Tim S. Iives in Clayton County, Georgia, where just before 3am one morning, he awoke to the sound of breaking glass near his front door.
Next, he heard someone unlock the front door and come into his home. As the intruder made his way up the stairs, Tim grabbed a rifle and shot several times in the intruder’s direction.
When police arrived, they found a male, later identified as 18-year-old Jayven Jackson, lying at the bottom of the steps of the home suffering from multiple gunshot wounds.
Jackson was hit in the lower extremities and managed to crawl down the stairs toward the front door before police arrived. The suspect was injured, but alive, and conscious at the time. He later died while being transported to the hospital.
According to Maj. Anthony Thuman with the Clayton County Police Department, “People have the right to defend themselves, that’s the point we want to drive home, you have the right to defend yourself.”
The homeowner, Tim S., is not expected to face any charges related to the incident. The deceased intruder was known to local law enforcement from previous encounters and there had recently been a rash of burglaries in the area.
Now, there are a lot of different options when it comes to home defense weapons, from pistols to rifles. One firearm, that is often overlooked for home defense is the lever action rifle.
In the late 1800s, the lever action was the AR-15 of its day. Easy to load, fast to shoot and delivering plenty of firepower.
Within a few decades, it made muzzle loading and breechloading single-shot rifles entirely obsolete, and it has been touted as “the gun that won the West.”
Of course, compared to today’s magazine-fed semi-automatic rifles such as an AR-15, lever actions are outdated.
On the other hand, if you’ve ever seen someone shoot a lever action rifle, then you know lever actions can still be pretty fast and incredibly accurate.
Another advantage to lever action rifles is they can be purchased relatively inexpensively, and many folks have passed them down from generation to generation, meaning they are quality built.
These rifles are very simple to learn to shoot since they have no complicated controls to remember, no scope to knock loose, no dead batteries and, of course, you get to feel like a cowboy.
So, if you’ve ever wanted to feel like a lawman from the wild west, or simply want a fun, easy to shoot rifle, I want to share with you a few different lever action rifles that are high quality firearms you can pass down to your grandkids.
Winchester Model 1894. The Model 1894 is a classic rifle originally designed by John Browning and manufactured by the Winchester Repeating Arms Company.
Known as one of the most popular hunting rifles ever produced, the current model is chambered in 30-30 Winchester with open sights and a walnut stock that makes you feel like you’re stepping back in time.
In addition, the 1894 has a 7+1 capacity and the rifle weighs about 6.75 lbs.
The New Original Henry Lever Action Rifle. Henry has dozens of options to choose from when it comes to lever action rifles, so they are sure to have a lever gun to meet your idea of the perfect rifle.
The fact is, whether you choose a .22 or a .45 caliber, you really can’t go wrong with a Henry rifle.
Marlin 336. The 336 is chambered in .30-30 Winchester with a brushed stainless finish and checkered walnut. It has a 6+1 capacity and you can easily mount an optic of your choice on the solid top receiver.
Each of these rifles has adjustable, semi-buckhorn, folding rear sights and ramp front sights with brass beads.
Remember, lever action rifles can be purchased in many calibers, several models and multiple configurations meaning you can customize it to fit your home defense or hunting needs.
There is no question the lever action rifle was the original home-defense firearm for much of the Western U.S., where it was just as effective in home defense as it was in the hands of generations of hunters who brought home food for the table using this exceptional firearm.
