Don't buy a lever at the moment . The gov has deemed them to be the new devil gun. I wouldn't put anything past them , they have never let facts get in the way before.
May I suggest a Anschutz 1416 dkl . Mine sure is pritty and shoots better then I can . They usually go for around $ 1300 . Got mine on special for a 1000 flat. There were reports of some ejection issues in the past but mine has operated flawlessly.