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

Sweet buy indeed!

I wanted one of those 336Y Spike Horn models for quite a while to be a SxS scabbard gun, but I never did buy one. Now I am kicking myself every time I see the prices being asked for them.

Stay safe.

 

Two weeks ago here in Ca.
Filled about 2/3 of my F350’s tank for $175.00.
Six months ago $175.00 was 1/2 tank.


Gun and ammo prices here are just as outrageous.

Stay safe.

 

Probably for the same reason Bolt action Rifles have increased in price ; Lack of them being made , at affordable prices anyway . The Black Rifles and their modular platform have become the dominant contender now days .

I haven't seen Diesel for $0.14 a gallon in decades nor Gas for $ 0.22.5 a gallon . Yet when I was in HS ,that's what I PAID ,in SoCal no less !. Yesterday is an Old Day Now ,as the song goes .

 

Here in Ohio I haven't noticed lever actions being any higher than other firearms price increases. My guess for the reason is Ohio changed the deer hunting laws to allow straight walled cartridges back in 2014. Almost overnight pistol caliber lever actions doubled in price locally, and then very quickly 30-30's and rimfire's followed suit (especially the pre-Remington Marlins). They had just begun to start come back down in 2020 when panic buying brought all gun prices up again. In this state we've been paying more for lever actions for a while now.

 

Because they are fun to shoot and there is a whole load of new shooters.

 

That’s because the government doesn’t want to play “Cowboys and Politicians”.

 

Not to mention a lot of S/A replica revolvers^^^. I know this is "Rifle Country", but, there it is.

 

Except they have that godawful safety. That would be a hard pass from me at half the price

 

I feel the same way, that's exactly why I went with a new production Henry rifle.

 

What, exactly is wrong with the Henry's? They may not look like Winchester's or Marlin's exactly[except their 1860 Original]. I have two, a .357 and .45 Colt. Wonderfully built, very accurate.
No issues for me. Have a Win Mod 94[30-30] I like as much. I simply don't find anything wrong, to me, with the Henry's. But, to each their own.

 

1. Inflation (thanks, Joe Biden)
2. Yellowstone (thanks, Kevin Costner)
3. Retirement check (thanks, SSA)

 

I'm really not that fond of the Marlin 336 and the Henry is a clone of them.

 

I am willing to change my mind and nearly have several times but---. I do not like their Zamak 22 rifles. I do not like the tube fed silliness on their center fire rifles, I do not like the coopting a name for which there is no historical lineage and I prefer stainless steel over chrome plating for my uses. I prefer the half cock rather than a transfer bar even with the CBS (which I like) of the Marlin and I guess I just do not like the look of the Henry, the belly of the receiver is kind of tucked up or something, not sure, just does not look right to me. But I am almost interested in the All Weather in a .44 Magnum but just do not get over the chrome plating instead of stainless steel.

3C

 

I love my Henry Golden Boy. I had a Marlin 39A but I sold it. I wish I had it back but I wouldn't give up my Henry for it.

 

I wouldn't sell either for twice what I paid for them about ten years ago.

 

The safety they installed 58 years ago? Or is there a new safety?

 

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.

 

The tang safety is the one I was referring to that came out in 2003 or thereabouts. I'm not fond of the rebounding hammer they came out with around 92 but it wouldn't be a deal breaker at half the price. The angle eject sucks tho. They didn't come out with a new safety 58 years ago.

 

What's the problem with the angle eject? You can mount a scope easily, the spent cases go to the right instead of on top of your hat.
Don't see a downside here. That, of course, is just my thought.

 

Oops!
I thought you were talking about Winchesters and the cross bolt safety and I fudged the years.

 

Well, everything is up. I don't know why people expect guns to be any different. The cost of materials was going up before COVID. Then COVID, now rampant inflation. There's also no longer any economy of scale with levergun production. That said, the newer Rossi's are very good. Uberti is now making 1894's and has always done very good on their rifles. I would also wager that the new Marlins will be better than what people 'think' the JM guns were. I'm most interested in the newer Chiappa 1892's with the standard twist barrels, (not stupid slow 1-30" or 1-38"). They're still $1200, Rossi's are half that.

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.

I'll take hard chrome over stainless any day of the week. It's more corrosion resistant, wear resistant, slicker and easier to clean and lasts forever.

 

Since when is Zamak 5 pot metal. It's stronger than aluminum and there have been many guns made from aluminum. I've had a Henry Golden Boy for about 15 years and I wouldn't trade it for a Marlin 39A.

 

It's an alloy that is primarily comprised of zinc, i.e. "pot metal". If it was stronger than aluminum they would make AR's out of it. Like it or not, it's used because it's cheap and easy to manipulate. Like I said, I've got two and they are crap. Likewise, I've had 94/22's for almost 30yrs and wouldn't trade them for a truckload of Henry rimfires.