Were the first lever guns really 'assault rifles' of the day

[mickbr]

Not that they coined rifles with that exact term back then but were the first lever actions really designed around a need to deal with 2 legged game more than 4 legged game or both. Im no historian, to be honest my knowledge is hazy beyond modern 1892 and 1873' repros but Ive often wondered about looking into old advertisements and sales posters in the day. How often they were marketed as a defensive tool or similar term

[fordwannabe]

I am not sure of the advertising aspect but, when my ancestors called a Henry, "that darn Yankee rifle you load on Sunday and shoot all week"; you know they thought it was an assault rifle. Ask native Americans and see what they think.

[JimT]

Advertising for firearms in the early days did include ads showing or talking about self defense. Some of the "cheap" handguns were marketed as "bicycle" pistols to defend against attacking dogs. Bat Masterson wrote a book called "The Tenderfoot's Turn" about the Savage .32 automatic and how much easier it is to learn to shoot for a novice than the .45 Colt. It was about self defense and was a lot of hype but it's interesting because of its historical value and who wrote it.

A digital version is on Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Tenderfoots-Turn ... B00FP43TMW

[765x53]

I remember reading of the Turkish army using Winchester '66s as assault rifles in a battle with Russians. Using their single-shots for long range and switching to levers as the battle closed. Don't ask me which war, or where I read it.

[4t5]

Not by definition , it needs FULL AUTO capability .

[4t5]

Sturmgewehr , German assault rifle
Sturmruger , american defensive rifle

[Streetstar]

Id say so

loaded for a anemic rimfire cartridge, then a couple years later for an -- also fairly weak - 44-40. Much like modern rifles chambered for 762x39 or 556 x 45 , very marginal for a lot of hunting applications, but fine for people.

[zephaniah]

Seniorlevergunner got it right when he said it had to be capable of FULL auto fire. You guys need to get your definitions right.

Regards,

zeph

[marlinman93]

I am not sure of the advertising aspect but, when my ancestors called a Henry, "that darn Yankee rifle you load on Sunday and shoot all week"; you know they thought it was an assault rifle. Ask native Americans and see what they think.

Better yet ask Custer! His men were all equipped with Trapdoor Springfields while the Indians had a number of leverguns. Didn't go so well for the soldiers with single shot rifles.

[Malamute]

Regardless of what terms one may want to use, the Henry rifle, and to a lesser degree the Spencer, were significant leaps forward in firepower in a world still primarily using single shot muzzle loaders and percussion revolvers, with a few single shot metallic cartridge long guns. Having a 15 shot repeating rifle able to be fired at less than one round per second was a huge change in the fighting arms landscape. It wasnt necessarily that everyone immediately adopted them, but the fact of their existence, and the number of people that did use them, the old arms were put at a serious disadvantage. Even the advancement of muzzle loader to cartridge breechloader single shot was a huge step forward, witnessed by the Hayfield and Wagonbox fights in wyoming in 1867. At at least one of those fights, two civilians also had henry rifles and a case of 1000 rds of ammunition. The firsthand accounts mentioned that the two civilians kept up a pretty steady fire for many hours, the ground around them was covered in empty brass, the ground in front of them had dozens of dead indian horses and fighters. It was said that those two men probably killed more indians in battle in one day than any others in history. There are a number of interesting books, web sites and youtube videos of many of these historic events. The defenders were a few dozen, the attackers were many hundreds.

The spencers played a significant part in the Beechers Island fight, keeping the vastly superior numbers of Indians from overunning their position on the sandbar in the river. Similar to the events mentioned above, the odds were heavily against the defenders.

The original Volcanic guns that evolved into the Henry rifle was made in both pistol and carbine size, in several calibers. It was owned at one point by two guys named Smith and Wesson, who sold it and the rights to pursue other firearms concepts. The company was owned after that by a guy named Oliver Winchester, and reformed into the New Haven Repeating Arms. A guy named Henry worked at the plant and made some significant improvements in both the gun and cartridges. He never owned the company nor was it ever named Henry Repeating arms, contrary to some current misunderstandings. The company was reformed/renamed the Winchester Repeating Arms company, starting with their 1866 model.

Image search of Volcanic Repeating Arms Co https://www.google.com/search?sca_esv=7 ... 2&dpr=1.38


An interesting bit from the Civil War:

As the gunmakers’ markets matured through the Civil War era, some began mastering the art of product promotion, following the lead set by Samuel Colt. For Oliver Winchester that promotion came from his own fan base on the front lines. Among his enthusiasts was Capt. James M. Wilson of the Twelfth Kentucky Cavalry, who said he owed his life to a Henry rifle.

Living in a Confederate-leaning part of Kentucky in 1862 was risky for a solid Union man like Wilson, so when neighbors threatened to kill him, he stashed a Henry rifle and a Colt revolver in a log crib not far from his front door, just in case they tried. One day they did. Seven armed guerrillas burst into the Wilson home while his family sat at the dinner table, shooting on their way in, shattering a glass of water in his wife’s hand, but hitting no one. “For God’s sake,” Wilson shouted, “if you wish to murder me, do not do it at my own table in presence of my family.” All right, the intruders said, step outside.

The moment he reached the front door, Wilson leapt for his hidden guns, while bullets tore through his clothing without touching flesh. He grabbed his Henry rifle and fired five shots, each one killing a man who was shooting at him. The other two guerrillas then sprang for their horses. As one grabbed the pommel of his saddle, a bullet from Wilson’s repeater blew off four of his fingers, but the man was able to mount his horse anyway and was trying to flee when another bullet toppled him to the ground, dead. Wilson’s eighth shot killed the seventh man.

Word of Wilson’s shoot-out reached a delighted Oliver Winchester, who wrote him on New Year’s Eve 1862:

A few days since I heard a detailed and thrilling account of your adventures with Guerillas, in which your coolness and courage were conspicuous, aided by a skilful use of Henry’s Rifle. I do not know how true the account is, but feel a great interest in obtaining a reliable statement of any facts showing the efficiency of our arm in competent hands….I trust I am not asking too much of you, and will esteem your compliance a great favor, which I shall be happy to reciprocate in any way in my power.

[Streetstar]

Seniorlevergunner got it right when he said it had to be capable of FULL auto fire. You guys need to get your definitions right.

Regards,

zeph

Bullspit



Adjust the reading glasses and look down at the quote unquote definition and say -- "no no -- it doesnt have the fun switch!!!! NOT a assault weapon !!! " -- Guns And Ammo magazine and the NRA said so 35 years ago when they were fighting the BRady Bill!

Any of us who has been downrange knows the truth --- your AR, AK clone or HK clone are definitely assault rifles and we are conditioned to say they are not --- they are good at what they do - And the percentage of time full auto is desired in a magazine fed weapon which will dump its payload in 5 seconds is very very short --- almost never

Nobody ever shot up a country music concert with a Winchester 100 or a Remington 742 though

[jeepnik]

Well, yes and no. They filled the same roll. But people weren't yet stupid enough to try and make up names like assault rifle.

[mickbr]

Seniorlevergunner got it right when he said it had to be capable of FULL auto fire. You guys need to get your definitions right.

Regards,

zeph

I did clarify in my first post that the term wasnt coined back in the day- read it again- this is a comparison of the niche, not the wording

[LeverGunner]

To say that the leveractions were the assault weapons of their time is an accurate assessment. When you start with a Henry Rifle, 16 shots in less than a minute vs a muzzle loader, that's some serious firepower.