If you were going to buy a big bore lever action......

Zaydok Allen · Mar 31, 2019

I’ve got a lever action Henry 357 that my dad gave me as a birthday gift two years ago. I really enjoy it and intend to keep it in really nice shape, primarily using it for plinking and target practice.

But it really sparked a love for lever actions and I’m thinking I’d like to pick up a bush beater rifle in a cartridge with more thump.

So I’m thinking a stainless Marlin, in either 44 magnum or maybe 45-70.

If you were going to pick one or the other, which and why? Other brands are welcome.

I would pick up the needed gear to load my own ammo so cost of AmmoSeek is less of a concern to me than for some folks.

Possible uses is a camping gun in grizz land, and maybe deer hunting at some point. Though camping is more the likely.

troy fairweather · Mar 31, 2019

i was looking at some of those win 1886s in 45/90, there still out there for under $1100. it's a short rifle. i love my marlin 44

Mosin Bubba · Mar 31, 2019

For fending off grizzlies and hunting, I think 45-70 is the easy choice here. If you had wanted to plink at all with it, I'd probably say 44 mag (45-70s get very expensive, and a tube or two of them gets punishing), but it doesn't bring the same juice as a hunting rifle. On top of that, I think the Guide Gun is the absolutely perfect size for the 45-70 as well.

The stainless/synthetic and stainless/laminate ones are very expensive though. Chris Pratt packed one in the Jurassic World reboot, and that sent the price on those into the stratosphere.

someguy2800 · Mar 31, 2019

A 44 mag in either a marlin 1894 or a winchester 1892 are probably the most practical choice, but the 1895G 45-70 sings songs to me. I actually just sold mine to buy this. I fondled one in the store and instantly knew I had to have it.

https://www.marlinfirearms.com/lever-action/model-1895-big bore/model-1895cba

troy fairweather · Mar 31, 2019

someguy2800 said:
A 44 mag in either a marlin 1894 or a winchester 1892 are probably the most practical choice, but the 1895G 45-70 sings songs to me. I actually just sold mine to buy this. I fondled one in the store and instantly knew I had to have it.

https://www.marlinfirearms.com/lever-action/model-1895-big bore/model-1895cba

ooo i like that.

bannockburn · Mar 31, 2019

If I were buying a big bore lever gun it would probably be a .45-70 like the Marlin Model 1895 CBA or a Model 1895 GBL.

jmorris · Mar 31, 2019

I figure every American should have a 45-70 but a 44mag is a better plinker. That said you already have a better 357 plinker...I say go big.

theotherwaldo · Mar 31, 2019

I really like my Marlin .44 magnum.
.45-70 is not my idea of a plinker.
I'm neither wealthy nor a masochist.
To me, .45-70 stays in the trapdoor rifle or a full-size bolt-fed.

someguy2800 · Mar 31, 2019

A 45-70 need not kill from both ends. 18 grains of trailboss over a 350 grain cast bullet = 1200 fps and kids can shoot it with a smile.

troy fairweather · Mar 31, 2019

yup i have killed many deer with my 45/70 below 1000 fps. i you cast you can load it cheap. even if you buy some cast bullets it is cheap to load.

Olon · Mar 31, 2019

460Shooter said:
I’ve got a lever action Henry 357 that my dad gave me as a birthday gift two years ago. I really enjoy it and intend to keep it in really nice shape, primarily using it for plinking and target practice.

But it really sparked a love for lever actions and I’m thinking I’d like to pick up a bush beater rifle in a cartridge with more thump.

So I’m thinking a stainless Marlin, in either 44 magnum or maybe 45-70.

If you were going to pick one or the other, which and why? Other brands are welcome.

I would pick up the needed gear to load my own ammo so cost of AmmoSeek is less of a concern to me than for some folks.

Possible uses is a camping gun in grizz land, and maybe deer hunting at some point. Though camping is more the likely.

I would get a 44 mag because of capacity. If you're using it for target practice and plinking the less broken up shooting is because of reloading the more fun I think it would be. Also cheaper to reload.

redneck2 · Mar 31, 2019

I had a .45-70. They are fun to shoot, but expensive. Way expensive even with hand loads.

Alaskan Ironworker · Mar 31, 2019

Get a .454 if you can find one. Nice compromise between .44 and 45-70, and you get the high capacity. Also I assume you shoot .460 so you could share ammo, and also already have the appropriate reloading components.

Old Stumpy · Mar 31, 2019

460Shooter said:
So I’m thinking a stainless Marlin, in either 44 magnum or maybe 45-70.

If you were going to pick one or the other, which and why? Other brands are welcome.

Which one you choose depends on what you want to do with it with it of course.
- .44 magnum for brush deer hunting and maybe black bear, and as camp gun. It's a .30-30 class cartridge but with a lesser maximum practical range, but arguably more punch at brush hunting distances. A bit lighter and handier than the .45-70 class rifles. A stainless Marlin would be great, but look for an earlier JM stamped pre-Remlin one.

- .45-70 for larger game. Factory 405/1350 FPS loads are a 100 yard rifle for moose, elk, and Shriners (just kidding) and black bear and deer of course. Higher velocity loads would increase your range. Grizzly? For a just-in-case rifle a .45-70 lever gun would be okay.

Old Stumpy · Mar 31, 2019

redneck2 said:
I had a .45-70. They are fun to shoot, but expensive. Way expensive even with hand loads.

Not with cast bullets.

dh1633pm · Mar 31, 2019

I got the 1895G in 45-70. I got mine when I got back from the war in 2003. I shot a deer the first week I had it. You can load it down or load it up. Moose, Pigeon, Squirrel, Wood Chuck, Bear, or Deer all do down with ease.

I also have an 1873 and 1892 in 45 Colt plus an 1894 Marlin same caliber. They too works wonders, but don't have the wollop of the 45-70.

mustanger98 · Mar 31, 2019

someguy2800 said:
A 45-70 need not kill from both ends. 18 grains of trailboss over a 350 grain cast bullet = 1200 fps and kids can shoot it with a smile.

Yeah. And there's several good handloads like that. 12grs Unique under a 405gr Lazercast was pretty mild on recoil. I remember a guy who loaded a 405 over 18grs of 2400, which he said is more positition sensitive, but I never tried that one.

Matthew Clark · Mar 31, 2019

My choice would be the 45-70 as well as other posters here. As has been stated you can load up or down to suit your needs. Cast bullets cut cost to shoot by a wide margin. And you can get it in about any size package you want. They are a lot of fun to shoot, whatever you hit gets shoved along with penetrated and the reaction is usually anialation on targets and certain death to quarry. Very effective round when used within it's limits of distance.
With all of that, consider what you would like to have and go with that. Your opinion is what matters most.
Happy shooting!

MCMXI · Mar 31, 2019

I have a Marlin 1894 Cowboy in .45 Colt with a 20" barrel. It's a great little rifle with plenty of stopping power. It easily handles bullets in the 300gr range and probably as heavy as 360gr. If you shoot gas checked bullets you can really get those things moving. I also have a Marlin 1895 SBL in .45-70 Govt. and a Marlin 1894 in .357 Mag and all three are JM stamped. The .45 Colt is really special though and that 1894 is so much more svelte than the 1895.

I should add, you know you're shooting something when you send a 300gr + bullet down the .45 Colt barrel at 1,600 fps +. That 1894 can give a good punch given that it's so light.

stevekozak · Mar 31, 2019

For your stated purposes, the 45-70 for sure. You have the .357 lever for everything else.

LoonWulf · Mar 31, 2019

Of those choices 4570 classic, powerful, can't go wrong.

Ya know, I think I want to blr in either the 416 Ruger or 458 Winchester. So I'd probably opt for the .44 in the interim.

40-82 · Mar 31, 2019

If expense is your problem you want to go to the .44 magnum. Loaded right, you could wait until two deer line up, shoot both, cut the slug out of the second one, and remelt it. I've seen the two deer with one shot trick done twice with the 45-70. The second time with the lighter 325 grain RCBS cast, and I still didn't recover the bullet out of the second deer.

Of late years, I'm rethinking this expense of shooting thing. Practice costs, no way around that. I've decided I can afford to shoot whatever I want at live things, provided it's reloads and cast bullets.

If it's bear, even black bear, 45-70 is better. For things that go bleat, .44 magnum is fine.

TTv2 · Mar 31, 2019

If you reload, .45-70, if you don't .44 Magnum.

And don't bother with Marlin, get something else from somebody else. That brand is poison.

Matthew Clark · Mar 31, 2019

TTv2 said:
If you reload, .45-70, if you don't .44 Magnum.

And don't bother with Marlin, get something else from somebody else. That brand is poison.

I just bought a JM stamped 1895 the other day. As with all the Marlins I own it's quality is fine but they are all JM stamped. Has the quality really gone downhill that bad since Remington took them over?
Haven't handled a new one in years, I kinda like buying used guns best.
Would value your honest opinion if you have experience with them, thanks.

Hokkmike · Mar 31, 2019

460Shooter said:
I’ve got a lever action Henry 357 that my dad gave me as a birthday gift two years ago. I really enjoy it and intend to keep it in really nice shape, primarily using it for plinking and target practice.

But it really sparked a love for lever actions and I’m thinking I’d like to pick up a bush beater rifle in a cartridge with more thump.

So I’m thinking a stainless Marlin, in either 44 magnum or maybe 45-70.

If you were going to pick one or the other, which and why? Other brands are welcome.

I would pick up the needed gear to load my own ammo so cost of AmmoSeek is less of a concern to me than for some folks.

Possible uses is a camping gun in grizz land, and maybe deer hunting at some point. Though camping is more the likely.

Was at a gun store in Williamsport, PA Saturday. I saw this BEAUTIFUL octagonal barred lever action rife in .44 mag made by Henry. It really caught my eye. It was a nice little compact rig that really impressed me. Since I was ogling AR's I didn't write down the model name or number but check out Henrys and maybe you can find it.

If you were going to buy a big bore lever action......

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