The Boarbuster Apocalypse Is A Cowboy’s Lever Gun — SHOT Show 2025

in Levi Sim, SHOT Show 2025, Uncategorized

I heard a guy at SHOT say, “I don’t know why everyone’s making ‘tactical’ lever actions: A lever action is a cowboy gun.”

And I agree. Like steak strips on a salad, tactical lever guns are ok if regulations in your state limit your firearms.

But there’s nothing better than using your gun as it was intended. Chambered in .45-70, Pedersoli designed the Boarbuster Apocalypse for a dangerous game.

The whole gun facing to the right, held by a cowboy wearing a purple sequin jacket.
Pedersoli’s Boarbuster line’s new Apocalypse edition. Rhinestone cowboy not included.

.45-70 as Winchester Intended

Pedersoli took the 1886 Winchester lever action and improved it. With a hundred and thirty years of experience with Winchester’s classic, Pedersoli found a few adjustments that make the lever action feed more smoothly and reliably.

Close up of the receiver with the action open, facing right.
Pedersoli has improved the 86 Winchester for more reliable feeding on the Boarbuster.

This fine Italian-made lever action is chambered in .45-70. Its 16″ trapper-length barrel keeps it handy for toting, using in brush, and coming up quickly when a situation gets Western. Hunt with it, or carry it for protection.

See other Pedersoli products on GunsAmerica here.

The top of the action with the action open facing right,.
Cerakote covers all the exposed metal on Pedersoli’s BoarBuster.

Boarbuster Apocalypse: Modern, Not Tactical

Pedersoli says the BoarBuster Apocalypse is modernized, but it’s not tactical. “Modernizing isn’t offensive to the cowboy, but we’re not going to send this gun out with the SEALs.”

Modernizing includes a copper-colored Cerakote on the receiver, action, and barrel. The Apocalypse also has a synthetic stock with a crinkle texture finish, a tang safety, bison hide accents, and an adjustable comb.

Close up of the butt stock with adjustable comb and Bison hide accents.
Durable bison hide dresses this synthetic stock and adjustable comb on the Pedersoli Boarbuster.

That adjustable comb gives you a repeatable cheek weld for precision with the fiber optic sights, or whatever long-relief optic you choose to mount on the Picatinny rail. The fore-end includes M-Lok slots, and the barrel is threaded 5/8″-16, but these are not tactical additions.

The end of the barrel with the gun facing right.
Although the forend has M-Lok, the sights are fiber optic, and the barrel is threaded, this Pdersoali Boarbuster Apocalypse isn’t a tactical lever action.

You can now purchase Pedersoli’s Boarbuster Apocalypse, an improved 86 Winchester in .45-70. Pricing starts at $2,500

Close up of the forend.
Pedersoli positioned the Picatinny rail for long eye relief scopes to enable quick target acquisition in dangerous circumstances.

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About the author: Levi Sim Levi is an avid hunter, and an increasingly avid shooter. He strives to make delicious and simple recipes from the game he kills. He makes a living as a professional photographer and writer. Check out his work and he’d love to connect on Instagram: @outdoorslevi

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  • Mark N. January 28, 2025, 11:50 pm

    This particular model must be the top of the line with all of those leather accents. None of the other models (there are a few) have leather, but on the other hand they sport 19″ barrels that make the rifle look better balanced and may just temper the recoil a bit.

  • Grumpy 49 January 28, 2025, 7:40 pm

    Fads come and go, but there are a number of cartridges that have stood the test of time. At close range, modern 45/70 hard cast bullets using modern powders, are even more effective than they ever were. A .458″ diameter bullet doesn’t have to expand to create a big hole. Bonus is that that same bullet will penetrate deeply into the toughest boar. Appears that name – BOARBUSTER, is a clue of how to best use this rifle.

  • brian January 28, 2025, 6:50 pm

    No .45-90? I’ll keep my Miroku ’86 take-down in the bigger caliber for daily life here in Alaska. I can always shoot
    45-70 for plinking.

  • Barry Mottershead January 28, 2025, 5:49 pm

    Leave the Lever Action Classic Western- they’ve made a gong show out of this one- something along the lines of Homer Simpson’s car design.

  • The Bearded Wonder January 28, 2025, 3:52 pm

    Coming to a Poser near you soon… WHY, just WHY?

  • Godfrey Daniel January 28, 2025, 11:22 am

    There have been a couple other lever gun abominations in the last couple of years. This one fits right in and that paisley jacket makes it official.

  • Daniel George January 28, 2025, 11:21 am

    Does Pedersoli still make the 357 Magnum Lightening? Love to hear about it if you do.

  • Beobear January 28, 2025, 11:17 am

    That abomination ain’t no “cowboy” gun, in fact it’s more likely the complete opposite. Slapping some unnecessary bison leather patches on it does nothing but make it much harder to maintain and make it look goofy. This rifle is the epitome of pandering, I’m surprised they didn’t laser engrave a few bison on it.

    That rifle is butt ugly. They took what was a beautiful example of a John Browning rifle, which needed little to no “tweaking” and turned it into a true abomination that should never have existed. Wow, my first impression was revulsion and my second impression after reading the entire description was even worse. The Pedersoli folks who approved this should be publicly flogged and made to swear they will never veer this far out of their lane ever again.

    I’m going to have to go stare at an unmolested Winchester 1886 just to get the picture of this thing out of my mind.

    • Mark N. January 29, 2025, 12:33 am

      They make them with plain black polymer stocks and walnut stocks as well. The wooden ones look just like a Winchester/Miroku.

  • jerry January 28, 2025, 10:42 am

    I consider a lever gun as a backup for when the government takes away our ARs. Yes, unfortunately, it is a real possibility. Many in governments desperately want our semi-auto long guns. Even those haters of liberty are not likely to go after 150 year old designed firearms (that is, until the day when they find out how effective lever guns, and for that matter, pump shotguns, truly are). Stay safe. j

    • Beobear January 28, 2025, 11:24 am

      Ask the folks in Canada how long it takes for the government to come after lever guns following banning semi auto’s, the answer is not long enough to matter. If they can ban a semi auto, lever guns (as well as pump shotguns) are immediately put on the chopping block. There won’t be a relief period in between the two types of guns. Fortunately, we don’t have the same government they do and ours will likely result in a war before forced disarmament.

  • paul I'll call you what I want/1st Amendment January 28, 2025, 10:35 am

    might want to call it the san fran edition……..i’m being polite here…

  • Edgar Thaxton January 28, 2025, 10:19 am

    Why dress up a Winchester 86 top eject, when the Marlin 1895 side eject is available? Just complicates a scope, with no other value. I’ll take my Marlin or a Marlin Dark, with parts from the Ranger Station. Saves money, and provides better function.

    • Mark N. January 29, 2025, 12:31 am

      Pedersoli has a video on its site of an African hunt. Scope was a 1-4, and as you may have noticed, the pic rail is well down the barrel from the ejection port. Since velocity drops off rapidly, the effective range is really no more than 200 yards for medium or large game, that is as much of a scope as one would need. This is the mot expensive option. Also available in .444 Marlin. Yes, pricey, but Pedersoli has a solid reputation.

  • Frank January 28, 2025, 9:41 am

    Hmmpff! This might appeal to “urban cowboys” and maybe metrosexuals. It’s not an alpha-male woodsman or mountain-man lever gun. The price tag alone should be enough clue.

  • Robert Shirley January 28, 2025, 9:41 am

    $2500 LOL…not today.

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