.38 Special or .357 Equivalent in a Rifle

I would think that would work quite handily for very close deer or bipeds. It is roughly nine millimeter pistol territory, so what it’s job is, this could do as well. Arguably with more accuracy.

What had you in mind?

Cans? Melons? Nearly anything up to stoves would fall to it. I reserve the 45Auto for fridges and up. Buick’s require a 50AE to be ethical...

Mr_Flintstone said:

How many of you shoot .38 Special or .357 Magnums loaded to .38 Special velocities from a lever action rifle?

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I do.....makes toothpicks outta bowling pins.

I put quite a few through my Marlin when I was into CAS. You could definitely repel boarders with such loads.

Mr_Flintstone said:

How many of you shoot .38 Special or .357 Magnums loaded to .38 Special velocities from a lever action rifle?

It’s one of my favorite shooting combinations. A .38 special from my Henry has packs a pretty good punch for the almost nonexistent recoil. It’s got me wondering what the practical uses are for a 158 gr cast bullet @ 1100 FPS other than paper punching.

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I just bought a Henry 357 rifle last Thursday. I got to the range today with all kinds of loads. My lightest load was probably a low charge of 700X in a 357 case with a 158gr LRN bullet. It had about as much recoil as a 22LR. I couldn't believe it. I can actually shoot that load without ear muffs. My hotter Accurate #9 loads that I usually shoot in revolvers, were nothing in the rifle either. I should have bought one of these guns years ago.

Demi-human said:

What had you in mind?

Cans? Melons? Nearly anything up to stoves would fall to it. I reserve the 45Auto for fridges and up. Buick’s require a 50AE to be ethical...

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Oh come on now!! Gotta be something out there more dangerous than a Buick!!!

I have a stainless/synthetic Ruger 77/357 magnum. I was shooting in years ago at my son's house where he has a 25 yard back stop and another at 60 yards. I was shooting factory 357 ammo and it was shooting a nice pattern.
I then shot 38spl factory ammo at the same target and the pattern was more open and about four or five inches low. .

I also have a stainless/synthic Ruger 77/44. I havent shot this one yet. I picked up a scope for it a couple of months ago. When I get caught up with a few things I will get this gun set up.

Then I will load up ammo in 38sp & 357 mag and ammo in 44spl & 44mag and do a better comparison on them and see what loads bring out the best of each caliber.

“Then I will load up ammo in 38sp & 357 mag and ammo in 44spl & 44mag and do a better comparison on them and see what loads bring out the best of each caliber.”

I have some 77/44 Mag data. I’ll dig it up and PM it if you are interested.

Sure. I love load development.
I have a cheap rifle cradle that I use for load development which take a lot of movement out of the equasion.
I do have a nice Caldwell lead sled rifle cradle but haven't had the need to use it yet.

Highland Lofts said:

I also have a stainless/synthic Ruger 77/44. I havent shot this one yet. I picked up a scope for it a couple of months ago. When I get caught up with a few things I will get this gun set up.

Then I will load up ammo in 38sp & 357 mag and ammo in 44spl & 44mag and do a better comparison on them and see what loads bring out the best of each caliber.

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My SS/Synthetic 77/44 does not like slow, lead bullets. It will shoot okay with slow jacketed, but it likes moderate to fast for best accuracy.

Sneakshot92 said:

Oh come on now!! Gotta be something out there more dangerous than a Buick!!!

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A Ford E-150 van.
I’ve been hit by one of those too, much better(worse?) than the Buick Century. Drug many yards by the front.
But my Beowulf load isn’t ready yet...

I have nearly as many miles on my truck as my, several, bikes.

But it’s almost dead.
Poor Jinxi. Best Dakota ever.

Demi-human said:

A Ford E-150 van.
I’ve been hit by one of those too, much better(worse?) than the Buick Century. Drug many yards by the front.
But my Beowulf load isn’t ready yet...

I have nearly as many miles on my truck as my, several, bikes.

But it’s almost dead.
Poor Jinxi. Best Dakota ever.

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Now if I recall correctly you've got a 357B&D. Where does thst fit in the grand scheme??

Sneakshot92 said:

Now if I recall correctly you've got a 357B&D.

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I don’t, not really a revolver guy.
But if I did,it would have to be something different, like the Baines and Davis.
It would be a fair bit over the 1100fps, too!

I wonder what it could get out of a lever gun...

For you lever owners, is the 38spcl short enough to get more rounds in the tube than 357?

Mr_Flintstone said:

How many of you shoot .38 Special or .357 Magnums loaded to .38 Special velocities from a lever action rifle?

It’s one of my favorite shooting combinations. A .38 special from my Henry has packs a pretty good punch for the almost nonexistent recoil. It’s got me wondering what the practical uses are for a 158 gr cast bullet @ 1100 FPS other than paper punching.

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I've had a Henry 357 for years. My very accurate plinking load is a Bayou Bullets 160gr round nose over 3.8gr of 231 in a 38sp case.
Mine cycles anything I put in it from wadcutters to Buffalo Bore 180gr magnums.

Demi-human said:

I don’t, not really a revolver guy.

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"C'mon man!" ------ a quote from a guy who's name I won't include here.