Lever Actions .357 or .44 mag

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Leavenworth

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Lowermainland B.C.
So my better half has a S&W .357 revolver also a S&W 44 Mag
I’m think it would be good to have a companion lever action for one of those
But which one and why ?
I hunt deer and moose
 
The 44 mag would be better for hunting. If you reload, the 45 colt can be loaded even better than the 44 mag, but that would add another caliber to the stable if you are okay with that.

I'm too deep into 44 mag reloading or I might just have a 45 colt instead.
 
Suggest you check rate of twist of either calibre carbine you plan to buy to determine what weight of bullets you can use.Also check actual bore size and rifling twist as there is some variance brand to brand which can impact accuracy. Bullet type you plan to use also should be considered in your rifle choice....jacketed, hard cast, or soft swaged lead bullets.
 
Personally I like the 44 mag but the other weekend my buddy brought out his rossi carbine 357 and his 158gr hp bullets were out penetrating my 240gr xtp in water jugs. I'd still take the 44mag over the 357 mag for hunting myself but I admit I was impressed with the penetration his Lil rossi was getting. I did not chrono the loads
 
Ive shot both and 357 mag gets my vote for a fun range gun (less noise & recoil) and 100m deer gun. Factory ammo is less expensive, and as mentioned you can put cheap 38 ammo thru it for plinking. For deer the 170gr Federal Hammer-down is IMO the best 357 factory hunting round with great ballistics.
 
Leavenworth said:
So my better half has a S&W .357 revolver also a S&W 44 Mag
I’m think it would be good to have a companion lever action for one of those
But which one and why ?
I hunt deer and moose
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You hunt deer and moose, but do you hunt in areas where a 357 or 44mag make any sense? I hunt in a few areas of BC, and every single place I hunt has the possibility of 200-300 yard shot opportunities. That said, If you want to use it for hunting, 44mag makes the most sense. They say a picture is worth a thousand words, well here is what Federal claims for their HammerDown series in 44 and 357.

1740427180668.png

If you're not going to hunt with it then I'd say 357 for the lower ammo costs if you don't reload, if you do reload its a coin flip.
 
I agree with these guys, it also depends on what lever actions you’re interested in. I went with a 357 because I wanted an 1873
 
Northern Shooter said:
38/357 for plinking. I wouldn't hunt a moose with either 357 or 44, there are far better options.
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Definitely better options, too bad Hornady still didn't keep making the 265 grain interlock for the 44mag. That was a great hunting round. Good for moose in the bush at close ranges. I'm not aware of any great hunting rounds for the 44mag anymore. Although I have not been looking, as I always pack something with a bit more energy for moose.
 
While a 44mag wouldn't be my first choice for a moose it is about equal to my 50 cal muzzleloader ballistically so I know it would work. 250gr .50 cal aerolite powerbelt at 1700fps vs a 240gr .429 cal xtp at 1700fps or slightly higher i havent shot my loads over my chrono yet. I would not hesitate to take my 50 cal ml moose hunting. A 44mag lever gun has the benefit of follow up shots as well
 
I bought a 44 Lever, but it was a no brainer since I already had a 44 revolver. I quite like it, you can load from mild to wild depending on how much "boom" you want. I assume you can do the same with 357, I just don't have experience with that
 
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