lever action

 Winchester Repeating Arms, a rifle manufacturer made famous by the innovative lever action Model 1866, debuted a concept chassis style rifle at the 2017 SHOT Show. One year later, the Winchester XPC is ready to hit the market.

On the fun side of things, we got a chance to stop by the Marlin booth, and look at the new additions to the lineup. I, for one, don’t think lever actions get nearly enough love in the modern world. And what I saw at the booth make me want to fix that immediately.

My father was a big advocate of old cowboy guns. Hailing from Europe by birth and upbringing, his fascination with the old West and the cowboys who won it bordered on overzealous. Any gun good enough to be preferred by the old-time cowboys was good enough for him.

He had a point.

I can still remember the days when I longed for my first rifle; the thought of a long shiny blued steel barrel and glossy walnut stock of my very own almost more than I could stand. Now I saw the same look in my little son Josiah’s eyes as he stood, hands shoved deep in his pockets, gazing with earnest shyness into my face as he answered my question. I had asked what he wanted more than anything for his upcoming ninth birthday. His answer? “A gun!”

A big chunk of the Henry portfolio is in rimfire and pistol caliber rifles and carbines. It was only within the last handful of years that Henry started to make some full powered rifles, which they call the “Large Caliber Rifles”. These rifles, like pretty much all of the Henry offerings, are down right handsome. We are talking classic styled rifles with Walnut stocks, deep rich bluing on the steel and of course the traditional Henry brass frame. They are sexy looking long guns that make it hard not to treat as safe queens. But these are rifles that can be a great field, truck or saddle guns. Henry now has the perfect compromise with the All-Weather Lever Actions that are available in 30-30 and 45-70.

Ever since the .500 Smith & Wesson Magnum came on the scene in 2003, there have been a bunch of folks trying to figure out how to cram the cartridge into a rifle—especially a lever-action rifle. It’s an American obsession ever since the cowboy days: A guy “needs” to have a lever-action rifle chambered for his handgun cartridge.

Sometimes you find a product that just works. No false advertising, no gimmicks—just a piece of equipment that functions precisely as it’s designed. That’s what I found with Caldwell’s Lead Sled Solo from Midsouth Shooters.

While Hollywood gave screen stars Winchester rifles, many real-life heroes carried Marlin rifles. According to the company’s website, Annie Oakley, Captain Hardy, and William “Buffalo Bill” Cody all used Marlin rifles. And, today’s 1895GBL carries on the tradition of providing great lever-actions to consumers.

Our friends over at Henry Repeating Arms have some cool new guns set to launch in Jan. 2017.