testtest

Are Lever Actions reliable?

I don't know man, I have a horde of lever action 30-30s that are all pretty reliable. All the 94s except the Centennial model have round counts in the several thousands. The old Marlin has been around the block more than a few times too.
 
They've been doing pretty good for the last 160 years.

As with any firearm the weak link is the operator.

Un-screwing & locktiting all the screws on an assembled lever-action is a stupid suggestion. I've never seen a receiver screw back out on a lever action.
 
I have several leverguns, and have never had an issue with any of them. I'm not sure if mine are the best yardstick to go by because I don't abuse them and make an effort to clean them within a day after shooting. Still, I'd say they are as reliable as most other types of firearms on the market.
 
I have 94 Wins and Savage 99's and have not had any issues with them. However...........on an extremely cold snowy day 40+ years ago, I had a Marlin 336 in 30-30 lock up on me. Took a shot at a buck running across a field. I was low on the first shot and never could eject it. They have better lubricants now verses back then but with more moving parts you have more chances of a failure.
 
I have owned and used a Marlin 1884 in 357 Magnum since they first came out over 25 years ago. Only problem I ever had was the ejector spring broke. Had it repaired and has been going strong ever since. Son in Alaska just picked up three 1895 Winchester levers, 30-06, 35 Whelen and 40 O&I(Wildcat).
 
The article/video is interesting, but I'm not sure the argument about leverguns being shot less often than other guns really holds water. I'll give them that leverguns are probably fired fewer times than handguns or semi-auto sporting rifles. However, most leverguns are primarily used for hunting. My leverguns have had more rounds fired through them than my bolt-action .308. In my opinion, the logic behind the argument that the levergun we see as "reliable" may have only fired 100 rounds over 20 hunting seasons would apply equally to the bolt-action rifles that the article is claiming to be more reliable firearms.
 
Susquash said:
I have owned and used a Marlin 1884 in 357 Magnum since they first came out over 25 years ago. Only problem I ever had was the ejector spring broke. Had it repaired and has been going strong ever since. Son in Alaska just picked up three 1895 Winchester levers, 30-06, 35 Whelen and 40 O&I(Wildcat).
Click to expand...
Correction on son's wildcat, It is a .41 O&M.
 
I love lever actions; that does not mean I would choose them to utilize against armed adversaries so discussed in doomsday scenarios. My various Marlin 39s are fine for plinking and hunting, my stainless steel Marlin in .44 magnum is my preferred gun while on horseback, and my Marlin .44-70 killed the one and only polar bear I ever hunted years ago, but if I could only have one long gun in the STF scenario, it would be my stainless Ruger 77/22WRM boat paddle.
 
I own 8 Lever Action Rifles,Marlin's 336 W,30-30, 1895CB 45-70, Model 444,Henry's GB .22lr. .22 Magnum, Rossi92 .44 & .357 Magnums .,& BLR.81 30.06.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top