Why have lever action rifles in particular seen such a price increase?

[hawg]

AR's are made from T6 aluminum which has zinc and titanium in it. Zamak has a lower melting point. It's still plenty strong enough for the purpose. Why do you say yours are crap? Mine is extremely accurate and has been trouble free from day one and the action is slicker than snot on a porcelain doorknob.

 

[3Crows]

Ok, fair enough. I have to admit, Henry's are a bit heavier than other lever guns, but, I no longer hunt, just plink in the desert. For what I do, they are fine. Thanks for your reply.

I probably exaggerated a bit. I do not so dislike Henry. Like I said, I am really interested in the All Weather and they have a few other offerings I could live with .

A general question. Regarding the All Weather, what parts are chrome? Is the barrel chrome in the ID, is the receiver chrome on the inside, are all the small parts chrome on all surfaces, is the mag tube chrome inside and out?

 

[.45Coltguy]

On the chrome question, I'm no help there. Think CraigC was typing about that.

 

[herrwalther]

Henry "gucci"??? When did this happen? Henry made their name making cheap pot metal guns. I was always very critical of them but got over it and bought two. Now both need to be returned to the mothership. Their steel centerfires are decent guns for the money but Gucci? I don't see it.

Based on how much they charge for any of their centerfire Brass receiver rifles. I call Henry rifles gucci with affection as I am in the process with Mr Imperato himself on getting a commemorative batch of rifles made.

 

[CraigC]

AR's are made from T6 aluminum which has zinc and titanium in it. Zamak has a lower melting point. It's still plenty strong enough for the purpose. Why do you say yours are crap? Mine is extremely accurate and has been trouble free from day one and the action is slicker than snot on a porcelain doorknob.

6061 is 97% aluminum and 0.2% zinc. ZAMAK is 95% zinc. Zinc alloys are the hallmark of cheap guns. They use it because it's cheap to buy and easy to manipulate. It's better suited to die casting and that is a less expensive manufacturing method than forging.

I knew they were cheap guns and after years of criticizing them, I gave them a chance when I found two models I liked, the Evil Roy version and the threaded muzzle Frontier model. Even bought upgraded wood for the Frontier. Now both rifles need to go back to Henry and if I ever get around to doing that, they'll both get traded away when they come back. Neither one has 500rds through it, probably that combined. At this point, you couldn't give me a crate of them with a hundred dollar bill stapled to each one.

 

[hawg]

6061 is 97% aluminum and 0.2% zinc. ZAMAK is 95% zinc. Zinc alloys are the hallmark of cheap guns. They use it because it's cheap to buy and easy to manipulate. It's better suited to die casting and that is a less expensive manufacturing method than forging.

I knew they were cheap guns and after years of criticizing them, I gave them a chance when I found two models I liked, the Evil Roy version and the threaded muzzle Frontier model. Even bought upgraded wood for the Frontier. Now both rifles need to go back to Henry and if I ever get around to doing that, they'll both get traded away when they come back. Neither one has 500rds through it, probably that combined. At this point, you couldn't give me a crate of them with a hundred dollar bill stapled to each one.

Sorry you had that experience. My Golden Boy has had thousands of trouble free rounds fired through it but is the problem with the alloy frame?

 

[TTv2]

More complex design necessitates more labor to make, even more to make well.

Since the only lever actions I'm interested in are those in revolver calibers, I don't need supreme accuracy when the distances I'd be shooting would be under 150 yards, thus Rossi is my go to brand. Henry's are nice too.

 

[Hokkmike]

More complex design necessitates more labor to make, even more to make well.

Since the only lever actions I'm interested in are those in revolver calibers, I don't need supreme accuracy when the distances I'd be shooting would be under 150 yards, thus Rossi is my go to brand. Henry's are nice too.

Your use of the term "supreme accuracy" intrigues me. I just kind of figured that accuracy was accuracy... When I first started shooting, many years ago, pie-plate accuracy at 100 yards was good enough for me. Now, after owning and shooting several fine bolt actions with scopes, I have tried to get my lever groups down to a saucer sized plate. (I do not use scopes with the levers except for the .22) The peep site has helped - the buckhorn is no good for me. I have sold off guns that in my opinion were inherently inaccurate.

 

[FL-NC]

I've noticed this too. In the early 2000's I could hit the pawn shops on Bragg Blvd, in fayettenam and pick up all the 336 and 94 30-30's I wanted used for $200 or less. I would see the Sears version of the 94 for around $150. The shops had difficulty getting rid of these things and they were overpopulating the racks in spring and summer. I think the basic Henry 22 could be had from walmart right at $200. I guess after Winchester folded or whatever they did, and the mess that went down with Marlin, lots of things changed. Also yellowstone, I guess. A friend of mine who is a Colt fanatic said that stupid walking dead zombie show made the pythons go up in value fast- the hero carries a python in that show.

 

[CraigC]

Sorry you had that experience. My Golden Boy has had thousands of trouble free rounds fired through it but is the problem with the alloy frame?

Sorry, I guess I'm still mad at them.

Your use of the term "supreme accuracy" intrigues me. I just kind of figured that accuracy was accuracy...

Leverguns will never compete with bolt actions for accuracy. They are simply incapable of the same kind of accuracy you can get out of a good boltgun. So you really have to manage your expectations. That said, I have traditional levers that shoot sub-MOA without any effort other than shooting them. For the pistol cartridge guns, 1"@50yds is a reasonable expectation.

 

[hawg]

They may not compete with bolt guns for accuracy but some of them come pretty close.

 

[D.B. Cooper]

Basic economics. Lack of sellers in the marketplace. How many companies are actually making lever guns? Four? (Winchester, Ruger, Henry, and Rossi.) And for two of them, lever guns are the least of what they make. Add to that the mass closing of FFLs nationwide, and the availability of lever guns just isn't there. (The closing of FFL's is going to eventually drive up the price of all guns.) This creates a shortage of supply (albeit, I suspect demand for lever guns is low compared to other designs), and that puts upward pressure on pricing. The increasing price of new lever guns will, eventually, put upward pressure on the price of used lever guns.

 

[D.B. Cooper]

It’s not that the guns have gotten expensive, it’s that the currency has lost value.

While this is certainly the case, it applies to almost all goods and services across the board. When you have an item, such as lever guns, increasing in price at a faster rate, and at a higher percentage, than other, similar products, then there are other market forces in play.

 

[TTv2]

Your use of the term "supreme accuracy" intrigues me. I just kind of figured that accuracy was accuracy... When I first started shooting, many years ago, pie-plate accuracy at 100 yards was good enough for me. Now, after owning and shooting several fine bolt actions with scopes, I have tried to get my lever groups down to a saucer sized plate. (I do not use scopes with the levers except for the .22) The peep site has helped - the buckhorn is no good for me. I have sold off guns that in my opinion were inherently inaccurate.

Same, the Marlin XT-22 I had high hopes for, but when all it could do at 50 yards with every ammo was a 2 inch group, while my Ruger Charger was doing sub-MOA with any normal CCI or Aguila load, I dumped that Marlin.

By supreme accuracy I'm basically saying I don't need a match rifle, just one that works properly, shoots my handloads well enough, and hits what I shoot at. When I want one hole groups at 100 yards, I'll use something else.

 

[King Medallion]

6061 is 97% aluminum and 0.2% zinc. ZAMAK is 95% zinc. Zinc alloys are the hallmark of cheap guns. They use it because it's cheap to buy and easy to manipulate. It's better suited to die casting and that is a less expensive manufacturing method than forging.

AR uppers and lowers are forged with 7075 alloy, at least in the forge shop I've worked in for the last 27+ years, Last year we started forging with Magnesium, very light stuff.

 

[CoalTrain49]

I've been looking for a Win. or Marlin 357 lever for awhile. I put my budget at $1000. I bid on a few used ones but couldn't snag one. Since then, about a year ago, they've gone up considerably. I finally gave up looking. I suspect that Marlin will be coming out with a .357 soon but it's going to be above my budget. I should have bought one about 5 years ago.

 

[CoalTrain49]

Basic economics. Lack of sellers in the marketplace. How many companies are actually making lever guns? Four? (Winchester, Ruger, Henry, and Rossi.) And for two of them, lever guns are the least of what they make. Add to that the mass closing of FFLs nationwide, and the availability of lever guns just isn't there. (The closing of FFL's is going to eventually drive up the price of all guns.) This creates a shortage of supply (albeit, I suspect demand for lever guns is low compared to other designs), and that puts upward pressure on pricing. The increasing price of new lever guns will, eventually, put upward pressure on the price of used lever guns.

My FFL just closed up shop. I've been using him for about 10 years. The one I used before that closed up about 10 years ago. Just transferred a revolver so had to find a new FFL.....again. His charge was $55. Had to drive 20 miles to get there on top of that. A year ago the charge was $25. My purchase was $850. By the time I get it in hand it will $1050 with tax, shipping and FFL fee.

It is what it is I guess.

 

[Ignition Override]

Humor: too many lever guns are now required to stop raids by huge numbers of banditos stealing vital corn and women.

No humor-----Maybe many of the ranchers on the border actually now prefer these due to the vast, present insurgency?