Pump-actions vs Lever-Actions

[Crash]

I find pump-actions easier to operate than lever-actions. I know that that is a personal preference, but is there any reason a lever-action rifle would be preferable to a pump-action? The reason I'm asking is that I'm trying to decide what kind of long gun to buy if the day ever comes that we can no longer buy semi-autos.

All thoughts appreciated,

Crash

[The Annoyed Man]

Just from using a pump action shotgun with rifle sights, I would guess that a lever rifle would be easier for the shooter to maintain a good sight picture while cycling the action.

[C-dub]

Are there many options for either type? I would think there are more for lever action, but not sure if there are many there either. Henry's are tough to beat and there are several calibers to choose from, but none of the common rifle calibers.

[WTR]

For rim fire (.22 & .22 mag) I've always had good luck with pumps. I have had had better luck with the lever action in center fire calibers.

[karatedad]

Are there many options for either type? I would think there are more for lever action, but not sure if there are many there either. Henry's are tough to beat and there are several calibers to choose from, but none of the common rifle calibers.

Henry has a new model called the Long Ranger in .308.

[C-dub]

Are there many options for either type? I would think there are more for lever action, but not sure if there are many there either. Henry's are tough to beat and there are several calibers to choose from, but none of the common rifle calibers.

Henry has a new model called the Long Ranger in .308.

That's cool. I see they also have that model in .223 and .243.


EDIT to add: Aww, now there's one more gun on my wish list.

[puma guy]

Are there many options for either type? I would think there are more for lever action, but not sure if there are many there either. Henry's are tough to beat and there are several calibers to choose from, but none of the common rifle calibers.

Henry has a new model called the Long Ranger in .308.

That's cool. I see they also have that model in .223 and .243.

It departs from most popular lever actions by having a detachable magazine. Not really anything new since the Win 1905 30-06 had a box magazine. The model 99 Savage, Win 88 and Sako Finnwolf have box magazines also. The Savage Win and the Sako came in popular calibers. Then there's the Ruger Model 96. I'm sure I missing some other models. Traditional tube fed lever action rifles are limited to flat or round nosed bullets loaded in 30-30 and .35 Rem but there are some fine calibers in tube fed lever guns. I have a Model 88 and several lever action Marlins along with a couple of pump action rifles and I really can't say one is better than the other at least in my shooting experience shooting high power cartridges. After recovering from recoil it really didn't make that much diferrence in regaining a sight picture. Recoil is a non-issue with my pump and lever .22' so there's really no difference. One of my .22 lr pumps will slam fire (model 62 Win) and I could hit a target while actuating the slide to do that. I used to shoot skeet with a pump action Winchester 1200 back when my reflexes were much better and I could still pump and still come back on the second bird at the double stations.

[WTR]

The model 99 Savage, Win 88 and Sako Finnwolf have box magazines also.

The Savage 99 I own has a rotary mag.

[Soap]

Just from using a pump action shotgun with rifle sights, I would guess that a lever rifle would be easier for the shooter to maintain a good sight picture while cycling the action.

Not sure about that one. It's hard to go prone with lever action. Pumps you jack the slide into your and lever action is pulling away.

[WTR]

Are there many options for either type? I would think there are more for lever action, but not sure if there are many there either. Henry's are tough to beat and there are several calibers to choose from, but none of the common rifle calibers.

Henry has a new model called the Long Ranger in .308.

That's cool. I see they also have that model in .223 and .243.

It departs from most popular lever actions by having a detachable magazine. Not really anything new since the Win 1905 30-06 had a box magazine. The model 99 Savage, Win 88 and Sako Finnwolf have box magazines also. The Savage Win and the Sako came in popular calibers. Then there's the Ruger Model 96. I'm sure I missing some other models. Traditional tube fed lever action rifles are limited to flat or round nosed bullets loaded in 30-30 and .35 Rem but there are some fine calibers in tube fed lever guns. I have a Model 88 and several lever action Marlins along with a couple of pump action rifles and I really can't say one is better than the other at least in my shooting experience shooting high power cartridges. After recovering from recoil it really didn't make that much diferrence in regaining a sight picture. Recoil is a non-issue with my pump and lever .22' so there's really no difference. One of my .22 lr pumps will slam fire (model 62 Win) and I could hit a target while actuating the slide to do that. I used to shoot skeet with a pump action Winchester 1200 back when my reflexes were much better and I could still pump and still come back on the second bird at the double stations.

You are correct. I see that they switched to a box mag. in later years.

[The Annoyed Man]

Just from using a pump action shotgun with rifle sights, I would guess that a lever rifle would be easier for the shooter to maintain a good sight picture while cycling the action.

Not sure about that one. It's hard to go prone with lever action. Pumps you jack the slide into your and lever action is pulling away.

I don't know. You're right about lever actions from the prone I guess, but I don't imagine that a pump action from the prone is that much easier without breaking your sight picture. But again....I've fired a pump action rifle maybe once or twice in my life, from a bench, so I don't any real experience with them; and I'm basing my experience on two pump action 12 gauge shotguns I've owned, both of which had rifle-type open sights on them (ghost ring rear, ramped front). I haven't fired either of those from the prone either (standing, offhand only), but I'm thinking that proved out wouldn't be that much easier than with a lever action. I'm willing to admit that I could be wrong.

But frankly, I'm a bolt action guy at heart, and it seems to me that a light-weight bolt action in sufficient caliber, with a shorter handier barrel, would solve that problem entirely...........like, gee.......I don't know.......maybe a Scout Rifle? You get a 10 round removable box magazine for fast reloads; you get a sufficient caliber like .308; you get tighter, more accurate lockup with the bolt action; and you get greater mechanical simplicity, with fewer parts to break. What's not to like?

[The Annoyed Man]

I find pump-actions easier to operate than lever-actions. I know that that is a personal preference, but is there any reason a lever-action rifle would be preferable to a pump-action? The reason I'm asking is that I'm trying to decide what kind of long gun to buy if the day ever comes that we can no longer buy semi-autos.

All thoughts appreciated,

Crash

Neither. Go with a scout type bolt action.

Ruger Gunsite Scout

Savage Scout Rifle

Mossberg MVP Scout rifle

There are probably other brands of scout rifles, but those three are the ones that are the most affordable. The most expensive is almost certainly the Steyr Scout Rifle. I can't speak to the street prices for the Mossberg or Savage scout rifles, but my Ruger Gunsite Scout cost me $725 or so when I bought it, which was about 75% of MSRP at the time. 75% of today's MSRP appears to still be the case today.

Anyway, I kind of like the idea of lever actions too, and have recently be poking around the idea of getting one, but I realized that my Ruger was already prepared to fill that role. Plus, it has a threaded barrel with a flashhider on it, which I am replacing with a suppressor mountable flashhider......so it will be much quieter too than either a lever or pump action rifle.

[Legionnaire]

A lot of good info in the replies above. I agree with Annoyed Man that the bolt-action rifle is the best all purpose platform. That said, I like levers and pumps, too. While there is some overlap now, generally speaking the levers work best with pistol cartridges and flat-nosed rifle cartridges like the .30-30 and .35 Remington. Pumps with box magazines more commonly handle bottleneck rifle cartridges (.243, .308, .270, .30-06) better. Yes, I know there are pumps that shoot pistol cartridges and levers that shoot bottleneck rifle cartridges ... just speaking in general terms.

And in those general terms, if I'm looking to launch pistol cartridges, I'd opt for the lever (like a Marlin 94 to go with a .357 revolver); if I wanted to hunt big game, I'd opt for the pump (Remington 760 Carbine in .308 would be my preference). Let your purpose inform your choice.

I expect that if we reach the point that semi-autos are banned, the big manufacturers will pick up production of pumps and levers--at least I'd hope so. I grew up in PA, where Remington 760s and 7600s are affectionately called "Amish machine guns."

All that said, if I could only own one rifle, it would be a bolt-action in an intermediate cartridge: .308 or .260 most likely.

[Soccerdad1995]

A lot of good info in the replies above. I agree with Annoyed Man that the bolt-action rifle is the best all purpose platform. That said, I like levers and pumps, too. While there is some overlap now, generally speaking the levers work best with pistol cartridges and flat-nosed rifle cartridges like the .30-30 and .35 Remington. Pumps with box magazines more commonly handle bottleneck rifle cartridges (.243, .308, .270, .30-06) better. Yes, I know there are pumps that shoot pistol cartridges and levers that shoot bottleneck rifle cartridges ... just speaking in general terms.

And in those general terms, if I'm looking to launch pistol cartridges, I'd opt for the lever (like a Marlin 94 to go with a .357 revolver); if I wanted to hunt big game, I'd opt for the pump (Remington 760 Carbine in .308 would be my preference). Let your purpose inform your choice.

I expect that if we reach the point that semi-autos are banned, the big manufacturers will pick up production of pumps and levers--at least I'd hope so. I grew up in PA, where Remington 760s and 7600s are affectionately called "Amish machine guns."

All that said, if I could only own one rifle, it would be a bolt-action in an intermediate cartridge: .308 or .260 most likely.

If we ever reach the point that semi-auto rifles are banned, there really will be no guarantees that lever action and pump action guns would not also be banned. The answer is simple. To the extent this is perceived as a real risk, stock up now.

[The Annoyed Man]

A lot of good info in the replies above. I agree with Annoyed Man that the bolt-action rifle is the best all purpose platform. That said, I like levers and pumps, too. While there is some overlap now, generally speaking the levers work best with pistol cartridges and flat-nosed rifle cartridges like the .30-30 and .35 Remington. Pumps with box magazines more commonly handle bottleneck rifle cartridges (.243, .308, .270, .30-06) better. Yes, I know there are pumps that shoot pistol cartridges and levers that shoot bottleneck rifle cartridges ... just speaking in general terms.

And in those general terms, if I'm looking to launch pistol cartridges, I'd opt for the lever (like a Marlin 94 to go with a .357 revolver); if I wanted to hunt big game, I'd opt for the pump (Remington 760 Carbine in .308 would be my preference). Let your purpose inform your choice.

I expect that if we reach the point that semi-autos are banned, the big manufacturers will pick up production of pumps and levers--at least I'd hope so. I grew up in PA, where Remington 760s and 7600s are affectionately called "Amish machine guns."

All that said, if I could only own one rifle, it would be a bolt-action in an intermediate cartridge: .308 or .260 most likely.

If we ever reach the point that semi-auto rifles are banned, there really will be no guarantees that lever action and pump action guns would not also be banned. The answer is simple. To the extent this is perceived as a real risk, stock up now.

Yes, that is the bottom line. Even in Australia, it's been estimated that only about 20% of the firearms in private hands were scooped up by gov't, and the rest are still out there. My response has been to adopt an acquisition mode for now......which is why a lever rifle in .30-30 and a supply of ammo for it are in my future. If I bought one in a pistol caliber, it could be either .357 or .44 magnum, as I have pistols in both of those calibers. But if I had to pick ONE long gun in a centerfire rifle caliber, it would have to be a bolt action in .308, which, for a lot of reasons, is a superior platform in a proven caliber with a wide range of bullet weights and applications.