Okay this may seem like a dumb question but what’s the proper way to pronounce or say “lever”-action rifle? I was at a gun shop yesterday and looking over a new Henry, fine gun by the way, when I was schooled that it's pronounced a lee-var action gun. Now I’ve heard people call it that before but I’ve always just called it lever (as in le-ver) because that’s how it’s written in the Mirriam-Webster dictionary. Where does this “lee-var” action pronunciation come from? Or have I been saying the wrong thing all these years?

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Ephesians 6 (Armor of God)

I believe lee-var is a hillbilly expression and yes, I'm wearing my nomex long johns

Lee var is what you do when she says," it's either those guns or me"!

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Music/Sports/Beer fan

I'm sure it's just a regional thing. For example, in my part of the country, the regional pronunciation for a small stream of water is "crick," even though it is spelled "c-r-e-e-k."

Also, the pronged eating utensil correctly placed on the left side of the plate before eating is pronounced "fark," even though it is spelled "f-o-r-k."

Years ago, I was in New Jersey attending a conference. There were several of us standing around chatting one evening, and I happened to make some smart-alec comment about one of the other guy's New Jersey accent. A speech pathologist, who was also there, said, "Well, clinically, your accent is referred to as the Western Nasal Drawl or the Western Nasal Twang."

He continued, "You see, most people, when they hold their nose and talk, it sounds completely different...very nasal. However, when you hold your nose and talk, there will be absolutely no difference. It will sound the same. Try it. You'll see."

I thought the guy was "pulling my leg," so I tried it. He was right.

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Pack light and cinch tight.

[QUOTE=357-RevolverGuy; Where does this “lee-var” action pronunciation come from?

[/QUOTE]

I have never heard that pronunciation before. Just because you heard someone use that pronunciation doesn't make it correct. Some of them thar people ain't got much book larnin. Larry

LOL... all great explanations. And here I thought it was something I missed in U.S. history or the Old West American frontier. Here in the south I suppose it's not even said "Lee-var" action. With a Southern drawl it sounds more like "Lee-veer". Can't tell you how many times I have been at shows or shops and people say that. A lot! I just get tired of someone stopping me mid-sentence and saying, "you mean Lee-var action, not Lever."

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Ephesians 6 (Armor of God)

I think it depends on where y'all live.

I have several lever action rifles,

but, I's got this here lee var action 348 Winchester that I kill'd a bar er two with.


.

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"IN GOD WE TRUST"

Everyone knows it is Lev Verr (two V's)

One of my friends sister married a guy that wasn't from around here and they were looking at land and the deed called for a stake to be in the branch. My friend said he noticed the guy kept looking up and he asked why and the guy said he was looking for the stake in the branch. My friend explained that a branch is a small creek and those things growing on trees are limbs. Larry

Heard it in a gun shop? Must be true

Yup. Do you say De-TROIT or DEE-troit? Same thing. Where you learn to speak stays with you. Until her dying day, my mother, who went to NYC public schools in the 20's and 30's, had a few words that were pure New York, even though she left at 16 after graduating high school and never lived there again.

I have a sister-in-law, born and currently living in SoCal but spent 2 years of elementary school in Canada. She still says "eh" at the end of a question.

That's a new one on me. It's always been leh-verr.

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A closed mouth gathers no foot

Never heard LEE-VAR. Heard LEH-VER and LEE-VER, but never VAR.

But I reckon it's like root and rout (route) or ee-ther and eye-ther (either). Both are correct, and it don't bother me which you use, 'cause I know what you mean.

Now, when them Kansas folks call the Ark-en-saw River the Ar-KAN-sas River - weeellll, that's a little strange.

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I always take precautions

I always thought that "Blue Grass" singers were singing straight from the HEART, directly through the nasal passages.

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wanna do right-- not right now

In Boston that would be Levaa action.

Makes sense. I've heard they drop the R a lot there.

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Ephesians 6 (Armor of God)

I think it depends on whether you say "puh CON" or "PEE can"

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Wisdom comes thru fear . . .

It does not matter how you mumble it as long as it is an older Mar-len.

I've always heard pi kahn for pecan .

Battery.....bat tree', like ya gonna hook them cables up to the bat tree right thar?

I like Lev err actions too



.

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"IN GOD WE TRUST"

The lever action is certainly a mechanical work of art, that is both beautiful and simple in its function.

Us Florida Crackers from my parts call them "Pea Cans" most times and "Pea Cons" some times. A nice Marlin is a lever gun. If you are guiding someone backing up you tell the to "camoan back till you hear glass"

Way I was raised, it's a pah-CON tree, but it's a PEE-can pie. Ain't no such thing as a pee-con, no matter which syllable is accented.

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I always take precautions

Was at a seminar onest... and had a British fella tell me about the seminar schedule. But he says to me... "seminar shedule". I kid you not.

I says back to 'im...

"Shedule? SHEDULE!? Boy... where'd y'all go to shool?"

Where I came from originally "lever" is pronounced "thirty-thirty" or "deer raffle".

I grew up saying "LEE-ver" but mix and match pronunciations now. I know what you mean no matter which you use.

I still can't understand how or why the hell "leverage" became a verb. Makes as little sense as making a verb out of the perfectly good noun "gift".

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Oh well, what the hell.

Ain't English fun? Every part of the country has a dialect that the natives use amongst themselves to spot outsiders!

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Hue 68 noli me tangere

It's the same with all languages.

Car-bean or car-byne?

Roun these parts, we jes call em Winchesters. I never hear folks talkin about lever action rifles, just the make and caliber or model number...a feller could shoot a deer with his Winchester model 70 or shoot targets with a Winchester model 52 or carry a magazine fed model 100 as his truck gun for ease of operation while diving out the door. Same with Savages...lots of folks use Savage model 99's, nobody calls it a Savage lever action...jes plain old model 99 in .300 Savage will suffice, everybody knows what he talkin bout. We don't get alot of education roun here, I was 14 year old before I found out a grouse could fly.

"...I was at a gun shop yesterday and looking over a new Henry,...when I was schooled that it's pronounced a lee-var action gun..."

Tell the idiot to take his sad story walkin' and not to bother you during your precious gunshop time.

Grouse can fly? Uh o

I agree. I think it comes from someone trying to sound like Gabby Hayes.

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John 3:16 .

Actually the proper pronunciation is la-VAR.


Dummies

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Forum consigliere

I eat pea cons, I carry a PEE can in a boat for bailing it out or for other uses.

The English (as in Great Britain) pronunciation is LEE VER. The American pronunciation is LEV ERR.

But then again, they call a car hood a bonnet, the trunk is the boot, a truck is a lorrie and the bathroom is the loo.

So what do you expect?

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James Redfield
LM #497

I was listening to the BBC radio news with some interviews of English country side people. I could have understood German easier that I could understand their English. It sounded like someone sprayed their throats with gasoline, put about 20 marbles in their mouth, and duct taped their mouths closed before letting them speak.

The only clear word was fancy and it was used about every other sentence.

"Leave-her" works for me.

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"Life is short, hunt hard"

It's not their fault if they can't speak good English. After all, they are foreigners.

That fishing country song,if you go fishing I'm leaving, I'm sure gonna miss her I got another bite.

Staples, that was EASY

Not sure I understand this. Nothing wrong with a 99, but why say "Winchester" when "336" makes much more sense?

Re: OP. Of course the correct pronunciation is "lever..." "Lee-var" is poor grammar on parade. At worst it is ignorance in plain view. It's about like someone saying "bullet heads" when they are referring to "bullets." Same as someone saying "bullet" when they are actually referring to a loaded cartridge. Sincerely. bruce.

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<><

Heathen.,,,

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I always take precautions

I just hate it when they say BOO-Lets..I understand why the guy with the web site spells it that way... when anyone else says it or writes it when not referring to his site is aggravatingly silly.

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be safe,enjoylife,journey well

I'm po. I say I'm gwin shoot my Rossi.

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Reg. Magnum wants/Rossi wallet

I have never, ever heard "lee-var", but I use the English "lee-ver" most of the time. The English spoken to this day in my beloved native mountains of East Tennessee has considerable elements of 17th and 18th Century British.

I'm actually capable of pretty good grammar when I put what remains of my mind to it, but also can waive it for effect.

"Boolits", "shotty", "Remmy" and other cutesy terms tend to curdle my gastric juices, but those aren't real words.

I really don't give a good bracing damn how people pronounce "lever". Feel free to pronounce it "broccoli" if you like.

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Oh well, what the hell.

I'm with zagged... I've loved the old levers since I was a kid bought my first 94 in my uncle & aunt's store for about $90.00 plus tax if I remember right... gave it to my dad for being my dad. We've bought special order 73's for $375.00 in the old days and pretty 1886's in .38-56 for less than $500.00 at sales & private deals.... In the last 36 years, my wife & I would buy good firearms, antiques & real estate than buy new cars & trucks ever 2 or 3 years. Too each his own I guess.

I loved the very fast second shot they afforded you if it was needed.
Even the African PH hunters are amazed on how fast they can be used with accurate aimed fire by a trained user. Saw a fellow named Tony on "Wild Skies"use a Win 86 to take 3 cape buffalo in about a minute on TV... he loves the old classics too... I think it was rechambered to .475 Turnbull (? on caliber) I think that's about the old .45-110 or .45-120... but aren't sure... it's hard to find data on any of those 3.

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be safe,enjoylife,journey well

Getting English lessons at a gunshop is like asking Rosie O'Donnell for beauty tips.