The Evolution of the Lever Gun

THEN & NOW:

THE EVOLUTION OF THE LEVER ACTON RIFLE

Lever action rifles, often called "lever guns" for short, are a fundamental chapter in the story of firearms development. The lever action was the first successful form of repeating rifle that was mass produced on an industrial scale. Along with the Colt 1873 revolver, lever rifles accompanied settlers into the West and became tightly woven into the fabric of the American frontier during the 19th century. The lore of the Old West came to life on movie screens\xa0in the 20th century, with heroes and villains alike carrying a Winchester in their saddle scabbards.

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Lever guns have undergone many changes since their inception. Let's take a look at the evolution of the lever action rifle, from its mid-19th century beginnings to the present day.

Birth & Early Days

The origin of guns with lever-operated repeating actions dates back to the 1840s, when an inventor named Walter Hunt developed what he called the Volition Repeating Rifle. "Volition" is an old-fashioned word for having the power to make a choice or decision. Hunt's rifle let shooters choose when take their next shot, rather than be limited by how fast they could reload a muzzleloader. Hunt sold his design, and it passed through several owners, eventually being improved by Horace Smith and Daniel B. Wesson, who set up Volcanic Repeating Arms Company to manufacture what they called the Smith-Jennings Repeating Rifle.

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While the Smith-Jennings enjoyed a small amount of success, it was overly complicated and contained many small, fragile parts. Working the lever by no means guaranteed you that next shot every time. It did, however, lay the groundwork for the basic mechanism of a lever action rifle. Smith and Wesson, of course, switched their efforts to cartridge-firing revolvers, with considerably greater success.

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It wasn't until Benjamin Tyler Henry introduced his Henry Rifle in 1860, just in time for the civil war, that lever guns began to capture the public's and the military's attention. Sporting the now-iconic ovoid lever behind the triggerguard, the Henry offered the improved reliability and much higher rate of fire that gave the lever action its huge advantage over traditional muzzleloaders. It was famously described as the "rifle you could load on Sunday and fire all week."

THEN

The 1860 Henry Rifle, with its distinctive brass receiver and absence of a forend, was chambered in .44 Henry, a relatively low-powered .44 caliber rimfire cartridge. This is a modern replica, offered by the present-day Henry Repeating Arms Company.

NOW

With advances in engineering and metallurgy, modern lever action guns, such as this Marlin 336, are far stronger and can easily handle high-pressure smokeless powder cartridges like the .30-30 Winchester (originally called the .30 Winchester Center Fire or .30 WCF).

Technological Advancements & Widespread Adoption

The great success of the Henry rifle, both in the Civil War and with settlers in the West, led to a huge increase in demand. Henry's New Haven Repeating Arms Company was bought by Oliver Winchester, a businessman who had made his original fortune in factory-made clothing. Winchester invested heavily in expanding production capacity, and eventually the reorganized company was renamed Winchester Repeating Arms Co. Under its new name, Winchester quickly dominated the lever action rifle market, though eventually with spirited competition from the Marlin and Colt-Burgess rifles.

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Winchester's improved Model 1873 is sometimes hailed as "The Gun that Won the West" (a term also often applied to the Colt Model 1873 revolver). It featured several improvements, including a steel frame that could handle more powerful centerfire cartridges such as .44 Winchester, .38-40, and .32-40. The .44 Winchester - also known as the .44-40,.44 WCF, and .44 Largo - was the first metallic centerfire cartridge produced by Winchester. The even larger Models 1876 and 1886 were robust enough to handle full-power rifle cartridges suitable for big game hunting that were previously limited to single-shot rifles.

THEN

The Winchester Model 1873, built for durability and dependability on the frontier, with a wooden stock and forend and a blued steel finish. This is Winchester's current-production version of the '73.

NOW

A Marlin 336 enhanced with furniture made of modern synthetic materials, fiber-optic sights for an easier-to-acquire sight picture, and advanced barrel technology for improved accuracy and longevity.

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The 20th Century and Modern Innovations

As the 20th century progressed, lever guns evolved, incorporating new materials and technologies that improved their operation and shooter comfort. Manufacturers began using lightweight alloys and composite materials to reduce weight and resist corrosion, while ergonomic enhancements like rubber recoil pads were added to improve shooter comfort. By the 1960s, some lever rifles had their receivers drilled and tapped for mounting a scope.

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Bolt action and autoloading rifles took over some roles originally filled by the lever action, but they never eclipsed it. The lever gun continues to be popular with many shooters.

THEN

A type of lever rifle commonly seen in the early 20th-century. This is a Winchester Model 1892 with a case-hardened receiver, pistol grip stock, and octagonal barrel. But it still has the simple iron sights of the earlier guns, as many lever rifles do even to the present day.

NOW

A 21st century lever gun is often equipped with advanced sighting systems, a Picatinny rail for mounting optics, and adjustable stocks for improved ergonomics. This is a Winchester 94 upgraded with a Midwest Industries M-LOK®\xa0handguard and lightweight skeletonized stock.

Present-Day Lever Guns

Despite their historical significance, lever actions are still practical "working" guns that now benefit from the types of upgrades originally developed for modern rifles like the AR-15. Thanks to aftermarket parts makers like Midwest Industries, M-LOK®\xa0handguards with M1913 Picatinny rails on top are becoming an increasingly common sight on lever guns.

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Winchester continues as a premier maker of traditional lever action rifles. Marlin and Henry Repeating Arms both offer traditional "Western" style lever guns, as well as models upgraded with modern technology. Founded in the 1996, Henry has no connection to the original Henry rifle, but given the company's large catalog of lever actions - including a replica of the original 1860 Henry - the name was well chosen!

THEN

Classic lever actions are built around simplicity and dependability, with very basic ergonomics. This current-production Marlin 1894 carbine in .357 Magnum/.38 Special is much like its ancestor of 125 years ago.

NOW

Following in the tradition of the Winchester 1895 and Savage 99, some lever action rifles feature detachable box magazines, just like bolt action guns. Contemporary lever guns now even have threaded barrels for suppressors or muzzle brakes, like this Henry Long Ranger Express chambered in 5.56 NATO/.223 Remington.

Conclusion

Today, lever guns remain popular with hunters, ranchers, outdoorspeople, and rifle fans who appreciate their compactness, maneuverability, and speed of cycling. Short of an autoloader, there's no rifle action that can bring a follow-up shot online faster than a lever gun. On top of their continued practical use, lever action rifles also exude the history and romance of the Old West. Anybody who loved Westerns as a kid probably owns a lever rifle.... or still wants one.

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With a legacy that began on the battlefields of the Civil War and the plains of the Old West, the lever action rifle has evolved with the changing technological landscape right up to the present day yet retains its status as the most essentially American firearm of all time.

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