Post by oldhippy on Nov 1, 2019 11:10:46 GMT
When lever action rifles appeared shortly before the civil war, they revolutionized the firearms world. They were the assault rifles of their day, giving one person the firepower to hold off an entire band of desperados.
When hunting, they provided rapid followup shots. Their rapid fire made them ideal for protection against large, dangerous animals. And as an antipersonnel weapon, they would change the face of battle, even though the US Army never actually adopted the lever gun.
The 94 Winchester is one of the most successful guns of all time, with more than 7.5 million in circulation. It remains one of the finest general purpose rifles ever made. The box-mag fed Winchester 1895 was a favorite of African hunters like Teddy Roosevelt because you could fire a followup shot at a charging critter so quickly. Modern copies of the 1892 Winchester (perhaps the smoothest levergun of all time) continue to be a favorite of hog hunters and those hunting deer in dense brush.
You’ll never get sub-MOA accuracy from one, but most are way more accurate than most shooters. It can be difficult to mount a scope to one, but peep sights are great out to 200 yards, which is twice the accurate distance of the average shooter.
A short-barreled 1892 in .357 Magnum makes an excellent home defense gun, can be handled by almost anyone, and can take a hog or a deer in a pinch.
The biggest limitation is the cartridges. If you need cartridges over the .30–06 class, you’re out of luck.
If you want a sub-MOA rifle with a big chunk of glass, you’re barking up the wrong tree.
But as a general purpose rifle for defense, fun or hunting at moderate distance? They’re as useful as ever.