The post-Bruen era has witnessed many victories for gun owners. Constitutional Carry is now the law in over half the country. Gun, magazine, and carry bans are on the defensive as Second Amendment rights groups challenge them in court. The hated NFA tax stamp has been reduced to zero.
But despite these advances, some states haven’t gotten the memo, and many are digging in. My home state of Virginia is one of them. Hell-bent to follow the anti-gun policies of California, Illinois, New York, and others, the newly-elected General Assembly is going all-in on draconian gun control. Never mind that most of those laws violate not only the Second Amendment, but also Article 1, Section 13 of the Virginia Constitution, which reads, in part:
“That a well regulated militia, composed of the body of the people, trained to arms, is the proper, natural, and safe defense of a free state, therefore, the right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed…”
The first clause dates all the way back to 1776, while the second was adopted in 1791, the same year the Second Amendment was ratified. One can see that the Virginia Constitution heavily influenced Virginia Congressman James Madison, who drafted the Second Amendment and shepherded it through the First Congress. Virginia was always a gun-friendly state but changing demographics and the exploding DC suburbs have recently flipped the script.
Necessary Self-Defense Options
Virginia will join the ranks of the most egregious gun control states on July 1, 2026. The gun controllers have the votes, and the new governor will sign those bills. Challenges to those laws are no doubt ready to go as soon as the ink dries, but Virginians may be forced to adapt as the courts do their thing.
Having self-defense options is always a good idea, no matter where you live. But Virginians, and gun owners in other gun control states, perhaps have more options than they realize. Those options may require some extra training, but we all need that anyway.
One major challenge presented by gun control states is the lack of preemption laws, which prevent localities from implementing stricter gun laws than those enacted by the state. Virginia repealed its preemption law several years ago, meaning that concealed carriers, or even people just traveling, can unknowingly entangle themselves in local laws of which they are unaware.
Self-Defense Solutions
One partial solution to a patchwork of laws, and strict gun control writ large, is the use of traditional firearms. Modern shooters have been conditioned to want the latest and greatest, whether it be one more round in the magazine, a quicker trigger, or seemingly infinite modularity. I get it. I like that stuff too.
But “traditional” doesn’t equal “incapable.” A good revolver will get the job done, and it will likely do it more reliably, so long as you do your part and train. Likewise a lever action rifle. Ever see a proficient lever gun shooter empty a magazine? It will do the job, and many pistol-caliber lever guns have respectable magazine capacities.
I’m not telling you that a lever action rifle is equal to an AR-15 in the defensive role. Or that a six-shooter is a better carry gun than your Glock. But they can serve as capable alternatives. Let’s look at that.
Revolvers for Self-Defense
Capacity is the biggest knock against revolvers. You’ll get seven rounds, at most, for a good defensive cartridge. Usually only five or six. Reloading is more difficult than semi-auto guns, even using speed loaders.
But double action revolvers are repeating firearms. Quality wheel guns are also generally more reliable than even the best semi-auto pistols. Even the most basic maintenance ensures a good revolver will indeed go “bang” when you pull the trigger. And like extra magazines, speed loaders are easily carried. Quality holster options also abound, and holsters are just as important as the gun.
But, and this is a big one, DA triggers are very different from striker-fired semi-auto triggers. That goes for wheel guns and DA semi-auto pistols. You’ll have to learn to shoot the gun in DA mode for certain. You should also learn to shoot it in single action mode, with the hammer manually cocked, assuming you have a hammer.
Some revolvers, like the Smith & Wesson J-Frames, the Colt Night Cobra, or the Taurus 850, cannot be fired in SA because you cannot manually cock the hammer. So, it’s DA or nothing. And like striker-fired guns, all DA triggers are not created the same.
You’ll also need to decide on a defensive cartridge. .38 Special/.357 Magnum are the most popular defensive wheel gun calibers, especially since you can fire both from a .357-chambered gun. Some 9mm Luger revolvers, however, have hit the market. You can go bigger if you want. Just understand that firing a .44 Magnum from a carry-size revolver will hurt. In fact, so does .357 Magnum from many smaller guns. I prefer .38 Special +P for carry.
Consider the Lever Gun
Going from ARs to lever guns is actually an easier transition than Glocks to revolvers. Lever guns are very easy to use. Just remember to operate the lever ROBUSTLY, and you won’t have any issues. A good lever gun is meant to be run hard. Don’t baby it or short-stroke the action and it will run reliably.
The lever gun is a proven platform, and gun control states doubling down on their policies have led to that platform evolving past its traditional hunting role. Some shooters scoff at the tactical lever gun trend, but that seems short-sighted to me.
The final version of Virginia’s so-called “assault weapons” ban is still up in the air. As of this writing, simply owning a magazine that holds more than 10 rounds could cost me a year in jail. How many of those mags do you think I own? I don’t even know myself.
Now, I could certainly go buy a bunch of 10-round mags and use those. I probably will. But word is that the limit will likely be lowered during the next legislative session, and they may even go after all semi-auto rifles. Again, non-compliance is a thing. But I also want options until the courts (hopefully) strike down this nonsense.
Self-Defense Lever Gun Choices
I currently own a Henry Big Boy lever action carbine chambered in .357 Magnum. It has a 7+1 capacity. Not as good as my AR with a 10-round mag. But if things go further, its speed alone makes it attractive. I also have a Heritage Model 92 rifle which gives me 12 rounds of .45 Colt plus one in the chamber. Not bad.
Henry also offers the H12 Provider rifle, which gives you 10+1 in .357 or .44 Magnum. Likewise, Marlin’s outstanding Model 1894 provides 9+1 and 10+1 in .357 and .44 Magnum, respectively. The Rossi R92 offers 12+1 in .357. Winchester has the classic models 1873 and 1892 in pistol calibers, with capacities up to 14+1.
Several companies, like Rossi, Marlin, and Henry, offer a “tactical” style lever gun with synthetic stocks and M-Lok handguards for lights and anything else you might want. Many have Picatinny rails for modern optics and threaded muzzles. Bond Arms has the awesome-looking LVRB that uses AR uppers set to release this year. The only problem for our current focus is that it uses AR mags.
Rifle-caliber lever guns are also great. I own several. But their capacity is low. My highest-capacity rifle-caliber lever gun boasts 6+1 rounds of .35 Remington.
Lever guns can and will do the job if you need it done. But, like revolvers, there are some drawbacks. Lever guns are easy to use, but reloading is their Achilles heel. Learning to top off the tubular magazine on the go is a critical skill for a defensive lever gun. But there’s really no convenient way to carry extra ammo, except with a stock-mounted side saddle. And you will absolutely need a side loading gate to do that. Tube loaders aren’t a great idea unless you have no other choice.
Final Thoughts
Again, I’m not going to tell you that these firearms are better self-defense choices than modern semi-auto guns. But I am telling you that we have options.
I already sometimes choose to carry my Colt Viper. My son, who you see in most of these photos, almost always carries a Ruger GP100 revolver. Again, by choice. The main difference is that I carry .38 Special +P, while he prefers .357 Magnum. I can choose to carry it more often if I deem it advisable.
Likewise, we’re both very proficient with lever guns, and are confident in their effectiveness in a home defense role. I won’t make that change just yet, but I might. Again, if I deem it wise.
Options are always a good thing. And “traditional” doesn’t have to mean “ineffective.” I haven’t even touched on bolt action rifles here, because I consider the faster lever gun platform a better self-defense choice. But those rifles can serve if needed, or if that’s just what you prefer.
Either way, those of us in bad political environments need those choices. I’m confident we will eventually win in Virginia. But the key word is “eventually.” I want options until we get there.
