357, vs 44, vs 30/30. Carbine.

[floorit76]

My brother is in the market for a lever gun for occasional pest control around the farm. Coyotes being the most likely target. He has a thing for the Henry big boy, and would like one in 357 or 44, but is concerned with the effective range of either, hence the 30/30 option. He is not a "gun guy", and shoots infrequently. This will likely become more of a safe queen, family heirloom, than anything else. Given the choices of a big boy in 357 or 44, or maybe a marlin 336, or wichester 94 in 30/30, what would be your choice for the job at hand?

 

[MCgunner]

.357 most versatile, .44 most powerful of the pistol choices, .30-30 the only real deer caliber mentioned (the magnum pistols come close to 100 yards).

 

[jmr40]

For a lot less money he can buy one of budget bolt guns from Marlin, Ruger or Savage ($250-$350) in 223 or 243. He'll get a much more accurate rifle, in a much better chambering, less recoil, better reliability and far less weight.

If he is stuck on a lever action I'd look for a good used Marlin or Winchester in 30-30. The Henry 22's are OK, but the centerfires are everything a lever action is not supposed to be. Heavy, ugly, awkward handling and expensive.

 

[Revoliver]

I would (and did) go with a .357 myself. A lot of people like to downplay the .357 magnum's abilities, but just read up on what Col. Wesson did with a .357 magnum REVOLVER when it first came out.

 

[floorit76]

We're in IL, there is no rifle deer hunting. This is purely for (rare) pest control, and the enjoyment of future generations.

 

[floorit76]

He has a store credit for nearly $1000, and no intrest in a bolt or auto, american made levers only.

 

[dak0ta]

.30-30, cheap, accurate, longer range

 

[MCgunner]

I have a .357 lever gun and love the versatility, hogs/deer to squirrel with only an ammo and sight elevation change. Of course, I have other appropriate scoped, high power hunting rifles.

For a lot less money he can buy one of budget bolt guns from Marlin, Ruger or Savage ($250-$350) in 223 or 243. He'll get a much more accurate rifle, in a much better chambering, less recoil, better reliability and far less weight.

Meh, I've seen some tack driving .30-30s. One belongs to a friend, a pre-64 Winchester 94 with a Williams receiver sight with which I put 3 rounds into an inch dead bull at the range one day. When I was a kid, I thought all lever guns were inaccurate, too. I grew up and found out better.

But, yeah, what with all the good affordable bolt guns on the market now days and the decline of Marlin quality (or so they say), I'd probably go with a Savage or maybe a Ruger American or something. There are some .30-30 lever gun options beyond the Marlin now days, though.

 

[76shuvlinoff]

If he likes plinking but isn't a reloader the cheapest to feed will be the .357. My Marlin 1894c has no issues running .38 spcls. In .357 mode it will reach out enough for varmint control around a county estate but come up a bit shy if we're talking ranch distances. If I had a 44 pistol I might go up to a 44 rifle .....but then why not go to 30-30?

 

[adelbridge]

$.50 a shot for .357 $.75 for .44 mag and about $1 for 30-30. .357 and .44 mag can reach out to about 100-150 yards , 30-30 150-200 yards

 

[floorit76]

Thank you Adelbridge for a clear, concise reply.

 

[RCArms.com]

My money would be on a .357 Magnum Lever Rifle for the purposes listed. Plinking with .357 Mag and .38 Spcl is exceptionally good fun and relaxing for all shooters. My 11-year old son really likes the Rossi Model 92 Stainless carbine.

 

[floorit76]

Perhaps I should have said shoots VERY infreqently in the OP. He is 47, and I don't recall ever seeing him out with a gun without a reason. Never just for fun.

 

[The_Armed_Therapist]

All will drop a Coyote. While I agree with the concerns regarding the range of the .44 (150y mpbr) and the .357 (175y mpbr), the .30-30 isn't that much better (225y mpbr) for range, particularly since he's not a gun guy who doesn't shoot much. Can he even hit a Coyote at 225 yards? 150 yards? Can he see them that far? LOL

I like them all, though. Great guns for the task.

 

[floorit76]

He is actually a suprisingly good shot. I'm sure he wouldn't hesitate at a long coyote shot, but thats largely due to the farmer attitude of "you can't kill a coyote wrong". Kill it, wound it, or just make it feel darn unwelcome would be fine in his book. Though his eyesight is waning.

 

[mavracer]

The 357s going to be the cheapest to feed. The 30/30 will reach out further and would be the best coyote gun of the three.
BTW Henry makes a 30/30 big boy

 

[Old judge creek]

Gents,
Not to be argumentive, but the plain facts are that in todays world, the 357 magnum and 44 magnum both can readily be reloaded to almost (but not quite) duplicate 30-30 ballistics. IMO, the 30-30 has become as obsolete as the typewriter.

Now, in a couple of months, I'll be 70 years old and have spent a lifetime in the outdoors. I still have my first deer rifle in the safe. It's Model 94 Winchester I got for my birthday in 1959. It's seen more than its share of time in the woods and harvested a lot of game. But, as Star Trek's Dr, McCoy would have said, "It's dead, Jim."

Distance? Lemme tellya, Pards, I have a 1000 yard range on my ranch. I can ring the bell on an 18 inch gong at 225 yards with regularity with any of my lever rifles and iron sights.



If you look closely you can see the plates set out on this day (I was chronographing loads this day).

Anyway, the simple facts are that i can do with a 357 magnum or 44 magnum just about anything I could ever do with my old Winchester... and in most cases do it with greater authority. My old 94 Winchester has been a safe queen for many years now (and no, its not for sale).

 

[floorit76]

What part of my post made you think he might possibly reload anything?

 

[jj1962hemi]

If he really wants a gun for "posterity," AND he wants to spend $1,000, I'd look at the Winchester/Browning copies of an 1886 (45/70) or 1895 (.30-06). Both are beautiful and very unlikely to go down in value. If he's an infrequent shooter, neither will kill him with recoil. A Savage 99 (used) in .308 Winchester caliber is another option. Also, .30-06 and .308 are legit high-powered rifle calibers that will surely be commercially available in 30 years, and will take anything in North America short of the larger bears. Recoil in all of these will be harsher than a .30-30, or certainly a .357/.44, but if he doesn;t shoot often, it won't mater as much. Both are heavy guns that may absorb more than the Henry. Another option (might cost more) is the Henry replica in .44-40. I don't know about the comparative balistics, but they are classics (see them in the Lonesome Dove miniseries or being wielded by Mal in Silverado). These are a gun geek's choices, not the pragmatic every day coyote/pest blaster's.

 

[floorit76]

The caliber choices are 357, 44, and 30/30. Thank you.

 

[jj1962hemi]

Then I'd go with a pre-'64 Winchester-made 1894. It will grow in value and be a nice heirloom. Cheap .30-30 ammo runs $0.60/round, v. $0.45/round for .357. Sorry for changing calibers on you, I just think about saving a gun for posterity and, in that case, I don't think a modern pistol-based replica will necessarily be valuable or interesting down the line. Obviously, if I knew for sure, I'd have a different collection!

 

[jj1962hemi]

It will be a $300 - $600 gun in GC to VGC+.

 

[floorit76]

I'm afraid the gun will be new, I don't believe the store in qestion even offers used guns. And by heirloom, I don't mean investment. Around here, any useable gun of any quality is a treasured family heirloom.

 

[jj1962hemi]

Then I'd bet on the Marlin 336 in terms of L-T value and collectibility.

 

[M1key]

Hands down...the Marlin 336. Side eject, easy to scope, good trigger, accurate, stronger action than the Winchester '94.

M