Like many others in North America, I grew up loving lever guns. As a young man, I hunted with nothing else. Then one day, I decided that I was a ballistic expert; much too sophisticated to use a common carbine. For the next 30 years, I dazzled my buddies with an assortment of tackdrivers, & would usually take same to hunting camps. About 5 years ago, I invested considerable offseason time in reconstructing a lifetime of hunts. For every shot gained at long range because I had a full sized scoped boltgun, I lost 3 targets of opportunity at close range in tight quarters.

I had finally learned that there is a world of difference between a good hunting rifle & a good shooting rifle. Leverguns are good hunting rifles; quick to point, quick to follow-up & easy to pack & carry. They can also be recharged with fresh ammo while keeping the gun ready to fire. They remain as useful today as they were in the pioneer days.