[Nautilus]

In a lever gun like a Win 94 with a 20" barrel. How do they compare?

50 yards, 100 yards, 150 yards... accuracy, power...etc. (Mostly white tail and coyotes) Advantages or disadvantages of any of the rounds.

I already own atleast one firearm in all three rounds and I'm looking to add another one, probably a marlin or winchester lever action. Just looking for opinions and advice that I might not have considered.

[Shawnee]

Well, even from a rifle firing "Leverlution" ammo the .357 is about out of gas at 150yds so I if I knew I would be shooting at game at 150yds. I would drop the .357 from consideration.

It happens I have hunted deer for a long time with a .44mag. revolver so I am certain a .44mag. rifle is perfectly viable beyond 150yds. for that game. Even though the .44 is a larger caliber its' bullets have somewhat lower sectional density and, of course, are slower.

The 30/30 is obviously quite capable well beyond 150yds. It's likely a bit more costly to shoot even if you reload but that may, or may not, matter to you. Contrary to the pap often put out about the 30/30, it is quite capable of MOA accuracy with reloads and somtimes close to that performance with factory fodder. It will have somewhat less muzzle blast than the .44 magnum with full-power loads. If a reloader loads their lever-gun with only one in the chamber and one in the tube, the 30/30 can be turned into an authoritative rifle out to 300yds. or so.

FWIW... I've owned two Marlin .44 rifles and liked them but now I have just the Marlin 336 in 30/30 and the Ruger Super Blackhawk revolver in .44mag. and that is not likely to change.

Good Luck and Have Fun !
:cool:

[rcmodel]

The 30-30 will shoot flatter at longer range then either of the two pistol calibers. That makes longer range hits easier.

There are those that feel the .44 Mag kills deer deader then the 30-30, although it's hard to get much deader then a 30-30 will kill them.

The .357 mag isn't even in the same ballpark with either of them.

rcmodel

[tinygnat219]

Oooh, an easy one! :D

The .30-30 is a rifle cartridge, the other two are handgun cartridges that are shot in rifles. The 30-30 is the way to go here.

[H&Hhunter]

There is no comparison. The .30-30 is in a whole different stratosphere.

The other two rounds are pistol rounds and they don't even come close to a .30-30 performance wise at any and all ranges.

[Ben Shepherd]

Even though a 357 can be loaded close to or at 30-30 velocity in a rifle, the 30-30 still wins. Sectional density makes a big difference in this situation.

44 mag is a different critter altogether. If you can hit it where you should, and it's a 240 or heavier slug, you can expect very good prefomance. Wound channel won't have damage to the diameter of the 30-30, but it most likely will go clear through. (Lower velocity, more mass).

[rugerman]

All of them will kill a deer (so will a 22) each have a limited range with the 30/30 being the longer of the 3. I have all 3 and have killed deer with all of them (as well as with a .357 & a 44 handgun), each have there place you have to pick the one that fits your situation. This year my .357 will be in the hands of a friend of mine's 7 year old as a deer rifle since he can handle it and the recoil (even with fairly hot reloads ) is easy for him to manage. He's shot it a lot & does a good job with it out to 100 yards and he will be with his dad the whole time so I feel good about him using it, when he gets a little older he'll graduate to the 44 or the 30/30 time will tell.

[Water-Man]

I really like the Puma M-92 in .357 mag. Using the proper loads you can hunt small game up to black bear.

[MCgunner]

+1 on the Rossi in .357. I handload a 105 grain Lee cast SWC over 2.3 grains Bullseye to 900 fps. It shoots about 2" at 50 yards, good small game load, anything you could hunt with a .22 LR. Load up with Buffalo Bore and you nearly match at .30-30 to 100 yards or less. I've yet to match their claims in a handload, but I can push a 158 grain SWC to 1900 fps and that kills deer quite dead at 80 yards, I found out. Should be a decent hog load, too. I'm going to start hunting more with it I think this year. I like the little gun, but hardly ever hunt with it. It's accurate, versatile, and very good lookin'.

[Nautilus]

I went with a Win 94 in 30-30. I wanted another lever gun and really love how light weight and comfortable this rifle is.


I have hunted for years with a Savage 99 in .300 Savage. It was my fathers first hunting rifle, and it was passed down to me as my first hunting rifle... we both shot our first deer with it. I decided it was time to retire it to the safe, it means way too much to me to be dragging it around the woods and it's really starting showing it's age. It has been cleaned up and it's sitting in the safe waiting for the next generation.

Thanks for all the help.

[MCgunner]

.44 mag and .30-30 leave the muzzle at about 1800 ft lbs, very roughly and generalized. The .30-30 takes the lead from there at any range. .30-30, no brainer, hands down winner. That said, I have a .357 Carbine and have killed deer with it. :D Within 100 yards it'll do the job. You made a good choice. The 94 is not much, if any, more pain to carry than the 92 and a heck of a good caliber. I've got a buddy with an old pre-64 "grandpa's gun". He put a williams receiver sight on it and I can shoot 2" groups all day at 100 yards with it, neat set up and very handy.