A Few Thoughts About Lever Guns...

...before I go see Capote this afternoon.

I've noticed on several of the gun lists an on-going controversy about lever-action rifles used as primary or secondary self-defense guns. Here's a short summary of the controversy. Yes, rifles have a place in a home defense battery for all the reasons that rifles have always had the edge — easier to shoot than handguns; more powerful than handguns; more precision than shotguns; greater range if necessary, etc. As my friend Jimmy Q. said, right after he got back from blowing stuff up in Vietnam and long before the phrase was picked up by name-brand trainers, "The function of a handgun is to get you to your rifle."

Given that, which rifle? It sorta comes down to two — the classic cowboy lever gun and the classic "everybody's got one" AR platform .223 carbine. Yeah, you can argue for an M1A (the current Springfield SOCOM II rifle is a revelation...its' also friggin' $2000!), any AK platform gun, some obscure choices, but, really, the game comes down to the two biggies.

I've got both, and I tend to come down on the side of the pistol cartridge lever gun. In my own case, the available self-defense rifle is a Winchester '94 Trapper carbine in .44 Magnum. loaded with Black Hills .240-grain JHPs. My reasons aren't exactly rocket science — I like the .44's ballistics over the .223, especially in the context of what the self-defense rifle in my situation might be used for. I don't have property, a farm, a ranch or a situation where there might be a long shot in a self-defense situation. In fact, I can't imagine taking a rifle shot longer than 50 yards (or the distance from the bedroom window to the base of the driveway, whichever comes first). Within those distances, the .44 Magnum is a proven hammer...thousands of deer and pigs can't be wrong! The Trapper wil shoot little tiny groups at 50 yards, all day long.

You can argue that the downside of the lever platform is the absence of that 20-30 round magazine. Fair point, but again, in what context might the gun be used? In my home, I'm unlikely to be facing crazed packs of Somalis or even five or six pissed-off jihadi, situations where pure firepower becomes a big big plus. Instead, I'll be looking at one or two (three on the outside) home invaders who are unlikely to storm my fortified bedroom. With nine rounds in the Winchester's tube and a 50-round box of .44 Maggies, I can lay down a steady stream of very deadly fire for a long, long time...at least, until the local cavalry arrives.

Secondly, I shoot cowboy action stuff pretty regularly, so I practice a lot with a lever gun. So does my Sweetie. That's a critical point to me. If, on the other hand, I shot three-gun regularly, I'd want my self-defense rifle to be the same platform as the rifle I practiced the most with, probably an AR (loaded with low-penetration .223s designed for SWAT cops). Just like with handguns, the "best" rifle for you is the one you practice the most with. A tool is only "best" within the context of "use."