Lever action rifles, those much-loved bastions of cowboy films and television, aren’t just a thing of the past. In fact, today’s lever actions are as popular than ever, and maybe even more so.
In fact, according to figures gleaned from the National Association of Sporting Goods Wholesalers’ SCOPE Program, at the end of 2023, the sale of lever guns had jumped substantially over 2022 numbers. According to SCOPE, dollar sales on lever guns were up 57% over the previous year, and prices were up nearly 12%.
“What’s the deal?” you might ask. One factor is the fact that not only are vintage-type lever actions holding their own in the market, but new “modern” lever guns are also becoming quite popular.
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Lever Action History
Historians tell us the first lever actions to hit the market were way back around 1840, and they were cap and ball, not cartridge guns. Along came the Spencer and Henry rifles in 1860, moving the lever gun into the cartridge age.
Later, Marlin introduced its first lever-action rifle, which later morphed into the Model 1895, a predecessor of the famed Model 336 (remember this for later). Winchester introduced its first lever gun—the Model 1866—in 1867. That company’s famed Model 1873, now known as “the gun that won the West,” was an instant success, mainly due to its ability to chamber a wide variety of popular pistol cartridges of the era.
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Remarkably, 165 years later, lever-action rifles remain as popular as ever. For many, there’s something about the feel of a lever action that evokes a certain nostalgia that is increasingly hard to recapture. Additionally, with improved manufacturing processes and tighter tolerances, today’s lever guns are often just as accurate as quality bolt action rifles.
Modern Lever Actions
The topic of “modern” lever actions is irksome to some gun lovers. To them, if it doesn’t look very similar to a Winchester 1873 or a Marlin 336, it’s not worthy of the name “lever action.” However, a new generation of gun owners that grew up on the AR-15 platform has prompted many companies to produce more modern guns to appeal to today’s tastes. And in the process, they’ve managed to capture the heart of many older lever-action aficionados with their new models.
“What’s the difference in ‘modern’ and ‘traditional’ lever guns?” you might ask. Well, there are many. Traditional lever actions nearly always adorned with nice walnut stocks and fore ends, blued or even color case-hardened receivers and barrels, loading ports on the side of the receiver and tube magazines holding mostly flat-pointed bullets. Modern guns, however, draw for more recent trends. Many have polymer stocks, stainless steel barrels, more modern sighting systems, and even shoot a much wider variety of cartridges than their predecessors did. Some even look more like a “Star Wars” weapon than a vintage lever-action rifle!
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Marlin’s Rifles
There’s been no shortage of companies introducing lever guns over the past few years. Let’s briefly explore a few traditional lever actions available now, along with a few modern lever guns you might want to choose if you’re just getting into the lever-action game.
The Marlin 336 is one of the two most popular lever actions ever and has probably accounted for as many whitetail deer over the past several decades as any other rifle model around. And now, it’s back in the form of the Marlin 336 Classic.
Chambering the time-tested .30-30 cartridge, the new 336 is constructed of blued alloy carbon steel with a matte blued finish. Of course, the ever-loved pistol-grip shoulder stock and rounded fore end are made of American black walnut, and you’ll still find the Marlin horse and rider medallion inset into the grip.
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With an overall length of 38.6 inches and a 20.25-inch barrel, the 336 Classic weighs in at 7.5 pounds empty, making it easy to carry for long treks through rough terrain. The gun’s tubular magazine holds six rounds, and sights are semi-buckhorn in the rear and brass bead with hood in front.
Taylor’s & Company
Taylor’s & Co. has been in business for over 30 years and continuously works on “Keeping the Legend Alive.” The company’s TC73 is a more historic take on the lever-action rifle with an emphasis on modern technology and advancements, yet with a mostly traditional appearance and an interesting twist—it is chambered for the easy-to-find 9mm cartridge!
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With an 18-inch barrel, this lever gun has plenty of real estate for the 9mm projectile to use every bit of the powder charge before leaving the muzzle. Best of all, the barrel is threaded, giving shooters an opportunity to shoot 9mm suppressed—always a good, fun-to-shoot combination. The metal is blued, and the receiver has a beautiful case coloring, lending a true touch of class. The walnut stock and fore end give this lever gun a historic look, and a black rubber butt plate round out the features.
Smith & Wesson
The 1854 Stealth Hunter from Smith & Wesson certainly isn’t the lever gun John Wayne used to take on Ned Pepper and his crew in True Grit, but I bet The Duke would have been more than happy to go to battle with this rifle in hand. The gun combines a clean, classic design with modern upgrades to elevate the shooting experience.
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Among a host of other features, it offers your customers an extended Picatinny rail for mounting optics and a new fore end with 15 M-Lok slots to allow east mounting of other accessories. TheHIVIZ H3 front sight is designed for superior visibility in both low-light and daylight conditions, while the rear sight is an XS ghost-ring sight adjustable for windage and elevation. Rounding out the package is a new flat-faced trigger for increased accuracy and a stock made of black synthetic with textured grip panels. It’s available in .45 Colt and .357 Magnum.
POF-USA
The Patriot Ordnance Factory Tombstone is truly a “pup of a different color.” This Arizona-based company, known for its very high-quality AR-15 offerings, and the Tombstone has a truly futuristic flair. Chambered in 9mm, the Tombstone uses a proprietary magazine that comes in 10-, 20- and 35-round capacity.
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Featuring a polymer Magpul SGA stock and black finish, the Tombstone has a beveled lever that offers a large-loop design for added comfort and control, especially while wearing gloves. Additionally, the stock offers two inches of length-of-pull adjustment with stock spacers, making the gun suitable even for youngsters just starting out. For sighting, the Tombstone features adjustable XS ghost-ring sights, and it also has a rail for installation of an optic if desired. The 16.5-inch, fluted, free-floated barrel is threaded and comes with a dual chamber muzzle brake.Plus, a 10.5-inch modular receiver rail surrounds the barrel and offers M-Lok attachments at the 3, 6 and 9 o’clock positions.
