I have read that bolt-action rifles were found to be superior for a few reasons (better accuracy and power, easy to load with stripper clips, easier to use in a prone position, more reliable). But I was wondering if any armies used lever-action rifles in any way. From my (limited) experience, they are often shorter, lighter, and can be fired at a slightly higher rate. I understand why bolt-actions were favored, but were lever-actions ever used in combat?
The Imperial Russian army purchased 30,000 Winchester 1895 lever action rifles from the United States between 1915 and 1917 to make up for the deficit in Russian small-arms manufacturing. They were re-chambered to accept Russian ammunition and modified to accept stripper clips. These rifles went on to see use in the Russian Civil War by both sides, and the Soviet Union sent a large amount of them to the Republicans during the Spanish Civil War.
Here are two different photos of them in use, if you're interested.
They weren't super common. Lever actions have a special place in the hearts of cavalry troops on account of their being better suited to use in the saddle. The Winchester Model 1915 Lever-Action Service Rifle was, however, the only lever action to see official widespread use in WWI.
I won't take a position on privately held weapons nor will I suggest that lever actions didn't see some use by cavalry units but, given the limited nature of either, the russian use of the Model 1915 is probably what you're looking for.
Yes, the Russians found themselves in a bit of pickle. They obviously had a very large population, but they didn't have enough rifles to go around. The single shot Berdan rifles that had been used in the late 19th century were still being phased out for the newer, 5-shot Mosin-Nagants, but production of the new rifles hadn't caught up to demand. Somewhere near 300,000 Winchester 1895s were produced to fill this gap. They were specially chambered to accept the same 5 round, 7.62x54 charger clips that are used in Mosins, and the rifles have a distinctive set of a guides for the clips. They also feature a bayonet lug, which is unusual for a lever action gun.
Many of the Winchesters were given to Finnish and Latvian units in the Russian Imperial Army and saw heavy use.
You can see one being loaded in the trenches here.
Some of the guns leftover from the war apparently made their way to Spain as part of the Soviet military aid given during the Spanish Civil War.
