Lever action shotguns and rifles have been a favorite in Old West movies since the silent picture days. The cowboys and the Indians are always seen clutching a Winchester or some other type of lever action long gun in cowboy action flicks.
The origin of the lever action shotgun stems from the real-world popularity of the lever action rifle, eventually resulting in a shotgun version.
Origin
The popularity of the lever action Winchester long rifle and the Browning BLR led John M. Browning to develop a lever action shotgun, patented by Winchester in 1886.
The first lever action scattergun cycled shells in the same way the Winchester rifles did.
The lever action shotgun had a rolling, block type bolt. The bolt slid up and closed and the ramming action snuggly seated the rear part of the bolt against the receiver.
This helped lessen the problem of the day with black powder fouling the chambers.
The Winchester Repeating Shotgun Model 1887 first rolled off the assembly line and became publicly available in the summer of 1887. It was a 12-gage, but a few months later Winchester added a 10-gage model.
The large breach made it a little ungainly-looking, and sales were not as large as expected.
Even so, these guns became popular with prison guards, railroad security agents, big game hunters, and professional gunmen of the time.
Specifications
The 1887 lever action shotguns came in 30- and 32-inch rolled steel barrels. A 20-inch riot gun was added to the Winchester catalogue in 1898.
The rifle held five shotshells in an under-barrel tube, 13¾ inches long in the 12-gage model, and 15 ¼ inches long in the 10-gage.
The guns were sold with mostly checkered-steel butt plates, with beaded brass front sights but also available with silver or ivory beads.
Most had full choke bores, with oil-stained walnut stocks and pistol grips that were color case hardened.
Certain upgrades such as checkered or special-size stocks were available by special order.
The lever-action series was eventually discontinued around 1920.
Lever Action Shotguns Today
Reproductions of the famous Winchester 1887 scattergun are available today. A Chinese arms giant, Norinco, even sells copies of the 1887 original.
The French firearm company Verney-Carron has a lever action model called the Veloce. This interesting gun self-unloads the fired cartridge and has a side-mounted lever to allow the gun to reload and reset the trigger.
The Turkish-made Adler A110 Lever Action Shotgun recently began a renaissance of sorts in the lever action shotgun genre.
Adler introduced the latest model at the 2017 SHOT Show. The gun got a lot of attention, noticeably due to the varieties and accessories available. For example, barrel lengths ranged from 10 up to 28 inches.
Century Arms also sell PW87 12Ga Lever Action Shotguns which has proven to be quite popular amongst shootists.
An advantage of a Lever Action Shotgun
Lever actions have shorter movements than a pump action, which requires full arm movement to the chamber around. You also use your trigger hand to lever a shell and fire, giving you much better control and faster cycling, similar to that of a traditional rimfire rifle.
Making A Choice
Reputable online firearms dealers can give you even more information on the strengths and weaknesses of individual makes or reproductions. If you have a good idea of what you are looking for in a firearm, buying online could be a good fit for you.
Buying online is all about convenience. You can view and inspect guns from the comfort of your own home and will have access to their unique specifications from one click away. If you are looking for a hard to find rifle then buying online makes the most sense as it can be difficult to find specific guns at a traditional firearms retailer or armory.
You can also buy the necessary ammunition for the gun you want to purchase online. Buying ammo in bulk will save you multiple visits to the store and will give you more time to use your guns.
Clinching the Deal
Thanks to freely available blogs and websites on the topic of hunting and rifles, purchasing firearms online are not as risky a task as it may have been in the past. The key is to research the most popular models, select a few that meet your needs, and then find a reputable supplier online.
