Lever Guns - Hammer down, or half cocked?

Well half #### is there for that reason... Hammer down will cause the rifle to discharge if dropped, at least on the older 1894.
 
Half ####... That's why it's there. I can see no disadvantage to doing so. That's how I carry my Marlin 336 when I'm bushwhacking��
 
I went to a hunting camp with an older fella a few times years ago, that had an old winchester 94. It didn't have a scope, and he was one of those guys that only shot the gun when he shot a deer. He had an old box of winchester super-x... I'd say they were about 20 years old. I grabbed the box one night at the camp, and as soon as I slid out the little cartridge holder, I said "you don't keep that gun half cocked, do ya ?" He said no and asked why... I tossed the box over to him and told him to look at the primers. Wasn't any trouble telling which ones had been in the chamber... Every one had a dent in the primer, and I don't mean just a spot where you could tell the firing pin had touched it. The next day he went and got a new box of ammo, and started using the half cocked position.
 
And what would Winchester 's opinion be? I'm sure it originally came with an owner's manual? I always carry a round chambered and on half ####. That being said, you can see why the new ones have a rebounding hammer..it can only be on half ####.
 
Have 2 '94s. One has a half ####, the other a rebounding hammer. Half #### the first one, hammer down on the second.
 
There was a long thread on this a few months back... try the search function and resurrect the old thread... personally, I always use the half-####...

But I have small hands...
 
I believe this is the image I posted in the previous thread which should sufficiently demonstrate why half-####, if firearms designed with a half-#### notch, is the best way to go.

HPIM2034.jpg
 
BigUglyMan said:
I believe this is the image I posted in the previous thread which should sufficiently demonstrate why half-####, if firearms designed with a half-#### notch, is the best way to go.

HPIM2034.jpg
Click to expand...

This picture also shows why you do not pull the trigger hard, to test the half ####. That can break the end of the sear off.
 
I've hunted with lever guns for about 25 years. When I'm actually in the bush hunting, I have a round in the chamber and the hammer on half ####.
 
Slooshark1 said:
And what would Winchester 's opinion be? I'm sure it originally came with an owner's manual? I always carry a round chambered and on half ####. That being said, you can see why the new ones have a rebounding hammer..it can only be on half ####.
Click to expand...

Depends when you bought the rifle new, whether or not it would have a manual with it.
If you bought a new Winchester Model 94 in 1939, I will guess there would be no manual of any type with it.
 
I just bought a win 94 XTR in .356, of course no manual and it's my first lever gun.... I am under the impression that I have only 2 option cocked or not cocked. Is it possible that the low position is in fact a half cocked and when the triger is pulled it get disengaged and hit the firing pin?
 
Half ####.

Have 2 newer Winchester '92s with the rebounding hammer and tang safety, and one Marlin 1894 Cowboy with a crossbolt.
The Winchesters will automatically rebound to half ####. So you can have a lot of added safety by carrying it in that position AND engage the safety.

The Marlin has a half-#### and you can also actuate a crossbolt safety.

Redundant to have safeties on lever actions? Perhaps. But if you don't like 'em you can just not use 'em.
 
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