Lever action: reliable or cheap novelty?

[Gsyme]

I am interested in a reliable, workhorse, PCP in .22 or .25, preferably under $800.

I would very much like a lever action. I am aware of the Seneca Eagle Claw and the Hatsan Vectis but I am concerned that these may be novelty guns that may not last. I would rather go with a bolt action that just keeps working than a cool lever action that gives up on me after a couple of years. I saw a Benjamin Kratos in the classifieds that looked intriguing. Have never used a side lever.

Any advice or warnings? Advantages and disadvantages of the different action styles. Much appreciate any pointers.

- G

 

[Glem.Chally]

The Seneca are well loved and I assume reliable and well made. The Hatsan are probably on the crappy side.

 

[delooper]

I don't see any reason for the Seneca to be unreliable. It looks like it's "essentially a bolt action" but with a linkage to allow it to be driven by a lever.

 

[PumaCarl]

The Vectis continues to surprise me, maybe two years later now, with how accurate and trouble free it has been. I got it re-furbed for $225 from from Hatsan and I have already gotten more out of it than I ever expected. The really nice thing is that I don't worry about it at all.

 

[esingle]

Hello look at a used Career 707 or a Sumatra 2500 you can probably find them for around $400 or so. I had a 22cal long Career 707 as one of my 1st pcp and it was a great gun. One of my friends has it now and still uses it regularly to remove pests. Hope this helps Eric

 

[Gsyme]

This does help. Will look at that Career or Sumatra as well. The Vectis is attractive for the price and, as you said PumaCarl, no need to baby it at that price. There are so many makes I still have never heard of even after a couple of years browsing Pyramyd and this site.

 

[Nomadic Pirate 66]

Novelty ?....Unreliable ?

Koreans have been making lever action cowboy style rifles for a number of decades,

Actually the new design of the Eagle Claw is even more reliable then the old style EunJin and Shin Sung ussed to make.

The Eagle Claw has a self indexing magazine so the actual mechanism of the lever action is really simple compared to the Sumatra design where the lever action would also index the magazine.

 

[Nomadic Pirate 66]

Also,...sidelever is by far more enjoyable to operate then a bolt action.

 

[CyberDyneSystems]

I am interested in a reliable, workhorse, PCP in .22 or .25, preferably under $800.

....
Any advice or warnings? Advantages and disadvantages of the different action styles. Much appreciate any pointers.

- G

You did not mention sidelever at all. I don't want to assume anything, for all i know you've shot them all, but if you have not been shooting PCP, or are coming from powder burners, you might not be aware of the sidelever action that has become standard on PCP rifles. IMHO, it's really the way to go. (And I LOVE a lever action powder burner!)

One advantage that the side lever has over bolt or lever, is that while still offering the positive action required to chamber a round, (and that extra level of safety that offers as well as a good tactile feel,) The side lever is operated so easily and smoothly it has virtually no effect on your sight picture, or grip/shouldering of the rifle. Bolt actions are similar, but require more motion,. and lever actions require even more movement.

 

[Bigragu]

You did not mention sidelever at all. I don't want to assume anything, for all i know you've shot them all, but if you have not been shooting PCP, or are coming from powder burners, you might not be aware of the sidelever action that has become standard on PCP rifles. IMHO, it's really the way to go. (And I LOVE a lever action powder burner!)

One advantage that the side lever has over bolt or lever, is that while still offering the positive action required to chamber a round, (and that extra level of safety that offers as well as a good tactile feel,) The side lever is operated so easily and smoothly it has virtually no effect on your sight picture, or grip/shouldering of the rifle. Bolt actions are similar, but require more motion,. and lever actions require even more movement.

Not to mention lever actions are not friendly on the bench, shooting off of a rest.
I suppose once you do get them sighted in, they’d make for a nice truck gun

 

[Gsyme]

Excellent points. I hadn't thought of the lever getting in the way when shooting from a rest. I mostly shoot off hand, but do use a rest sometimes. And I am very new to this: have never tried a side lever. I find your arguments in favor of that format pretty strong. I will have to consider that. Thanks!

 

[moodyblues]

Have you looked at a Lobo Mustang? They’re a little pricier, but beautifully made. I’ve read a tad about them but really don’t know much.

Mustang, new far west style pcp airgun

You will enjoy the plinking with Mustang airgun.

www.loboairguns.com

Beau

 

[Roachcreek]

After a decade of bolt action Airguns, I will always choose a side lever.

Buy a Mrod or P-rod, you will understand.

Now if your going from a pb like a Marlin or Winchester to a Sumatra and trying to operate it the same way, I could understand your thinking.

Regards,

Roachcreek

 

[MACTEN]

I've owned several lever action Korean pcp's.. Career 707, Career Ultra, Sumatra 2500.. And the Eagle Claw as well.. All were very reliable.

 

[CyberDyneSystems]

Have you looked at a Lobo Mustang? They’re a little pricier, but beautifully made. I’ve read a tad about them but really don’t know much.

Mustang, new far west style pcp airgun

You will enjoy the plinking with Mustang airgun.

www.loboairguns.com

Beau

That's really freaking clever!

 

[Gsyme]

That one looks really fun but a bit out of my range. Also wonder what the performance is like if tuned for the US and not to 12ft lbs for Europe. After all the feedback I think I am going to seriously start looking at side levers.

 

[d3vnull]

I know nothing about this rifle or Pyramyd Air"s ability to refurbish:

https://www.pyramydair.com/product/seneca-eagle-claw-carbine-lever-action-pcp?m=4953#10315

 

[Hal4son]

Hello look at a used Career 707 or a Sumatra 2500 you can probably find them for around $400 or so. I had a 22cal long Career 707 as one of my 1st pcp and it was a great gun. One of my friends has it now and still uses it regularly to remove pests. Hope this helps Eric

I have a Career 707 in .25 cal that is somewhere around 25 years old. Never rebuilt, never had an issue, holds air to this day. It is a solid, dependable, one-owner rifle. Only minor fault I'd point out is the trigger is a little stiff. Not horrible but a little stiff. In fact if I hadn't recently moved on to higher dollar PCPs I would not have thought to mention it. It is the stick feed type magazine so it's eaten a lot of cheap Eun Jin 33 grain pellets and killed a lot of critters.

 

[bckyrdsnpr52]

That's really freaking clever!

I posted about these 2 years ago. Problem is they wont ship to the USA

 

[Bigragu]

I wish someone would come out with a really nice bolt gun, one that acts/functions/and feels like the Remington 700. Large tactical knob, smooth and not affected by hammer spring tension, where you have to brace the rifles butt pad against your shoulder in order to cock it.

Instead of the bullpup styles all coming out, why not someone design pcp’s more to look like the classic powder burners? The M70, the REM 700, M1 garand, etc, or use the accutrigger design like what savage uses?