Why you need a lever action rifle in 2022

Ah yes, the legendary lever gun. The weapon of choice for winning the West. We’ve all seen countless cowboys drawing that rifle from a scabbard and firing from horseback. More of us still remember the old show “The Rifleman," where the hero engages in crazy amounts of gunplay with his trusty lever action, spinning it and racking shells into the chamber to decimate hordes of outlaws.

In the world of modern firearms do we still need a lever gun? Is there still a purpose in owning one outside of cowboy reenactments? Why would we possibly want to bother with such “old” technology when newer and faster exist? Well cinch up them boots pardner and hold onto yer hat because modern lever actions don’t have to be just like your grandad’s John Wayne Tribute - they are actually incredibly useful!

Are There Modern Lever-Action Rifles?

Winchester Model 1894 John Wayne Edition Photo Credit: iCollector

Thankfully, Modern Lever Action rifles have come a long way since they were used by cowboys on the plains! Modern lever action rifles might work in a very similar action to the way they did back in the day but include many new, thoughtful upgrades on many! Some things you can find on many new lever actions out of the box the modern shooter might find useful are:

• Larger lever loop for use with gloves
• Picatinny rails for optics
• Threaded barrels for use with suppressors or other muzzle devices
• Composite or laminated furniture

Are Lever Actions Still Good?

Lever Action rifles are incredibly resilient and reliable weapons. There is a reason the design has endured in the shooting world for as long as it has! A properly maintained lever gun will be a reliable weapon that will last generations. I personally own a Winchester Model 94 from 1905. The gun was purchased by a great-grandfather and passed down through each generation. The weapon still runs flawlessly and has one of the best triggers I’ve ever felt on a gun!

Lever Actions for Home Defense

A lever action rifle can be a great choice for home defense! Because lever actions can be had with shorter barrels than most other types of hunting rifles, they are lightweight and highly maneuverable. Another thing to point out when it comes to a lever action for home defense is that they are offered in a wide variety of cartridges. A lever gun chambered in .357 for example, is a hard-hitting handgun round to begin with and an excellent choice for home defense, as is the .44 Magnum.

We’ll want to do some upgrades to our lever gun to optimize it for home defense however. Read on and we’ll go over some must-have upgrades to create the perfect modern lever action rifle!

Lever Actions for Hunting

Marlin 1895 with Chris Pratt in Jurassic World

Because of the wide variety of calibers available for lever action rifles, hunting with one is a great option! From .357 to the dinosaur-takedown 45-70 - a caliber can be had for nearly every type of game when it comes to lever guns. Keep in mind that most lever guns will have shorter barrels than most long-range hunting rifle which is why they are commonly referred to as “brush busters."  Lever action rifles can deliver a serious wallop but most of them are made for shorter ranges than most hunting rifles — just something to keep in mind before you but one for that Pronghorn hunt!

Best Upgrades for the Tactical Lever Action Rifle

Marlin 336 XLR Build Photo Credit: Ta Targets

Some of the best upgrades for your tactical lever action are essentially used to enhance function and customizability. Remember that we’re taking an older type of weapon here and bringing it into a new realm! Modern weapons utilize all sorts of upgrades such as; lasers, optics, suppressors, adjustable stocks, flashlights, etc. Believe it or not - these are all upgrades that can be done to make a tactical lever action rifle! Check out these drool worthy tactical lever guns.

Handguards: The most important upgrade for a Tactical Lever Gun?

The handguard is potentially the best investment we’ll make for the tactical lever action rifle. Having M-LOK or KeyMod attachment points for the rifle is going to be imperative. Several companies currently manufacture lever action handguards such as Ranger Point Precision and Midwest Industries! Obviously, the more attachment points on our tactical lever action rifle the better. More room for activities!

Necessary upgrades for a Tactical Lever Gun?

Necessary upgrades for our tactical lever action build really depend on what we intend to utilize the weapon for in general. Our opinion that the single most important upgrade when building a tactical lever action rifle is the handguard. The handguard allows all necessary attachments to actually be mounted to the lever gun! After we replace the handguard we’ll need to consider other useful upgrades for our tactical lever action rifle build. Some upgrades that can be very helpful include:

• Having the end of the barrel threaded for a suppressor or muzzle device
• Tactical handguards
• Flashlight
• Lasers
• Foregrips
• Adjustable tactical stock
• Upgraded lever action trigger
• Upgraded feed ramp
• Larger loop lever
• Optics
• Fiber optic or Tritium sights
• Quiver for extra rounds (and for looking like a western gunslinger)

What is the most Powerful Lever-Action Rifle?

Tactical lever action rifles can be had in many calibers - from .38 Special or .357 Magnum to the old standby 30-30 lever action, but perhaps the most powerful offering commonly found in tactical lever actions is the venerable 45-70 Government. A 45-70 lever action tactical rifle provides the shooter with enough knockdown power to take down a charging Tyrannosaurus Rex! Not even kidding - remember Jurassic World? That would, again, be a Marlin 45-70! While a tactical 30-30 lever action will provide more than enough takedown power, the big daddy of them all is the 45-70.

Is a 45-70 Worth It?

So is a 45-70 tactical lever action rifle worth it? Let’s take a look at some pros and cons of this massive, dinosaur hunting round!

Pros:

• Incredible takedown power
• Excellent muzzle velocity in off the shelf ammo

Cons:

• Ammo is very expensive
• Heavy Recoil
• Not recommended past 200 yards with most loads
• Extreme built drop past 300 yards due to heavy bullets

Who Currently Makes Lever-Action Rifles?

Luckily for us many companies are currently producing lever action rifles and some are even more tactical out of the box! Some companies like Henry, Marlin and Winchester have been producing lever-action rifles for hundreds of years! Some companies to look into when building a tactical lever action rifle include:

• Henry
• Marlin
• Winchester
• Mossberg
• Rossi
• Cimarron
• Chiappa

Lever Action Rifles Are Dope!

We hope this helped give an overview of the possibilities when it comes to a tactical lever action build. Tactical lever actions can be an excellent choice for many uses from home defense to hunting and truly can be a “Swiss army knife” type of rifle.

Thanks for hanging out with your buddies here at 5D Tactical. While you are here, check out some parts and accessories for your tactical lever action rifle build! From optics to lights, we have a great selection that can help! Until next time!