The lever-action rifle was a revolutionary innovation in modern rifles. Its repeating action was a rapid departure from the norm of single-shot, muzzle-loading rifles, sparking a new era in firearm technology. With that said, they were never super popular with military forces. On the outside, they seem like an amazing option for soldiers. They have a magazine that holds multiple rounds, they work rapidly, and in the minds of many, they could pick apart a formation of troops in seconds.
The reality was that military forces never favored the lever gun for numerous reasons. The biggest downside to early cartridge-firing lever guns was the relatively low-powered cartridges and the limited range they offered. The rate of fire doesn’t matter when the enemy can pick you off at range.
Another downside was price and complexity. These were expensive guns. Even by the time lever guns were made in calibers like .45-70, they broke more often and were harder to fix than the standard military breechloader.
Over time, smokeless powder and high-pressure cartridges have made bolt-action rifles the go-to option. By the time lever guns existed that could handle the high-pressure, spitzer-style projectiles, they were again too complicated and expensive.
Even with all their downsides, the lever gun found its way into the armories of many nations and into the hands of a wide variety of troops.
The Early Lever Guns
The first lever-action rifle was not what you typically picture. It was actually a revolving rifle designed by Colt. These were ring-lever rifles, and the lever rotated the cylinder. The first lever gun was also the first repeater the United States military adopted and the first to see warfare. The Colt Ring Lever rifles were still caplock rifles. They were adopted in small numbers and used in the American-Indian wars.
They were expensive and complicated. They were more prone to breakage than muskets and would often chain fire. Chain fire meant all five or six cylinders would go off at once, which could seriously injure the soldier carrying the rifle.
Volcanic lever-action rifles and pistols begin to look a bit like what you expect. These used caseless ammunition. They were pitiful regarding power, but Oliver Winchester was an early investor. This eventually led to him owning the company and creating the New Haven Arms Company.
The American Civil War
The American Civil War was the first war in which lever-action rifles saw significant action. Metallic cartridges made the lever-action a more practical firearm, and the repeating capability allowed them to affect major battles throughout the war.
In 1860, Christopher Spencer invented the first military metallic cartridge repeating rifle. The Spencer Repeating Rifle would go on to see combat in the Civil War. While the War Department initially rejected the rifle, Spencer got an audience with Abraham Lincoln. This audience ensured the weapon’s adoption as Lincoln walked away impressed.
The Spencer rifle significantly impacted the Battle of Hoover’s Gap, the Gettysburg Campaign, and the Battle of Hanover. It was also a testament to metallic cartridges and their benefits. Another lever-action rifle that showed up during the Civil War was the Henry Rifle. This rifle laid the groundwork for the future of lever-action rifles, and its design offered numerous benefits over the Spencer Carbine. The tube magazine underneath the barrel, the lever that cocked the hammer, and the fact it held 16 rounds made it a game changer. The government purchased less than 2,000 of them, but their popularity with troops meant that anywhere from 6,000 to 7,000 were privately purchased.
Going Overseas
In the years preceding the Civil War, New Haven Arms became Winchester Repeating Arms, and the Winchester 1866 became the premier lever-action rifle. Oliver Winchester sent several M1866 guns to Generals and politicians of the Ottoman Empire. This worked as a marketing technique, and the Ottoman Empire ordered 50,000 military models of the M1866 with a full-length handguard and bayonet lug.
1877, another Russo-Ottoman conflict kicked off, leading to the Battle of Plevna. At Plevna, the Turks were on the defense. The Turkish military used smart tactics that took advantage of the close-range potential of the Henry rifles. They ambushed the Russians at first and chased them from Plevna.
The Turks mixed the long-range fire of the Peabody-Martini with the short-range overwhelming firepower of the Winchesters when necessary. The Turks lost Plevan, but the Russians suffered massive losses to take the city. This battle was a stone in a pond, creating ripples that renewed interest in repeating rifles throughout Europe.
The lever action spread throughout the world in small numbers. In the War of the Pacific, every nation involved used Winchester lever action rifles in limited numbers. They often armed artillery crews, sailors, and the like.
A New World For Lever Actions
The Spanish-American War began in 1898. Theodore Roosevelt led the Rough Riders. He gave each officer the new Winchester 1895 in .30-40 Krag and carried one himself. Roosevelt loved Winchester rifles and would use them for the entirety of his life.
Due to its internal box magazine design, this lever-action rifle could use high-pressure, spitzer-tipped cartridges. It allowed the Rough Riders to have the same range and power as a bolt-action but in a lever gun format. The U.S. ordered several thousand rifles, but they were delivered too late for the war.
It bears mentioning that the M1895 Colt-Browning Machine Gun was the first and only full-auto lever gun. The famed potato digger used a gas-operated, lever-actuated system. The gun saw service with the Navy and Marine Corps in the Spanish-American War, the Philippine-American War, and the Boxer Rebellion. The Marines had the first documented use of a machine gun to support an infantry assault in the Spanish-American War.
These guns went international and were used in the Mexican Revolution, the Uruguayan Civil War, The Second Boer War, and World War I.
The Great War
As European nations poured their young men into World War I, they armed them with repeating lever-action rifles. Each country had its favored design and caliber, but they were all bolt-action rifles. The size and scale of World War I took everyone by surprise and more rifles were needed. Countries couldn’t produce enough high-powered battle rifles.
Many allied nations relied on Winchester and Savage to produce lever-action rifles. These rifles weren’t intended for the front lines but were used to arm rear-echelon troops, home guards, military police, etc. This freed up the rifles that were so desperately needed by front-line troops.
Russia ordered 294,000 Winchester in 1895 but only received 70% of the guns. They issued these guns to rear troops and their allies in Finland and the Baltic states to resist the German Empire.
The British Royal Flying Corps purchased Winchester Model 1886 rifles in .45-90 Sharps with incendiary ammo designed to ignite the hydrogen gas in German airships. The Royal Navy purchased 5,000 .30-30 rifles to free up Lee-Enfields. The French purchased 15,100 for rear-echelon troops.
American Forces purchased 50,000 Winchester 1894s in .30-30 to be used by American troops in the untied States. They were famously sent to the Army Signal Corps in the Pacific Northwest to prevent labor strikes from interrupting the manufacture of Sitka spruce lumber. Further, the Montreal Home Guard purchased nearly a thousand Savage Model 99s in .303 Savage. The Model 99 used a rotary magazine that allowed it to fire proper rifle cartridges.
After World War I, the lever-action wasn’t used much in warfare. During World War II, some were used for home guards, but in a much smaller number than before. After that, they largely faded from use in warfare.
Work the Lever
Lever-action rifles have historically never been suited for open infantry warfare. However, in specialty roles, they excelled and often offered close-range support. In many ways, they were the submachine gun of rifles. They have a fascinating history of use during warfare that’s often hidden amongst the typical rifles from Springfield and Mauser.
