Defensive Lever Action: The Original Fighting Tool

When one studies the history of today’s firearms, it is amazing how many of the designs go back over 100 years. The lever-action rifle is certainly a good example because it traces its lineage to the original Henry rifle, first introduced in 1860. 

From this early beginning, the lever action was a fighting rifle. Folks on the American frontier relied on it to protect family and home from all sorts of attacks. It is still around today because it is simply a tough, reliable design that gets the job done.

It is Socially Acceptable

Certainly there are many other rifles that work quite well for personal defense. However, there are parts of this country where other types of firearms are frowned upon or even illegal. On the other hand, I don’t know of a single state that outlaws citizen ownership of a lever action. How could they? The lever-action rifle is as American as apple pie. It is the gun that John Wayne used. It is also one of the most recognizable firearms, right up there with the Colt single-action revolver. The defensive lever action happens to be great for protection. 

The Gun You Shoot the Most

We encourage armed citizens to get good training and then make a regular habit of practicing what they have been taught. When it come to a defensive firearm, familiarity is a good thing. And there are many of today’s armed citizens who have grown up with lever actions. A whole lot of us spent a childhood putting lead downrange with a Marlin Model 39 or a Winchester 9422. Picking up a lever action just feels like old home week.

Consider the hunter who has spent years collecting venison with a Marlin .30/30. It is the gun he or she has shot the most and the best. Another example would be the cowboy-action shooter who, being serious about the sport, puts hundreds of rounds through a lever gun on a regular basis. With that gun in hand, he or she would be a hard target indeed. Being armed with the latest and greatest firearm is not nearly as important as being armed with a gun with which you have extensive experience and great confidence because it has always delivered the goods in the various sporting fields.

Family Friendly

One of the reasons that the lever-action rifle is still around after all these years is that average people can quickly understand how it works. Folks quickly catch onto loading, chambering a round and safe handling with a defensive lever action. This is one of the reasons that it makes a good home-defense gun. Many different family members might be called upon to use it. 

Depending upon the size and age of family members, it might be a good idea for the house gun to be chambered for one of the pistol calibers. A rifle in .357 Magnum would be my suggestion. Out of a rifle, .357 recoil is manageable for most people. Marlin and Henry make, or have made, rifles in .32 H&R Magnum, which would also be a good choice.

Another thing to consider in the family gun is that the stock might need to be shortened to better fit smaller members of the family. It is a simple fact that most can shoot better with a stock that is a bit too short than one too long.  

The most important thing about a defensive lever action is that everyone knows how to operate it safely. Regular practice sessions would be advisable. They should also know how it should be loaded and stored when not in use. I recommend what law enforcement calls “cruiser ready.” This means magazine loaded with the hammer down on an empty chamber. In an emergency one simply picks up the gun and works the lever to chamber a round. 

Defensive Lever-Action Accessories

I am pretty much a minimalist. I don’t like to hang a lot of stuff on my gun. However, there are a few items that will enhance a defensive lever-action rifle. One of those things is good sights. I happen to like a receiver sight, commonly called a “peep sight.” One of my guns has a Williams receiver sight and another gun has a receiver sight from Skinner Sights. In both cases the apertures are large, what we call a ghost ring. It is a quick, accurate sighting system.

According to statistics, the armed citizen will get by with the ammunition that is in the gun, however many rounds that happens to be. I just hate to be the exception to the rule. For that reason it is a good idea to carry a bit of extra ammunition. Probably the best way to do that is with an ammo carrier that fastens to the buttstock of the rifle. These are available from various companies.

Another handy attachment to a defensive lever action is a sling. One doesn’t really need a fancy sling like a target shooter or hunter might use to enhance accuracy. The defensive shooter merely needs a sling that will allow free use of hands. 

Finally, I would caution against too many accessories. One of the values of a defensive lever action is that it is relatively light and easy to handle. It would be a mistake to make it heavy and clumsy by hanging a lot of different stuff on it. Keep it light and simple.

Defensive Lever Actions

My first defensive lever action was purchased while I was a peace officer in North Texas, running a drug unit. It was an original Marlin Model 1894 in .44 Magnum. I had a gunsmith cut the barrel and magazine to 16 inches and install a Williams peep sight on it. This short carbine held nine rounds and was handy getting in and out of a car and other tight places. It is one of the best gun buys I ever made.

By the 1980s, I was the elected sheriff of a county in southwest Texas. I still had the Marlin. However, my district judge wanted it. After I sold it to him, I replaced it with a Browning 92 in .44 Magnum and had the same work done on it as I did on the Marlin. We had adventures together and I still have this carbine. While Browning no longer offers the gun, Cimarron Arms offers several versions of the 92.

My final favorite lever action is a 1956-vintage Winchester Model 94 carbine in .30/30. It is the gun that wears the receiver sights from Skinner Sights. Otherwise, it is just good the way it came from the factory. Currently, the Winchester is my truck gun and the Browning 92 is my house gun.

Lever-actions rifles aren’t still around because of history. They are with us today because they work and people find them useful. While I am obviously a traditionalist, one will find all sorts and styles of defensive lever actions, both new and used.