By Shane Jahn

These styles of lever action rifles have seen action on battle fields and across the country combatting hostiles and outlaws. (Top) Model 1873, (center) Model 1886, (bottom) Model 1894. Originally all Winchester models, only the ‘86 in this photo is of that make. The Model 94 and Model 73 are from Cimarron Firearms.

In a distant time when single-shot, muzzle-loading rifles were the norm, imagine men wading into combat to find the adversary armed with repeating lever action rifles. The shock of the opposing riflemen continuing to fire rapidly after the initial shot must have been tremendous. Lever action repeaters were game changers on the battlefield.

Benjamin Tyler Henry’s invention of his 16-shot 44 Rimfire lever action rifle in 1860 was known as, “the gun you could load on Sunday and shoot all week!” It was groundbreaking, maybe more so than Browning’s 1911, Garand’s M1, or Stoner’s AR-15. My justification for this is that those latter guns came about after repeating metallic cartridge firing firearms were the norm. Think of those heroic, poor souls hurriedly cramming powder, patch, and ball down the barrel of their smoke poles while trying to stay alive! 

After Henry’s invention the lever action rifle quickly rose to fame as a fighting gun and improvements came along in frequency that is easy to follow with Winchester’s naming their rifles by the year of debut. While this article is aimed at the military aspects of the lever action rifle and is not intended to be a thorough historical piece, it is important to mention some of the more famous rifle configurations. Lever gun models like the 1866 “yellow Boy”, 1873, 1876, 1886, 1892, 1894, and 1895. This non-inclusive rundown of lever gun models entails transitions that brought about stronger actions and new calibers. With the Model 1894 came the incorporation of smokeless powder and the 30-30 Winchester cartridge, an effective round which remains popular to this day. Winchester was not the only game in town in the lever gun world, although it can be argued their rifles were the most popular. Marlin was there with their Model 1881. Savage provided a different look to the lever action rifle with the Model 1895 and later with their famed Model 1899. 

Three good fighting rifles, (left) Browning B92 in 44 Magnum, (center) Marlin 1894 Special Edition in 45 Colt, (right) G-Force LVR357 in 357 Magnum.

Lever action rifles brought rapid fire capabilities for military and law enforcement personnel. The public latched onto the concept of the lever gun for personal defense and hunting as well. History records the lever action as a formidable weapon used for fighting battles and early photographs show soldiers and especially lawmen embracing the lever action rifle as their longarm. Untold battles were fought across the United States and abroad with the lever action. 

The benefits of the lever action are numerous. It’s the rifle preferred by this writer for defense and I have plenty of experience with M4 carbine. In my opinion the lever gun is easier to carry and holds plenty of powerful rounds. Shooting lever actions through numerous courses on the ranges at Gunsite have shown that this rifle configuration works. From distant steel to the square range and through the shoot house, the lever gun performs perfectly. Traversing the donga course where steel targets are encountered while slowly walking through a brushy, dry ravine, a lithe lever action is a formidable weapon. Good cartridge choices abound in the lever action. Pistol cartridges in a short carbine are a favorite. The guns are compact and easy to maneuver in a vehicle or in the confines of a home. The old “cowboy gun” doesn’t frighten the uninformed anti-crowd like the “assault rifle” does, if you worry about those sorts of things, or find yourself in the unfortunate situation where you can’t legally own certain rifles. 

Lever action rifles are plenty accurate, as seen here by these groups with different ammunition.

Lever guns are handy, and the traditional configurations are a true hunter’s rifle. They spur the hunter to hunt. Get as close as one can to game, then slip up a little closer and make a precision, killing shot. Rapid follow-ups, should they be needed, can be applied with lightning speed by keeping the rifle shouldered and running the lever with enthusiasm.

Lew Gosnell is an instructor at Gunsite Academy, one of the top training facilities in the nation for learning the business of gunfighting. Lew is a no-nonsense kind of guy. Ask his opinion and you will get an answer forged by real-world understanding and personal experience. His dry wit is second to none! Lew served in the Marine Corps from 1976 to 1983 in Artillery and Military Police.  He served in East Los Angeles as a police officer and Sergeant, retiring after 31 years, working patrol, detectives, warrant team supervisor and many other positions.  He has an extensive competition background, having won the SOF 3-Gun, End of Trail SASS and Steel Challenge Shotgun Speed Championship.  He has been a Gunsite instructor and Rangemaster since 2008. When Lew talks, I listen. Along with most other types of firearms, he handles a lever action rifles and single action revolvers with precision.

Having known Lew for years and having had the pleasure of being instructed by him many times, I asked his thoughts on the lever action rifle as a defense gun. Here are his comments.

Lew Gosnell ringing steel with a lever action rifle.

Tactical Applications.  What do we want a lever gun to do?

The gun, as a modern and reliable rifle, starts around 1873, with the 1873 Winchester, in caliber 44/40 WCF.  Everything after this was either a stronger action design, or in a more powerful caliber.  With a reliable action, and reliable center-fire ammunition, the lever action rifle from Winchester, Marlin and a couple of other makers, was a slim and reasonably accurate gun.  The original 44/40 WCF, fired a 200-grain bullet at over 1,000+ feet per second (Think modern 10 mm power).  Later improvements, like the Winchester 1886 and 1894, in 45/70 and 30/30 respectfully, gave power that could take any game.  So, what do we need, a good handling gun out to 200+ yards.  We have it.

Handiness.

Original 20" bbl. Winchester it's weight about 6-6.5 pounds and are slightly over an inch thick at the action.  This slim design makes for easy one hand carry without a sling. If we add a "Tactical, Sop/Mod compatible fore-end", weapon-light, and optic, plus spare ammo cuff or ammo mounts, we add weight.  If that is okay with the user, I'm all for it.

Expectations. 

We are used to MOA performance from Box-Store priced rifles.  I know and have witnessed new Ruger "Marlin" 1895's that are that accurate.   However, most average 1894 30-30's will be pressed to do better than 4 inches at 100 yards.  Is that bad?  Not at all, and will work on deer, bear and felons.

The Model 1873 (left) and Model 1892 (right) are as relevant today as they were when they first came off the assembly lines.

While the design of the lever action is antiquated, if we consider that the originals are well over 160 years old, it is still a formidable choice as a defense rifle.  It may no longer see action on the military battlefield, but it is still carried by lawmen today. I know current law enforcement personnel who rely on the lever gun to uphold the laws of this great nation and protect the public. The lever action rifle is uniquely American and is a relevant firearm for hunting and personal protection. May it forever be so!

Whenever I am teaching a class on leadership to grad school students, I ask them a simple question: “what is the difference between leadership and management?" I use the question to get the students engaged and (hopefully) get their creative juices flowing. My question is not anecdotal; I call on at least five students every class to share their thoughts. I also assure them that I am not looking for a textbook definition, I just want to see what they think.

Some students take an easy path. Since they know that I am there to discuss leadership, they make an argument that management is “bad,” while leadership is “good.” When somebody inevitably goes in that direction, I remind them that some of history’s most effective leaders have been truly evil people: Hitler and Pol Pot come to mind. Leadership is neither inherently good nor bad.

Other students say things like: “you manage things, but you lead people.” That answer makes sense to me. Others will say: “management is about maximizing the use of resources, while leadership is about inspiration.” I have also heard: “there is no difference. Management and leadership are really the same thing.”

After I’ve been successful in getting a real discussion going, I share my thoughts, and it usually goes something like this: “I’ve been thinking about this for a long time, and I’ve tried to make it as simple as I can. In its simplest form, management is just making stuff happen. Leadership is influencing people to make stuff happen. You can add complexity to the definition with all sorts of qualifiers ranging from organizational goals to vision, but the key idea is this: people may be part of any management situation, but they are THE critical component of any leadership equation. At its core, leadership is about people and relationships.”

Wise leaders understand this idea and do everything they can to understand themselves and others. Better understanding leads to an increased potential for influence. Who do you need to consider in your relationships? They include the salesclerk and the guy in the back who does not talk to customers but whose technical skills are critical for the business. They include the CEO and the janitorial staff. If you are in business, both your stockholders and your customers are certainly worthy of consideration. As a commissioner for the Arizona Game and Fish Department, I listen to a wide group of interested, passionate people. On the issues around the Endangered Species Act and Mexican wolves, for example, that group includes our own employees and scientists from other agencies, ranchers, hunters, environmentalists and even what I refer to as the “wolf litigants.” Their diverse perspectives help to give me and the other commissioners a deeper understanding of the core issues. And because we listen, we have a greater potential to influence all. Leadership is about people and relationships.

I once worked for a guy who was a good manager but a poor leader. He certainly made things happen. His toxic style was effective in getting results in the short term, but his influence was only effective if he was present and threatening others. Contrast that with another leader I worked for (at the same level) who was one of the most effective leaders I have ever seen. He easily communicated with both the PhD holders and the blue-collar staff. He worked hard to understand how others communicated, and how best to influence them. The results spoke for themselves. We were all part of a coherent team, and we fought to do our best. Frankly, we did not want to let the leader down. We were inspired to strive for excellence, and we regularly attained it. Most importantly, our leader influenced us every day, even if he was not around.

The next time you face a tough leadership challenge, think about the people you are trying to lead: what is their perspective? What motivates them? To achieve the desired effect, how can I best reach them? Once you have that understanding, plan your move and do it, realizing that the best technique for one group in one setting may fail in another context. This is why leadership is an art, as well as a science. The most effective leaders understand the criticality of people and relationships, and they leverage that understanding to have an outsize influence. You will too.

Jeff Buchanan retired as a Lieutenant General from the Army in 2019. He had four com-bat deployments to Iraq and one to Afghanistan. He also led the military forces supporting FEMA in Puerto Rico after Hurricane Maria and commanded more than 6,000 troops on the Southwest border in support of CBP. He and his wife live on a small ranch outside of Patago-nia, Arizona and he is one of five commissioners for the Arizona Game and Fish Department.