Editing Lever action (section)

==History==
[[file:Spencer Carbine 2.JPG|thumb|left|Spencer-carbine M1865, .50 inch]]

In 1826, a lever-action revolver was capable of firing six shots in less than six seconds. It was produced in Italy by Cesar Rosaglio and patented in 1829.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=pfsZAQAAIAAJ&dq=Rosaglio&pg=RA1-PA72|title=Antologia; giornale di scienze, lettere e arti|date=June 24, 1832|via=Google Books}}</ref>

[[file:Colt Burgess open.JPG|thumb|Colt-Burgess rifle]]

The first lever-action rifles on the market were likely the [[Colt ring lever rifles|Colt's 1st and 2nd model ring lever rifles]], both [[cap and ball]] rifles, produced by the [[Colt's Manufacturing Company|Patent Arms Mfg. Co. Paterson, N.J.-Colt's Patent]] between 1837 and 1841.{{Citation needed|date=May 2024}} The ring lever was located in front of the trigger. This loading lever, when pulled, would index the cylinder to the next position and cock the internal hidden hammer.

[[file:Colt 2nd Paterson Rifle.jpg|thumb|left|Colt Paterson ring lever rifle]] 

Multiple lever-action designs, including the [[Volcanic pistol]], were designed before the [[American Civil War]],{{Citation needed|date=May 2024}}  but the first significant designs were the [[Spencer repeating rifle]] and [[Henry rifle]], both created in 1860.{{Citation needed|date=May 2024}} The Spencer was a lever-operated rifle with a removable seven-round tube magazine, designed by [[Christopher Miner Spencer|Christopher Spencer]].{{Citation needed|date=May 2024}} Over 20,000 were made,{{Citation needed|date=May 2024}} and it was adopted by the United States and used during the [[American Civil War]],{{Citation needed|date=May 2024}} which marked the first adoption of an [[infantry]] and [[cavalry]] rifle with a removable magazine by any country.{{citation needed|date=May 2015}} The early Spencer's rifle lever only served to unlock the action and chamber a new round; the hammer had to be cocked separately after chambering.{{cn|date=January 2025}}

The [[Henry rifle]], invented by [[Benjamin Tyler Henry]], had a centrally located hammer, cocked by the rearward movement of the bolt rather than an offset hammer typical of [[muzzle-loading]] rifles. Henry placed the magazine under the barrel rather than in the buttstock, an idea copied by most designers since.{{cn|date=January 2025}}

[[file:Marlin39receiver.jpg|thumb|Mechanism of [[Marlin 39A]] receiver]]

John Marlin, founder of [[Marlin Firearms]] Company, introduced the company's first lever-action repeating rifle, the Model 1881. This was chambered in rounds such as [[.45-70 Government]] and [[.38-55 Winchester]]. Its successor was the 1895 solid-top design, known as the [[Marlin 336]] today. It gave rise to the [[Marlin Model 1894|Model 1894]], which is still in production.{{cn|date=January 2025}}

[[File:Marlin 336W.png|thumb|left|[[Marlin Model 336|Marlin 336W]]. Linked here is a [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=58LbxVd4buo 3D animation of lever-action mechanism in action] ]]

By the 1890s, lever actions had evolved into a form that would last for over a century. Both Marlin and Winchester released new model lever-action rifles in 1894. The Marlin rifle is still in production, whereas production of the Winchester 94 ceased in 2006. While externally similar, the Marlin and Winchester rifles are different internally. The Marlin has a single-stage lever action, while the Winchester has a double-stage lever. The double-stage action is easily seen when the Winchester's lever is operated, as the entire trigger group drops down to unlock the bolt which then moves rearward to eject the spent cartridge.{{cn|date=January 2025}}

[[file:Savage 99.jpg|thumb|Savage Model 99 rifle]]

The fledgling [[Savage Arms Company]] became well known after the development of its popular hammerless Models 1895 and 1899 (which became the Model 99) lever-action sporting rifles. The Models 1895 and 1899 were produced from their introduction in 1899 until the expense of producing the rifle and declining interest in lever-action rifles resulted in dropping the Model 99 from production in 1998.{{cn|date=January 2025}}

[[Sturm, Ruger & Co]] introduced a number of new lever-action designs in the 1990s.{{cn|date=January 2025}}