.357 mag, .45 colt,44mag in a lever gun
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greyling22
Member
45lc will spit back at you unless you load it pretty hot. 44mag is less punchy than a 30/30. It is fine standing up, but from behind a bench is will give you a thump. 357 is very pleasant to shoot, but big hogs might want a little bit more oomph. Unless you can hit them in the head. 357 will kill anything you hit in the head. The 357 will be the hardest to find, and for good reason, it is the most fun.
That said, a 30/30 will be a lot cheaper, do better on piggies, and be easier to find. But that's not what you were asking for.
That said, a 30/30 will be a lot cheaper, do better on piggies, and be easier to find. But that's not what you were asking for.
bikemutt
Member
I like my Ruger 96/44 a lot, that said, requires Ruger rings for a scope mount (expensive), and Ruger has no parts and says they will not service the gun. The feel, handling and accuracy of the gun appeals to me enough to recommend it though.
greyling22
Member
Wow bikemutt, sorry to hear that. After reading that I went to ruger and pulled this off their site:
"Why No Warranty Card Has Been Packed With Your New Ruger Firearm?
The Magnuson-Moss Act (Public Law 93-637) does not require any seller or manufacturer of a consumer product to give a written warranty. It does provide that if a written warranty is given, it must be designated as "limited" or as "full" and sets minimum standards for a "full" warranty. Sturm, Ruger & Company, Inc. has elected not to provide any written warranty, either "limited" or "full", rather than to attempt to comply with the provisions of the Magnuson-Moss Act and the regulations issued thereunder. There are certain implied warranties under state law with respect to sales of consumer goods. As the extent and interpretation of these implied warranties varies from state to state, you should refer to your state statutes. Sturm, Ruger & Company wishes to assure its customers of its continued interest in providing service to owners of Ruger firearms."
So much for the concept of "no warranty specified, but we'll take care of you" Kind of makes me want to buy different brands. I've already been burned once by charles daly going under and their "lifetime warranty" meaning nothing when I need it.
"Why No Warranty Card Has Been Packed With Your New Ruger Firearm?
The Magnuson-Moss Act (Public Law 93-637) does not require any seller or manufacturer of a consumer product to give a written warranty. It does provide that if a written warranty is given, it must be designated as "limited" or as "full" and sets minimum standards for a "full" warranty. Sturm, Ruger & Company, Inc. has elected not to provide any written warranty, either "limited" or "full", rather than to attempt to comply with the provisions of the Magnuson-Moss Act and the regulations issued thereunder. There are certain implied warranties under state law with respect to sales of consumer goods. As the extent and interpretation of these implied warranties varies from state to state, you should refer to your state statutes. Sturm, Ruger & Company wishes to assure its customers of its continued interest in providing service to owners of Ruger firearms."
So much for the concept of "no warranty specified, but we'll take care of you" Kind of makes me want to buy different brands. I've already been burned once by charles daly going under and their "lifetime warranty" meaning nothing when I need it.
No gunmaker is obligated to maintain parts to service every gun they ever made forever.
There is, in reality, no such thing as a true "lifetime" warranty. Too vulnerable to too many variables.
The centerfire Ruger leverguns were a shortlived experiment and Ruger isn't going to keep them going for buyers indefinitely.
They'll generally be pretty good about servicing models they do have parts for, without a specific written warranty.
They serviced Security-Six variants for many years beyond their discontinuance because those were a major model that was sold in large numbers.
You run this risk with any maker.
Denis
There is, in reality, no such thing as a true "lifetime" warranty. Too vulnerable to too many variables.
The centerfire Ruger leverguns were a shortlived experiment and Ruger isn't going to keep them going for buyers indefinitely.
They'll generally be pretty good about servicing models they do have parts for, without a specific written warranty.
They serviced Security-Six variants for many years beyond their discontinuance because those were a major model that was sold in large numbers.
You run this risk with any maker.
Denis
GBExpat
Member
In the late '80s I picked up a used Marlin 1894 .44. I replaced the rear sight with a Williams 5D aperture sight.
It sports a relatively stout recoil but I found it to be very accurate with jacketed white-box .44mag ammo. O'course, I have never sat just shooting a lot of rounds at paper, so that has never been a problem for me (if I were to ever shoot a bunch I would slip on a PAST). At most I would fire a round (maybe two) to assure that the sights were still true and then I would wander off to walk-up & shoot a woodchuck or two.
FYI, IIRC, I have read that the old microgroove bores do not play well with cast bullets.
It sports a relatively stout recoil but I found it to be very accurate with jacketed white-box .44mag ammo. O'course, I have never sat just shooting a lot of rounds at paper, so that has never been a problem for me (if I were to ever shoot a bunch I would slip on a PAST). At most I would fire a round (maybe two) to assure that the sights were still true and then I would wander off to walk-up & shoot a woodchuck or two.
FYI, IIRC, I have read that the old microgroove bores do not play well with cast bullets.
To all the people complaining(for lack of a better term) about the recoil of a 44 mag you do realize there's no law that says you have to shoot full powered 44 mags. 44 Specials are very soft shooting and pretty quiet too.
They're not all that bad if you can get them sized right my 357 will shoot ~2" groups at 50 yards with hard cast, plenty good for my high volume plinking.
Ed Ames
Member
In the context of lever guns, yes/maybe. The only. 44 magnum carbine I've personally used was a semi auto with a gas system set up to expect full power loads. And for hunting I assume people will use the most effective loads they can cycle.
The recoil wouldn't be mentioned except the OP mentioned it. My personal theory is that if it is a concern, even a mild concern, the. 357 is the best choice. It can take down any hog with proper care, and proper care is more likely with a more pleasant gun.
Beyond that...be aware that most of these cartridges (with the exception of. 357) gain nothing from barrels over 16" unless you tailor handloads for them.
colonelhogan44
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The 357 is the way to go. It will do anything a 30-30 will do within 100 yards with handloads (180 grain slugs over some h110 or lil' gun)
In dealing with a large hog, I would not want to be de-fanging the .44 Mag by dropping down to a .44 Special.
The idea is to use the best terminal ballistics reasonably possible in the two magnums and/or the .45 Colt, not to make recoil more tolerable by loading down.
I have the stock pad on my .357, I have a much better one on the .44, and I have the stock hard synthetic buttplate on the .45.
The .357 doesn't kick enough to bother replacing the stock pad.
The weight of the long .45 keeps the hard "plate" from being too objectionable with most stiffer .45 Colt loads.
The .44 definitely benefits from a good piece of rubber.
The .45-70 Guide Gun absolutely requires one with Garrett buffalo stompers.
Recoil isn't a major problem for me, but I disbelieve in punishing myself unduly & do strongly believe in making a particular gun more comfortable to shoot if higher levels of recoil are involved.
That includes rifles and handguns.
My .44 Mag Marlin has been customized FOR close-up brush work on animals that may need to go down right NOW & the punch is noticeable, but not intolerable, in firing many hard-kickers through it.
While I like the 92 patterned guns, I would simply have no interest in shooting one in .44 Mag with that steel buttplate.
Nor would I have any interest in reducing its power by dropping down to .44 Specials in it.
Denis
The idea is to use the best terminal ballistics reasonably possible in the two magnums and/or the .45 Colt, not to make recoil more tolerable by loading down.
I have the stock pad on my .357, I have a much better one on the .44, and I have the stock hard synthetic buttplate on the .45.
The .357 doesn't kick enough to bother replacing the stock pad.
The weight of the long .45 keeps the hard "plate" from being too objectionable with most stiffer .45 Colt loads.
The .44 definitely benefits from a good piece of rubber.
The .45-70 Guide Gun absolutely requires one with Garrett buffalo stompers.
Recoil isn't a major problem for me, but I disbelieve in punishing myself unduly & do strongly believe in making a particular gun more comfortable to shoot if higher levels of recoil are involved.
That includes rifles and handguns.
My .44 Mag Marlin has been customized FOR close-up brush work on animals that may need to go down right NOW & the punch is noticeable, but not intolerable, in firing many hard-kickers through it.
While I like the 92 patterned guns, I would simply have no interest in shooting one in .44 Mag with that steel buttplate.
Nor would I have any interest in reducing its power by dropping down to .44 Specials in it.
Denis
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GBExpat
Member
mavracer said:
Of course.
Furncliff
Member
Marlin 1894c. Check Buffalo Bore and other places for 357 velocities from a carbine barrel, I think you will be surprised. My handloads using 158 gr XTP and Lil-Gun powder go over 1800fps, accurately. The .357 can be a thumper.
The Marlin is very handy to carry, light, and well made (maybe not the new ones). I've toyed with getting another in .44 or .45, but it's hard justify when this one works so well.
From Buffalo Bore...
5. 18.5 inch Marlin 1894
a. Item 19A/20-180gr. Hard Cast = 1851 fps
b. Item 19B/20-170gr. JHC = 1860 fps
c. Item 19C/20-158gr. Jacketed Hollow Point = 2153 fps---- Can you believe this?!!!
d. Item 19D/20-125gr. Jacketed Hollow Point = 2298 fps---- Or this?!!!
Aslo compare the energy levels for the calibers you are considering.
The Marlin is very handy to carry, light, and well made (maybe not the new ones). I've toyed with getting another in .44 or .45, but it's hard justify when this one works so well.
From Buffalo Bore...
5. 18.5 inch Marlin 1894
a. Item 19A/20-180gr. Hard Cast = 1851 fps
b. Item 19B/20-170gr. JHC = 1860 fps
c. Item 19C/20-158gr. Jacketed Hollow Point = 2153 fps---- Can you believe this?!!!
d. Item 19D/20-125gr. Jacketed Hollow Point = 2298 fps---- Or this?!!!
Aslo compare the energy levels for the calibers you are considering.
Ed Ames
Member
That is the context of this thread.
Only for the purposes you revealing what a gentleman you are.
The main theme of this thread is choosing a pistol caliber carbine caliber. Someone claimed that you can fire .44 special in .44 magnum carbines. That is not universally true. It isn't even universally true for lever guns.
You might go re read the thread title
I'd feel pretty confident that Buffalo Bore's 255gr keith load would take down any boar that you could with a 357. If you need to run 44 mag length ammo Georgia arms loads a 240 gr SWC that'd prolly run ~1300fps from a carbine.
And if a guy reloads the options are endless.
Goblin
Member
yeah....357....cheaper to practice with...etcetera, etcetera..
OH! and u can actually get a 7 or 8 shot companion revolver for it ! yay!!!!
OH! and u can actually get a 7 or 8 shot companion revolver for it ! yay!!!!
Awsomepossum
Member
You forgot the 41 mag
TexasPatriot.308
Member
I own all these caliber revolvers and yes, the .41 mag would probably be a helluva good carbine option. now leaning towards the .44 mag more cause the size of hogs I got to deal with in the brush, and I got lots of em.
Ed Ames
Member
How is that germane?
The thread title only explains what the OP was asking about, not what people in the thread were talking about. Knowing what people are talking about - the context of the conversation - is important to understanding why they say what they say. It's part of communication. People were talking about relatively high recoil from .44 magnum carbines. For some .44 carbine users that's the only reality they'll ever know. It colors how they describe such guns.
Anyway, I personally wouldn't buy any of them but that's just me. My solution to this particular problem is marked ".454 casull" and it solves the problem well. I can go from so little recoil I worry about noticing squibs up to a fair approximation of a light .45-70, using readily available (and fairly panic proof) commercial ammo or my handloads. Cans, pigs, rabbits - I'm safe from all of them. Short of maybe a Savage 99 there really aren't any other lever guns I would bother owning. Unfortunately they are fairly uncommon and the OP probably couldn't find one even if he wanted to deviate from the original three choices.
Since you appear to derail a thread where the OP is asking about lever guns to talk about Ruger semi autos. I'll point out that the Ruger carbine that my brother had would function quite nicely with less than full power loads. Now it wouldn't function all the way down to special velocity but It worked fine down to ~1200fps with 240gr bullets add this to the recoil reduction from the gas operated semi auto action and again your're going to have a gun that's no more punishing to shoot than some of the light lever 357s with the heavy loads that are going to be required to put down the same animals that a 240gr bullet at 1200fps would be capable of.
apples to apples
OP the 44 would be an exellent choice, now which lever are you looking at?
The Henry's are heavy and would soak up some of the recoil.
Both the Marlin and Henry's have a slow 1 in 38" twist and they usually don't stabalize the various 300gr bullets, of course better constructed 240-250gr bullets will be fine for even big pigs with good placement.
The various '92 winchester's and clones AFAIK all have a faster twist and handle the big bullets fine, but they are light and many have steel butt plates.
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