In the long and interesting history of firearms, few capture the imagination quite like lever-action rifles. A Winchester 94 with a walnut stock and pistol grip was one of the iconic guns that helped win the American West.
But over a century since the settling of the frontiers, these guns are still relevant, beautiful, and practical. Whether used for taking big game as guide guns, or seeing service during deer season, these firearms might be classic in design, but they can be incredibly practical as well.
Beyond the collection of recommended lever action rifles, we dove into the history of these firearms to highlight their significance and interesting design features — in particular the tubular magazines which were cutting edge for their day, but have since fallen out of favor. Let’s dive in.