impressed with the lack of recoil, pointability, and smooth action. It's a well thought out piece of art.

My Rossi has been worked and polished and runs like a dream, so have faith.

And I agree, some things I want to have just for the sake of having them! That's also why this place is littered with old trucks...