OP
OP
Good eye jmorris. She asked about shooting the Marlin the other day. All I could say is give it a few years! Haha
Which would you choose?
- Thread starter SlowFuse
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SlowFuse,
One potential problem with the #1 Buffalo in your situation. First let me preface this with I shoot that exact bullet. Love it. Will go end to end on anything in North America. But Alabama law states it must be a mushrooming bullet. I'm not sure an 18 Brinell hardness bullet qualifies as "mushrooming". If it were me, I would contact my local game warden and get some clarity. But I can't imagine a 45 calibre hole not being enough to circumvent that little requirement. If it must be a mushrooming or expanding bullet, shoot the LeverEvolution 325. It's a wicked round on whitetails. Post some pics of your success!
One potential problem with the #1 Buffalo in your situation. First let me preface this with I shoot that exact bullet. Love it. Will go end to end on anything in North America. But Alabama law states it must be a mushrooming bullet. I'm not sure an 18 Brinell hardness bullet qualifies as "mushrooming". If it were me, I would contact my local game warden and get some clarity. But I can't imagine a 45 calibre hole not being enough to circumvent that little requirement. If it must be a mushrooming or expanding bullet, shoot the LeverEvolution 325. It's a wicked round on whitetails. Post some pics of your success!
Choctaw
Member
In my part of the world, deer, while very plentiful, aren't huge like what some of you guys hunt. The .223 is just fine. I hunt hogs with an AR with great success. However, the 45-70 cartridge in a Marlin just sings. I would go with the lever gun because it just seems right in the woods.
Slow Fuse - I use Federal Fusion for 223 and they work great. The 45-70 has more power but it really is not needed especially on small southern deer. If shooting a 45-70 makes you feel like more of a man than go for it but its overkill really. I would opt for a 30-30 before the 45-70 in your situation.
I've been itching to make that same point.ldlfh7 said:
But like living in a city (on the west coast for a couple more weeks),
I didn't want to be the first one into the intersection when the light changed.
In other words, I agree.
.30-30 is kinda in the middle.
In other places with larger game, I'd take .45-70.
But 'bama?
OP
OP
I respect the 30-30 suggestion. A no frills lever action like a Marlin 336 is on my short list. Maybe next season.
^ Like. 
Slowfuse, if you get some extra reading time sometime, click on "30" in my sigline for a thread I started years ago about Marlin 336. There is a wealth of knowledge there from owners and shooters way more knowledgeable about it than me (even though I've learned MUCH from there and other places since then). Pretty much everything you'd want to know about the rifle has been discussed there at one time or another.
Still, I'll be interested to see which of the rifles you're looking at in this thread gets the pick.
I was very interested in a .45-70 (Marlin Guide Gun) for a while, but finally decided against it. Too much gun for where I live (on the east coast, some in Florida, some in Maine) and what I want to hunt (hogs and deer). If I was in Alaska or Labrador, might be different. Plus the ammo is soo expensive. (It'd be different if I reloaded.)
But I'm starting to crave an intermediate between my .30-30 and my .22 LR rifles (my only two). One of the Ruger American Ranch rifles in .223 has my eye. I'm a fan of short barrels. May even chop my 336 down to 16.5" someday.
I know you're more interested in an AR platform, which is fine. I'm just saying I share your curiosity about .223/5.56. Never owned one before, so I'm studying them now.
Slowfuse, if you get some extra reading time sometime, click on "30" in my sigline for a thread I started years ago about Marlin 336. There is a wealth of knowledge there from owners and shooters way more knowledgeable about it than me (even though I've learned MUCH from there and other places since then). Pretty much everything you'd want to know about the rifle has been discussed there at one time or another.
Still, I'll be interested to see which of the rifles you're looking at in this thread gets the pick.
I was very interested in a .45-70 (Marlin Guide Gun) for a while, but finally decided against it. Too much gun for where I live (on the east coast, some in Florida, some in Maine) and what I want to hunt (hogs and deer). If I was in Alaska or Labrador, might be different. Plus the ammo is soo expensive. (It'd be different if I reloaded.)
But I'm starting to crave an intermediate between my .30-30 and my .22 LR rifles (my only two). One of the Ruger American Ranch rifles in .223 has my eye. I'm a fan of short barrels. May even chop my 336 down to 16.5" someday.
I know you're more interested in an AR platform, which is fine. I'm just saying I share your curiosity about .223/5.56. Never owned one before, so I'm studying them now.
OP
OP
I am interested in the AR, but I was already leaning toward the 45-70 before the overwhelming response in it's favor.
I've taken post #27 into consideration and talked to the game warden for my county. He honestly didn't have much Input on that aspect. He was courteous and helpful otherwise but didn't have much knowledge of reloading, brinell hardness etc.
He did say he was going to have a range officer from the county call me, said he could tell me all that I care to know. I'm sure it will be fine, but i guess it doesn't hurt to make an effort to stay legal.
I've taken post #27 into consideration and talked to the game warden for my county. He honestly didn't have much Input on that aspect. He was courteous and helpful otherwise but didn't have much knowledge of reloading, brinell hardness etc.
He did say he was going to have a range officer from the county call me, said he could tell me all that I care to know. I'm sure it will be fine, but i guess it doesn't hurt to make an effort to stay legal.
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