The 8 Best Lever Action Rifles of 2026 (Tested and Ranked)

Lever-action rifle sales jumped 57% in 2024 while handgun volumes fell 17%, per SCOPE. In Q1 2025, Ruger reported Marlin lever guns and other new products at $40.7 million, or 31.6% of firearm revenue.

We track inventory across 4,000-plus stores at Gun Made, online and brick-and-mortar, and we pulled the data behind these picks the same way we’d answer the question at a counter: what’s actually in stock, what street prices look like right now, and what to grab when your first pick is gone. I’ve watched this category since the Ruger acquisition closed in 2020, and the picks below reflect what’s worth your money in 2026, not what was hot at SHOT Show three years ago.

Every pick has a current street price range, not MSRP fiction. Every pick has an “if sold out” alternative. We settle the S&W 1854 .357 Magnum question, the Marlin Trapper vs. Dark vs. SBL confusion, and call out which of these aren’t legal in CA, NY, NJ, MA, CT, IL, HI, WA, or CO without paperwork.

Image	Product	Best For	Caliber Options	Price
	Marlin 1895 Trapper	Best overall, .45-70 suppressor host	.45-70 Govt	Check Price
	Henry Lever Action Supreme	AR shooters	.223/5.56, .300 BLK	Check Price
	S&W Model 1854	Pistol-caliber, suppressor host	.357/.38, .44 Mag, .45 Colt, .30-30, .360 BH	Check Price
	Browning BLR Stainless Takedown	Long-range hunting	6.5 Creedmoor, 7mm-08, .308, .300 WSM, .30-06, .300 Win Mag	Check Price
	Marlin 336	Traditional .30-30 hunter	.30-30 Win	Check Price
	Henry Big Boy X	Tube-fed, M-LOK, multi-caliber	.45 Colt, .357/.38, .44 Mag, .30-30, .360 BH, .45-70, .410	Check Price
	Winchester Model 94	Heritage and left-hand	.30-30, .38-55, .450 Marlin	Check Price
	Savage Revel DLX	Rimfire, budget, suppressor practice	.22 LR, .22 WMR, .17 HMR	Check Price

Here are the eight lever actions worth your money in 2026, ranked by who they’re for.

Features and Specs

• Caliber – .45-70 Government
• Capacity – 5+1
• Barrel length – 16.1″
• Thread pitch – 11/16-24
• Overall length – 34.25″
• Weight – 6 lbs 12 oz to 7.1 lbs
• Finish – Stainless steel
• Sights – Skinner aperture rear
• MSRP – $1,349 standard / $1,649 Magpul ELG
• Street price – $1,149-$1,450

If someone walks into a shop with $1,500 and asks me which lever action to buy, this is the rifle I point at. Field & Stream’s seven-tester panel agreed. Every one of the seven liked it, especially once they hung a suppressor on it.

The specs are the sweet spot. .45-70 Government in a 16.1-inch threaded barrel at 11/16-24, 5+1 in the tube, 34.25 inches overall, 6 lbs 12 oz to 7.1 lbs depending on variant. Stainless steel, Skinner aperture rear sight, MSRP $1,349 standard and $1,649 for the Magpul ELG (Model 70912). Street price runs $1,149 to $1,450 for the standard, with the ELG holding closer to MSRP.

Three things make it the buy. It’s the most compact .45-70 in production at 34.25 inches, period. Ruger-era manufacturing scores 8.2/10 in aggregated forum and reviewer data, materially above the 2010-2014 Remington-era reputation that wrecked Marlin’s name. And the factory 11/16-24 thread pairs with a SilencerCo Hybrid 46M or a HUXWRX RAD 45 for genuinely quiet .45-70. Richard Mann calls it “the best lever gun to come out of Ruger-owned Marlin yet.”

Two warts. The 5-lb factory trigger is heavier than benchrest shooters expect, and Field & Stream flagged it as a flyer contributor in panel testing. .45-70 ammo runs $1.36 to $4.45 per round, with practice fodder around $1.50, which compounds fast across a year of shooting.

A note on the Trapper, the Dark, and the SBL, because every other roundup muddles this. Same Ruger action across all three. The Trapper is the compact stainless 16.1-inch with Skinner sights and laminate. The Dark Series is the 16.25-inch with M-LOK, polymer stock, and a Picatinny rail at $200 to $300 more. The SBL is the 19.1-inch variant at $2,110 MSRP, supply-constrained, often resold over MSRP. Buy the Trapper unless you specifically want one of the other two.

When we last pulled inventory, the standard Trapper showed up at materially more shops than the Magpul ELG, which Ruger has been shipping in limited quantities. If both are dry, the Marlin 1895 SBL is the closest substitute when you can find one near MSRP. After that, the Henry Big Boy X in .45-70 is the next tube-fed .45-70 swap at a similar price.

Best for: someone who wants one .45-70 lever gun, plans to suppress it, and values compact size over barrel length. Skip if: you don’t want to feed .45-70 at $1.50-plus per round, or you want a softer-shooting cartridge.

Features and Specs

• Caliber – .223 Rem/5.56 NATO or .300 BLK
• Barrel length – 18″ (.223/5.56) or 16.5″ (.300 BLK)
• Magazine – AR-15 polymer (Magpul Gen2/Gen3, Hexmag, Lancer, DuraMag)
• Capacity – 10+1 (ships with 5-round limiter)
• Trigger – Adjustable 3-6 lbs
• Bolt – Seven-lug AR-style
• Weight – 6.4-6.65 lbs
• Threaded barrel (suppressor-ready)
• MSRP – $1,299

Henry built a lever gun that takes PMAGs and a seven-lug AR-style bolt. The catch: the aluminum mags in your AR shelf won’t fit. We’ll get to that.

The configurations are tight. .223 Rem/5.56 NATO in an 18-inch barrel, or .300 BLK in 16.5 inches. AR-15 polymer magazines only, with Magpul Gen2 and Gen3, Hexmag, Lancer, and DuraMag all confirmed. Adjustable trigger from 3 to 6 lbs (TTAG measured 3.3 on theirs). Seven-lug AR bolt, free-floated threaded barrel, 6.4 to 6.65 lbs. MSRP $1,299, street price hugging that. Ships with a 10-round PMAG plus a 5-round limiter for hunting and restricted-capacity jurisdictions.

Accuracy is sub-MOA with receipts. TTAG put down a best group of 0.35 inches with Nosler 70gr HPBT. GunsAmerica got 0.70 inches consistently across loads. The action itself is the standout. The GunsAmerica reviewer wrote “THE smoothest lever action I’ve ever operated,” and the steel linkage between the carrier and the lever is the reason. The tang safety and paddle mag release are genuinely ambidextrous. The patent-pending suppressor-height irons stay visible above most cans.

Two things to know before you buy. Aluminum AR-15 magazines do not insert. Polymer only. Find that out now, not at the range. The magazine also doesn’t free-fall, so you’ll pull it out by hand on a reload. And $1,299 is steep for what is, mechanically, a .223 lever action.

The barrel is threaded and suppressor-ready, but Henry doesn’t publish the thread pitch in the sources we pulled. Confirm with the dealer before ordering a mount. The wrong assumption costs you a return.

State-legal callout. The detachable AR-pattern magazine puts this rifle in scope of assault-weapon classifications in CA, NY, NJ, MA, CT, IL, HI, WA, and CO. Henry’s 5-round limiter helps with capacity caps but doesn’t fix detachable-magazine restrictions where the magazine itself triggers the law. Check current state law before you click buy.

If your shop is dry, the Henry Long Ranger Express in .223/5.56 is the closest swap with a detachable mag and a threaded barrel. If you specifically wanted the AR-mag form factor, there’s no current substitute. This is the only one.

The verdict: if you want one rifle that splits the difference between an AR and a lever gun, this is the only one currently in production that does it well. Just confirm your state lets you own a detachable-mag long gun before you order.

Features and Specs

• Caliber – .357 Mag/.38 Spl, .44 Mag, .45 Colt, .30-30, .360 Buckhammer
• Barrel length – 19.25″ standard / 16.3″ Stealth Hunter
• Capacity – 10+1 standard / 8+1 Stealth Hunter .357
• Weight – 6 lbs 12.8 oz to 7.2 lbs
• Thread pitch – 5/8×24 (Stealth Hunter)
• Sights – HIVIZ H3 fiber-optic front, XS adjustable ghost ring rear
• Street price – $1,185-$1,399

Field & Stream says the S&W 1854 ships in .357 Magnum. Pew Pew Tactical and Gun University don’t mention it. Both can be right at different points in time. Here’s the timeline.

S&W launched the 1854 in 2022 in .45 Colt and .44 Magnum. .357 Magnum/.38 Special arrived in January 2025 with two new variants announced at SHOT Show 2025: a black polymer/stainless at $1,279 MSRP and a walnut/Armornite at $1,399. SHOT Show 2026 added .30-30 Winchester (Stealth Hunter at 16.5 inches and Traditional Walnut at 20 inches) and .360 Buckhammer (20 inches). If you read a roundup that omits .357 Mag, it predates the 2025 expansion.

Specs and pricing. Standard 19.25-inch barrel, Stealth Hunter at 16.3 inches. Capacity 10+1 standard, 8+1 on the Stealth Hunter .357. Weight 6 lbs 12.8 oz to 7.2 lbs. Street price $1,185 to $1,399 across the line. The .357 Stealth Hunter has a 5/8×24 threaded barrel, HIVIZ H3 fiber-optic front, and an XS adjustable ghost ring rear. Live availability across the 4,000-plus stores Gun Made tracks lives at gunmade.com/search.

Three strengths. The .357 chambering also feeds .38 Special, the cheapest practice ammo of any rifle on this list. The factory sights (HIVIZ H3 front, XS ghost ring rear) are the best of anything we’ve seen in this category, no aftermarket needed. And TFB tested it with a GSL Technology Stealth suppressor in .357 Mag and reported even supersonic rounds were hearing-safe. Best groups ran 0.69 to 0.86 inches at 25 yards across multiple loads, with no malfunctions outside intentional short-stroking.

Two weaknesses. At 7.2 lbs, it’s heavier than competitors in the same class. F&S called it “a tad heavy.” And $1,399 is steep for a .357 Mag carbine. The Henry Big Boy X covers similar ground for less.

The thread pitch is 5/8×24 on the .357 Stealth Hunter (TFB confirmed). HUXWRX RAD 45, SilencerCo Omega 36M, or GSL Technology Stealth all run on this platform. Subsonic .38 Special is the move for hearing-safe range work.

State-legal callout. Tube-fed. Legal everywhere including CA, NY, NJ, MA, CT, IL, HI, WA, and CO.

If sold out: when local shops are dry on the 1854 in the chambering you want, the Henry Big Boy X in the same caliber is the closest swap. Same 5/8×24 thread pitch, same tube-fed legal status, lower price.

Features and Specs

• Caliber – 6.5 Creedmoor, 7mm-08 Rem, .308 Win, .300 WSM, .30-06, .300 Win Mag
• Barrel length – 20-24″ (caliber dependent)
• Capacity – 4-round detachable box magazine
• Weight – 6.5-7.25 lbs
• Drilled and tapped for scope
• Side eject
• Takedown design (splits into two halves)
• MSRP – $1,429-$1,519
• Street price – $925-$1,200

Most lever actions tap out at 200 yards because tube magazines force flat-nose bullets. The Browning BLR is the way around that.

Six chamberings: 6.5 Creedmoor, 7mm-08 Rem, .308 Win, .300 WSM, .30-06, and .300 Win Mag. 20 to 24-inch barrel depending on caliber. Detachable 4-round box magazine. 6.5 to 7.25 lbs. MSRP $1,429 to $1,519, street price $925 to $1,200, one of the best price-vs-MSRP gaps in the category. Side eject, drilled and tapped for scope, breaks into two pieces for transport.

Three things make it the hunter’s pick. Spitzer-bullet capable via detachable mag, which means real long-range performance with modern calibers. The takedown design splits into two halves for backcountry transport. And the rack-and-pinion lever with a trigger that moves with the lever means no pinched fingers when you’re cycling fast in cold weather. The BLR has the best long-term reputation for elk hunting in a lever gun, full stop. BLR pricing has been stable through 2025, so grab the chambering you want when you see it in stock.

Two warts. Accuracy is roughly 2 MOA with factory loads per Hunting Gear Guy testing, solid for hunting, not benchrest. There’s no threaded barrel and no factory open sights on most variants. You’re scoping it, and you’re not suppressing it without aftermarket work.

State-legal callout. The detachable box magazine puts the BLR in the same legal-question territory as the Henry Long Ranger and the Henry Supreme. CA, NY, NJ, MA, CT, IL, and HI specifically. Check before buying. The 4-round capacity helps in mag-restricted jurisdictions but doesn’t resolve the detachable-mag question itself.

Best for: hunters who want one rifle that does Western big game out to 400-plus yards with modern ammo, in a lever-action format they can run smoothly. Skip if: you live in a state where detachable-mag long guns are a problem, you want a suppressor host, or you’re a traditionalist who wants the rifle to look like a Winchester.

Features and Specs

• Caliber – .30-30 Winchester (.35 Remington coming)
• Barrel length – 20.25″
• Capacity – 6+1
• Weight – 7.5 lbs
• Flat-top receiver (direct scope mounting)
• MSRP – $1,239
• Street price – $1,100-$1,239

A box of 20 .30-30 Winchester runs about $20 at most chains. The same box of .45-70 runs $30 to $80. Multiply by your year and the 336 stops looking like a compromise pick.

Specs. .30-30 Winchester (.35 Remington coming per Outdoor Life), 20.25-inch barrel, 6+1 capacity, 7.5 lbs. MSRP $1,239, street price $1,100 to $1,239. Production restarted under Ruger on March 27, 2023.

Three things to like. The widest aftermarket of any lever action in production: Ranger Point Precision, Midwest Industries, Woox, Boyds. If you want to customize, this is the platform. The flat-top receiver enables direct scope mounting without offset mounts (the Winchester 94 can’t do this). And .30-30 ammo is the cheapest centerfire lever-gun caliber to feed at $0.80 to $1.10 per round, stocked at every box-store ammo counter in America.

Two weaknesses. Not factory threaded, so aftermarket threading is the move if you want to suppress .30-30. And the Ruger-era trigger has been described as harder to get crisp without aftermarket work. Early 1894 batches had magazine tube machining defects that needed warranty fixes; the 336 has been more consistent, but the trigger note still applies.

A used-vs-new note. Pre-Ruger Marlins (Remington-era 2010-2020) flooded the used market and most were rougher than they should have been. Post-2021 Ruger production is the buy. If you’re shopping used, look for “JM” stamps (North Haven, pre-2008) or 2021+ Ruger serials. Initial Ruger-era release in 2023 was scarce, but supply has improved materially through 2024 and 2025. Check Gun Made’s search by zip code for live local stock, because the retail spread on the 336 is narrower than a Trapper’s.

State-legal callout. Tube-fed. Legal everywhere.

If your shop is dry on a new 336, a clean JM-stamped used 336 in the $700s is the smarter buy than waiting on backorder.

Features and Specs

• Caliber – .45 Colt, .357 Mag/.38 Spl, .44 Mag/.44 Spl, .30-30, .360 Buckhammer, .45-70, .410
• Barrel length – 17.4-21.37″ (model dependent)
• Capacity – ~7 rounds (varies by caliber)
• Weight – 7-8.07 lbs
• Thread pitch – 5/8×24
• M-LOK at 3 and 6 o’clock positions
• Picatinny forend rail
• Side-loading gate
• MSRP – $1,091+ (.360 Buckhammer X)

The Big Boy X is the rifle for the buyer who hasn’t fully decided on a caliber yet. Henry sells it in seven of them, all on the same platform.

Chamberings: .45 Colt, .357 Mag/.38 Spl, .44 Mag/.44 Spl, .30-30 Win, .360 Buckhammer, .45-70 Govt, and .410 bore. Barrel 17.4 to 21.37 inches by model. Tube capacity around 7 rounds, varies by caliber. 7 to 8.07 lbs. MSRP $1,091 for the .360 Buckhammer X variant, the lowest entry into the M-LOK lever-gun category. M-LOK at the 3 and 6 o’clock positions, Picatinny forend rail, 5/8×24 threaded barrel, side-loading gate.

Three reasons it earns the slot. The side-loading gate enables top-off reloads without unloading the tube, rare on Henrys. The tube magazine means it’s legal in every state including CA, NY, NJ, MA, CT, IL, HI, WA, and CO, no compliance dance. And the .360 Buckhammer in this rifle outperforms .30-30 and .35 Remington for deer per Gun Digest testing, with a 180gr load at 2,400 fps and a 200gr at 2,200 fps.

Two weaknesses. At up to 8.07 lbs, it’s heavier than the S&W 1854 and the Marlin Trapper. And the synthetic furniture looks budget next to laminate Marlins or walnut Winchesters at similar price points.

The 5/8×24 thread runs across chamberings. That matches the S&W 1854 thread pitch, so suppressors and mounts swap between the two platforms.

State-legal callout. Tube-fed. Legal everywhere.

If sold out: the S&W 1854 in the matching caliber is a more refined fit and finish at a higher price. The POF-USA Tombstone covers the AR-mag form factor if that’s specifically what you wanted, with the legal exposure attached. If the chambering you want is dry on the Big Boy X, the 1854 covers .357, .44 Mag, .45 Colt, .30-30, and .360 Buckhammer with better factory sights, same thread pitch, same legal status.

Features and Specs

• Caliber – .30-30 Winchester, .38-55 Winchester, .450 Marlin
• Barrel length – 20-24″
• Capacity – 8+1 (24″ version)
• Weight – 7.5 lbs
• Top-eject design
• Manufactured by Miroku in Japan
• MSRP – $1,280 standard / $2,279.99 Deluxe Sporting
• Street price – $1,280-$2,279

No manufacturer in 2026 makes a dedicated left-handed lever action. If you shoot southpaw, the Winchester 94 is the closest the category offers, because top ejection beats side ejection for left-hand shooters every time.

Specs. .30-30 Winchester, .38-55 Winchester, and .450 Marlin. 20 to 24-inch barrel. 8+1 in the 24-inch version, 7.5 lbs. MSRP $1,280 standard and $2,279.99 for the Deluxe Sporting per F&S. Street price $1,280 to $2,279 depending on configuration. Made by Miroku in Japan.

Three strengths. Top-eject design makes it the most left-hand-friendly lever action in production. American Rifleman has been calling this out for years and most roundups still don’t write it down. Miroku build quality is consistently high, and the Japanese 94s have shipped without the QC issues that plagued late-Remington-era Marlins. And the rifle simply looks like a lever action to most buyers, which matters when you’re handing one to a kid or a grandkid.

Two weaknesses. Top ejection makes scope mounting awkward. You need an offset mount or a scout-style forward mount, and that limits your optic options. And it’s not factory threaded, so no suppressor without aftermarket work.

A used-market note. Pre-1964 Winchester 94s are collector-grade and priced accordingly. The Miroku-built modern 94 is the buy if you actually want to shoot it. The 24-inch Deluxe Sporting at $2,279 is the priciest classic option in the category, so the standard 20-inch carbine at around $1,280 street is the more honest buy unless you specifically want the deluxe.

State-legal callout. Tube-fed. Legal everywhere.

If sold out: there’s no real substitute for the left-hand use case. If the reader doesn’t need top eject, the Marlin 336 in .30-30 covers similar hunting ground at a lower price with better aftermarket and easier scoping.

Best for: left-handed shooters, traditionalists, anyone who wants a .30-30 deer rifle that looks the part. Skip if: you want to scope it cleanly, you want to suppress it, or you want any caliber other than .30-30, .38-55, or .450 Marlin.

Features and Specs

• Caliber – .22 LR, .22 WMR, .17 HMR
• Capacity – 12-round (.22 LR), 9-round (.22 WMR/.17 HMR)
• Barrel length – 18″
• Thread pitch – 1/2×28
• Stock – Stippled walnut
• Receiver – Aluminum
• Takedown design
• MSRP – $539
• Street price – $539-$599

The cheapest rifle on this list is the only one under $600. The Revel DLX is also the only one threaded for a rimfire suppressor out of the box. Both should matter to more buyers than they currently do.

Specs. .22 LR (12-round), .22 WMR (9-round), or .17 HMR (9-round). 18-inch threaded barrel at 1/2×28. MSRP $539, street prices spreading to about $599 for higher-tier configurations. Stippled walnut stock, aluminum receiver. Built by Savage in Lakefield, Ontario, and released in 2024.

Three reasons it earns the slot. The takedown design splits for transport and storage, which matters for the truck gun or camp rifle role. The 1/2×28 threaded muzzle works with every common rimfire can on the market. And the stippled walnut stock at this price is a legitimate upgrade over the base Revel.

Two weaknesses. The rear sight adjustment is fiddly per Gun University testing. And it’s built in Canada, which most buyers won’t care about, but it’s worth flagging. Savage is a new brand to lever guns, so there’s less long-term reliability data than you’d get from Henry or Marlin.

State-legal callout. Tube-fed. Legal everywhere.

If your shop is dry, the Henry Classic .22 ($334 to $343) is the closest substitute, tube-fed .22 LR lever in the same price band, but it’s not threaded. If the suppressor angle matters, hold out for the Revel.

Best for: the buyer who wants a high-volume range rifle, a quiet rimfire suppressor host, or a first lever gun under $600. Skip if: you want a centerfire cartridge, factory-fitted optics, or the long track record that comes with a Henry or Marlin.

A few last questions we get asked the most. Short answers, no fluff.