The subject of weapons for survival is hot and heavy in the prepper community. Magazines and blogs offer all kinds of opinions and solutions. If you follow the mainstream “Prepper press” you would be convinced that unless you own the most modern military style battle rife, then you are SOL when SHTF. Not necessarily so.
There are as many opinions about which firearms a prepper should acquire to survive a SHTF episode or even TEOTWAWKI as there are firearms. I have written about building a survival battery for beginning preppers as well as oldie military rifles for preppers. But there is one class of firearms that is often overlooked. And that is the lever action rifle. Now, before you start laughing, some very serious weapon instructors such as Gabe Suarez have dusted off the lever-action and shown how it has the capacity to be an effective fighting rifle.
There are basically two type of lever-action rifle generally available to the public. Those with open top receivers and those with closed top receivers. Both eject out the right side.
Winchester Mod-94
The Winchester Mod-94 is an example of an open top receiver.
Marlin 336
The Marlin 336 is an example of a closed top receiver. Open top receivers are easier to access the chamber for single round loading. There are other lever-action manufactures such as Mossberg who makes a factory built combat lever-action and Rossi. 
Almost all lever-action rifles that are suitable as prepper rifles will have the loading gate on the right side of the receiver and use a tube under the barrel as the magazine. So what makes a lever-action rifle a viable prepper rifle?
the sheeple have seen in the movies.The lever-action can be had in two large rifle calibers and a number of pistol calibers. The two larger re the .30-30 Winchester and the .45-70 Government. In handgun calibers they can be had in .357 Magnum, .44Magnum, and .45 Long Colt, depending on manufacturer and model. Personally, I think the only advantage to having a lever-action in a pistol cartridge would be if you were carrying a revolver as a defensive handgun and wanted interchangeability of ammunition. However this seriously limits your range with the rifle. The .30-30 Winchester would be my choice in a lever-action. This cartridge has ballistics very similar to the Russian 7.62×39 round chambered in the AK. The 45-70 is an excellent cartridge and was designed to take animals as large a buffalo. But I personally feel that the .30-30 is a better choice for the prepper due to availability and cost of ammunition.
Most lever-action rifles come equipped with “Buckhorn” style open sights. These are perfectly adequate but a ghost ring aperture sight would be an improvement. Also, an Aim Point type sight could prove to be 
useful at relatively close range. I am not a big fan of bandoliers as they expose your
Tactical Tailor Dump Pouch
ammunition to the elements, but many people do like and prefer them. I prefer a dump pouch similar to one that Tactical Tailor makes. Slings should be a simple two point strap sling.
The standard lever-action carbine with 16″ barrel in .30-30 could be a serious asset to your survival armory.
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Agreed. On my “spread” (dinky little 29 ac in Central Florida), my walking around/home protection long gun is Win. M94/.30-30 SR Trapper w/ steel Redfield ghost ring and with the South end of the sling threaded thru the saddle ring. A buddy has created a similar scoped (old Weaver K3) version on a cut down Marlin Texan.
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By Steve H on January 18, 2017 at 10:23
[…] One of them is my recommendation of the lever action rifle as a home and perimeter defense tool. This article focuses on their survival and prepping aspects, but all of the advantages they list are positives for […]
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By Your Hump Day Reading List for January 18, 2017 - www.GrantCunningham.com www.GrantCunningham.com on January 18, 2017 at 08:53
[…] The azweaponcraftprepper blog has a new post taking a look at the venerable old lever gun for preppers and survivalists. It’s a short read and pretty high level but it’s worth checking out here. […]
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By Another Take On The Lever Gun – The Armed Christian on December 1, 2016 at 08:43
Thanks!
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By jlm990 on December 1, 2016 at 08:47
[…] of these regions, and need a dependable combat rifle, take heart. You have options. I described the Lever Action Rifle for Preppers. These rifles have evaded the restrictions placed on AR and AK platforms in some areas. But I […]
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By The M-1 Garand As A Plan B Rifle | Prepper's Survival Homestead on January 5, 2016 at 11:09
[…] of these regions, and need a dependable combat rifle, take heart. You have options. I described the Lever Action Rifle for Preppers. These rifles have evaded the restrictions placed on AR and AK platforms in some areas. But I think […]
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By The M-1 Garand As A Plan B Rifle | Azweaponcraftprepper on January 5, 2016 at 10:51
Yes..We are in with the Lever Actions as well.
I remember the day Roy Rodgers died. There on the idiot box was Bill “The Defiler” Clinton, speaking on Roy. Bill himself was in front of a video screen displaying Roy blasting away with a lever gun… Bad guys were falling, and yes Bill Clinton was still yapping.
I have owned lever guns for at least 40 years. Don’t get me wrong as I also own and practice with modern arms. I just feel that the correctness of lever guns will keep them around while others may be legislated away.
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By C.O.Jones on July 7, 2015 at 07:53
For most people a lever action is the best choice they can make besides an A-R or A-K platform rifle.
It does take some people a while to get used to the buckhorn sights,once you are used to them,they are fine,and it’s no problem to hit a deer,or a feral hog out to 100 yards. I’ve taken at least 20 deer with my 30-30 over the years,including my first deer in the W.Va. mountains.
For hunting,the 30-30 is one of the best all-around cartridges there is,lots of guys have taken all of the North American big game animals using a 30-30.
It’s a bit light for elk,but it’s possible to take an elk with a 30-30. I had a 30-30 with me years ago on a Montana backcountry elk hunt as back-up rifle,because sometimes things happen,and scopes get screwed up.
We had a guy fly in from Georgia one time who’s rifle appeared to have been run over by a forklift-or it could have been a fuel truck-who knows,the scope had been separated from the rifle,breaking the rings in the process.
I ended up loaning him my 30-06,as I was only allowed to hunt if all guests had filled their tags,other than hunting near camp if it was my day to stay in camp to care for the stock,and there was no other work that had to be done.
I ended up taking a 5×6 elk with the 30-30 from around 75 yds on one of the days I had some time to hunt.
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By gamegetterII on June 24, 2015 at 15:18
The Henry rifle I will get when I hit the lottery = https://www.henryrifles.com/rifles/ems-tribute-edition/
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By shtfprepper on June 24, 2015 at 15:12
I just wish the Henry had a side loading gate…
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By The Armed Christian on November 29, 2016 at 21:33
30-30 is a decent round, with good availability. There are some options for more effective calibers in lever actions
Savage used to have a lever action in .308 (and other calibers), the model 99. A quick glance seems to indicate there is a good used market in these.
Browning has the BLR, including takedown models, in most any caliber you can think of, even 30-06
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By equippedcat on June 24, 2015 at 14:55
[…] Continue Reading […]
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By The Lever Action Rifle for Prepping and Survival | Azweaponcraftprepper on June 24, 2015 at 13:27