Pressure ratings in lever guns.

[ejh69]

What is the upper safe limit in lever guns in general? Are the reproductions in the old 73's and 76's best in using black loads, or can you get away with low smokeless loads? Thanks.

[yeahbub]

I wondered that myself. It all depends on design details and there is no blanket pressure rating for levers in general. The Win '92, '94, Savage 99 and Marlins are all rear lockers and have greater stretchiness than the Browning BLR, which is a lever operated front-locking bolt action, capable of higher pressures as evidenced by the rounds it comes chambered for. There are a number of other considerations as well.

The way I figure it, a '73 factory chambered for, say, .357 Mag is built for a lifetime of commercial ammunition and will give safe service with it. I would expect that, since .357 Mag and other Mags are factory loaded to SAAMI spec pressures (35kpsi), the modern '73's will have the necessary beef to deal with it. Those same rifles chambered for traditional BP cartridges are likely built to the same specs, since it would be an added manufacturing expense to have two separate inventories of parts, but I would consult the manufacturer's rep to make sure. It's still a toggle-link action which tells me anything beyond conventional book loads is someplace I don't want to go. If you switch to the Holy Black, you'll be shooting a rifle with a greater margin of safety than the originals, and the originals withstood BP just fine.

[jmort]

The 92 action is strongest. The 73 has the weakest link in the toggle. There are .454 Casull 92s and the SAAMI spec for the .454 is 65 k psi, similar to a 300 Weatherby Magnum.