Lever-Action Rifles for Sale

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What is a Lever-Action Rifle and How Does it Work?

A lever-action rifle is manually cycled using a lever around the trigger guard. To chamber a round, the lever is pulled down and forward by the firing hand. If there is an empty shell in the chamber after firing, it is ejected by the action. When the lever is pulled back and up, a new cartridge is loaded into the chamber as the action closes.

Traditional lever-actions have a tubular magazine that runs along the underside of the barrel. The longer the barrel, the longer the magazine can be, meaning the rifle can hold more rounds. Some modern lever-action rifles use a detachable box magazine, so they can have shorter barrels without sacrificing capacity and be reloaded faster. This is particularly useful for tactical lever-actions that are gaining popularity as a home-defense option.

What is the Best Caliber for a Lever-Action Rifle?

As with any firearm, matching caliber to your intended use is key. Here is a list of the most popular lever-action calibers and their applications:

• 22LR: .22 Long Rifle is a great caliber for training, plinking, target shooting, and small game hunting. Ammo is plentiful and inexpensive, making it a popular option for lever-action rifles.
• .30-30 Winchester: .30-30 is a classic lever-action caliber for medium game hunting like deer and hogs. It’s often called a “brush gun” because it excels at ranges up to 150 yards in wooded and brushy environments where animals often pop out of cover and a quick shot is required.
• .45-70 Government: .45-70 is a powerful caliber that is excellent for big game hunting at ranges out to about 250 yards. It has been used to take every big game animal in North America, including moose, bison, and bear.
• .357 Magnum: .357 Mag is known to be a powerful handgun cartridge, but in a lever-action rifle, the recoil is tamed considerably. It can be used for deer hunting at close ranges and is an optimal caliber for home defense. As a bonus, it can also chamber .38 Special ammo, often used in Cowboy Action Shooting.
• .44 Magnum: .44 Mag is an even more powerful handgun cartridge than the .357 Mag, but its applications are the same: close-range hunting and as a home-defense round. It’s also used for Cowboy Action shooting.

Are Lever-Action Rifles Good for Hunting?

Yes, lever-action rifles are excellent for hunting. When the correct caliber for your intended quarry is selected, lever-actions are great options. This is especially true in tight timber or thick brush, as the lever-action allows for quick follow-up shots.

Are Lever-Action Rifles Good for Home Defense?

Yes, lever-actions are effective for home defense, and have led to a growing market for tactical lever-action rifles. These models offer forends that are very similar to those seen on AR-15s, allowing for M-Lok or KeyMod attachment points for lights, lasers, and other accessories. Modern tactical lever-actions also have Picatinny rails for mounting optics like red dot sights. Some models also have detachable box magazines, allowing them to use calibers like 5.56mm NATO/.223 Remington and can be much more quickly reloaded than a tubular magazine (even with a side gate).

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