Lever-action rifles

Lever action is a type of firearm action which uses a lever located around the trigger guard area (often including the trigger guard itself) to load fresh cartridges into the chamber of the barrel when the lever is worked. This contrasts to bolt-action, semi-automatic, or selective-fire weapons. Most lever-action firearms are rifles, but some lever-action shotguns and a few pistols have also been made. One of the most famous lever-action firearms is the Winchester Model 1873 rifle, but many manufacturers—notably Henry and Marlin—also produce lever-action rifles. Even Colt's Mfg. Co. produced 1883 until 1885 6403 lever-action Colt-Burgess rifles. Mossberg produces the 464 in centerfire .30-30 and rimfire .22. While the term lever-action generally implies a repeating firearm, it is also sometimes —and incorrectly— applied to a variety of single-shot or falling-block actions that use a lever for cycling, such as the Martini–Henry or the Ruger No. 1.

Probably the first lever-action rifles on the market were Colt's 1st and 2nd Model Ring Lever rifles, both cap and ball rifles, produced by the Patent Arms Mfg. Co. Paterson, N.J.-Colt's Patent between 1837 and 1841. The ring-lever was located in front of the trigger. This loading-lever, when pulled, would index the cylinder to the next position and cock the internal hidden hammer.

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