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The lever action rifle was one of our earliest repeaters, and has held a place among America\u2019s more popular firearm platforms since the Civil War. Many things have changed in the past 160 years, but the lever gun has remained. It\u2019s been a steadfast companion for cowboys and deep-woods deer hunters alike, and is now serving an entirely new subculture of shooters: the tactical crowd. Traditionally styled lever guns haven\u2019t gone anywhere, but feature sets from popular platforms like the Armalite Rifle have been seeping into lever gun designs. These sleek, futuristic-looking guns provoke conflicting reactions from modern and traditional-minded shooters, but who\u2019s right? Can the tactical lever action do anything Grandpa\u2019s hand-me-down can\u2019t?<\/p>\n
As often happens, terms like \u201ctactical\u201d develop their own connotation depending upon the culture and context in which they\u2019re used. When someone refers to a lever gun \u2014 or any other gun \u2014 as \u201ctactical,\u201d what do they really mean?\u00a0<\/p>\n
To most people, \u201ctactical\u201d is defined by what the gun looks like. Many of the gun designs and features we label \u201ctactical\u201d in 2024 have their roots in military combat tactics, but many features have also been refined in competitive shooting sports. The classic M1 Garand<\/a> and M1 Carbine<\/a> are tactical rifles by definition, but a valid interpretation of what shooters today would say is that a tactical gun incorporates military-like features, accessories, and finishes similar to what you\u2019ll find on AR-style rifles.<\/p>\n Lever guns incorporating some of these modifications are met with mixed feedback. Many appreciate the history, legacy, and beauty of a wood-stocked lever action with a worn blued finish or a handsome color case-hardened specimen and think less of the tactical lever action.\u00a0<\/p>\n \n