As popular as the AR-15 platform is, I think the more practical version of the American Rifle is a lever action .357 carbine or trapper.Oh, I concur, sir, you are preaching to the choir. I've been a lever gun aficionado for several decades. I particularly lie the Marlin 1984c in .357 magnum. I have some very nice loads for that particular setup that makes the little carbine into an effective 100 yard rifle, perfect for slipping though the pine trees and hardwood bottom of the woods I used to hunt.
I'm probably the only LEO who qualified with a levergun as a patrol rifle in Louisiana in the past 20 years. This blog post from 2010 gives some particulars on the capabilities of the little carbine. That particular rifle lives in New Mexico now, where my son uses it as a trail rifle, to keep whatever critter he needs to keep at bay. A 180 grain bullet at 1600 will thump something hard enough that it will stay thumped for the interim.
Those particular rifles are still available, and I recommend them to whomever might like one. Several companies make them. I prefer the Marlin although by buddy, Junior always lied the Miroku clone of the Winchester 92. Junior and I had many campfire discussions over the relative merits of each carbine.
Back to the M4. The young warrior has been infatuated with that rifle, learning the intricacies of the mechanism. I bet he has disassembled it several dozen times today.
4 comments:
Thanks for the follow-up. Lever rifles like those described are useful in the rural and urban environment, they deserve more popularity.
I would love love love...a copy of the Russian Winchester M1895 musket. But do it in .308/7.62x51. Keep the stripper clip guide, give it aperature sights, maybe put a short rail on the top for a red dot.
Although, if you wanted a patrol carbine, maybe 7.62x39 would be a better caliber. But the only strippers for that that I know of come at 10 rounds, not 5.
If its going to be a lever .308 Winchester, I'd prefer a Savage 99 (though I do wish the receiver had a thinner profile. A bit heavy, but a nice Classic design, Arthur Savage was a genius.
I like my old Winchester 94 in 30-30. I know it, and know what it will do. :-)
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