Choosing a pistol caliber deer rifle

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chad1043

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Im having a heck of a time deciding on which pistol caliber lever action rifle I should get. I’ve narrowed it down to either 357 or 44. I woukd really like an octagon barrel, but the weight it adds makes me second guess my decision.I like the looks of the Henry Big Boy in the 20 inch, but at over 8 pounds, I’m not sure. I’ve heard bad things about the new Marlins, and finding a JM version will cost me. Rossi aren’t importing at the moment.. What should I do?
 
We went thru the same thing. My hunting buddy has two .44 levers. But we think the optimum pistol caliber deer rifle is a Ruger .44 semi auto. Deerfield IIRC. They quit making them some years ago, but you can find decent ones used at good prices
 
chad1043 said:
Im having a heck of a time deciding on which pistol caliber lever action rifle I should get. I’ve narrowed it down to either 357 or 44. I woukd really like an octagon barrel, but the weight it adds makes me second guess my decision.I like the looks of the Henry Big Boy in the 20 inch, but at over 8 pounds, I’m not sure. I’ve heard bad things about the new Marlins, and finding a JM version will cost me. Rossi aren’t importing at the moment.. What should I do?
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something in 10 mm :) beats the heck out a 357 683720_2654b16e38684011a6219be28678ae8c~mv2.jpg
683720_05922eb185d44e7ca87bd565037d6b57~mv2.jpg

http://www.rangerpointprecision.com/marlin-1894-shortstroke-45acp-10mm-357si
Their short-stroke pistol caliber carbines especially caught my attention. Unique chamber offerings range from .40S&W, .357Sig, .45ACP, 10mm and a nasty looking .44 RIPSAW." Pete, The Firearms Blog
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Marlin 1894 10mm/40 S&W Short Stroke Carbine (10/40SS)
The RPP 10/40SS is a unique rifle, so much so that it is the first of its kind. It represents a number of extraordinary developments in the Marlin lever-action platform, if not repeating rifles as a whole class. To our knowledge, there is nothing else like it.

To begin with, this rifle could not have been built without first developing our exceptional M/94 Extractor Claw, which itself was the product of months and months of intensive R&D work. Unlike, say, the .38spl and .357 mag, which headspace on their rims, the 10mm auto and .40 S&W headspace on their case mouths. So while the longer 10mm headspaces normally in this rifle, the .40 S&W round is held against the bolt face by the extractor alone.

Firing the .40 S&W in a 10mm chamber requires that two conditions are met: 1) the action must be set up for controlled round feed--ie, the extractor must take control of the case rim immediately during carrier lift--a matter of split second timing when two disparate cartridges are involved; and 2) the extractor must hold onto the case rim, and remain undamaged, under repeated duress, as the firing pin smacks the primer, driving the cartridge forward against the extractor. Only RPP's M/94 Extractor is tough enough to handle this punishment.

A host of modifications and careful tuning are necessary to achieve the foregoing conditions. It is important to note, that despite our best efforts (to date) time and gravity may still affect the feeding of .40s in the Marlin. The 10mm cartridge, being long enough to span the carrier bed, will run as reliably as any firearm can be made to run, but while the .40 will run reliably under most conditions, there are circumstances under which it may malfunction.

For this reason, the .40 S&W should be considered a bonus round, good for cheap plinking and small game hunting, but it should not be relied upon for critical duty.
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With the better handloads 357 can be very effective. But 44 is better. Especially with typical off the shelf ammo.
 
I got a Rossi 92 44mag rifle with octagon barrel. It was imported by EMF. Nice bluing and case hardened receiver.
 
I got it second hand. I threw it out since I didn't know if they were being imported by them or not. As an alternative to imported by Rossi.
 
chad1043 said:
OK, let’s go with 44. Which maker? Why? Why not?
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As to a 44 Magnum rifle any of the older Marlin lever guns are good, they were well made rifles. Another rifle I like is the old Ruger 44 Carbine released in 1961 as the "Deerstalker" a name dropped in 1962 after an Ithaca lawsuit. They made them till 1985. Either an older Marlin lever gun or the Ruger are a few which I happen to like. I have seen both in gun shops, pawn shops and online gun sites in the $500 to $750 price range. Finding a good gun which is older is just a matter of patience. A good gun show also may yield a nice 44 Magnum rifle.

I will not run down other guns like the Rossi or Henry rifles, I have friends who love them, I simply prefer the older Marlin and Ruger guns.

Ron
 
Hot 357 loads outof an 18 inch barrel aren't too far behind 30-30 in energy, and it's a fatter bullet.

There's not an animal in North America that a lever 357 with stout hard cast loads won't do a number on including large bears.

I shot a 300+lb wild hog several years ago with a Buffalo bore 180 grain cast load out of an 18" barrel. The slug went clean through the pig smashing through ribs on both sides. Old porky ran less than 30 feet before he decided to take a nap.

I'm not saying the 44 isn't significantly more powerful or even a better choice, I'm just pointing out that 357 out of a lever with good ammo is more than enough at the ranges you would use a rifle of this type for. One thing I really like about the 357 lever is is the ability that most have to shoot cheap 38 special ammo for plinking
 
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Henry makes a 41 now also along with .357, 44, 45LC and some others. If you get the steel one with a shorter barrel it's 7lbs, 6.5 for their steel carbine. Worth a look.

I do like the older Marlins but getting pricey and hard to find.
 
357, 41 or 44 will all kill a deer with room to spare, provided a good shot. For me, with limited hunting opportunities, I want the best odds. Of the three, the 44 has the biggest margin for error.

And make? Henry for me. I have 3 Henry's and one (recent) marlin. While the marlin will do the job, the quality and finish don't come close to my Henry's.
 
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