Lever Rifle and Matching Revolver

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JCook5003

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Hi Guys-

I want to pick up a lever rifle with a 16" - 18" barrel and a double action revolever in the same caliber.

The revolver will be for plicking, backpacking, camping, and regular farm and truck duties......

The rifle will be for targets and plinking, and hunting.....much the same as the revolver......

My initial thought was a 38/357 was the most versatile, then I thought about a 44 mag......

I reload so that is a conisderation.

What caliber do you guys recommend and also what model rifles and revolvers?

Thanks,
Josh
 
The .45 Long Colt is an option, especially if you handload. You load up to .44 Magnum performance and you have the benefit of a very wide variety of bullets for hunting, SD, plinking, and target practice.
 
Well, what are the biggest dangerous animals in your area? In my area, I think .357 would be better, because the biggest around here are coyotes. (I think) :uhoh:
:)
 
I'd go with .44 Magnum, because while .45LC can be loaded up to .44 levels, the revolvers that will safely shoot said loads are few and uncommon. You have a lot more available variety in .44.

Also, if you want or need to just buy a box of higher-powered ammo, it's easier in .44.

I just loaded up some .44 rounds with Trail Boss, and they're pussycat loads that are fun to shoot, same as .45LC loaded similarly.

Do you cast your own bullets and pay top dollar for the lead?

If not, the price of reloading .44 and .357 is pretty close, but the .44 offers more variety either way.

I say that as someone who loves my .357 Marlin lever rifle.
 
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I have and love the Marlin S&W combo.

1) S&W 586 or 686+ and Marlin 1894c

2) S&W 629 and Marlin 1894SS
 
I paired up a .357 Mag Winchester Trapper with a .357 Mag Ruger GP100.

357MagDuo.jpg
 
Yeah I had thought the 44 would offer me more load potential.....but realistically, black bears are the largest animals around here....

I figured 357 would be cheaper to load than 44 but I havent loaded 44 so I will have to check into it.....keep the advice coming
 
Hello,
I have owned rev/lever combos in .357 , 44mag and 45LC.
As said above --- IF you don't have to worry about Bears , I would go with the .357 combo. --- If you got Bears , the .44mag would be my choice. That you do reload , the 45LC is a option but even hot loaded I would still get the .44mag --- you can find once fired brass for 44/357 but almost impossable to find used .45LC brass.
I would go with the Marlin for the rifle and S&W for the handgun.
 
I figured 357 would be cheaper to load than 44
Click to expand...

I did, too, until I added up some numbers.

500 decent-quality lubed RNFP bullets: $47.99 in .357, $52.99 in .44.
http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/t...&parentType=index&indexId=cat20843&hasJS=true

Trail Boss Powder (very clean, unlike shotgun powders): about 4 grains per round for .357, about 6.5 grains per round for .44.

Primers: same price.

New Brass: $19.99 for .357, $25.99 for .44.
http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/t...&parentType=index&indexId=cat20843&hasJS=true

So yes, .357 is a tad cheaper to load for fun shooting, but not much cheaper, and definitely not enough to justify foregoing a .44 if you need bear defense. And good .44 brass with a low-pressure plinking load should be good for a lot of reloads.

It's MUCH cheaper to buy factory .38 Special vs. factory .44 Special, but reloading .357 and .44 for fun shooting is completely different and much closer in price per round.
 
If you handload, 45 Colt.
If you don't handload, 45 Colt.

The difference in reloads between 45 Colt and 44 magnum is about $1.00 per 500 bullets.

That's the setup I have.

Many people tire of the sharp recoil of a 44 mag in a lightweight rifle.

Get a big Ruger pistol and you're golden.
 
Many people tire of the sharp recoil of a 44 mag in a lightweight rifle.
Click to expand...

...which is why I specifically posted a low-velocity, very-low-recoil, clean-burning load for fun shooting.:)

What's nice about the .44 and the .45 is that you can shoot a wide variety of power levels.
 
True. A reloader can have lotsa fun with 45 Colt andd 44 mag.

A non-reloader will have lotsa fun with 44 special and stop buying 44 mag.
 
I once owned a Taurus 6" .357 Magnum and an accompanying Marlin 1894 in .357 Magnum. And then I traded them both in so I could buy a brand new Marlin 1894CB to go with my Ruger Bisley Blackhawk in .45 Colt.

The .45 Colt is great if you reload, since a SAAMI-spec 250 - 260 grain load doing 850 to 950 ft/sec that'd be safe in most Colt SAA clones will do 1150 to 1300 ft/sec out of the levergun, and for light work, a 200 gr load doing 1100 ft/sec out of the sixgun will do up to 1400 to 1500 ft/sec out of the rifle.

If you had a Ruger revolver (or any revolver that's listed under guns which can shoot "Ruger-only" loads in the reloading manual,) then you could have loads which will drive a 300 to 335 gr bullet at 1400 to 1500 ft/sec out of the rifle, and around 1100 ft/sec from the sixgun.
 
You said hunting is a requirement? I'd say 44 then.

357 is on the light side for deer, 45 colt can be problematic depending on your platforms, and 44 mag ammo will be on the shelf just about anywhere.

I've got matched wheels and levers in 357, 41, and 44 mags, as well as 45 colt. The 44 is the most versitile all things considered.

I particularly like my 94 trapper in 44. Short, light, handy, and holds the same number of shells as a revolver. Keeps logistics simple.
 
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I've got a Rossi Puma in .454 and a Raging Bull . Shoot ostly .45 long Colts but there is always the option............instant bear meat.
 
I have both .357 & .44Mag lever actions and revolvers. If I had to pick one calibur it would be .44
I'm glad I don't have to pick one because I really enjoy the .357 too and in most cases it's all I really need.
 
357 combo it's ok up to light deer hunting duty.

I would go 44 Mag for a bit more range and significant extra punch (and heavier bullets) and more serious wildlife defense (with the proper loads).

45% LC ammo is more difficult to find and it is more costly.

Krochus idea of the 30-30 (or a 45-70 revolver to match to a Marlin lever int he same caliber!!!) actually it's not that bad :D:p

But I suspect his handgun is significantly more expensive than your regular S&W, Ruger or Taurus 44 Mag and probably less manoeuvrable (size, and weight)

Too bad nobody built a 454 Casull lever action carbine yet.

The 44, I think, it's the best compromise.
 
Too bad nobody built a 454 Casull lever action carbine yet.
Click to expand...
Uhhh...I had a Rossie Puma in .454. Incredible power in a .22 sized rifle.

FWIW....I know the criteria was a double action. Personally (if you care), I'd go with my .45 Colt Ruger Bisley (SA) and a lever of your choosing. I've owned and used several .44 mags. For me, the luster rubs off rather quickly and you're left with a handgun that punishes you with every pull of the trigger.

My Bisley is really fun to shoot, is exceptionally accurate for nearly everyone that tries it (even novice shooters), and has enough power (with the right hand loads) to take everything up to and including Cape Buffalo (see Sixgunner.com).

Hand loads are a breeze. 255 LSWC's will poke thru a deer from any direction and are quite mild and fun to shoot.

HTH
 
Since you said hunting (I presume deer-sized gaime), I'd opt for the .44. Any my choices would be a Marlin 1894 (pick your variant), and a 5.5" Ruger Redhawk.
 
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