Anyone use a '92 Trapper for hunting?
- Thread starter fugawi
- Start date
You're lucky to have the 1894S. You don't have to deal with the ports that my 1894P has.
Only thing the P has over the S is the Ballard rifling and the lack of a front barrel band.
This thread has inspired me to get my T/C Contender carbine with a 14" barrel in 45 Colt set up again for deer & black bear hunting this fall...
Have loads from 200gr Hornady FTX to 345gr WFNGC's ready...
Camp Cook thats T/C is a beautiful set up. How does it shoot? Right now I'm leaning towards a '92 Trapper in 44 Magnum or 45 Colt. Any opinions on either caliber - this is open to anyone btw.
Thanks for the suggestion but if I do anything to my '95 it will be to try to restore it as close as possible to its original condition. I already have a Lyman 21 and missed out on a .303 barrel. If you notice the stock has been lengthen and refinished but it just might be the original stock.
I started the thread after hearing reports on Marlin quality sliding and reports of Miroku made Winchester quality going up. I wanted to get a handy, heavy hitting, close range bush gun. I was originally thinking Marlin GG in 45/70 but now leaning towards a Win '92.
Only just bought the T/C 45 Colt barrel last year so haven't worked with it too much yet,
Seems to be accurate so far especially with my 200gr FTX loads I would not hesitate to hunt deer to 100 yards with this set up and plan on working on it until I feel that I can accurately shoot it to 150 yards.
Mind you my Ruger Bisley Vaquero's in 45 Colt are accurate enough to hunt deer to 100 yards if it was legal to do.
About the .429" - .452" question I own 4 handguns and 3 rifles that shoot mild to wild 45 Colt ammo and I do not own any 44 mag firearms anymore.
Nuff said...
Ok I say one more thing... if you do not reload get the 44mag if you reload get the 45 Colt...
CC
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My Marlin 1894 Limited 44mag with a 16" barrel worked perfectly for a one shot blacktail buck. Handy little gun for packing in the bush. Shots there are usually at close range anyways. Jim
But I should mention that my Marlin 1895 45/70 with the 16" barrel will likely see much more bush time than the .44mag. The 45/70 being stainless with a laminated stock it is much better suited to the weather we get here on the wet coast.
But I should mention that my Marlin 1895 45/70 with the 16" barrel will likely see much more bush time than the .44mag. The 45/70 being stainless with a laminated stock it is much better suited to the weather we get here on the wet coast.
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- Location
- The Conservative part of Ontario
I've used my '92 Winchester in 44-40 to take one deer, and one black bear so far. No issues with either kill. Little or no expansion unless you hit bone, but with entry and exit both at .427, it makes for two blood trails, or, in my case, bang flop.
Marlin's new catalog shows a 16" stainless .44mag 1894, with laminated stock and XS sights/rail, looking like the little brother of the SBL (which I have and love).
Too bad about the apparent downslide in quality of late-manufacture Marlins...because this little gun looks like a fun toy.
John
Too bad about the apparent downslide in quality of late-manufacture Marlins...because this little gun looks like a fun toy.
John
trapper
I have used a 16in lever on several occasions to hunt with.
I have shot deer with 3 different 94 trapper's. 3030, 357 and 44.
All worked as effectively as the others on whitetail deer shot at under 100 yds.
Most were one shot kills, the ones that weren't were a shot placement issue.
I certainly wouldn't stretch them out past 100yds though, at least not hunting critters, too likely to wound.
Where I hunt I don't hesitate to shoot deer with any of the above guns when loaded properly.
They are/were all shot with iron sights of different setups. Optics or dots would make them even more efficient but tend to spoil the lever experience for me.
The 44mag is a lil' ##### in the 16in brl length, lot's of muzzle blast too.
I have plinked a lot with the 2 pistol cal levers and had fun. I handload really hot 357 110 gr jhp's to shoot gophers and the odd coyote and other short range varminting.....fun stuff! The pistol cals really come alive out of the longer barrel's.
I love carrying/handling the 16in guns. They are prolly less effective with ballistics and practical accuracy than the 20in guns for sure but they are a joy to carry in the bush and they look plain kewl too!
18in makes a better compromise unless you really need the short/compact size of a 16incher.
I have used a 16in lever on several occasions to hunt with.
I have shot deer with 3 different 94 trapper's. 3030, 357 and 44.
All worked as effectively as the others on whitetail deer shot at under 100 yds.
Most were one shot kills, the ones that weren't were a shot placement issue.
I certainly wouldn't stretch them out past 100yds though, at least not hunting critters, too likely to wound.
Where I hunt I don't hesitate to shoot deer with any of the above guns when loaded properly.
They are/were all shot with iron sights of different setups. Optics or dots would make them even more efficient but tend to spoil the lever experience for me.
The 44mag is a lil' ##### in the 16in brl length, lot's of muzzle blast too.
I have plinked a lot with the 2 pistol cal levers and had fun. I handload really hot 357 110 gr jhp's to shoot gophers and the odd coyote and other short range varminting.....fun stuff! The pistol cals really come alive out of the longer barrel's.
I love carrying/handling the 16in guns. They are prolly less effective with ballistics and practical accuracy than the 20in guns for sure but they are a joy to carry in the bush and they look plain kewl too!
18in makes a better compromise unless you really need the short/compact size of a 16incher.
I don't have a Trapper, but I do have a Model 92 with 20 inch barrel. In .357 Magnum it has worked well on deer within a 100 yards (I haven't had to shoot further than that with this rifle). Nice handling rifle, and I prefer the 20 inch length to the 16, but that won't make much difference in the performance as it is the cartridge and bullet doing the performing, not the length of the rifle barrel.
I use my 1894's to hunt raccoon. You see lots of 'em at 8000ft
At least that's what I'd tell the C.O. anyways
I have no doubt in my mind that my 185gr hardcast handloads in .357 would drop a mule deer out to 75 yards.
Full-throttle .44 mag rounds out of the trapper would do good work on a large black bear.
The 1894P gets carried the most of any firearm I own, but come hunting season there are way better choices in my safe.
I'm sure anyone that hunts heavy brush or dark timber exclusively would be well served by a .44mag carbine as their dedicated hunting rifle.
As was stated in other posts, difference in velocity is miniscule in a pistol round fired out of either a 16" or 18.5" barrel. I have confirmed this when I've chronographed my handloads in both .357mag and .44mag. Even when using h110 or 2400, your powder charge is pretty much torched by 16 inches.
IMHO all you're achieving with a 20" barrel in a pistol caliber rifle is a longer sighting-plane...which some folks just prefer.
At least that's what I'd tell the C.O. anyways
I have no doubt in my mind that my 185gr hardcast handloads in .357 would drop a mule deer out to 75 yards.
Full-throttle .44 mag rounds out of the trapper would do good work on a large black bear.
The 1894P gets carried the most of any firearm I own, but come hunting season there are way better choices in my safe.
I'm sure anyone that hunts heavy brush or dark timber exclusively would be well served by a .44mag carbine as their dedicated hunting rifle.
As was stated in other posts, difference in velocity is miniscule in a pistol round fired out of either a 16" or 18.5" barrel. I have confirmed this when I've chronographed my handloads in both .357mag and .44mag. Even when using h110 or 2400, your powder charge is pretty much torched by 16 inches.
IMHO all you're achieving with a 20" barrel in a pistol caliber rifle is a longer sighting-plane...which some folks just prefer.
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- Location
- Brant County, Ontario
Love the pics, and hate you for being in the mountains.I use my 1894's to hunt raccoon. You see lots of 'em at 8000ft
At least that's what I'd tell the C.O. anyways
I have no doubt in my mind that my 185gr hardcast handloads in .357 would drop a mule deer out to 75 yards.
Full-throttle .44 mag rounds out of the trapper would do good work on a large black bear.
The 1894P gets carried the most of any firearm I own, but come hunting season there are way better choices in my safe.
I'm sure anyone that hunts heavy brush or dark timber exclusively would be well served by a .44mag carbine as their dedicated hunting rifle.
As was stated in other posts, difference in velocity is miniscule in a pistol round fired out of either a 16" or 18.5" barrel. I have confirmed this when I've chronographed my handloads in both .357mag and .44mag. Even when using h110 or 2400, your powder charge is pretty much torched by 16 inches.
IMHO all you're achieving with a 20" barrel in a pistol caliber rifle is a longer sighting-plane...which some folks just prefer.
