LEVERGUN SIGHTING AND SHOOTING -
by Brian Pearce - Rifle Magazine - November 2015 (#283)
The lever-action rifle holds a special place in U.S. history. It helped settle the western frontier and throughout the country was highly regarded for its handiness, versatility and reliability. It also became popular in many other countries. Countless millions have been sold, and today it still remains widely used among big game hunters and guides, but it also serves credibly in the role of defense and for those who just enjoy collecting and shooting classic rifles.
Shooting leverguns accurately from a benchrest or sandbag rest is distinctly different and much more challenging than firing bolt action rifles featuring a one-piece stock design. Many times I have received requests by readers and friends to cover this topic, and it is with a certain reservation that I share my thoughts, as variances in barrel length and weight, caliber, recoil and other factors come into play that may change the technique used for a particular rifle. Nonetheless, a few general tips might help get a rifle zeroed, produce tight groups and allow it to hit the same point of impact from common field positions.
Many of the same principles and techniques that apply to shooting bolt-action rifles from a rest also apply to leverguns. For example, the sights – whether scope, aperture or open iron – should be of good quality and properly mounted. The stock screws should be tightened with the correct inch-pounds of torque. The holding method, including grip, stock-to-shoulder position and pressure, cheek weld, etc., should be as closely duplicated from shot to shot as possible. A good trigger pull, preferably between 2 to 3 pounds, that breaks crisply and cleanly will help prevent rifle movement when it breaks. Taking several deep breaths, let half out then hold while aligning sights and carefully squeezing the trigger (even between heart beats if possible) is sage advice. A good “follow through” after the trigger breaks is essential and possibly even more important with leverguns due to their comparatively slow lock time and generally lower velocity cartridges that result in longer barrel time for the bullet.
Leverguns can also be sensitive to barrel heat. For example, I have rifles that will “walk” the shots as the barrel heats, but others can be shot until they are so hot they cannot be touched, and bullets stay centered and groups seem to only increase slightly. Generally speaking guns with “rifle” forearms and magazine tubes are less hot-barrel sensitive than carbines featuring the typical double barrel bands. Nonetheless, it is suggested to allow the barrel to cool between shots, or at the very least, don’t shoot for accuracy when it is hot. Some guns are sensitive to how many cartridges are placed in the tubular magazine, as this changes the weight on the barrel and balance. If a rifle features a full-length magazine, I usually only load between two and four cartridges in the magazine when shooting from a sandbag rest, or when hunting, since more cartridges are rarely needed.
One feature of leverguns is that they often shoot away from the rest, or bounce excessively, which virtually always results in poor groups or fliers. I have seen this occur even with light calibers, but it is often more pronounced with big-bore, heavy-recoiling cartridges, such as +P-style loads in the .45- 70, .50 Alaskan and similar cartridges.
This problem seems even more magnified when the sandbag is positioned too close to the receiver or too far forward past the forend tip. I generally position the sandbag somewhere directly under the forearm tip, but rather than resting the forearm directly on the sandbag, I place my left hand just under the forend cap, resting the hand on the sandbag, then grip the forend tightly and use that hand to pull the rifle back firmly to my shoulder. If the rifle touches the sandbags, groups will likely open. This position cradles the rifle in a similar position that is used in the field, such as standing or using a log or large rock as a rest. (In the field, the rifle is never rested directly on any rest; the hand is the only contact point.) The above bench shooting method also helps control barrel lift and recoil.
With the buttstock firmly planted against the shoulder, there is no need for a rear, or buttstock sandbag rest. In fact, I never rest the buttstock on sandbags, or groups will open substantially. I do occasionally place a small pad under my right elbow to minimize the jarring effect produced by bigbore cartridges. Using this shooting method will also result in a similar bullet point of impact when the rifle is fired in common field positions, including sitting with elbows supported by the knees, standing or a makeshift rest, as long as the rifle is grasped and shouldered with similar pressure.
Most shooters who choose to mount a scope on leverguns generally opt for a fixed-power compact or low-power variable. The crosshairs of these low-power scopes will often cover the bullseye of many common paper targets at 100 yards, as they are generally intended for scopes with greater magnification. Select a target that corresponds with the crosshairs and that will allow exact duplication of the sight picture for each shot.
When using open iron or aperture sights, which substantially increase accuracy under all light conditions, target choice is essential to accurate shooting. The front sight should correspond with the target to allow a precise sight picture. A common mistake is to use a target that is too small. For 100- yard shooting, I prefer a 6-inch bullseye but have also used 8- and 10-inch sizes with good results, de-pending on front sight size and shape. A diamond-shaped bullseye allows the front sight to just “touch” the bottom of the diamond, with the bottom of the diamond being precisely centered in the middle of the front sight (bead or blade). Round, square and other bullseye shapes can also work well. Regardless, I prefer to place the target on a light tan or off-white background that is large enough to “surround” the front sight, which generally helps in achieving a flawless sight picture.
Many vintage sights tend to glare, skewing the sight picture, but can be smoked or blackened. Always focus on the front sight and target, and carefully center the front sight in the (probably) slightly blurred rear sight (aperture or open). There is no parallax, and with practice it is remarkable how accurate open and especially aperture sights can be.
Like any rifle, leverguns have ammunition preferences and should be tested for accuracy using a variety of factory loads or handloads. Most leverguns are capable of respectable accuracy – not benchrest competition accuracy but certainly good enough for the distances they were intended to take game. For example, I have a vintage Winchester Model 1886 .45-70, a Model 53 .25-20 WCF and others that will stay inside 1.5 inches at 100 yards if I do my part, while modern Browning and Winchester/USRAC 1886s, ’95s and ’53s (manufactured by Miroku) exhibit similar accuracy and have occasionally proven capable of MOA groups. Marlin leverguns (1894s, 336s, 1895s) from all vintages and in many calibers frequently produce similar accuracy.
Load development, good sights, shooting techniques and skills are essential in maximizing accuracy. Once that is worked out, lever actions are truly great field rifles with heritage