Tombstone rifle is quite a curiosity
HAVING grown up in the days of TV westerns, I have long had a fondness for America’s lever-action rifles. So much so that I make it a point to stop by the Winchester booth each year at the Shooting, Hunting and Outdoor Trade Show to look at the company’s latest offerings honoring the rifle that won the West.
This year was no different, but this time around the lever action that caused me to take a second look is one I just happened onto while wandering through a remote corner of the show. I must admit that second look was at first one of disbelief and then of curiosity.
“How did they come up with that?” I asked myself.
On a large screen high above the showroom floor was an image of a rifle that has a lever but also a Magpul buttstock. A detachable magazine but also a handguard with integrated rails. Before picking one up for a tactile inspection, I wondered who left an AR and a lever gun alone in the safe unattended.
I had to get a closer look and walked into the Patriot Ordinance Factory USA booth do just that. What I was looking at is called the Tombstone and is indeed a modern design based on a historic concept.
John Capps of POF said the action at the heart of the company’s new lever action was inspired by the Winchester 1873, but at 5.75 pounds, the Tombstone is much lighter. In the hand, the rifle’s weight is surprisingly light. Combined with its low recoil ammunition, the firearm could be just what the doctor ordered for someone who is new to shooting but wants to step up from a .22 caliber firearm. Its weight was surprising at first and could make the firearm easy to shoot for extended periods on the range or out plinking.
The Tombstone is chambered for the 9 mm handgun round and joins the growing list of pistol-caliber carbines on the market. The lever is oversize but has a quick and crisp short throw. With its 16.5-inch free-floated fluted barrel, the carbine has overall length of 36 inches, making it relatively compact and quick to the shoulder.
Topping the carbine are XS ghost ring sights and picatinny rail segments in case you want to add accessories. It took me a minute to adjust to the stock sites, probably because they were a little lower than I am used to.
The trigger pull comes in at 3.5 pounds. The Tombstone comes with a 20-round magazine, but a 10-round version is available for those states where the larger version is prohibited. It’s listed online at Davidson, Inc. for $1,962. Capps said it’s also available at other retailers.
Pull the Tombstone out while at the range with friends and it’s sure to generate conversation.
Utah convention
If you have been looking for an excuse to go to Northern Utah, you might want to consider a trip to the Western Hunting and Conservation Expo this weekend at the Salt Palace Convention Center in Salt Lake City. The show is expecting nearly 540 exhibitors and also provides an opportunity to apply for high-demand big-game tags. You also can participate in raffles and auctions.
More information can be found at huntexpo.com.
Freelance writer Doug Nielsen is a conservation educator for the Nevada Department of Wildlife.
His “In the Outdoors” column is not affiliated with or endorsed by the NDOW. Any opinions in his column are his own. Find him on Facebook at @dougwritesoutdoors. He can be reached at intheoutdoorslv@gmail. com.