Lever-action

Marlin Firearms made big news recently by launching its first rifle since being acquired in 2020 by Sturm, Ruger and Company: the Marlin Model 1895 SBL chambered in the potent .45-70 Govt., and manufactured in Mayodan, North Carolina. Ruger, as was widely reported, purchased Marlin after the Remington Outdoor Company declared bankruptcy and its assets were sold, including the Marlin brand.

Most people don’t think of lever actions when they consider modern self-defense rifles mostly because they were the military, law enforcement, and civilian choice of the late 1800s. The libtards aren’t as threatened by them and you can still own them in places like New York.  By design, they weren’t originally made to mount optics, lights, lasers, or suppressors. Turns out that with a few modifications they work fantastic for all of that though.

Even at a quick glance, it’s immediately obvious to lever gun fans that there’s something different about the new Henry Magnum Express rifle, which is chambered in .22 WMR. The rifle is entirely devoid of fixed sights. While that may seem to be a sacrilegious omission to some, it’s entirely by design. The Magnum Express is specifically designed to be used with optics, and that’s a big plus for those who like to hunt small game or dispatch varmints with the most potent .22 rimfire cartridge, or those with aging eyes that don’t work so well with iron sights.

If you have a Henry, but you want to get the absolute most out of it, this is a set of modifications worth looking into.

The Turnbull Winchester 1886 rifle we tested is a spectacular firearm. The color casehardening, in particular, is extraordinary. We had zero malfunctions, the rifle shot well, and carried nicely in the hand and in a saddle scabbard. Accuracy was good.

Even a quick glance tells you this is not your granddaddy’s lever rifle. The new Henry Big Boy X rifle is a modern refresh of the iconic lever-action rifle design, boosting performance and versatility to entirely new levels.

If you have seen a lever action in the last 30 years, it was an 1895. They are prolific, to say the least, as well as Marlin is nearly synonymous with “lever gun”.

The bottom line is it was an amazing trip. The service, facilities, staff, food, professional hunters, animals, weather, and just the overall welcoming and accommodating attitude of everyone associated with Marupa Safaris was fantastic.

This hunt was going to be from the Land Cruiser since there was no cover to even consider a stalk and the springbok was covering hundreds of yards each time we tried to get near it. After what seemed like an hour, Dolf decided it was time for me to use some of that ammunition.