The New Huntmastersbbs!: Why all the sudden interest in last century’s designs?

This is topic Why all the sudden interest in last century’s designs? in forum Firearms forum at The New Huntmastersbbs!.

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Posted by Leonard (Member # 2) on July 09, 2025, 04:03 PM:

Okay, first let me say that the first time I handles a Winchester Model 94 30-30 Winchester, I caught my index finger in the mechanism. Yeah, maybe it seems natural to keep your finger out of the way, but I was a little incautious and that formed a negative opinion in my mind that has persisted for 60 years or so. Approximately.

I can’t get excited about a design quite in vogue in the 1860’s. We always think of cowboys and Indians, and at least in the movies, they aren’t using a “Trap Door” Spencer, a single shot, Bolt action, (maybe had not been invented anyway?) No pumps, no America’s rifle; the AR15. No, at least for me, as a kid, you got Red Rider BB guns, and they were mostly “Lever Actions”.

So, if you look at any gun magazine for the past year or so, all the chatter is about all the new LEVER ACTION GUNS! Revivals of long discontinued models and companies that never made a lever action before, but now, THEY ARE ALL THE RAGE! Now we have lever action shotguns fed with an AR15 magazine!

The demand is being forced on a gun culture that moved on a hundred fucking years ago! Sorry, I can’t get excited about a design that will mash my finger every time I’m not consciously warning my brain to get my trigger finger out of the way before I seriously take a big hunk of meat out of my nose picking finger!

This is a RETRO trend that needs to be stamped out before somebody is seriously hurt! Round them up and lock them up for safe keeping. They are inherently dangerous! I’m warning you! DON’T be tempted, spend your money of Internet stuff, not on 1850 designs. You will thank me!

Good hunting. El Bee

Posted by Kokopelli (Member # 633) on July 09, 2025, 05:56 PM:

Ok ........... The Peanut Gallery Speaks.
(1) The old timey lever guns have 'Panache'. Something that an AR-15 will never know.
(2) When you shoot a lever you're Lucas McCain cool. Something that just doesn't happen with a bolt.
(3) When you hunt with a 30-30 lever gun you are a 'hunter' and not just a 'shooter'. Something that the 500-600-700 yard crowd can't quite grasp.
(4) They're fun. If you're not having fun, you're just taking up space and breathing air that somebody else could be using.
and last but not least;
(5) Levers are an important part of being a well adjusted, well rounded shooter, wise in the ways of all things that go 'Bang' when you yank the trigger. [Cool]

Edit to add; Ya got 10 fingers. How many of them do you need at one time, anyway. [Big Grin]

[ July 09, 2025, 05:57 PM: Message edited by: Kokopelli ]

Posted by Leonard (Member # 2) on July 10, 2025, 11:46 AM:

Well, I also own a Marlin 1883 44/40. It’s a beater, and looks like somebody used it to pound stakes, at some point. I should say; my great uncle smashed a bunch of redskin noggins after running out of shells. Not true, but by the looks of it, believable.
I know, I am embarrassed to admit owning a lever action antique.

They are inferior to a bolt action in all meaningful ways.

Good hunting. El Bee

Posted by Kokopelli (Member # 633) on July 10, 2025, 01:15 PM:

Well, ......... Hell. [Frown]

I feel bad for ya knowing the shame you must feel having a lever gun around and a beater at that.
Tell-ya-what-I'm-gonna do-just-because-I-like-ya.
I'll give ya a hundred bucks for it and you can bring it by and drop it off. Then while you're here we can look at some nice properties where you can shoot off of your back patio out into the desert.
Total win all of the way around.
(You might want to wait a couple of weeks before coming over, though. It's 106* today. Living in Paradise ain't for the faint of heart.) [Big Grin]

Posted by Kokopelli (Member # 633) on July 11, 2025, 03:04 PM:

Hotter than a Telemundo Weather Girl again today. [Eek!]

Send Rain !!!!

Posted by NVWalt (Member # 375) on July 12, 2025, 04:39 AM:

Had a 44-40 I gave to one of the kids because he had a 44-40 revolver. I liked that gun.A brass yellow boy 16 shooter that did well with cast boolits. And Leonard I hunted bears with a Savage 99 Featherweight in 308 for years chasing the hounds. Open sights and really a handy gun in the brush of western Washington. Gave that one to my daughter because she remembers it feeding her growing up.Inherited a Marlin 336 in 30-30 but gave that to my daughter also. I liked the Henry and the Savage but wasn't overly impressed with the Marlin. Maybe becuase my 10 inch Thompson Contender in 30-30 could shoot circles around it.Maybe it's that Cowboy Action shooting that is making them popular again. Who knows. Bottom line is if it brings another person into the shooting sports, I'm for it.

Posted by Leonard (Member # 2) on July 12, 2025, 08:00 AM:

Okay, but I’m a vote for the Savage Model 99, even chambered in 284Winchester….for all you lefties. Classic clean lines, even though a lever action.

As to Cowboy action, Whatever floats your boat. But for me, zero.

Good hunting. El Bee

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