Lever Gun Most Versatile Caliber?
- Thread starter Teapot
- Start date
quackquackbang
CGN Regular
- Location
- Newfoundland
i think im gonna man up and get myself a nice marlin 45/70 one of these days!!!
The 44 Magnum in a Levergun is no slouch....it'll push 240 grainers well over 1700 fps in 20" barrels...the 300's can come close to that as well.
The 30-30 with it's 170 grain 30 cal bullet at 2000-2100 fps doesn't stack up to the 44 mag in rifle form.....paper ballistics don't tell the whole story BTW
If they did the 45-70 gov couldn't have killed anything........
- Location
- Hillbilly shack in the boonies
Well if you got ya a six gun , you got loads for lets say a poma 92. And you can cast , load and shoot for pennies a round. If you got a puma, then small game with your LC lead ,and head shots for sure
See some larger game , slide in a 454 softpoint and let loose.300 grain cast would also be a penny pincher round, for deer or bear.
If you got the stainless, can do it all over again in Black Powder...
I could go on
My favorite lever is my 71 Browning in 348.
My most versatile lever would have to be a BLR in 358 Winchester.
-Grouse with 125gr cast bullets over 2 grains of Win 231....about as load as a .22rf.
-Varmints with 158JHP over a stiff load of 3031...varmint be gone!
-Deer 200gr Hornady...Need I say more?
-Moose, elk, and big bears 250gr Speer over a case full (I forget the load) of Win 748....Never used it for anything big, but I'm sure it would deliver.
My most versatile lever would have to be a BLR in 358 Winchester.
-Grouse with 125gr cast bullets over 2 grains of Win 231....about as load as a .22rf.
-Varmints with 158JHP over a stiff load of 3031...varmint be gone!
-Deer 200gr Hornady...Need I say more?
-Moose, elk, and big bears 250gr Speer over a case full (I forget the load) of Win 748....Never used it for anything big, but I'm sure it would deliver.
To me the .30-30 in a Marlin rifle will always be my favorite hunting rifle. As for traditional looks but best versatility, I'd select a Marlin in the .308 Marlin cartridge. Good looks and good performance. That is unless you don't like the performance of the .30 WCF already.
I love my Marlin 45/70 lever and its the most versitile gun I own. I have a Marlin cowboy in 45LC thats great for fun plinking and deer <100yrds and matches my Ruger Vaqueros too!! 30-30 is great also, so....
Really... A guy needs one of each..
Really... A guy needs one of each..
levergun
It seems everyone is into the older calibers. Anyone shoot the 308 Marlin Express? Hornady just came out with the 338 Marlin Express in a stainless lever gun ( 24 inch barrel) claiming over 2500 fps muzzle velocity with a 200 grain Flex Tip bullet that hits hard way out to 400 yards.
It seems everyone is into the older calibers. Anyone shoot the 308 Marlin Express? Hornady just came out with the 338 Marlin Express in a stainless lever gun ( 24 inch barrel) claiming over 2500 fps muzzle velocity with a 200 grain Flex Tip bullet that hits hard way out to 400 yards.
gunrunner8
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Kamloops, B.C.
If it commes to do it all cartridge, nothing, absolutly nothing, beats 308 Win in Win mod 88. My 2c.
- Location
- St. Joe's Island, Ont
That was my thinking as well.
Seriously, were talking versatility. A 308 is gonna reach out and touch something out past 200 yds if need be, you gonna try that with a 357 magnum?
Sure a 45 colt will down a black bear at 40 yds but at 150 I think it would be one of the most stupid things someone could even try.
...I own a few 88`s in that cal...and I love them!
Regarding the 44 Mag, do not overlook the advantage of a heavier, slower bullet over a lighter, faster bullet. The faster bullet will have a flatter trajectory, for sure, but the heavier bullet can often have significantly more penetration.
Several years ago I was using a large White Poplar (Quaking Aspen) as a backstop for my 30-06 shooting 125 grain bullets at around 3,400 fps. None of the bullets penetrated the tree. I then tried out a handload in my 44 Magnum (Marlin Model 1894) that was using 265 grain bullets at around 1,350 fps. To my amazement, every one of the heavier, slower bullets completely penetrated the tree. I would not hesitate to recommend the Marlin 1894 in 44 Mag, or the limited run Winchester Model 92 in 45 Colt. The 45 Colt can be loaded up to near 45-70 ballistics with a 300 grain bullet that would spank the 30-30. However, I think the 30-30 would also be a good candidate for a good general purpose levergun.
Several years ago I was using a large White Poplar (Quaking Aspen) as a backstop for my 30-06 shooting 125 grain bullets at around 3,400 fps. None of the bullets penetrated the tree. I then tried out a handload in my 44 Magnum (Marlin Model 1894) that was using 265 grain bullets at around 1,350 fps. To my amazement, every one of the heavier, slower bullets completely penetrated the tree. I would not hesitate to recommend the Marlin 1894 in 44 Mag, or the limited run Winchester Model 92 in 45 Colt. The 45 Colt can be loaded up to near 45-70 ballistics with a 300 grain bullet that would spank the 30-30. However, I think the 30-30 would also be a good candidate for a good general purpose levergun.
