The Modern Lever Gun: Innovation or Abomination?

Interest? Appreciation? Fascination?

The POF-USA Tombstone 9mm is an extreme example, but it’s what you might call the logical conclusion of a much larger trend. It’s hard to say whether there’s a renewed interest in lever guns or the interest never really faded in the first place, but tricked-out, tactical, or otherwise modern models *are *new—and they appear to be here to stay.

Many signal their embrace of modern enhancements by blacking out the lever gun’s traditional wood stock and steel barrel. The first of these that I recall was the Rossi R92 Triple Black, which I covered at SHOT Show five or six years ago. This kind of lever gun is so common today that it’s hard to remember how weirdly striking it was to see tactical enhancements on John Wayne’s sidekick. I’m sure there are examples that predate the Rossi, but that’s the first time it came across my radar.

Since then, Henry, Smith & Wesson, and Marlin (among others) have all released their own version of the same. Smaller outfits like Citadel and Chiappa have gotten in on the action, and there are entire companies that specialize in tactical aftermarket parts for lever-action rifles.

And this trend may not have reached its zenith. Marlin first introduced their Dark Series rifles in 2019, but when they were acquired by Ruger the following year, the company opted to reimagine the concept rather than abandon it. From the adjustable stock to the full-length M-LOK rail to the radial muzzle brake, these new Dark Series rifles recall the urban warfare of Fallujah more than the lonesome landscapes of the American West.

Marlin Dark Series 1895.

But they weren’t done. Even more recently, Marlin partnered with Magpul to outfit the 1895 Trapper with a polymer forend and adjustable stock. Magpul made its name producing polymer parts for AR-platform rifles, so their logo on a lever gun seems both out of place and right at home in this Brave New World.

Lever guns have practical uses, but for me, aesthetics is the real draw. How a traditional lever gun looks is a big reason I like to carry one around the woods. The profile is clean, streamlined, and elegant. It doesn’t have any knobs or bolts sticking out from the sides, and the reds and browns of the wood stock contrast beautifully with the gray or black of the steel components.

Tactical lever guns are cool in the same way that Mad Max is cool, but no one watches post-apocalyptic movies for the landscape sets. Tactical is practical, of course. It’s easier to mount accessories like lights and bipods. Threaded barrels allow for muzzle brakes and suppressors, and adjustable cheek risers aid in comfort and accurate shooting.

But many of these practical purposes can be better served by other rifle platforms, specifically the AR-15 and its variants. The AR is preeminently practical. It offers tons of options for accessories and optics. It’s lighter than most lever guns, more adjustable, and can be had in a wider variety of calibers. It also holds more ammunition (generally speaking), which is nice for hog or varmint hunting.

Lever-action hunters might point out that the old cowboy guns are easier to carry and feel more natural to shoot. Lever guns are nicely balanced, so they can be carried with one hand on the receiver, but adding a suppressor to the end kind of negates that benefit. I also wonder how much of this opinion is based on years of practice rather than anything inherent in the platform. I know more than a few three-gun competitors who are lightning fast with an AR.

The Chiappa 92 Wildlands T.D. Rifle.

Plus, if you prefer a lever gun for when a snap shot or a shot on a running animal might be necessary, wouldn’t you rather have another round at the pull of a trigger? Lever-action rifles are faster than bolt guns, but in the hands of most hunters, not nearly as fast as a semi-auto.

I don’t say any of this to knock the lever-action as an excellent hunting rifle. It is, and I’ve used one myself. But it seems to me that the benefits of a tactical lever gun are more fully realized in other platforms. If you take a lever gun to the woods, embrace it. Don’t try to turn it into something it’s not.

I have sympathy for those who live in areas where semi-auto rifles are restricted. In that case, a tactical-style lever-action might be the best option. But for the rest of us? I’m leaning towards “abomination” rather than “innovation.”

Fortunately, this is America, and if there’s one thing we’re good at, it’s having our cake and eating it, too.

Running alongside the black-on-black-on-black aesthetic is another group of lever guns that walk a middle line between modern and tactical. The Smith & Wesson 1854 is a good example. I’m working on a review of this gun, and at first glance, it seems to follow more traditional lines. But closer inspection reveals a host of modern features such as a threaded barrel, M-LOK slots on the handguard, and a fiber-optic front sight. It *looks *more like a gun from the Old West, but still lets me mount a light if I want to take it hog hunting or use it for home defense.

Henry’s new Lever Action Supreme Rifle is another example. It has the wood and steel we all love, but along with a threaded barrel, it uses AR-15 magazines. It also features a free-floated barrel to promote accuracy (something traditional lever guns struggled with), and an adjustable four-pound trigger. I’m also working on a review of this rifle, and I can confirm the rifle offers modern performance in a more traditional style.

How do we characterize Henry’s new rifle? It has wood furniture and blued steel but also a threaded barrel and AR magazines.

There are many other examples of this “middle way,” and it’s easy to see why. For my money, this is the best way to marry lever guns and modernity without risking a messy divorce.

Of course, for all the Fudds out there (love you!), there are still some companies that refuse to join the threaded-barrel bandwagon. Winchester is the king of these holdouts. As far as I can tell, the fabled American gun maker offers zero models with polymer stocks, adjustable cheek risers, M-LOK handguards, or picatinny scope rails. All their current production lever guns feature wood furniture and various kinds of blued steel barrels and receivers.

That’s not to say Winchester’s current models offer zero improvements over the original late-19th-century versions. They take advantage of modern manufacturing techniques that make the rifles more durable, reliable, and accurate (though some would say not that much more durable, reliable, and accurate).

Winchester Model 94 Sporter

Winchester is even coming out with new models. The company recently introduced the .22 LR “Ranger,” which runs a very reasonable $430 MSRP. It looks like a variant of all their other lever guns, but the new chambering offers something for kids and small-game hunters.

If you own and love a tactical lever gun, more power to you. That’s the great thing about firearms: there’s room enough for everyone to have their thing. In fact, rather than represent a rejection of the traditional, tactical lever actions may actually be a confirmation of the longevity of the design.

“I think the ‘tacti-cool’ surge in lever actions attests to the platform’s timelessness,” MeatEater Gear Editor Adam Moore pointed out when I mentioned this topic to him. “The addition of scout scopes, red dots, extended magazines, and tactical forends aren’t enhancing lever actions or cowboy rifles or making them relevant. Instead, these accessories just confirm what we’ve always known about them: they’re reliable, quick-handling rifles that excel at a variety of hunting and shooting tasks.”

Adam would know. He grew up in deer-dog country, where lever- and pump-action rifles were preferred for quick shots on running game. Rather than hate on the current trend, he just sees it as confirming what we already know: lever guns are awesome, and they aren’t going anywhere.