Levers in Pistol Calibres - Advice?

[bluemike807]

From a few threads I've posted - and many more I've read - it seems I should consider a lever in a pistol calibre, for deer hunting in dense brush.

My options seem to be

- .30-30 (not a pistol calibre, but a common lever choice)

- .357 Magnum (now can levers also load and chamber .38 SPL without difficulty?)

- .44 Magnum.

I realize there are other lever-associated calibres (44-40, 45-70, etc) but for now lets talk about these and other pistol calibres likely to be found in a deer (lever) rifle.

Im leaning toward a .44 - but have no idea how common these are, what I can expect to pay for a rifle, and what the ammunition will cost?

Also, which of these is going to be best suited for the task? What is drop-off like with these?

At this point, Im also just considering (since I reload for shotgun anyway and want to get into casting) just getting a short slug barrel for my 870 and going with that. I'd appreciate anyone's 2c

 

[two-dogs]

You're right into it. Nothing wrong with the 44mag. Just bought a box of Hornady LEVERevolution 44 MAG 225 gr FTX from WSS today in the C-O-C for $22. Better if you reload, though. Go for it!
Got a Ruger 96 and a Browning 92 in 44mag. Got a Rossi in 32/357 lever on order, ain't here yet, so can give first hand comments on it. Also have an 870 with rifled slug barrel, love that one, too.

 

[surfer365]

My Marlin 336 in 44 mag is the gun I shoot the most. I absolutely love it. You can load light 44spl loads or super heavy 300gr bear loads.
You will not regret it. BTW I also have one in 357 and a cowboy in 44 mag. If you can afford it get the cowboy limited in 44mag!

Here is my brother in law with my Marlin shooting light 44spl loads, no we were not shooting over a hill!

[youtube]NGxoxKf9HE0[/youtube]

Here is Hickok with the 44 cowboy limited

[youtube]24OksL4FvkU&feature=fvw[/youtube]

 

[meo1981]

I'm a big fan of the Rossi 92 in .44mag/spl. Great round for the bush and you can get it in a 16" barrel ( you only get about 100fps more with a 24" ) and it weighs all of 5lbs. The way I see it, a rifle is no use if its not on hand all the time. As well, at 600 with tax it's not the end of the world if it gets dinged up beating bush all weekend... every weekend.

Just my .02Cents.

Mike

 

[mikeystew]

i've been following you're posts on this for a while now... you make decisions like me, borderline obsession with the potential purchases.
in my opinion a 44 mag marlin 1894 is a very nice rifle, but unless you shoot a 44 mag handgun and want to share ammo i see no advantage to it over a 30-30 which has more range, velocity, and energy.
im not going to beat around the bush, i think the 30-30 is a better deer gun. or better yet, tag an extra 4 on the 44 mag and now were talking brush hunter.
using slugs in your shotgun is perfectly reasonable but not as fun as having another gun.
really there is nothing wrong with using any of the stated calibers for deer, but in the order of effectiveness i would rate them as such;

.357---- which is really best suited to under 75m shots with a steep drop in trajectory and energy after that. cheap ammo.
.44mag----see .357, with more punch. really not a bad choice.
.30-30---- good all around deer round out to 150-200m. cheap ammo.

In the end it's you who needs to decide. but i'd say you have narrowed it down to two guns you can't go wrong with and will kill deer in the bush easily.
30-30's better
or better yet a .444

 

[savagefan]

.357 mag and .44 mag shoot a lot flatter than most folk realize. A couple years back I was in Montana and we were shooting jacketed 158gr .357 from a S&W revolver at night with a spotter holding a million candlepower spotlight behind the shooter. Those bullets flew surprisingly straight. I have a Marlin 94 in .357 mag with 180s will knock down chickens at 200 easy and pigs at 300 half the time if this was my only gun and it is IMHO my coolest, I wouldn't hesitate to hunt a deer with it in the bush.

 

[todbartell]

I like my 1894 in 44RM. I haven't shot anything with it yet but it's a joy to pack. Good power in a compact package

 

[OCCAM]

My 44 is a semi.

44 mag seems to cost $.90 to $1 per round for the cheap American eagle standard 240 grn JHP and JSP in my area.

I find that the 44 mag has plenty of "Smack" out to 200 on the steel range critters, I will be downing big game with mine this fall. I do have to hold high (8 inches) at 200 but my scope makes it easy.

You will get more rounds in the tube with pistol cartridge if you get a rifle with the right design (Rossi/Puma)

Again 30-30 is a good choice but I dont hunt with mine

 

[todbartell]

44 mag seems to cost $.90 to $1 per round for the cheap American eagle standard 240 grn JHP and JSP in my area.

25 cents for my 200gr cast plinker load, 50 cents per shot for my 270gr Speer golddot ammo, thank god for handloading!

 

[polaris rider]

I was at on time full of questions which would be best...could not decide so i bought them all....


Marlin CB in .357 Mag...nice light piece to carry around i have plans of getting a .357 Mag hand gun also

Marlin 444...nuff said the beast for all occasions (bit pricey for ammo, but worth it)

If you have only one rifle...it would be a Winchester/Marlin in 30/30 probably the most common cartridge

i also have a Winchester in 44-40 which is also a hand gun caliber

all good guns for what you may be looking for out in the bush

 

[ben hunchak]

I'd definitely go with the .44 and skip the .444 due to poor cartridge design, and go right to the 45/70 if you need something big. Most of the best bullets that shine in the .44 mag. can't even be used in the .444 Marlin.

 

[Dorian Gray]

.32 special

 

[heavenIsAlie]

if you reload the .45LC can be loaded for levers to shoot heavier bullets at the same speed as the .44 mag

 

[burnt_servo]

you can also get rossi's in 454 casull , which will also fire 45 colt and possibly the shorter rounds based off of the colt case .

 

[crazy_davey]

45 colt

Best advice so far in this thread

 

[Gatehouse]

If you are a handloader, a 45 COlt lever rifle can be loaded up pretty hot..If nto a handloader- 44 Mag

Way cooler than a 30-30

 

[longknife]

"Pistol" cartridges in a rifle

I have a Puma lever gun in .44 Mag. I bought from Doc Rowland and it works fine, but having had several similar lever guns I have found that using the lead semi-wadcutter bullets can lead to feeding problems...that sharp bullet shoulder tends not to feed well........no problem with jkt. bullets or round nose...

 

[crazy_davey]

If you are a handloader, a 45 COlt lever rifle can be loaded up pretty hot...

Way cooler than a 30-30

Damn straight!

 

[squirrelnuttz]

All right. .41 Mag Marlin 1894Fg, if you can find one! But seriously, what a pain to feed unless you handload (I do).
The .44 Mag rifles are very, very common nowadays, easiest of them all, save maybe .357 to get ammo for almost anywhere. And as there are so many, you would probably pay less for the levergun of your choice in that cal.

On the subject of buying yourself a slug barrel, good idea. I picked up a fully rifled barrel with sights on the EE. I love it. I cast my own Lyman sabot slugs, and as far as I'm concerned, it's the only way to go for a fully rifled, due to cast of factory ammo, plus hitting a critter with a 525 gr. flat faced slug is bound to leave an impression on and in the critter.

 

[Win 38-55]

The Marlin 1894 in 44 Mag is an excellent rifle for your specifications. Another option is the limited edition Winchester Model 92 in 45 Colt. I've owned both, both are great guns. The fit and finish on the Winchester (Miroku made) will be nicer and the action of the Model 92 is very strong with twin locking lugs. You can stoke the 45 Colt up to get a heavier hitting bullet than the 44 Mag.