[mjadams61]

I my self has to have a scope for anything past 50 yards now because of my eyesight. Anything below 50 yards I have no problems with my stock sights on my marlin hence the quick connect scope rings. Also I got a wildlife tech 250 yrd greenlight with a quick disconnect to mout on my scope ring that has a picannily mount on top of one of them. But on tactical levers well I might go the route of the mossberg lever that has been out for a few years Mossberg 464? SPX Lever Action Centerfire Rifles | O.F. Mossberg & Sons. I been kicking around the ideal of getting one all because it had a place to attach a light to them for them in the dark situations that might crop up for just in case.

 

[johnhenry57]

As far as Tactical goes, I can lay down suppressor fire with my Uberti Model 73 as fast if not faster than with my AR-15. Alas, I can not reload as fast nor do I have the distance capabilities. As far as modifications go, the 73 has had the lever stroke shortened and action slicked up. Only takes 2 fingers in the lever to cycle the action. Try watching Jimmy Spurs on youtube.

 

[Idaho45guy]

A plain jane 1894 lever gun is a great tool for camping and hiking for more firepower when I'm in wolf and grizzly country. I'm adding things to mine to make it even more of an effective tool. I'm not afraid of insults if those things I add are not typical lever-gun accessories. I like the look of leather slings. However, they are heavier and slicker than the nylon/rubber sling I added. I like leather shell holders on the butt stock. But I chose a nylon one with an extra pocket because it worked better. I bought a scope that is a small 3x "tactical" armored scope with a lighted reticle. Should work great for my intended use and better than a normal blued scope.

I have an 1885 Winchester high wall Uberti clone. It has the period correct scope and goodies on it. I would never add anything non-traditional to it. But a $500 Remlin that is going to be abused in the woods? You betcha...

 

[rob42049]

Some people marry ugly chicks because they're good cooks.

 

[bryan alder]

Some people marry ugly chicks because they're good cooks.

No doubt! But why go ugly(Remlin) and high maintenance(Remlin)?:hahaha:

 

[Idaho45guy]

Mine's starting to look pretty unconventional for a lever gun...

 

[Idaho45guy]

I didn't like the shell holder on the outside; snagged on my jacket when shouldering the rifle. There's two velcro strips; one on the inside of the pocket and the one on the outside. I put the shell holder on the inside one and found a new spot to put my various velcro hat patches...

 

[Apples.357]

Big fan of the lever carbine, here. I own four: two Marlins - an 1894CS357 and an FG - and two Winchester clones - a Miroku Browning '92 in .44 Mag and a blued 16" Rossi 92 in .357.

A gun counter sage recently said with the topic being SASS shootin', "These things were never meant to have as many rounds through them as these guys do!", to which I disagree. A lever rifle, a lever carbine was the battle rifle of it's time. Imagine the volume of fire when defending a stagecoach stop against an Apache war party...

My Rossi, since it's the shortest overall, is in my home defense rotation, along with a 3" .45auto 1911 and an 18" Wingmaster. My .41 FG is my pride and joy.

 

[Owen49]

Back in the last quarter of the 19th Century, you couldn't get much more tacti-cool than a revolver/levergun combo in the same calibre.

 

[Apples.357]

^ ^ ^ One reason could be that a rider with his rifle his primary weapon, had his sixgun on his belt strictly as backup, or in the event of being thrown from a panicking horse with one boot caught in a stirrup he could use his sixgun on the horse to save his own hide... either way it's efficient when packing your gear to only be concerned with one cartridge.

I'm fortunate to have two such combinations; a Marlin FG and a .41 Old Model Blackhawk - and - a Browning Miroku Winchester 92 in .44 Mag and either an Old Model Super BH or a wonderful (even if much newer) .44 Special New Model flat top.

I should amend my earlier comment, 'A gun counter sage recently said with the topic being SASS shootin', "These things were never meant to have as many rounds through them as these guys do!", to which I disagree. A lever rifle, a lever carbine was the battle rifle of it's time. Imagine the volume of fire when defending a stagecoach stop against an Apache war party...'

...by saying, sure! the SASS folks run several hundred rounds through their guns every weekend! whereas our faithful and courageous station operator, while not defending against an ***** attack every weekend would certainly need his rifle to remain reliable under such duress. And so on and so forth...

:bandit:

 

[PunkyHollow]

When I bought my first lever gun, I told people that I was buying a tactical weapon. Most were surprised at the terminology I used.
Just because it's beautiful doesn't mean its not tactical.

 

[Shadowman]

The basic stock "period" lever action rifle WAS the tactical battle rifle of its day, and if you really think about it, nothing has changed regarding the practicality and functionality of this platform to this day. Bolt action rifles didn't really improve on the overall firepower, rapidity of fire or accuracy over the lever action rifle. Not really. Magazine fed weapons did improve the speed of reloading and of course the ability of choosing between semi-auto and full-auto drastically improved number of rounds down range, but not necessarily accuracy of rounds on target.

For those of us living out on the Left Coast the option of owning a modern day battle rifle has pretty much been eliminated due to socialist snowflake laws and legal hassles. So in looking for an alternative I've been leaning heavily towards Lever Actions to defend home and hearth. If anyone has actually been to a Cowboy Action event, you can't help but be impressed with just how fast some of those folks can light off and really work an "Ol Lever" gun. Impressive to say the least, not to mention hitting all those gongs like clockwork. Of course they do PRACTICE A LOT, far more than even the modern day soldier today. Sad to say.

The ability to install modern optics and synthetic stocks is a plus. Also the means to improve the ability to quickly acquire targets, improve accuracy with modern optics and if you must add other "Tactic-Kool" toys like lights and even lasers they are readily available for those so inclined.

One advantage of the lever rifle is the ability to top off the magazines on the fly....not to mention not having to carry extra magazines like modern battle rifles. I consider both the lever and bolt guns to be weapons of true riflemen....i.e. One shot - One kill, rather than the spray and pray often seen in actual combat and depicted in the cinema.

As my old training Gunny used to say: "It's not rounds down range that count - It's rounds on target!"

 

[biku324]

I would never choose a lever for a tactical weapon other than as a weapon of opportunity. While it's almost as tactically good as a sporting bolt gun, it is not as safe for the shooter to operate prone as is a bolt gun; if your bolt gun is a early 20th century battle rifle (not a Krag), it has accommodation for loading with stripper clips, so both loading and operation can be done without exposing the shooter.

Once I leave the PI I'll never touch a black rifle again, but that does not mean I would believe a lever to be a weapon-of-choice substitute, just a great piece of machinery that serves me well in its intended role.

 

[tranteruk]

Perhaps like most things, there is no right answer. Weigh the options, do your own risk assessment and make your best choice based on the requirement and your ability.

 

[Shortlever2000]

Not sure where you're going with this thread but that is stating the obvious. Only fools fail to respect the capability of a firearm and it doesn't matter how many bells & whistles it has. My lever guns are mostly used for punching paper or killing game but are capable of filling other roles if and when needed. That said, I would take an AR15 or M1 over a lever gun any day of the week in a SHTF scenario. Just curious but can you own semi- or fully-automatic rifles over there? Or is the lever gun the most 'tactical' thing big brother will let you have?

New guy here, my first forom. Got a marlin 336y 2 years ago I put synthetic stocks on it, a Williams ghost ring and stainless mag follower. It's 34 inches overall and handles and shoots like a dream. I've had ak's
and ar's this is better and doesn't make the cops lose their mjnds.

 

[Da Duke]

If you wasn’t a hunting rifle get one. If you want an assault rifle get a real one. If you need home protection get a shot gun or pistol. If you need them all get them all. There is enough ugly in the world.

 

[northmn]

Another old thread started in 2017. Still may have some room for discussion.
It could be argued that the first "assault rifle" was the Henry rifle. The 44 Henry was hardly practical as a hunting round as compared to other alternatives at the time. It was "that damned Yankee rifle you loaded on Sunday and shot all week with out reloading". As most of us are not going to war, the "tactical" rifle has another use. Mostly home defense, although some look at it like some sort of use after an apocalypse.
Plastic stocks do not make a "tactical" firearm. I have an 835 Mossberg duck gun that has black plastic stocks and loved it for duck hunting. It could get wet, the plastic resisted hard use and killed ducks. Always said it could double as a paddle if the paddle fell overboard. I carry rifles on my 4 wheeler and tractor and have a 22 with grey plastic for a stock that stands up better than the wooden ones. Is that tactical or practical?
Handguards to dissipate rapid fire heat may be a bit much. Don't need them on my rifles. Now for home defense, as a rifle, my 357 might be good one. Holds more rounds than a 30-30, does not have the blast and recoil and still has the power. I also have a Benelli 12 bore that has an attraction for that purpose.
Like cowboy shooting, some just like the "tactical" scene. I rate the tactical levers in that class. They do not need a lot of modification for practical work but some seem to modify weapons for a game.

DEP

 

[Shortlever2000]

I went with synthetic stocks to keep my 336 as light as possible, and as this is a packing/ truck gun I didn't want to beat up the wood. Just to note, this is a late model remlin. I made sure to order after they bought new tooling. Works as well as any marlin I've ever owned.

 

[CarpNY]

If you wasn’t a hunting rifle get one. If you want an assault rifle get a real one. If you need home protection get a shot gun or pistol. If you need them all get them all. There is enough ugly in the world.

Or buy whatever you want and do whatever you feel like to it to make it as well as possible for your intended purpose.

Personally, I can't buy a pistol (no permit and it would take 12-18 months to get one), can't buy a real AR (thanks to NYSAFE and Rochester's own laws) and I don't like shotguns. A 16" 1894 in .357/.38 is actually very effective for home defense. It can hold 9+1 .38 Special in a compact, easy to control package. For that purpose, a light, a sling and a red dot are all add-ons that make it more effective. An M-Lok forearm and a top picatinny rail make it easier to mount each of those. So, why not do it? I can even add a vertical/angled foregrip, threaded barrel and muzzle device, if I really want, which I cannot on an AR/SCR without fixing the mag in place (creates problems.)

I have an Ares SCR, which gives semi-auto capability and detachable mags, but is bigger/heavier, is limited to 5-round magazines (Rochester), is more likely to over-penetrate (I live in an urban environment) and, as mentioned, cannot have a foregrip, threaded barrel or muzzle device.

 

[dmthomp32]

Like most of my firearms, I leave my levers alone. I simply try to shoot them and be proficient with them. They are a great tool that can serve a lot of purposes. I’m not interested in a tactical lever gun but I appreciate that they get the attention of new shooters and add another level of customization and excitement to shooting sports. I may one day add a peep sight, or throw on a rail and red dot. For most of my lever shooting though, my eyes with factory irons get the job done.


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