Best non-semi automatic defense rifle

What will be interesting to see is how many people will register and how they would enforce...
NY safe act compliance.........estimated 4.5% compliance

Connecticut..............estimated 5% compliance


Back on topic
Mossberg 500 pistol grip 12ga.......

Old Dog said:

Gosh, the Dems don't want to BAN ARs... they just want us to register them, pay an NFA tax-stamp on each one we own, and then another $200 tax stamp for each "high capacity" AR magazine we already own... Haven't y'all read the DNC platform? We'll be just fine going forward, no need to fret...

But, uh, just in case, my resolution for 2021 is to spend a lot more time with my lever-action rifles and pump-action shotguns...

I'm thinking a Marlin 1894 carbine in .38/.357 and a Marlin 336 in .30-30 are just the ticket.

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Well, this is going to depend on what one means by "defense rifle."

If it's for home defense or some other similar situation where the ranges will usually be short and the number of shots fired relatively few then a shotgun or lever action is the way I would go.

As ranges open up, sustained fire may be required, and durability becomes important then we're pretty much right back to the bolt-action rifles that ruled the world before the advent of workable military semi/full automatic weaponry. We've been here before.

For home/property defense I'd reach for a shotgun first then a pistol caliber lever action if I needed more than a handgun.

Considering that the real goal of the 'gun banners' is to drive gun owners underground, to turn them into outlaws or revolutionaries, it doesn't matter what firearm you select to defend yourself or your family.
Selective enforcement of whatever laws that are passed will put you in the wrong if you are the wrong type of person... .

Let's not concede so quickly the taking of our guns.

To answer your question I have a Marlin lever in .45 Colt that will hold 10 rounds,

.455_Hunter said:

For homestead defense and "other duties", don't forget the Lee-Enfields with a 10 round magazine

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Of the rifles I own, that would be my first choice, a LE No4. Fast reloads with charger clips.

ApacheCoTodd said:

I figure a .357 lever that's happy with .38 or a stripper-clip fed surplus carbine. If my Jungle-Carbine didn't use relatively rare .303 - it'd be a the top of the list but as it is, I have a very sweet FR-8 that takes 5 round clips of any ol' .308.

Todd.

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100% agree. Picked up a Henry Big Boy in .357 about a month ago. I too saw the writing on the wall.

Another good choice is the Henry Long Rangers. .223, 243, 6.5CM, 308.. They utilize a box mag. Pricey but nice.

Klaatu Barada Nikto said:

100% agree. Picked up a Henry Big Boy in .357 about a month ago. I too saw the writing on the wall.

Another good choice is the Henry Long Rangers. .223, 243, 6.5CM, 308.. They utilize a box mag. Pricey but nice.

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Wanna trade?

I got a Long Ranger. In hindsight, I wish I would have gotten your Big Boy instead. The Long Ranger is a heck of a nice lever rifle - looks great, works great, shoots great - but that box mag is a pain. Limited capacity and I can't find spare mags anywhere. Extended capacity mags? No chance - must be flush to allow clearance for lever.

I'll take a 12 ga pump over most of the non-semi rifles. Inside 20 yards the best surgeon around won't be able to put them back together.

gotboostvr said:

Manually operated HD carbine? I'd grab an old Remington 7615. Pump action 5.56, runs on AR mags, takes 870 stocks/accessories.

Not ideal, but it checks alot of boxes. It was pretty much tailor made for such situations.

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That was a gun that was introduced at the wrong time. I don’t understand why it wasn’t more popular in the ban states, and I certainly don’t understand why somebody hasn’t brought it or something like it back into production. The ability to take commonly available detachable magazines was a real plus for that rifle.

I went through this exact thought process back in 2012 when NY was about to pass the (un)SAFE Act. As others pointed out, few have complied with registering their ARs, but I didn't have one at that point and didn't want to buy a "neutered" AR that would have been allowed after the law passed. My solution was the Marlin 1894 in .44 mag. Why? Because I already had, and was loading for, a .44 revolver. And, importantly, I could get one. If I were to go lever again, I'd prefer .357. I'm sure there are good historical reasons, but it is PITA that SAAMI standards have different bore diameters for .44 mag in rifle and pistol. Also, most .44 levers have a very slow twist that makes stabilizing heavier bullets iffy.

I also have Rem 1187 and an 870 for other situations that I wouldn't want a handgun. For longer ranges I would rely on the Garand and my bolt guns. Sure I'd like to have an AR, but, I think this covers me pretty well. If the army or a SWAT team is coming for me, I'm screwed whether I have an AR or not. Anything short of that, I'm probably okay with what I've got.

I've been looking at the Ruger PC carbine, but that wouldn't fit the OPs criteria.

[soapbox]You prohibit something people feel they can use to benefit themselves and not harm others, you create the conditions for a black market supported by previously law abiding citizens. Especially if they feel they have a right to it and they feel it's nobody else's business anyway. See the compliance with the NY and CT AWBs. See attitudes toward bans on military rifles, alcohol, marijuana, erotica, abortion, comic books: every time a prohibition has been implemented: millions of otherwise law abiding citizens wake up and realize they are being dictated to by idiots.[/soapbox]

Any way. To OP. Non Home defense long guns in an urban setting.
I have kept, loaded magazine, empty chamber, safety off, either:
_ .22 Magnum pump action Taurus carbine
_ 12ga Ithaca clone pump action
_ 7.62x39 Yugo M70AB2, or
_ .22 LR Remington Nylon 66.

Non semi auto= lever or pump, bolt second, blr in .223 or .22-250. Get several spare mags and a lightweight model. After that, since we are in the rifle section, any bolt gun that will take 15-30 rd mags. Sticking with .22cf, drywall won't stop ANY bullet, the bigger key is which bullets tend to stop after hitting the soft target? .22 vmaxes etc. Pistol caliber types like to go and go and go and go, probably why a lot of handgun hunters use stuff like the .44 for big game? Splodey .22s if we're worried about the neighbors please.

I'm not going to fret much yet. It's likely someone like Manchin would vote against any gun control laws, and even if I'm wrong we still have the Supreme Court on our side unless Biden manages to pack the court.

But to play the game, I'd opt for my 12 ga 870 with the short smoothbore slug barrel loaded with buckshot. I've got a Marlin 1894c too, but I'd feel more comfortable with the 870.

Old Dog said:

Gosh, the Dems don't want to BAN ARs... they just want us to register them, pay an NFA tax-stamp on each one we own, and then another $200 tax stamp for each "high capacity" AR magazine we already own... Haven't y'all read the DNC platform? We'll be just fine going forward, no need to fret...

But, uh, just in case, my resolution for 2021 is to spend a lot more time with my lever-action rifles and pump-action shotguns...

I'm thinking a Marlin 1894 carbine in .38/.357 and a Marlin 336 in .30-30 are just the ticket.

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Old Dog, how do you register magazine? I have ---..... well, a few. None have a serial number.

My personal opinion; this part of Biden's Evil Gun Grab won't go anywhere.

Also, the $200 transfer tax? On guns we already own? In the 30s when the NFA was made law, owners had to register them but did not pay the tax. Only those buying guns did. So ..... how does Biden get to tax (TRANSFER tax) guns we already own?

Not saying there is no answer ....I just don't know what it is.

bigpower491 said:

What will be interesting to see is how many people will register and how they would enforce...
NY safe act compliance.........estimated 4.5% compliance Connecticut..............estimated 5% compliance.

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That many, would have thought less.

I like my Remington 7600 pump in 30-06 with 10 round mags, hdbiker

I'm following the Warsaw and Kurd examples

Well, for me self-defense starts with my CCW carry handgun. I keep it on my bedside table at night, and on my person outside of the house (it's that kind of urban neighborhood ...)

I have a couple of 'beseiged by the zombie hoards' longarms: an M1 Garand in 7.62 NATO and a Troy PAR, the latter being an AR15 with some clever alterations for pump action. I really hope these will stay recreational arms -- things would have to be pretty bad before I resorted to using them defensively in preference to a handgun.

I’m not expecting major issues either but to play along, I’d probably revert back to what I was using before my AR which is a JM 336 30-30. Six in the tube and 9 on the stock, all 125 grain Federal. It should be plenty potent and I’ve never had issues with it. However it is down on capacity significantly and would be harder to operate under stress than an AR. The sights aren’t as well suited for defensive use either although I’d probably throw a red dot on it to fix that issue.

gotboostvr said:

Manually operated HD carbine? I'd grab an old Remington 7615. Pump action 5.56, runs on AR mags, takes 870 stocks/accessories.

Not ideal, but it checks alot of boxes. It was pretty much tailor made for such situations.

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Love my 7615P. There are two on GB now. One is up to $1675, the other $1526.

If it had to be non-semi auto I guess I would go with the Mossberg pump action or a pump action AK Like the Romanian Par-1.

wiscoaster said:

Wanna trade?

I got a Long Ranger. In hindsight, I wish I would have gotten your Big Boy instead. The Long Ranger is a heck of a nice lever rifle - looks great, works great, shoots great - but that box mag is a pain. Limited capacity and I can't find spare mags anywhere. Extended capacity mags? No chance - must be flush to allow clearance for lever.

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Can't believe I didn't consider the lever/box interference. I always figured there would be aftermarket support for bigger mags, now I know why there aren't any. Thanks for pointing that out.
Now what to do with all of these .223 rounds!

I think the design philosophy behind the Long Ranger was that its primary use would be as a hunting rifle, therefore a need for higher round capacity didn't figure in.

Klaatu Barada Nikto said:

Now what to do with all of these .223 rounds!

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You could sell them for a tidy profit.

Remington 14 1/2 with a 16" barrel in .357.



Just added to avoid confusion:

Sorry guys, it was not chambered in .357. I was just dreaming out loud. If we ever got into a situation where semi-auto's were not around I would be hopeful that something like this would pop up! Maybe bring back the Timber Wolf although I like the 14 1/2 better.