I am trying to decide which to get for my first levergun - something in .44 mag (probably Marlin), or something in .45/70 (probably Marlin).
The main question I'm asking about is as to caliber, not brand. Now, I had originally planned to get the .45/70, but now I've just about decided to get both. However, I still of course have the question of which to get NEXT (first). Now, I already have a revolver in .44 Mag with an 8.375" bbl, so I figured the .45/70 would be a better complement, to cover more bases (bigger game), but then again, OTOH, a .44 mag levergun would be a same-ammo companion to the revolver. But, then again, perhaps the revolver with that long barrel can already do everything the carbine can do, so why even have a carbine at all in the same caliber, which brings me back to getting the .45/70 first. The .44 mag's purpose would be heavy-brush whitetails and hogs. The .45/70 could be used for same, but in reality I probably would not use it for that - no need to deal with that much noise/recoil, when I have other options in rifles. Now, whichever one I don't get FIRST will probably be relegated down the list 8 or 12 guns, which puts in 5 years or more down the road, in all likelihood, since I have so many guns I want, and the first lever will fulfill a certain "niche" to satisy this need for awhile (*unless*, gawd forbid, I get totally hooked on levers after the first one ). Therefore, it's a fairly important question, given the budget and above. So, questions:
A. If I get the .44 mag, what barrel length is optimum for .44 mag? 1894P marlin best bet?
B. Should I (1). get the .45/70, then the .44 mag later, or (2) get the .44 mag, and get the .45/70 later, or (3) get the .45/70, and don't get any other levergun at all, since I don't need the carbine; the revolver has the heavy-brush deer/hog base covered,
C. Related question: If I do get a "medium-powered" carbine for brush-busting on hogs and deer, which is better in your opinion for this: .35 Rem or a .44 mag? Both seem really good... I suppose in the end, the .44 mag bullets will be less likely to change trajectory upon hitting leaves/twigs, so that may be the answer for this specific purpose ('course, the .45/70 even less so. Erps, too many choices!)
The main question I'm asking about is as to caliber, not brand. Now, I had originally planned to get the .45/70, but now I've just about decided to get both. However, I still of course have the question of which to get NEXT (first). Now, I already have a revolver in .44 Mag with an 8.375" bbl, so I figured the .45/70 would be a better complement, to cover more bases (bigger game), but then again, OTOH, a .44 mag levergun would be a same-ammo companion to the revolver. But, then again, perhaps the revolver with that long barrel can already do everything the carbine can do, so why even have a carbine at all in the same caliber, which brings me back to getting the .45/70 first. The .44 mag's purpose would be heavy-brush whitetails and hogs. The .45/70 could be used for same, but in reality I probably would not use it for that - no need to deal with that much noise/recoil, when I have other options in rifles. Now, whichever one I don't get FIRST will probably be relegated down the list 8 or 12 guns, which puts in 5 years or more down the road, in all likelihood, since I have so many guns I want, and the first lever will fulfill a certain "niche" to satisy this need for awhile (*unless*, gawd forbid, I get totally hooked on levers after the first one ). Therefore, it's a fairly important question, given the budget and above. So, questions:
A. If I get the .44 mag, what barrel length is optimum for .44 mag? 1894P marlin best bet?
B. Should I (1). get the .45/70, then the .44 mag later, or (2) get the .44 mag, and get the .45/70 later, or (3) get the .45/70, and don't get any other levergun at all, since I don't need the carbine; the revolver has the heavy-brush deer/hog base covered,
C. Related question: If I do get a "medium-powered" carbine for brush-busting on hogs and deer, which is better in your opinion for this: .35 Rem or a .44 mag? Both seem really good... I suppose in the end, the .44 mag bullets will be less likely to change trajectory upon hitting leaves/twigs, so that may be the answer for this specific purpose ('course, the .45/70 even less so. Erps, too many choices!)