Lever gun deer cartridge?

[Tim Pierce]

I live in Ohio, and hunt Ohio & Indiana. Both states now allow straight walled rifle cartridges for deer hunting. I was leaning toward 45-70, but I'm thinking it's overkill for deer and will have more recoil than necessary. I need a little advice here before I buy a gun. What about 45 long colt, or 44 mag, or even 357 mag?

 

[OldRook]

444 remington magnum is a flat out great lever gun deer round if it's legal in OH

44 mag is pretty good, but can't hold a candle to the above

 

[Tim Pierce]

They list 444 Marlin, but not 444 Rem mag. Are they the same?

 

[Panzerschwein]

.44 magnum a fine deer rifle makes.

Not too bad on the ol' wallet if you aren't a reloader, and plenty o' thump for Bambi size game within 100 yards or so. Plus you can share the 'catriges with your sixgun.

 

[LUCKYDAWG13]

i would not feel under gunned with a 1894 in 44 magnum but i would keep shots
under 100 yards with it as far as being over gunned with a 45/70 no just look at
a 12ga slug if you reload get the 45/70 aww heck just get the 45/70 or 444 and
down load it

 

[illinoisburt]

Here's your official list: http://wildlife.ohiodnr.gov/portals/wildlife/PDFs/hunting/Cartridges.pdf

45 Colt factory offerings are generally downloaded somewhat due to the large number of older guns floating around. 357mag in a handgun is ok for deer and certainly can be effective from a rifle. However of the pistol cartidges on the list, the 44mag has proven itself capable and reliable. Full power ammo is readily available and reasonably priced.

 

[Hanshi]

I've had fine luck with a Marlin .44mag and recommend it highly. I'm also a fan of the 30/30 which is good to 200 yards.

 

[cpt-t]

TIM: I shoot Marlins, Winchesters, and Rossi`s in 357MAG, 45LC, & 44MAG and they are great guns and without a dought, any of the three would kill a deer, under the right condicions. But I don`t really think that any of the three would be the right choice for me as and all around deer rifle. However the 444 Marlin, 45/70, or 450 Marlin are in a completely different league. They are IMHO, true hunting rifles of the first order. Again IMHO, I do not consider the 444Marlin, 45/70, or 450Marlin personelly, to be considered over kill for hunting Deer or any other Large Game Animal in Our Country. All three will take Large Game cleanly, and humanely. And I belive You would be hard pressed, to make a better choice than one of these three calibers in choseing, a Deer Hunting Lever Gun.
Good Luck To You:
ken

 

[Schwing]

I have seen people take deer with a .357 lever action but it would not be my first choice. .44 mag would be my recommendation with consideration for the 45/70 if you intend to hunt anything larger in the future.

.44 is my choice because it will make a fun range toy, is going to be far less expensive to shoot than a 444 or 45/70 and it is plenty capable of taking down deer.

 

[Ks5shooter]

444 Marlin gets my vote

 

[redneck2]

444Marlin, 45/70, or 450Marlin personel

I live in Ohio, and hunt Ohio & Indiana. Both states now allow straight walled rifle cartridges for deer hunting. I was leaning toward 45-70

These are all illegal here. If you get caught, you'd certainly lose your rifle, get a substantial fine, and lose any game you harvested. You could also lose your vehicle.

Before all you guys start giving advice, you might wanna see what's actually legal. It's gonna be a shortened list if it needs to be used in both states. What I use in Indiana is not legal in Ohio. You are gonna need something that crosses over.

I'd go with a .44 mag, etc. if you're not sure. I'd STRONGLY suggest that you disregard most all of what you've read here. Ohio is more restrictive, but I think anything legal in Ohio is legal here. Our law is 1.16 to 1.8" case length and .358 minimum bore. There may be some cartridges legal in Ohio that have a case over our 1.8" maximum length. If so, they're a no go here

 

[Tim Pierce]

Yeah, I did get on Indiana's DNR website, and 45-70 is illegal, so I have settled on the .44 Magnum. I will probably never have the chance to pursue game larger than our whitetails, so the 45-70 is probably more than I would ever need
Thanks all for your comments.

 

[heeler]

What a strange state law.
But I am not from Ohio.
Given the choices that the strange law graces you with I would go with the 44 mag or 357.

 

[mark3smle]

While I am a fan of the 30-30 for any big game, Id go with the 357 Magnum round for a straightwalled case. Its low recoil and more economical to reload than the others. Factory ammo is more affordable and not loaded as light as 45 Colt. Since they are all pistol rounds 100 yards are so would be my limit and I think the 357 would do just fine. You naturally have the option of using 38 Specials for an even lower recoil option for other stuff.

 

[MEHavey]

Barring a 45-70, get a 38-55 and you will never look back.
http://leverguns.com/articles/38_55.htm
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-9vgRs-qg-w&feature=player_embedded

The best balance of mass, diameter and range in an extremely pleasant rifle to shoot.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HO6ihrcukcc&feature=player_embedded

 

[redneck2]

Our law is 1.16 to 1.8" case length and .358 minimum bore.

I typed this a couple of posts back. Why would you tell him to get a .38-55? What part of 1.8" maximum case length is so hard to understand?

We've beat this to death here in Indiana, trying to figure out what would give maximum advantage. I personally use an AR that's chambered in WSSM necked up to .358. Would not be legal in Ohio. If you're looking for maximum range and power, something like a .454 would fit the bill, but they can be brutal to shoot, though not as bad as slugs.

My hunting buddy used a .44 mag to take a 180 class buck with one shot at 85 yards.

HTH

 

[MEHavey]

Why would you tell him to get a .38-55? What part of 1.8" maximum case length is so hard to understand?
HTH

It might be a real good idea to look at the Ohio list since he lives in Ohio.
http://wildlife.ohiodnr.gov/portals/wildlife/PDFs/hunting/Cartridges.pdf

 

[Jim Watson]

I agree, I have a .38-55 and cannot think of a nicer iron sight deer rifle.
I'd have to put the sporting sights back on it, the Baldwins are not my first choice for the woods.

 

[MCgunner]

.45-70 for bambi? I've shot two deer with a lever gun, .30-30 and .357 magnum. Both died and didn't go far and tasted good. In .357, consider 100 yards your range limit. Mine fires a 165 grain hard cast GCSWC to 1900 fps.

 

[Water-Man]

.35 Remington.

 

[mgkdrgn]

Rossi M92 lever gun in 454 Casul.

Will also shoot 45 Colt, which should be plenty ... but if you REALLY want to be sure

 

[Sunray]

That link says for the YOUTH season. That apply to everybody? Just curious.
Civil servants deciding only straight walled cartridges are suitable for deer astounds me.

 

[d2wing]

.50-110. Overkill is never a problem. Under kill is. Not my call but I like the .44 mag. In that range of cartridges maximum energy is by mass and speed. Black powder and pistol cartridges depend on mass as they don't have the speed of modern cartridges. I would look at trajectory charts to see which gives the best trajectory and accuracy as that is the only advantage over a 12 guage slug.

 

[MEHavey]

That link says for the YOUTH season. That apply to everybody? Just curious.

"These rifles can be used to hunt deer during the 2014 youth gun
season, November 22-23, and the 2014 gun season, December 1-7"

(it's always the fine print that gets`ya)


.

 

[jack44]

I bought a 45/70 to take deer and bear