357 lever action vs 44 mag lever action

1892 Winchester/clones or 1894 marlin in .45 colt. In those actions(not '73's or '66's), the .45 colt can be handloaded to the same or better power than a .44 mag. Can also shoot .45 Schofield cartridge in the Marlin(the oal might bother a '92 action). A Schofield vs Colt is like a .357/.38 comparison.
 
If your interested in the Marlin 'Dark' series rifles, Epps has the 357Mag. 44Mag & 444Marlin models in stock.

My vote is for both, but I maybe a little biased.

I like my 1894c 357Mag/38Spl(DOM May 2018), it's a fun shooter, quick to get back on target with little muzzle lift.
My 1894 44Mag/44Spl(DOM Jan 2017) is probably is one of my most shot rifles. It's a great gong ringer shooting 240gn Campros.
My 1895 444Marlin(DOM July 2019) is my newest '44'. Hodgdon Load data says a 240gn Sierra JHP @ 2499fps, ~3300ft-lbs ME, coyote bomb.

With my eye sight, irons are a blur. I have a Skinner Peep on the 1894c for CBA shooting and use a scope for hunting.
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I prefer the look of the 1894c 357Mag/38Spl with the Vortex Diamondback 2-7*35 Rimfire, +60ft FOV, 50yd parallax, rated for shotguns & muzzle loaders.

Marlin 1895 444Marlin c/w Vortex Diamondback 2-7*35 BDC
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Marlin 1894 44Mag/44Spl c/w Vortex Diamondback 2-7*35 Rimfire
 
.357 anytime, the round moves along pretty good, a 125 JHP not much slower than a .30 30 out of a longer barrel, and opens up a treat on impact. Load cheaper, and lead goes further, (in every sense). Subsonic .38 SPL is handy for plinking or new shooters, less recoil and noise. You can find SPL brass pretty much anywhere for nothing!. .44 has the trajectory of a rainbow......You can use .44 SPL too but brass is harder to find. Nope, .357 MAG all the way for me. Owned many .44's in the past, none now!.
 
I just love riding the .45-70 band wagon.
Stuff a .457 round ball over 10 grains of Trail Boss for an excellent bush chicken load.
Fill a .45 LC shot capsule with #9 hard shot over the same powder and go clearing your barn of rats.
All the way up to taking head shots on T-Rex via their arse!
A .357 would probably touch on some points the .45-70 can't, so some respect there.
My money's on the .44 only with a holstered mare's leg in grizzly country. ATC's are hard to get these days...
 
I used the Marlin in .357 and have two single action revolvers for Cowboy Action Shooting mostly for economy, but the .357 is no slouch from a carbine barrel.
 
Another vote for reloading the 44. Hot or light you can do it all and with a great variety of bullets. My reloads are 23 cents for a light load (cast over trailboss) or 34 cents for a hot load (campro over alliant 2400) plus 30 cents each for a piece of new starline brass (if you lose one in the grass). I love my 450 Marlin and it usually gets the nod for hunting but the 44 is a great shooter and versatile round and I'm thinking about grabbing a Henry with a long barrel in 44 mag just to round out my fun options.
 
What do people think about barrel lengths? I’m thinking a 16” barrel is handier. I see there’s a lot more support for the 44 than I would have thought.
 
It's simple.

Start with a 357. Great plinker. Short range brush gun.
Then, get a 44. Great plinker (if you reload). Short range brush gun.
Then, get a 45-70. Unless you reload don't plink. Great short range brush gun.
Then, get every other lever action caliber you can find. Because you have to love the leverguns.
 
I just bought one of each.. Both Marlin 1894 dark series. Should have the 44mag delivered today and broke in by the end of the weekend. The 357 might end up for sale if I find enough brass to feed the reloader.

Wish me luck.. For when the wife finds out.
 
I have a rossi stainless in .44. I have NEVER been a lever guy (dad was), but I have to say, there is a sort of charm to them I guess. That said, if I had to go up against a rampaging radioactive mutant camel, I'd likely still just grab the benelli M4 and a bunch of slugs...
 
Hi, I had a Puma Level action rifle in 38 and I chambered in 357 to use both. I really loved it!, easy and fun to shoot. Accurate and cheap. I was able to shoot +P ammo in 357 and 38 shooting metal plates of 3"x5" at 150" Iron sight very easy.
The capacity was 11 in 38 and 9 in 357!

Then I used with a Bushenell Red Dot.
I wanted a 44Mag but for sure the cost and amount of rounds would be much less
 
.45 Colt is another fine lever-gun calibre, especially if you're only buying one, or wanting a "Goldilocks"-sized one that's in the sweet spot between too big and too small.

Otherwise, a .38 for plinking and a .45-70 for when you need a blaster could be wonderful.
 
1894C Dark in 357 or 1894 CBSL in 357? Which would you pick. Pretty tempted to grab a Dark right now, even though I really don't have the extra cash and my wife will kill me.
 
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Enjoy the versality and cheaper costs with my .357 / .38spl. Used my lever .44Mags to take a few bruins over the years. For bigger thumping fun I break out my lever in .454Casul. Never had any interest in .45-70

If I had to have only one? .44mag all the way.
 
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