How long has the cross bolt safety been on lever guns? It’s probably not going any where.
Slap some O-rings on it to keep it from accidentally being activated and get to hunting, shooting or whatever.
Marlin put the CB safeties on their lever guns starting in 1983. Winchester did CB safeties, and also rebounding hammers, but I don't have dates on those. Seems like Rossi started putting bolt safeties on their model 92's starting in the 1990's.