Lever gun caliber?

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  • trickg

    Guns 'n Drums
    MDS Supporter
    Jul 22, 2008
    14,598
    Glen Burnie
    From your list of cartridges if you only had to get one, I'd get the .44 Mag. It is, IMO, the most versatile of the bunch.
     

    JoeRinMD

    Rifleman
    Jul 18, 2008
    2,014
    AA County
    Since you plan on handloading I’d go with 45-70.
    My 1895 45-70 with factory loads( trapdoor safe) recoils less that a 1894 with factory 240 grain hollow points.
    Reloading 45-70 you can make some very mild loads.
    I’ve loaded trailboss powder and a 405 grain bullet to 900 FPS, no recoil to speak of.
    I can also load it up, with other powders, to make some real thumper loads.

    A Winchester 94 in 30-30 seems to recoil less than the marlin in 44 mag.

    I’d go 45-70, it’s a lot more flexible.

    As mentioned above, 45-70 recoil can be very moderate if you're handloading. I've reloaded for mine using TrailBoss and also IMR 4759 for light "cowboy" loads. To give an example of how little recoil there is with some loads, I was at the range one day and my son's Scoutmaster showed up with a couple young (11-12 years old) scouts to work on their marksmanship merit badge. I gave them both a chance to shoot it and then keep the case. Neither of them even winced when they shot it from the bench.

    JoeR
     

    Pale Ryder

    Ultimate Member
    Jan 12, 2009
    6,234
    Millersville
    I chose a Marlin in 44 for a couple reasons. The slightly used price tag was to good to pass up, and I already have a revolver in that caliber with reloading equipment.

    I would choose it again or a 45/70. .357 with the right loads will work, but you need to be sure of your shots, more so as distance increases. If not straight walled cartridges then 30/30 without a doubt.
     

    Trigger Time

    Amazed
    MDS Supporter
    Feb 23, 2013
    1,231
    375 Win is the answer, go from mild to wild if you reload, if not you can still shoot the 38-55 that is still available.
     

    gizzard

    Active Member
    Oct 30, 2012
    607
    hagerstown
    44, if a marlin avoid older micro groove barrels for lead bullets.
    357 is adequate in the woods and surrounds. if you have meadows and fields, go to a browning for flatter shooting calibers
    357 is a sweet carry rifle, handly, light, low recoil.
    heavy 357 loads are almost always sold out before ammo supplies were an issue, loaded 180 grain cartridges are hard to find.
    38 special is like shooting a loud 22 in 357 lever.
    357 and 38 loads can have major point of impact disparity
     

    Uncle Duke

    Ultimate Member
    MDS Supporter
    Feb 2, 2013
    11,667
    Not Far Enough from the City
    Depends on your priorities .

    .44Mag - If your highest priority is hunting , with factory load ammunition . For light to medium loads , you need to handload .

    .45Colt - Mainstream factory loads have you covered for light to medium . In sufficiently strong rifles ( think M92 clones, modern Henry , etc) capable of at least " Ruger Level " loads , handloads or boutique ammo will handle hunting nicely . ( In non- panic times , the Georgia Arms " Deer Stopper " .45 Colt is very reasonable $ compared to the Boutiques .)

    .357/ .38 - Standard .38spl is very pleasant to shoot . For hunting the big issue is bullet performance @ 1700-1900 plus fps . Cast or JSP will penetrate like the dickens w/o expanding . Most JHP is designed for revolver velocities . The arbitrary Maryland 1200fps is a catch-22 , where lighter bullets more easily meet the requirement On Paper , but as a class 180gr will perform better . Yes , I have hunted with .357 levergun .

    FWIW - Brian Pearce thinks .357 leverguns are just dandy for Mule Deer ..... With his 42K cup handloads , with 158 Gold Dot or XTP @ 2000-2100 fps .

    .45-70 - It is what it is , with a cult of True Believers . If you want Really Big Bullets , .45-70 is your Huckleberry . To unlock the versatility , you need to handload . Specifically for deer , the mainstream 300gr JHP actually work well , and are fairly mild by .45-70 context .

    Not mentioned - .41 Magum . My Late Shooting & Handloading Partner #1 was a .41 True Believer , and had .41 Marlin that I shot a fair bit , and it was Sweet .He worked up a 265 WFN @ 1100fps that gave good 100yd accuracy , and would completely penetrate anything that walked in North Carolina .

    But it's a Niche within a Niche . Actual hunters and shooters would have to seriously battle Marlin Collectors to get one .

    Regarding BF44's mention of .41 magnum, for anyone else who might have interest in this fine cartridge.

    Henry has dropped production of their lever actions in .41Magnum. And as mentioned, you might need 2 men and a boy plus a fistful of cash to wrestle a Marlin .41 away from somebody who has one.

    Looks like Sportsman Outdoor Superstore bought up some of the Henry Big Boy Steel in .41 mag. It also looks like they know to price these at a premium too. I am not seeing these in stock elsewhere. I like the Henry Steel myself and am kicking myself square in the rumpus for thinking "yeah, maybe one day soon", and not buying one of these 2 years and 250 dollars ago.

    My guess (for what its worth) is that there won't be another major brand factory produced 41 magnum lever action rifle made anytime soon, if ever again. Most folks won't care, but in the event someone else does....

    https://www.sportsmansoutdoorsupers.../henry-repeating-arms/of3/41-remington-magnum
     

    mauser58

    My home is a sports store
    Dec 2, 2020
    1,757
    Baltimore County, near the Bay
    I had a JM Marlin 45/70 but my one son liked it more and has it now. I do have a 30/30, 357 Mag/38, 44 Mag, 22 Mag and a few 22LR also. I like the 44 and 357 because I have a few wheel guns chambered in both also.
     

    tourrider

    Grumpy
    MDS Supporter
    Jun 9, 2009
    2,327
    Corry, PA
    Nice summation from bigfoot44, but didn't see any love for the 30-30. The 45-70 hurts my old shoulders anymore.

    I wouldn't rule out the Henry Long Ranger models in .223 Rem/5.56, .243 Win, .308 Win, 6.5 Creedmoor.
     

    Bountied

    Ultimate Member
    Apr 6, 2012
    6,894
    Pasadena
    I had a .44mag Rossi 92. When it worked it was a pleasure to shoot and fairly accurate. I will never own another Rossi 92 though. The fit and finish are/is/was terrible. There was a pin in the bolt that kept coming loose and jamming the action. I tried peening it in place but after 5-10 rounds it would come out and lock up the action. I almost threw it in the trash can but ended up selling it cheap to the gun shop at Delmarva clays.
     

    Trigger Time

    Amazed
    MDS Supporter
    Feb 23, 2013
    1,231
    That is............ IF you can find or afford the brass. Like hens teeth, very hard to come by.
    Starline still does a run a couple times a year, there is a another company, HSM I believe usually has it in stock, though probably not now. Also Midway stocks the Winchester Super X ammo from time to time. For plinking rounds you can use 38-55 brass that is usually available everywhere.
     

    JamesDong

    Banned
    BANNED!!!
    Aug 13, 2020
    3,260
    Duffield, Va
    Starline still does a run a couple times a year, there is a another company, HSM I believe usually has it in stock, though probably not now. Also Midway stocks the Winchester Super X ammo from time to time. For plinking rounds you can use 38-55 brass that is usually available everywhere.

    It's a good round but compared to the 444 it loses out. I bought one new when they first came out in the late 70's but because of poor sales I saw the writing in the wall as it was discontinued quickly and swapped it even up for a 7mm Rem Mag.

    Not knocking it at all I liked it but as I have learned from the 284 Win and 30/40 Krag limited production doesn't mean readily available ESPECIALLY in these times.
     

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