Old Lever guns

I came upon this video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1T7zZ_D8nqI of Hickok comparing the various leaver action rifles of the 2nd half of the 19th century. I love the finish of the action on the second Winchester from the left. His comments on the military being slow to adopt the repeating lever guns really flies opposite of modern day propaganda that certain weapons are reserved for the government only.

I saw on a show on the Outdoor Network (I believe on "Shooting Gallery") that they had a "Police Carbine" Class at Gunsite Academy.

The most popular was the AR-15, and there may have been a couple of Marlin Carbines & similar.

One old Sheriff's Deputy from out west showed up with his Winchester Model 94. They said that it spent so much time in the Cruiser that there was no blueing left on it.

Thay said that the Old Deputy just "kicked butt" in the competition against some of the guys with their "space guns".

He did better with a lever gun than an AR-15?

I'd like a lever gun at some point. I grew up watching reruns of the old westerns.

Claymore, in your opinion would it be likely that a round sliding down the magazine tube or rounds being inserted point to point cause a discharge?

I have a pre-64 (top eject) model 94 Winchester 30/30 and I love it! It is a really solid shooting gun. I think when I looked up the serial number I found that it was made in the late 40s. It feels like silk to shoot.

RRCmdrBennett wrote:He did better with a lever gun than an AR-15?

 

It all depends on the Course of Fire. I have seen some police Courses of Fire that involve firing a number of rounds with your hand-gun and transitioning to your long-gun (or vice versa)

Now if you are talking about firing 40 rounds with magazine changes, then of course not. But most police shootings are 3 to 5 rounds, and so much training is based around what you will statisticly encounter.

RRCmdrBennett wrote:Claymore, in your opinion would it be likely that a round sliding down the magazine tube or rounds being inserted point to point cause a discharge?

Current & past wisdom says "Yes".

If the metal of the primer compresses enough (& sharply) then it will ignite the compound inside by crushing it between the "skin" of the primer and the "anvil" inside.

That's why 'most-all ammunition which is used primarily in lever-guns (30-30, 32-20, .35 Remington, etc) comes almost exclusively with Round Nose, Flat Tip, or Rubber Tip Bullets.

Imagine if you put a magazine of FMJ Spire-Point .308's in a magazine tube, and they took the shock of recoil (remember that recoil is enough to throw the innards of a cheap scope off).