My new ugly 357 Mag Lever rifle

[jstanfield103]

Guy's/Gal's

I have been in my LGS several times over the past month and always looking for a Lever 357/38. They showed me a Citadel LevTac 357, Tactical lever gun really. Nope not interested in a Black Lever. So I was in there again yesterday talking with Friend/Owner and looked at that 357 again. Picked it up this time and it just hit me. This thing feels great in my hand. I always have to cut my Levers down to 12.5" LOP. This thing was already at 12.5" LOP.

Never heard of Citadel so asked the owner about them. They look just like a Rossi R92, in fact the model is a LevTac R92. Sure enough, built in Brazil by CBC I believe owned by Taurus. Life Time warranty.

This thing has an M-Lok forearm plastic butt stock, 16" threaded barrel and Big Loop Lever. With rail and peep sight on her. Just down right comfortable to shoot.

Bought her and got her home. First thing put a sling on her and the front swivel that is pressed in came off the forearm. No big deal had a swivel with machine threads and a nut so all fixed up and better than new. Next wrapped the lever with some Nylon string. Took her to the range today. Out of the box set as low as possible it was shooting about 3" high at 25 yards. Moved the rear sight lower than it allows (the sight Allen screw does not touch the rail at this low setting. The sight is half off the rail. So I took the rail off and drilled the underneath of it and threaded it for a Allen screw. Put the sight back on where I had set it and all good. Rear sight nice and tight and will not move. It is now as low as it will go and shooting approx. .5" high with 38 and dead on with 357 at 25 yards. I only hunt steel plates so that's great for me.

I am extremely happy with this rifle. I would have never thought, will it replace my Marlins. Nope, but I bet I shoot it more than my Marlins. Did not have a hiccup with it. Not my style rifle but just a great comfortable shooter. Holds 10 rounds 38 and 6 in 357.

https://i.postimg.cc/43sCmPQN/2021-Citadel-357-Mag-Lev-Tac-R92-1.jpg (https://postimg.cc/nXRSWvW6)

https://i.postimg.cc/7Zg8Hd7W/2021-Citadel-357-Mag-Lev-Tac-R92-2.jpg (https://postimg.cc/6851zHMr)

https://i.postimg.cc/8CH2WvZd/2021-Citadel-357-Mag-Lev-Tac-R92-3.jpg (https://postimg.cc/qtNDHNVg)

[Buzz Krumhunger]

Looks like it’s threaded to use a suppressor. Which might be pretty useful. I almost kinda like the ugly thing. :bigsmyl2:

[dverna]

I would buy one if the price was right.

Are you sure it will hold 10 .38’s and 6 .357’s? Seems like one of those numbers is wrong.

[358429]

That's really cool. Thank you for showing your rifle.

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[725]

It's weird looking but if it shoots, who cares. Go have fun with it.

[Castaway]

LOP, length of pull?

[jstanfield103]

Thanks guy's
Yes LOP is Length of Pull.
It really is not what I like, I have always preferred the traditional style levers. Mostly Marlins but have others. Just picked this one up to take a better look at it really not interested till I shouldered it. That's when I realized that it is very light short and comfortable. Just really a perfect fit for me. But it is ugly.

[Texas by God]

It's not any uglier than any AR15 in my opinion. Personally I'd ditch the recoil pad and Hondo lever- again my opinion.
If it is lightweight it will be quite handy.

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[Conditor22]

I would buy one if the price was right.

Are you sure it will hold 10 .38’s and 6 .357’s? Seems like one of those numbers is wrong.

"This Model 92 lever action rifle is chambered in .357 Magnum with an 8 round magazine tube"

https://www.rainierarms.com/citadel-levtac-92-357-mag-lever-action-rifle-16.5/

[richhodg66]

That thing is uglier than Janet Reno in bowling shoes, but if you like it, that's what matters.

Who is it that makes these and do they also make a more traditional version with wood and no tacticool stuff?

[Cosmic_Charlie]

I may spring for a 16" wood Rossi this fall. Prices are coming down on them.

[turtlezx]

looks like hipoint has compition in the ugly dept

[Gray Fox]

My wife and I have a 16" (hers) and a 20" (mine) Rossie 92 .357, both stainless. I have put 2x28 pistol scopes on both of them and they shoot the Lee 158 grain tumble lube boolit just fine in .357. I have so much .357 brass that I just lower the charge if I want .38 level loads. GF

[hwilliam01]

That thing is uglier than Janet Reno in bowling shoes, but if you like it, that's what matters.

Who is it that makes these and do they also make a more traditional version with wood and no tacticool stuff?

At least not Laurie Lightfoot in combat boots ugly! LOL

I kind of like the rifle....especially the threaded barrel.

[Conditor22]

Targets and prey don't know or care what a gun looks like!!! :) [smilie=s::bigsmyl2:

My HIGH-POINT MODEL C9 9MM (pistol) and HIGH-POINT MODEL 9945 9MM (carbine)leave a lot to be desired looks wise but both shoot great.

Unfortunately, neither of them get the range time they deserve [smilie=b:

[358429]

At least not Laurie Lightfoot in combat boots ugly! LOL

I kind of like the rifle....especially the threaded barrel.What what she's a political mobster whose nickname is beetlejuice.

What a comparison!

I kinda like the rifle especially the peep sights and short stocks! [emoji3]

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[beechbum444]

The lever gun companies need to be careful , that thing looks like it has a few cosmetic features that might make it an assault rifle one day …��

[TyGuy]

It’s a Glock style lever gun. Nothing to look at but appears to be plenty useful. I like that it’s threaded for a suppressor. Would be awfully handy for marauding critters and you don’t have to worry about banging it up.

[358429]

Jstanfield103, could you make a couple close up pictures of the front and rear sights?

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[jstanfield103]

Thanks for pointing out my numbers were off. Yes it does hold 8 rounds of 357 Mag. But boy it is a little tough on the fingers till she gets broken in loading them up. Thanks for all the comments guy's. Like I said I would have never looked twice at this rifle. In fact I turned it down twice until I picked it up to my shoulder the other day. That did it, now I am really liking this thing.

358429 here are the pictures you requested although not real good

https://i.postimg.cc/65x4W96X/DSC00134.jpg (https://postimg.cc/PNK5Kn83)

https://i.postimg.cc/DfXb3WT6/DSC00135.jpg (https://postimg.cc/fkMbxRkS)

https://i.postimg.cc/Jn9DB8bj/DSC00137.jpg (https://postimg.cc/r0NFvvZp)

https://i.postimg.cc/Znp98Qc2/DSC00138.jpg (https://postimg.cc/SYQNqDHf)

[bedbugbilly]

OMG! That thing reminds me of an AR! It must be an ASSAULT RIFLE!

Congrats! If it feels good in your hand and shoots well - go for it! Looks to me like a good knock around rifle that will do the job and you don't have to fret about scratching up a good wood stock. "Form follows function" and it sounds like it would be a good little workhouse.

[358429]

Thanks for pointing out my numbers were off. Yes it does hold 8 rounds of 357 Mag. But boy it is a little tough on the fingers till she gets broken in loading them up. Thanks for all the comments guy's. Like I said I would have never looked twice at this rifle. In fact I turned it down twice until I picked it up to my shoulder the other day. That did it, now I am really liking this thing.

358429 here are the pictures you requested although not real good

https://i.postimg.cc/65x4W96X/DSC00134.jpg (https://postimg.cc/PNK5Kn83)

https://i.postimg.cc/DfXb3WT6/DSC00135.jpg (https://postimg.cc/fkMbxRkS)

https://i.postimg.cc/Jn9DB8bj/DSC00137.jpg (https://postimg.cc/r0NFvvZp)

https://i.postimg.cc/Znp98Qc2/DSC00138.jpg (https://postimg.cc/SYQNqDHf)That is awesome! I would bet, that if you got an oily microfiber rag, and just wiped it in random directions all over the rifle, that a lot of that rust might just disappear.

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[jstanfield103]

You don't see any rust on the rifle. It is the camera showing it. I have wiped it down a couple times. I even looked at the front sight after these pictures, you can't see it with the naked eye. I might get a tooth brush and work on it. I wish the rifle was blued and not some kind of paint. I really think it is the flash, looking at the rifle again there is no rust. Must have been a glare with the barrel oiled up.

[Harter66]

These tacky cool rifles have a certain appeal . I've always been a sucker for forged steel and walnut but there is a certain appeal in the fall in them bang it on a rock AR mod style too , I had a couple of kids that couldn't 10 feet off the road without running into something ...... :)

I don't see how the blood and guts of it could go wrong being a 92' clone even with the rusty drill Rossi chamber . (Yes , I can say that I have 2 of them made 30 yr apart and both of them look like they were hogged out with chipped .490 straight reamers .

[jstanfield103]

Ok guy's

The rounds have been a little stiff to put into the feeding tube. I have been reading up on this and it appears that Rossi uses the same magazine spring on 20" all the way down to the 16" barrels. I cut three inches off the magazine spring and still left 5" sticking past tube. Also filed the sides of the gate spring to lighten the gate up.

Now she feeds much easier and better. Happy with that part of the rifle now. Only thing left to do on this rifle is the hand stop that is due in Tuesday I believe.

I hate to say this, because I own several lever rifles mostly Marlins. But as of right now shooting wise, this might end up being one of my center fire favorites.

[Texas by God]

We have a couple of shortened CBC single shot shotguns and they have been overbuilt 100% dependable farm tools for decades. I’m thinking that you will like that gun, especially if it eats .38 Special well.

[jstanfield103]

Thanks, I am hoping with the 38's they feed alright but not real smooth. Hoping with time they will get better. But really I only buy .357 mostly and when reloading supplies come back I will only reload .357 and the couple of boxes of .38 brass that I have.

[358429]

Try different overall lengths and bullet shapes to see what feeds best.

There's gotta be a happy medium somewhere... a payoff for the experimentation.

Apple's to oranges I know .. different rifles types and all... in my 77/357 I

loaded the 95 grain lee 380 bullet powdercoated, in 38 special brass with

3 grains alliant red dot. Feeds perfectly from the rotary magazine the power is low, report is in the mouse fart class.

Easily rapid fire 2 inches at 25 yards, perfect for plinking, or teaching new shooters, a couple months ago.

Everyone who shot it at the steel plate wanted to shoot it more....



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[HATCH]

threaded 1/2x28?

[jstanfield103]

HATCH
I believe so

[Harter66]

Just a note , the 45 Colts I had would not feed RP brass whether new ammo or hand loads and it didn't matter whether they were brass or nickel either . I fussed with the polishing and all and sold the RP brass it was all sticky in the pistols anyway .
A buddy had one in SS it would run 38s from flush WC to TC to the Lee 358-158 like water through a hose but 357s would hang up I didn't put in the time I should have . I suspect that it was lift timing and the little bit of travel difference between the two got the 38s up just enough higher to feed .

[jstanfield103]

Thank you,
I have enjoyed all the comments so far in this thread. It's been fun reading them all.

[Lksdmachine]

I have the same Levtac machine. Mine had the magazine tube cap stick out further than the shoulder of the threads. You could not thread on a suppressor without it crashing into the magazine cap. I removed the cap and faces off enough in the lathe and it was good to go.

I took mine apart and slicked up all surfaces but the lock bars and she runs excellent. It is an armadillo hammer!!

[jstanfield103]

Lksdmachine,
post a picture of yours. Would love to see it.

[Lksdmachine]

Here’s a pic of mine….
M-lok bipod with extendable legs.
Leapers dot scope with green or red dot.
Green laser designator underneath.
Section of pic-rail for the laser designator.
M-lok grip pads to cover the slots and give a good hold.

Using the laser designator with the red dot works best…..poor mans night vision!




286375

[358429]

Here’s a pic of mine….
286375I like that rifle setup!

What loadings have you tried in it?

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[Lksdmachine]

I haven’t explored the whole gamut of boolit options. But I have recently experimented with my hollow base wadcutter mold. Loaded inverted and a nose reformed so it can feed out of this little Levtac gem. This is an easy boolit to make and has excellent low velocity results.

Then I made a new core pin for that HBWC mold to produce the next abomination of a projectile, but I haven’t perfected it yet. My first attempt used my sizer like a swage press and it required me to final size my bullets too small to smooth them out. Those deep hollow points had the aerodynamics of a banana. I haven’t messed with it since, but I will. I attribute the poor flight due to the undersized diameter.

I figure the super deep hollow point should open up nicely at sub 600fps velocities for ‘dillas….and possibly an excellent turtle popper without having the round come back out of the water…in theory anyway.

286376

286377

[358429]

A turtle popper, indeed!

(I wonder if powder coating would help with the sizing and forming process, by

acting as a slick plastic jacket.

My favorite is ultra gloss clear.

Helps me seat and crimp, load and fire bullets without damaging the thin deep

hollowpointed bullet noses, no leading as well, nice side benefit.)

You sir, have jumped into the deep end with both feet!

Is dillas = armadillos?

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[Lksdmachine]

Is dillas = armadillos?

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Yes sir……the ‘dillas must be killa’d.
Hate those things! Nothing more disturbing than driving around the farm with a nice cool beverage and you hit a hole spilling said beverage.

[FergusonTO35]

For a utility rifle that is going to get beat up anyway, I think it is about perfect! How much didja pay, if you don't mind me asking?

[Lksdmachine]

My Levtac was NIB for 750.00 out the door at a local show. The rest of the stuff was as follows….

Laser designator 150.00 from a gunshow.
The bipod (highly recommend for these rifles) 29.00 eBay.
Grip pads were 8-9.00 per set of 18 pads from eBay.
Pic-Rail segments were from eBay as well.
The dot scope was from my junk drawer full of junk that seems to breed more junk.

[Mr_Sheesh]

Int thet wonna them thar hillbilly salt rifles?

Looks like fun, but then I could be accused of having a low bar on that concept :)

[Lksdmachine]

The Levtac rifle matches my character perfectly……

I’m a very nice guy and not to bad in person if you have really low standards. :)

[jstanfield103]

Thanks for all the comments guy's

I love the rifle and the comments have been a blast to read.

[sghart3578]

I got the same reactions when I posted photos of my Marlin 1894 Dark in 357.

But I like it a lot. It is accurate and dependable.

And used ones are going for big money.


Steve in N CA

[jstanfield103]

Steve,
I Love those Marlins, they are by far my favorite rifle. II have always been a blued wood kind of guy. When this rifle was pointed out I hardly even looked at it for the first two or three weeks it was on the wall. Just plain not interested, that's not me and not my style. I am more of a traditionalist than that.

Then I made the mistake (not) of just picking it up. That changed everything. That thing just fits perfect and shoots great. Sure changed my mind about owning it.

[William Yanda]

looks like hipoint has compition in the ugly dept

You got that right!

[FergusonTO35]

Nice gun, but for that kind of money I would go with a Henry.

[Lksdmachine]

I’m not aware of a Henry with a threaded barrel in the 750.00 price range. Unless I’m looking in the wrong places, the Levtac is the cheapest deal for threaded tactical “exercise rifles”.

[jstanfield103]

I have Marlins (Several) Winchesters and Henry levers. Henry is probably my least favorite out of all of them. Just me, I am not a big fan of Henry.

[sharps4590]

You're right, that thing is ugly. Do your other firearms keep scrunching away from it? Mine would

[Trailboss]

Those rifles are now in Australia, both cheap and ugly , maybe people will be able to remove the bean strainer, and add a custom ok looking for end

[Stephen Cohen]

Could you imagine John Wayne swinging that thing. I would never knock a mans choice of firearm but that thing just don't ring my bell. I saw them advertised here in Australia as well and will no doubt be popular with our black rifle wanna be crowd. Regards Stephen

[jstanfield103]

Guy's,
I know I feel you. Never thought that I would ever own one. ever. But it is a thing of beauty to shoot. I believe that Boyd stocks in the USA sells after market stocks that will fit this, but I am not interested. Right now I have thirteen lever action rifles, 12 of them are all the classic, I probably enjoy shooting this one even more than the classics right now. It really is that light and comfortable to shoot.

[Stephen Cohen]

If it pleasures you then we are happy. Regards Stephen

[FergusonTO35]

I’m not aware of a Henry with a threaded barrel in the 750.00 price range. Unless I’m looking in the wrong places, the Levtac is the cheapest deal for threaded tactical “exercise rifles”.

That's true. I don't need the threaded barrel but some folks certainly would.

[3006mv]

Nice write up. Thanks for sharing. Can you explain your rear sight mod ? If you were to turn around that sliding base would it still work on the ramp?

[Jim22]

The 16" barrel would be a deal breaker for me. My Marlin .357 has an 18" barrel and it is too short. Have to wear ear plugs when hunting.

[jstanfield103]

3006mv
You know I did turn around the whole base and tried to put the peep in the back side. If the peep was smaller it would have worked. But I did not try the insert the peep sight screws into. That might have worked, just did not cross my mind. I ended up taking the rail off and drilling and tapping the rail so I could put an Allen screw in from the bottom locking the base on the slide where I wanted it. It is very sturdy the way I have it and I know I will have no problems with it that way also. The Allen screw that is on the side of the base, the one that is factory used to secure the base. It leaves a dent in the slide when tightened which I did not care for anyway.

Jim22,
That 16" barrel is definitely noisier, than an 18" and a lot noisier than a 20" which all my other levers are. My dream 357 rifle and one I am waiting on Ruger to make is a 1894CB357, a Cowboy Marlin with the 20" octagon barrel. I have that rifle in 45 Colt and 44 Mag. But right now in 357 I have this Citadel and a Marlin 1894CSBL

https://i.postimg.cc/8PZ3XNHZ/2018-1894-SCBL-1.jpg (https://postimg.cc/dLT4LMgC)

I would gladly get rid of the 1894CSBL for the 1894CB357 but by the time Ruger brings it out I should be able to keep all of my 357's

beagle74,
Thought the same doggon thing. But this thing is just sweet to shoot. Small and compact. Just fun and accurate.

[smkummer]

A 38/357 lever rifle is one of the last guns I would ever get rid of. When primer prices come back to normal, it’s almost as cheap as 22LR to shoot with cast. I think I have only fired one tube of full power 357 in my 1894CS Marlin. Sweet, fun, low recoil and accurate. I have 3 30 cal. ammo cans of cowboy loads, standard and finally plusP 38 special that feeds the Marlin and other 38/357 handguns. Life is good.