Written by Ashley Burgess Gall, Laura Burgess Marketing, on behalf of Big Horn Armory
Lever-action rifles have always held a special place in the hearts of American hunters. They’re fast, reliable, and built for real use in the field. But most classic lever guns were originally designed around lighter calibers—perfect for deer and medium game, but lacking when it comes to the biggest and toughest animals North America has to offer.
That’s where Big Horn Armory’s Model 89 stands apart. Purpose-built for serious big game hunting, it combines the classic advantages of a lever-action with modern engineering and heavy-hitting performance.
Big Horn Armory Model 89 Lever Action Rifle: Speed & Follow-Up Shots
Like all lever guns, the Model 89 is fast. Its smooth, quick-cycling action allows hunters to stay on target and fire rapid follow-up shots without breaking their sight picture. Many traditional lever-actions trade accuracy for speed, but the Model 89 doesn’t. Thanks to tight headspacing and precise machining, each round delivers consistent, reliable accuracy. With the Model 89, hunters get both speed and precision in a single package.
Handling in the Field
Hunters love lever guns for their balance and ease of handling in tight quarters. The Model 89 takes this trait even further. Built with rugged terrain and dense environments in mind, it shoulders quickly and carries comfortably on long hunts. Compared to older lever guns that can feel underpowered against heavy game, the Model 89 was designed to deliver uncompromising performance without sacrificing maneuverability.
Capacity and Feeding
Traditional lever guns are tuned for lighter, more common cartridges, and feeding can sometimes be an issue when they’re pushed into bigger loads. The Model 89 was engineered from the ground up to handle big-bore cartridges with smooth, reliable feeding. Its magazine offers multiple rounds on tap, giving hunters confidence when fast, repeated shots are needed.
Power and Caliber Selection
This is where the Model 89 truly separates itself from the pack. While standard lever guns are often chambered in classics like the .30-30 Win. or .45-70 Gov’t, the Model 89 runs powerhouse cartridges such as the .500 S&W Magnum. These big-bore loads bring massive stopping power—more than enough for bison, elk, moose, or bear at close to moderate ranges. That kind of punch gives hunters peace of mind that their rifle will put game down quickly and humanely.
A Modern Classic
The lever-action platform may be a piece of American history, but the Big Horn Armory Model 89 proves it’s far from outdated. Built with modern precision, chambered in serious big-bore cartridges, and designed to tackle the toughest hunting challenges, the Model 89 shows just how far the lever-action has come.
For hunters chasing the largest and most dangerous game, the Model 89 isn’t just another lever gun—it’s in a class of its own.
Ready to gear up?
Explore Big Horn Armory’s lineup of big-bore lever guns and find your ultimate hunting rifle: www.bighornarmory.com
Live Inventory Price Checker
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Winchester Super-X 30-30 Win 150 Gr JSP (Box) | Ammunition Depot | $ 27.99 |
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Winchester Super-X 30-06 Springfield Ammo 180 Grain Power-Point | Bear Creek Arsenal | $ 32.95 |
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Winchester Super-X 30-06 Springfield 150 Gr PowerPoint (Box) | Ammunition Depot | $ 36.99 $ 32.14 |
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Winchester Power Point Super-X 243 Win 100gr Ammo, 20rds - X2432 | Palmetto State Armory | $ 32.99 |
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The article reads like a sales brochure. It provides no description of the mechanical differences between this rifle and it competitors, nor makes any comparisons with comparable rifles from Winchester, Rossi, Marlin, Browning, or Henry. No justification is given as to why I should spend two to four times as much for this rifle as I would on the competition. However, if you want a factory built lever action in 460 or 500 S&W, Big Horn appears to be your only option.
lol a cheaper gun in 45-70 makes more sense
I really like the BHA 89. These are built to handle the extreme pressures of the 500 / 460 S&W rounds. I was hopeful that the expansion in manufacturing of these awesome lever guns, the price might come down some.
I can’t use one. I need a scope. The Winchester top ejection makes that impossible. Yes, I see from their website they can be configured for a scout style scope mount, however that won’t work for me. I’d want a Marlin/Henry type where a regular scope can be mounted atop the receiver. Yes, I see they can be configured for a red dot. That doesn’t work for me either, due to vision issues. I’d like to see someone make a Marlin. Both Ruger/Marlin and S&W have those stupid cross bolt safeties on their Marlins/Marlin clones. It’d be nice to see… Read more »