How about a 45 ACP lever action?

[HoosierQ]

I would think that would be a very handy gun. I cannot imagine that the recoil would cause those very stubby round FMJs to do the whole primer accident thing? I mean, would that not be great? A tube fed lever action 45 ACP would surely hold 10-12 rounds.

Just a wish. Don't know if the rimless nature of 45 ACP would be problem or not.

 

[Seafarer12]

They can design anything but I think it would be kind of limiting.I would rather have a semi auto for a weaker round like the 45. I would rather have a 44 mag. I have a 357 lever and love it.

 

[rcmodel]

Interesting idea.

But I doubt it could be done with existing lever-gun designs.

The rim plays several very vital function in the Winchester & Marlin designs at least.

It works with the cartridge cut-off to the tube and acts as an integral part of the cartridge guides to get it to feed from the tube to the chamber.

All you would really gain over the .357 & .44 Mag guns is maybe a couple more rounds in the tube, and far less effective range.

rcmodel

 

[Jim Watson]

Marlin has been making lever actions for the rimless .35 Remington for years.

C.E. Harris had a .44 Marlin converted to .45 ACP a number of years ago.
Rebore the barrel - he said that was so much work that he would have been better off to have had one turned out of a blank.
Rebuild the lifter for the short cartridge.
Set up the bolt face and extractor for the .45 head diameter.

He would not even show chronograph figures for hardball, he did not want to tempt anybody into building one and loading FMJ roundnose in the tube magazine. I think that a small risk, but if it blew out, a lot of damage.

No gunmaker's or gunsmith's lawyer would pass on such a gun for that reason.

 

[Marlin 45 carbine]

some outfit is chambering Lee-Enfields for the .45acp with a large suppresor fitted. mucho $$$, think I'll stick w/my Marlin Camp .45.

 

[richardsoll]

The .450 marlin is rimless, well its belted.

 

[FFMedic]

Century International Arms sells Lee Enfields with short new BBLs, they take 1911 mags and shoot .45 ACP. I saw them at the last gun show I was at, $350, no supressor. I also like my Camp 45!

FFMedic

 

[R.W.Dale]

The rim plays several very vital function in the Winchester & Marlin designs at least.

It works with the cartridge cut-off to the tube and acts as an integral part of the cartridge guides to get it to feed from the tube to the chamber.

On a marlin336 the rim does none of these things. A rim is NOT required for a Marlin levergun, Nor is there a benefit in having one. The RIMLESS 35rem is the slickest feeding loading and ejecting cartridge marlin has ever stuck in a levergun

 

[Ergosphere]

I'd think a lever gun in 10mm would be more interesting, due to the larger case capacity.

 

[rcmodel]

The RIMLESS 35rem is the slickest feeding loading and ejecting cartridge marlin has ever stuck in a levergun

Not sure how all that slickness on a 336 would carry over in a pistol length Marlin 94 action though.

I'm sure it could be done, I'm just not too sure why?

Marlin makes, or has made the 94 in .218 Bee, 25-20, 32-20, .357 Mag, 38-40, 41 Mag, 44-40, and 44 Mag, as well as others.

Winchester has done the same with the 92 & 94.

What could the .45 ACP or 10mm do that at least several of those calibers couldn't do much better?

rcmodel

 

[R.W.Dale]

What could the .45 ACP or 10mm do that at least one or two of those calibers couldn't do much better?

By your reasoning EVERY bolt action should be a 30-06

all shotguns would be 12ga

all semiauto carbines would be 7.62x39's

all rimfires would be 22lr

all trucks would have 6cyl emgines

and all women would be B cups

what a boring world that would be

 

[Mike 56]

I think the interest in a 45 ACP leaver rifle would make nice companion rifle for a 1911 or a 1917 revolver and i think developing cast loads for 45 ACP rifle would be a lot of fun. Here is a link on building a 45 ACP Enfield neat little rifle http://www.surplusrifle.com/articles2008/sia_45_enfield/index.asp To tell you the truth i have a safe full rifles not one in a pistol caliber. I think it would be fun to own one.

Mike

 

[easyrider604]

.45 acp is probably not an ideal caliber for a combo

You may squeeze in two extra rounds but you may not see an appreciable increase in velocity or range, if you use the same load as the pistol load.
To get higher velocity from a rifle barrel, you need to use higher pressure .45 acp rounds, using slower powder, like those designed and made for the Thompson sub-machine gun. But then you'd lose the benefit of ammo commonality with your pistol.

Your accuracy may benefit from the increased sight radius, but if you are a decent shot and accurize your .45 pistol (1911 type), then you'll probably hit the same groups (6"-8") with both guns, up to 50 yds.

Need more firepower from your pistol? No problemo, get a hi-cap double stack 1911-type, or 10-rd magazines for a single stack 1911.

IMO, the .357 magnum is the best candidate for building a revolver/lever combo, followed by .44 magnum. Real benefits can be had with such combos.

 

[Jim Watson]

Friend of mine has a bolt action .45 ACP. I think it a waste of money. I'd rather have a good .22 (The which he shoots mostly now the new has worn off the silly .45)

But his silly .45 is WAY more accurate than 6" at 50 yards. Even offhand.

 

[MCgunner]

If you can't kill something with 10 .357s, what's 12 .45s gonna do for ya???? How about a .454 Casull Rossi M92? If you just have to have .45 ACP firepower, there's always the Thompson.

 

[George Hill]

If you can't kill something with 10 .357s, what's 12 .45s gonna do for ya????

Get the remaining two still standing. Duh.
Hey, i don't mind those Clinton Low Cap Magazines... only ten rounds when we could have 17... if you can't kill something with 10 rounds, right?
Sheesh.

 

[cane]

There's a cartrige called the .45 Cowboy Special, it is basically a .45 Colt cut to ACP length. There are kits available to convert Marlin and toggle link Winchester clones.

 

[Beagle-zebub]

If you could put a can on it, which would limit the capacity to "only" six rounds, then people would start to really get interested. It would have the strengths of those .45 Enfields without the weakness of a turn-bolt action.

 

[JustsayMo]

The only thing I like better about 45 ACP than 45 Colt is that 45 ACP works in a 1911.

The 45 ACP is a great compromise cartridge. It doesn't excel at anything but it does work well (enough) in just about everything. I'm a big fan of 45 caliber (.452-458") firearms. In lever actions two of my favorites are Marlin 1894 in 45 Colt and Marlin 1895 in 45-70. For me there isn't enough upside for a 45 acp in a rifle vs. the versatility of a 45 Colt in the leveraction. Mild to 325gr loads scooting down range at just under 1500 fps.

 

[Mk VII]

a friend has had a Marlin done in .45 ACP. It took a lot of work to get it to function and the LOA is crucial - slightly out and it won't feed.

 

[cane]

MKVII, what is/who makes a "Marlin Clone"?

 

[jerkface11]

I'd rather have one in .40 cal. though.

 

[Seafarer12]

what is/who makes a "Marlin Clone"?

Who was talking about a Marlin clone? I think Wild West Guns makes a clone that is beefed up to take the 500 S&W.

 

[cluttonfred]

It seems to me that the pistol/carbine companion idea works best when the cartridges match the actions. Traditional manual actions like levers and pumps were designed to use rimmed cartridges, just like revolvers. Rimless cartridges were designed for semi-auto pistols and rifles. I know there are exceptions, but the above are usually true. Bolt and single shots can go either way, and honestly I am surprised that no one markets a bolt action carbine in common pistol calibers, rimmed and rimless.

 

[cane]

Seafarer12, MKVII in post 20.