Rifle in same cartridge as handgun .357

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Appalachiannative

Appalachiannative

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Ever since I got my .357 magnum revolver I've always thought it would be cool to have a lever gun in the same cartridge. Save time, save money, and I don't see any reason the ol .357 can't drop medium maybe even some big game at reasonable range for the round. Where I come from your hunting hollers a lot so most shots in such terrain would be no more the 30 or 40 yards and typically a lot closer. Anybody got a good lever gun at a good value that fits the bill here they'd recommend?
 
SIL has a Browning/Miroku Winchester 1894. It’s a very nice shooting lever action. We can hit the 300 yard gong all day long with it. I don’t know how much energy it has when it gets there, but it’s accurate.
 
My favorite.357 rifle is my Winchester 94 Trails End. At the limits of its chambering, .357 Magnum it is hands down one of my most accurate rifles and one of my favorites.

I also have a Marlin 1894CB that I like very much. This one was made in 2018. This one is growing on me.

Of the two I would take the Winchester any day for general use.
 
Your idea of cartridge compatible pistol and carbine combo is as old as the Old West. For me it's an older (6-shot) 4-inch barrel Taurus Model 66 in 357 Mag, which is the spitin' image of the venerable S&W Model 19 and IMO every bit as good, with some internal differences.

My carbine is a 20-inch barrel Rossi Model 92 I've had sine the early 1990s. The Rossi is easily a 75-yard deer rifle, maybe farther with the right load. 50 yards and under would be easy as falling off a log for decent size whitetail.

A '73 or 94 would be just as well, but I really love my Rossi 92. I once owned a Marlin 1894C in 357 Mag in my youth in the late 1970s, so I can vouch for that and the Rossi. I had the Marlin paired with a Ruger Blackhawk.

I don't have a pic of my Taurus 66 handy, but here's one of my Rossi 92 that I've posted before in another thread or two.

upload_2021-10-31_16-43-32.jpeg
 
A Rossi 92 and a Uberti SAA, both in .357, will do the job.

I’ve got a Weaver 4X scout scope on the Rossi that works well to extend its range for me.
 
I have a pre-cross bolt safety Marlin M1894C with the Micro-Groove rifling. The newer ones have Ballard rifling which is generally better for lead bullets.
 
.357s don't just come in levers. I have a Henry single shot that I am very pleased with. The benefit here is that bullets that will choke a lever are no problem, and you can load them long as well. My favorite game load has become a soft cast 152 grain shouldered wadcutter (I think it pre-dates Elmer Keith) a friend molds for me from an ancient mold. Bowls over snowshoe hares with authority, and works just as well in my single shot or my revolvers.

To ease the adjustment of sights for varied ammo and my aging eyes, I added a fixed 2.5X "shotgun" scope to the rifle. It easily head shoots a snowshoe hare to 50 yards or more, and dings steel much farther. I'd have no problem taking a deer with it to 100 yards with the appropriate ammo, such as the Speer 158SP I load for this purpose or one of the heavier bullet loadings available. It is accurate with pretty much every load I've slung through it.

They are significantly less expensive than levers in the caliber, and IMHO a very high quality firearm.
 
After lusting for one for many years I lucked into a smoking deal on a Marlin 1894 CS in .357 about 3 years ago. It quickly became my favorite centerfire rifle. Nothing but fun to handle and shoot. I installed a Ranger Point Precision aperture sight on it to aid my eyes. I've never handled a Rossi but it seems that many are pleased with theirs.
 
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I'm just not a fan of lever actions; believe me, I've tried. But I still like the idea of a rifle/carbine that shares the same ammo with a handgun. My "pairs" include:
Ruger Super Blackhawk and Henry Single Shot in .44 Mag
Ruger GP100 and Henry Single Shot in .357 Mag
 
Beck said:
Your idea of cartridge compatible pistol and carbine combo is as old as the Old West. For me it's an older (6-shot) 4-inch barrel Taurus Model 66 in 357 Mag, which is the spitin' image of the venerable S&W Model 19 and IMO every bit as good, with some internal differences.

My carbine is a 20-inch barrel Rossi Model 92 I've had sine the early 1990s. The Rossi is easily a 75-yard deer rifle, maybe farther with the right load. 50 yards and under would be easy as falling off a log for decent size whitetail.

A '73 or 94 would be just as well, but I really love my Rossi 92. I once owned a Marlin 1894C in 357 Mag in my youth in the late 1970s, so I can vouch for that and the Rossi. I had the Marlin paired with a Ruger Blackhawk.

I don't have a pic of my Taurus 66 handy, but here's one of my Rossi 92 that I've posted before in another thread or two.

View attachment 1045617
Click to expand...
No kidding? My wheel gun is a Taurus 66 with a 6 inch barrel and six shot cylinder. They are just like a Smith on the outside. I think the internal difference is the Taurus use of coiled springs in a place Smith uses leaf springs but I'm not sure
 
Random 8 said:
.357s don't just come in levers. I have a Henry single shot that I am very pleased with. The benefit here is that bullets that will choke a lever are no problem, and you can load them long as well. My favorite game load has become a soft cast 152 grain shouldered wadcutter (I think it pre-dates Elmer Keith) a friend molds for me from an ancient mold. Bowls over snowshoe hares with authority, and works just as well in my single shot or my revolvers.

To ease the adjustment of sights for varied ammo and my aging eyes, I added a fixed 2.5X "shotgun" scope to the rifle. It easily head shoots a snowshoe hare to 50 yards or more, and dings steel much farther. I'd have no problem taking a deer with it to 100 yards with the appropriate ammo, such as the Speer 158SP I load for this purpose or one of the heavier bullet loadings available. It is accurate with pretty much every load I've slung through it.

They are significantly less expensive than levers in the caliber, and IMHO a very high quality firearm.
Click to expand...
That single shot may be the way to go on my budget
 
@mcb, that Rossi needs a 3-inch SP101.

ETA: Never mind. I was thinking .357 even as I read .44.
 
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My favorite caliber pairing is in 32-20. A special order 1873 Winchester rifle with 30" octagon barrel and full length magazine, and cresent buttplate. Mfg in 1890. It'll hold 17 or 18 rounds. Then a Colt New Navy made in 1897 that has been rode hard and put away wet, many times.

Or a quartet of 44mag: ruger 99/44, 96/44, interarms virginia dragoon, and TC contender!
 
For some reason none of the rifles that I have owned in pistol calibers have stayed around. Its not that I don't like them but.......... Maybe its because I like shooting Keith Type SWC's in my revolvers and they don't usually feed well in rifles.

I've had a few 44's and 357's.

I have an original 1873 Winchester in 44-40 and would love to have a Colt SAA in that caliber. But the cost..........
 
Appalachiannative said:
That single shot may be the way to go on my budget
Click to expand...

Those Henry Single Shot rifles are really nice and priced right too. I have the steel 45-70, but after they expanded the cartridge offerings and added some pistol cartridge rifles to the line up I looked at them and they are just as nice as my 45-70 model. Also, their customer service is excellent.

I noticed the MSRP has gone up. Sign of the times, I guess. :scrutiny:
https://www.henryusa.com/rifles/single-shot-rifle/
 
I'll buck the trend. I think having a rifle in 357 is great, make mine a safety model marlin 1894c with safety delete. But I reckon it ought to be paired with a 22 revolver like the single six.


Or a revolver of larger caliber like 357 or 44 and a 22 rifle like the marlin 39. For the revolver, mine will have to be my flattop blackhawk in 44 special.
 
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mcb said:
I don't think they make an SP101 in 44 Mag. ;) The proper pairing is probably an M69 5-shot 44 Mag L-frame, with a lighter profile 4-inch barrel.
Click to expand...
You're right. I was thinking .357 even as I read .44.
 
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