Citadel LevTac 92 Review: Tacticool or Too Far?

The AR-15 is the most dominant rifle on the American market. It’s gotten to the point where it’s easy to ask, why buy anything else?

In the face of the AR-15, is there any space for a modern take on old guns in today’s market? After shooting, toting, and fielding the Citadel LevTac 92 for the last month, I think the answer is yes.

Today, I’m going to walk you through the specifications, the pros and cons, and how this gun handles, to discuss why it still carves out a niche in a market dominated by the AR-15.

Citadel LevTac 92 Specs and Features

Specs

• Caliber: .357 Magnum / .38 Special
• Capacity: 8
• Barrel Length: 16.5″(threaded)
• Overall Length: 35.5″
• Weight: 6.6 lbs

Features

• Model 92 large lever loop
• Black synthetic stock
• Modular M-LOK forend
• Rear peep sight with Picatinny rail
• Bladed front sight

Citadel LevTac 92 Backstory

The LevTac 92 traces its origin back to the Winchester 1892. The Winchester 1892 was a John Browning design that provided a smaller, lighter version of the popular Model 1886.

It was also designed for lighter rounds and translates well to even modern cartridges like .357 Magnum and .44 Magnum.

The Citadel LevTac 92 copies the century-old design while adding some tactical features for a more modern touch. For some, this is a major turn-off, but for others, it’s a move to modernize the platform and keep it current.

CBC of Brazil produces these firearms — the same company that produces Rossi lever guns. The LevTac 92 series comes in .357 and .44 Magnum, as well as .410. They vary slightly in weight and size, but tend to be remarkably similar in layout.

Shooting the LevTac 92: Accuracy & Reliability Analysis

Like most .357 Magnum lever actions, the LevTac 92 can also chamber .38 Special, which makes it one of the more affordable lever gun options.

My time with lever-action, pistol-caliber carbines is fairly limited. The LevTac 92 is the first one I’ve spent a lot of time behind.

I was curious how recoil would be with some hot 125-grain .357 Magnum rounds. It’s a handgun round, but I still experienced less recoil than I expected. After the first shot, I let out an audible “Oh” because the recoil seemed to border on barely felt.

It’s absolutely fantastic with very little recoil, no shoulder pain, and I could load this gun on Sunday and shoot it all week without getting beat up or tired.

With its low recoil and manual action, I think this would be a great gun for training newer shooters. It’s light recoiling, and the lack of a semi-auto design helps keep things safe.

Slap in some .38 Specials and the recoil all but disappears. I won’t say it’s rimfire-like, but it’s the closest a centerfire will get to rimfire recoil.

When firing a .357 Magnum, it delivered a satisfying smack on steel. It hits hard, making steel gongs swing like a kid at the playground.

Firing the gun off a Zeiss tripod supported at 50 yards with the stock iron sights, my groups were a little over an inch. It was only an inch because I threw my fifth round. If I kept it to three rounds, we’d have a tight sub-1-inch group at 50 yards.

From an offhand shooting position, I had no problems ringing a six-inch gong at 50 yards. If I slowed down and used an improvised rest, I could hit a 4-inch gong most of the time. The huge front sight covers the 4-inch gong entirely at that range, making it harder to hit.

The large front sight makes sense for close-range use, which is where this gun excels. Luckily, you can just toss an optic on to increase your precision and speed!

I shot a few basic tactical drills with the gun, just for fun. The lever action slows you down a fair bit, and my Bill Drill time wasn’t under two seconds.

However, trying to get faster was so much fun. Trying to shave seconds off, work the lever faster, recover from recoil faster, and just go faster was so much fun. It’s a type of fun I don’t get with your standard semi-auto carbine.

I shot Fiocchi Defense Dynamics .357 Magnum, Remington HTP .357 Magnum, and a pile of .38 Special American Eagle rounds. Through 200 rounds of .357 and 300 rounds of .38 Special, I had zero malfunctions or failures to eject.

When loading the gun, I had a projectile separate from the case, but that’s a poorly crimped round issue more than a gun issue.

Ergonomics: Fit & Feel

The gun comes with a large loop, which seems to be a love/hate thing with lever-action rifle fans.

Big loops are great when you’re wearing gloves. The low recoil and large loop size prevented the loop from biting my hand when shooting.

Some folks argue it’s faster due to less wrist rotation, but I don’t find that to be true. I’m faster with a standard loop since my hand has less room to travel. Additionally, when shooting in the prone position, the short lever is much easier to manage.

I don’t have any major complaints with a large loop, but I’d prefer a small loop.

The loading gate is also sharp, and I learned quickly to use the nose of one shell to load another. If not, the loading gate tended to try to take a DNA sample from me. After a long day at the range, my thumb got a bit raw.

The lever action isn’t buttery smooth; there is some initial grit, but it seems to have smoothed out after a fair bit of use. It doesn’t keep you from running the rifle fast.

The length of pull is a nice 13 inches. This keeps it from being too long and makes using the large loop a little easier and faster. You’re not having to reach all that far to get the lever to its bottom position.

With the rail, the gun is a bit front-heavy, but it’s fine, and ultimately helps keep muzzle rise low. Once you start attaching accessories, it’s only going to get worse, so be mindful.

Improvements We’d Like To See

I’d love to see a little more polish overall. The LevTac 92 has a bit of grittiness in its operation, and the loading gate needs to be smoothed out. Additionally, the humid climate I live in has caused this thing to get a little surface rust.

That extra action polishing would increase the price, so it’s a sacrifice we have to make to keep the gun affordable. The important parts are largely covered, and the gun runs quite well for its price point.

Who Is It For

One of the most apparent roles for this gun is for ban states — states that make AR ownership difficult. In those states, a rifle like this is legal and holds eight rounds of a competent, easy-to-shoot defensive cartridge. That’s a great role for this gun; toss on a red dot, and you are good to go.

The other place this rifle excels is in being a light, handy rifle. It’s less than seven pounds, and remarkably compact. It’s lithe, slim, and well-suited for short-range use. If I were riding an ATV, the LevTac 92 would be a solid working rifle for dispatching hogs, coyotes, and similar animals.

The rifle has less bulk than an AR and is a simple, affordable option for a working rifle. With that in mind, it’s also a lot of fun, and fun guns have their place in our gun safes. Activating that lever action gives you a nice dopamine hit.

By the Numbers

Reliability: 5/5

No issues at all. It’s a reliable lever gun.

Ergonomics: 2.5/5

I like the short LOP, but the gun has some problems. It’s front-heavy, the loading gate is a little rough, and the lever action has some grit.

Customization: 3/5

The M-LOK handguard and optics rail open up all sorts of accessory options, but it doesn’t match the AR-15’s level of modularity.

Value: 4/5

Lever actions aren’t cheap, but the LevTac 92 is an affordable option in this realm, and it comes with plenty of extras.

Overall: 3.5/5

The LevTac 92 is a dependable and accurate gun, but it has some rough edges.

Upgrades & Accessories

The M-LOK rail on the LevTac allows for a ton of accessory options, including a weapon-mounted light. If you are looking for a great budget option, the Nightstick LGL-160 long-gun kit offers a great performance-to-dollar ratio.

We love the Magpul MS1 sling for its simplicity, durability, and attractive price. It is a rugged two-point sling that has everything you need and nothing you don’t.

The Vortex SPARC II is an awesome budget optic with great battery life, a crisp reticle, and clear glass. On top of solid features and an aggressive price, Vortex offers the best no-questions-asked, forever warranty in the business.

How We Tested The Citadel LevTac 92

For testing, I ran 300 rounds of .357 Magnum ammo, including Fiocchi Defense Dynamics .357 Magnum and Remington HTP .357 Magnum. I also fired 200 rounds of .38 Special American Eagle rounds. The gun proved to be reliable and easy to handle.

Using a Zeiss tripod for stability, I fired several groups at 50 yards for accuracy and saw an accuracy range between two and two and a half MOA.

I also ran close-range drills, trying to tacticalize the lever gun experience. While a lever-action will always be slower than a semi-auto option, the LevTac proved fast enough for defensive use.

Meet The Experts

Pew Pew Tactical author Travis Pike wrote this article. Travis spent a lifetime shooting as a kid and later joined the United States Marine Corps, where he spent five years as an infantryman. His experience as a machine gunner, recreational shooter, and hunter has given him unique insight into various weapon platforms. Additionally, Travis has thousands of articles to his name with a variety of publications, and has tested countless guns and other firearm accessories.

Final Verdict on the Citadel LevTac 92

Overall, the Citadel LevTac 92 is a solid budget-action lever-action rifle. It’s reliable, accurate, and a ton of fun to shoot.

It is in a light recoiling but potent brush cartridge that is well-suited for medium game and predators. I was pleasantly surprised by the rifle, and I enjoy its ability to easily attach accessories.

What say you? Should lever guns only be wood and blued steel, or is there room for rails and synthetic furniture? Looking for more lever goodness? Check out our article and video on the Best Lever Action Rifles!