Levergun conundrum

[GunGoBoom]

I am trying to decide which to get for my first levergun - something in .44 mag (probably Marlin), or something in .45/70 (probably Marlin).

The main question I'm asking about is as to caliber, not brand. Now, I had originally planned to get the .45/70, but now I've just about decided to get both. However, I still of course have the question of which to get NEXT (first). Now, I already have a revolver in .44 Mag with an 8.375" bbl, so I figured the .45/70 would be a better complement, to cover more bases (bigger game), but then again, OTOH, a .44 mag levergun would be a same-ammo companion to the revolver. But, then again, perhaps the revolver with that long barrel can already do everything the carbine can do, so why even have a carbine at all in the same caliber, which brings me back to getting the .45/70 first. The .44 mag's purpose would be heavy-brush whitetails and hogs. The .45/70 could be used for same, but in reality I probably would not use it for that - no need to deal with that much noise/recoil, when I have other options in rifles. Now, whichever one I don't get FIRST will probably be relegated down the list 8 or 12 guns, which puts in 5 years or more down the road, in all likelihood, since I have so many guns I want, and the first lever will fulfill a certain "niche" to satisy this need for awhile (*unless*, gawd forbid, I get totally hooked on levers after the first one ). Therefore, it's a fairly important question, given the budget and above. So, questions:

A. If I get the .44 mag, what barrel length is optimum for .44 mag? 1894P marlin best bet?

B. Should I (1). get the .45/70, then the .44 mag later, or (2) get the .44 mag, and get the .45/70 later, or (3) get the .45/70, and don't get any other levergun at all, since I don't need the carbine; the revolver has the heavy-brush deer/hog base covered,

C. Related question: If I do get a "medium-powered" carbine for brush-busting on hogs and deer, which is better in your opinion for this: .35 Rem or a .44 mag? Both seem really good... I suppose in the end, the .44 mag bullets will be less likely to change trajectory upon hitting leaves/twigs, so that may be the answer for this specific purpose ('course, the .45/70 even less so. Erps, too many choices!)

 

[Brasso]

Personally,

I would get rid of the hawg leg and get something a little more practical for carrying. 4.5 to 5.5 inches. Then I would get the .44mag carbine so I could use the same ammo. Unless you're hunting bear, there's nothing the .44mag won't take.

 

[AK47TIM]

I would say buy the .44 now. However you will probably fall in Love with lever gun's. So i see a Marlin 45-70 with a 9 shot capacity in you near future. I Would say the 45-70 Might be a tad bit overkill for hogs. But what do i know You might nedd a 20mm cannon. :


You might want to consider reloading if you do not already.

you can get 100 rds of 45-70 for $88 at sportsmans guide. I usualy pay around $20 for 50 rds of .44mag maybe it can be found cheaper online.

The most important thing is HAVE FUN!

 

[sumpnz]

C. Related question: If I do get a "medium-powered" carbine for brush-busting on hogs and deer, which is better in your opinion for this: .35 Rem or a .44 mag? Both seem really good... I suppose in the end, the .44 mag bullets will be less likely to change trajectory upon hitting leaves/twigs, so that may be the answer for this specific purpose ('course, the .45/70 even less so. Erps, too many choices!)

Try looking into the Marlins in .357Mag. I don't know much about the .35 Rem but the .357 is as good or better than a .30-30 inside 125 yards. Pretty hard to beat the usefullness of that for whitetail in brush country.

I'd personally go for a .357 first, then a .44, and then a .45/70 or similar (.444, .450 Marlin, .480 Ruger, .45LC, etc). At least that is my plan for lever guns, though I probably will have to save up for two of each so my wife doesn't always take mine.

 

[Fly320s]

If you're gonna get them both anyway, get them both together. Maybe you can get a deal on them if bought together.

 

[Tony Mig]

I've shot 45/07, but not from a lever gun...(it was from a Sharps Buffalo rifle)....cool round to shoot if you're not into blasting 100 rounds or better at a time. .45/70 is very expensive...(even to reload)...but to buy it off the shelf around here, you're looking at $29.95 per 20 round box of Remington.

If you want a leven gun that you can afford to take out an enjoy shooting...(a lot)....I'd go with the .44 magnum, assuming that's your only other choice. I recently got the Winchester 1894 "Trails End" edtion chambered in .38 / .357 magnum. I choose this caliber since I own 3 wheel guns chambered for it, and I already reload them. It turned out to be a fantastic rifle, dead on accuracy, and very fun to shoot....I'm now addicted to lever guns, and plan to get one in .22, and down the road possibly even one in .45 Colt...(since I reload that round for my Vaquero single action)....

Of course the lever gun is only one part of the equation, after that you gotta get a bandilaro to carry plenty of extra ammo into the woods. A leather fringed scabbard to keep it in, and if you ride hourse back...a leather sadle holster........

Whatever you decide, enjoy it......

 

[Plain Old Bill]

For what it's worth.....

Look- I'm old, and I'm NOT giving you advice. I'm simply telling you what my experiences add up to.
I've hunted with levers in .307, 30-30, 32 special, 44 magnum and .357. In my experience (others may have had different experiences)-and my DIRECT experience - I would not again have a use fora pistol caliber in a levergun. Not enough gun....I chased down quite a few wounded animals before I switched to that boring old standby, the 30-30. It is the least I would use- your thoughts about the 35 are good ones, I think. 45-70s are hard to practice with...can't say i enjoyed the recoil much.
My personal preference is to have a 44 mag for 100 yards or less...a Dan Wesson HB fills the bill there. I would want a DIFFERENT caliber, something that extended my range a bit, for my rifle.
I've since retired the Model 94 in 30-30, and hunt with Mosin-Nagants, 03A3s, Arisakas and other military rifles. I've had a flirt or two with pistols in 30-30 and .308, but....what I'd really like is a levergun in .348 to try.
There are few experiences as frustrating as seeing a nice fat deer about 250 yards out...and holding a Marlin 1894CS in your hands in .357 magnum.
Besides, life is short- experience every caliber you can!
Again- these are MY experiences...there is no "right" or "wrong" - only what works for you.

 

[klover]

Look at the versatillity (loooooong range) of say .375 H&H compared to 45/70 for about same ammo price and similar recoil. But then if you have lots of other similar cannons....

 

[JohnKSa]

45/70 is a very neat cartridge.

Available with bullet weights from 300 to 550 grains and muzzle velocities from 1250fps to around 2100fps with some of the new PMC 350gr +P ammo.

The 405gr Remington JSP load is pretty mild and is still capable of taking anything in North America. The 300gr loadings are great for deer, and if you want more oomph, go with the new 350gr loading from PMC that duplicates the ballistics of the 450 Marlin.

Then, there are specialty rounds in the 400gr and up range that are real thumpers. Cor-Bon makes a 405 gr "penetrator" load that clocks around 1700fps and Buffalo Bore and Garrett make some heavyweight thumpers that will punch a .458 hole all the way through anything that walks.

Check out mail order--there are some good deals to be had out there on 45/70. Sportsmans guide carries the PMC 350 grain loading--and it's under $20 a box last time I checked.

 

[Blue Line]

I agree with plain old bill, why have a pistol round in a rifle to hunt with. I would stick with the 45-70 (lots of rounds out there that won't hurt your shoulder) or the 30-30 or 35 rem. I think the 44 lever would be ok for close in or smaller game but not deer. I know I Know lots of deer have been taken with a 44 but so have fords and chevys as well as 22 cb caps. I just want to do the animal justice and not make it suffer.

I have a 45-70 and enjoy shooting it. There are some rounds that really have some horsepower and there are light loads and if you reload you can make what you want. Bullet choices are good for what the cartridge was made for ( not a 400 yd round). I have a couple of 94 winchesters one of them will 100 next year and still going strong. PS you can load black power /pyrodex for the 45-70 too.

Levers are fun. I reccomend buying both but remember the limitations of each cartridge's use.

 

[raz-0]

or you can do what I did and get a .444 marlin

 

[mustanger98]

My experience with the .45-70 is with Remington's 300gr JHPs it kicks like a mule, but then I haven't started handloading for it yet. I'd lots rather shoot my T/C .45 Hawken.

Winchester and Marlin leverguns are good. .30-30, .35- no question, they're proven deer rounds. But, what I'd like to try is a Winchester '94 BigBore in .375Winchester, which has been called the King of Elk Cartridges.

On .44magnum I will say it's like other cartridges in that you can get whatever loading you want in it. At short ranges- out to 50yds or so- there are some with enough punch. As with other calibers and cartridges, you must place your bullet where it counts to best effect.

 

[JohnKSa]

The 405gr Remington JSP load will kick less than the 300gr loads.

 

[bernie]

I HAD a .45-70 Marlin lever gun, and I now have a .44 Mag lever gun. I made my decision as the .45-70 was simply not fun to bang away with on an afternoon, and the .44 will still be fine on short range deer sized game.

 

[Z_Infidel]

I almost bought a Marlin in .45-70 after I bought my 1894C in .357 Mag. I really liked the "idea" of having a lever gun in that caliber. Then I realized that for me, it wouldn't be real practical and not a lot of fun to shoot at the range. So I opted for a Marlin in .30-30. Now I have the 1894C for plinking and varmint shooting (which it does real well) and the 336 for a bit more range. 158 gr soft points out of the 1894C perform very well and could be used reliably on deer within its range, but I feel the .30-30 is more practical for that purpose since it has killing power beyond that of the .357 Mag and still has pretty mild recoil. I know people also use the .30-30 for hogs, although it might not be the absolute best. Both rifles are fun to shoot.

Now after having said all that, I don't think you can go wrong with your choices either. If I had to choose between the .44 Mag and .45-70 for the next 5 years or so I would go with the .44 Mag unless I were planning on doing a lot of big game hunting during that time in which case I would opt for the .45-70 and really learn to shoot it at various ranges. From what I understand it has an arched trajectory but maintains killing power out to an impressive range. To me that means it would take some experience with the caliber to really be able to take advantage of its versatility.