Tactical lever actions - what's the appeal?

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

This is the problem. The action isn't capable of housing a 5.56NATO because it operates above 62,000 psi. The 45-70 operates at 25,000 psi and the 30-30 is at 38,000 psi. These rifles are chambered in cartridges designed in the 19th century, not the 20th or 21st.

And don't get me started with the 357MAG and 44MAG being designed in the 20th century because they are both well below 50,000 psi. Even the 223REM (cousin to the 5.56NATO) is at 55,000 psi and well beyond the capabilities of a mass produced lever action rifle.

The lever action is designed for lower pressure cartridges...period.

@BeeMaa
One company mad a lever action called the long ranger. Looked like a 94 but could handle 223, 243 and 308 and 6.5 need moore. Me thinks it may have been Henry repeating arms.
Bob

 

[PARA45]

ummmm.. whats the appeal?

I'll take one if she comes with the rifle.

 

[BeeMaa]

@BeeMaa
One company mad a lever action called the long ranger. Looked like a 94 but could handle 223, 243 and 308 and 6.5 need moore. Me thinks it may have been Henry repeating arms.
Bob

So you promptly went out and got a 243WIN I suppose.

 

[mdwest]

I'll take one if she comes with the rifle.

Jade Struk… to her credit, she’s actually extremely good with a firearm… she was part of the Taran Tactical team that trained both Keanu Reeves and Halle Berry for the John Wick movies.. and they modeled one of the characters in the Call of Duty video game after her… she’s married to Rudy Reyes (former MARSOC guy that’s done some Hollywood stuff) and living in the DFW these days… supposedly found God, is now devoutly Christian, etc …

Jade Struck Is Literally A Shooting Star

Learn more about real-life shooting star Jade Struck and her work with Taran Tactical Innovations in this in-depth interview.

hookandbarrel.com

 

[CBH Australia]

@BeeMaa
One company mad a lever action called the long ranger. Looked like a 94 but could handle 223, 243 and 308 and 6.5 need moore. Me thinks it may have been Henry repeating arms.
Bob

Oh yey, Hipsters with Man Buns and 6.5 pew pew repeating arms. Wots the world coming too.

 

[Siennacoyote]

To each their own, but the whole tactical lever action trend just makes no sense to me. What's the draw? Are they just great fun to shoot or what? From a practical standpoint, why not just use an AR platform?

View attachment 621211

Gross .

 

[Deepfork]

To each their own, but the whole tactical lever action trend just makes no sense to me. What's the draw? Are they just great fun to shoot or what? From a practical standpoint, why not just use an AR platform?

View attachment 621211

So...I am going to give you my opinion without reading a single post in this thread other than the OP. I have 50 plus rifles in my safe, mostly bolt guns and ARs. I have a Henry Big Boy X model in 45LC. I shoot a 250gr bonded JHP at 1060FPS with a silencer. Nothing else I own comes close to the fun factor of this rifle. It is quieter than a .177 pellet gun my grandson shoots when he visits. You can actually hear the hammer fall! Still it is a 250gr bullet at over 1000fps. Makes me giggle every time I shoot it! All of the noise and destruction comes after the bullet hits something. An AR platform is a totally different animal. I need my ARs, but they are in a different spot in the tool box.

 

[GuttormG]

Anything branded as "tactical" can be sold..
Tactical TP next...

 

[VertigoBE]

This is the problem. The action isn't capable of housing a 5.56NATO because it operates above 62,000 psi. The 45-70 operates at 25,000 psi and the 30-30 is at 38,000 psi. These rifles are chambered in cartridges designed in the 19th century, not the 20th or 21st.

And don't get me started with the 357MAG and 44MAG being designed in the 20th century because they are both well below 50,000 psi. Even the 223REM (cousin to the 5.56NATO) is at 55,000 psi and well beyond the capabilities of a mass produced lever action rifle.

The lever action is designed for lower pressure cartridges...period.

Not a question on tactical levers, but why does it seem so complicated to have lever actions be able to shoot modern high powdered ammunition ?

It is just a way to operate the bolt? Imagine one would take a R8 but instead of using the bolt handle, you would operate the bolt through a lever. I do not see any reason why a modern lever action could not shoot high powered rounds?

 

[mark-hunter]

Browning BLR can do, no issue.

But if you have tubular magazine, then you need different ammunition, and this ammunition cannot be pointed, otherwise tip of bullet can ignite primer of next cartridge in tubular magazine on a recoil
I think that making vertical stack magazine is not a problem to make, but entire concept is not overly demanded on the market, so main models will remain as tubular magazine types.
Yes, any cartridge can be loaded with flat nose bullet, or rounded tip bullet including 223 rem, or 308 win, but how long it will take before someone less educated puts a pointed bullet in tubular magazine?
So, it is a delicate matter from a designers perspective, trying to avoid compensation claims later, and in the same with doubtful marketing prospect.

 

[BeeMaa]

Not a question on tactical levers, but why does it seem so complicated to have lever actions be able to shoot modern high powdered ammunition ?

It is just a way to operate the bolt? Imagine one would take a R8 but instead of using the bolt handle, you would operate the bolt through a lever. I do not see any reason why a modern lever action could not shoot high powered rounds?

Most of the time it’s what the target audience wants. Meaning it needs to look the part and be right at home in a 1950’s western TV show. So it’s a Winchester ‘94 or similar and those actions aren’t made for modern cartridges. So it’s the old rimmed rifle cartridges like the 30-30 and 45-70. About as modern as they get are with pistol cartridges like the 357MAG or 44MAG.

I’m not into the technical aspect of it, but I believe these older actions need a rimmed shell for them to cycle reliably.

Savage made the model 99 (released in 1899) that was a lever action with a rotary magazine and was capable of shooting modern cartridges with pointed spitzer bullets. The problem with this rifle…it lacked “the look”. As a result it’s been relegated to the back of the bus when it comes to popular lever actions. I owned one of these in 308WIN in the 1990’s but traded it for a WW2 1911 45ACP.

There are some people who really enjoy the Savage 99 and @Glenn Slaven has quite the collection.

 

[Wishfulthinker580]

It does look like fun..

Tombstone 9MM

The Tombstone 9MM is POF-USA’s take on a Modernized Lever action rifle, chambered in 9MM. It comes in at 36” in length and 5.75lbs empty.

pof-usa.com

 

[PARA45]

Jade Struk… to her credit, she’s actually extremely good with a firearm… she was part of the Taran Tactical team that trained both Keanu Reeves and Halle Berry for the John Wick movies.. and they modeled one of the characters in the Call of Duty video game after her… she’s married to Rudy Reyes (former MARSOC guy that’s done some Hollywood stuff) and living in the DFW these days… supposedly found God, is now devoutly Christian, etc …

Jade Struck Is Literally A Shooting Star

Learn more about real-life shooting star Jade Struck and her work with Taran Tactical Innovations in this in-depth interview.

hookandbarrel.com

I thought she looked familiar.

 

[Bandera]

Tactical lever gun.
For me the Citadel 92 in 45 Colt is a good 4 wheeler gun. I load 45 Colt and push them pretty fast. Why not get the 454 Casull? Model 92’s often have feeding issues with shorter cartridges. A rifle chambered in 454 May not feed 45 Colt.
I can also transport this rifle, with the proper paper work, into Canada when traveling in my motorhome. A carbine beats a handgun every time unless you are Clint Eastwood.

The Citadel 92 has a forearm rail, which is ok. I have mounted a light on it and shoot pests after dark. The best feature for tactical lever gun is the threaded barrel. Very quite.
The rail on top is a nice place to mount the AimPoint PRO

As far as speed, with my Uberti 1873 I can 10 rounds off on target at 15 yards in about 2.3 seconds. This rifle is tuned to go fast.

The Citadel 92 is a bit slower with 10 rounds in 4.4 seconds.

Want a heavier hitter in a lever gun look at the Browning BLR.
It is available in:
22-250 Rem
222 Rem
223 Rem
243 Win
270 Win
270 WSM
30-06 Spfld
300 Win Mag
300 WSM
308 Win
325 WSM
358 Win
450 Mar
6.5 Creedmoor
7mm Rem Mag
7mm WSM
7mm-08 Rem