Hi all, I was wondering if I could get yalls opinions on lever guns. I've been considering getting a lever gun in one of the deer legal calibers for a while now and have pretty much decided on 44 magnum for caliber. I wanted a 45-70 but the ammo is cost prohibitive and 357 magnum seems a little light. So I guess the first question is what are your thoughts on caliber? Secondly I've been considering Henry, Marlin, and Rossi. Henry is all but ruled out again due to price and I had pretty much landed on Marlin but just started looking into the Rossi and for the money they seem to be a decent gun. What experience do you have with the different brands? I've always been a Marlin guy but read about some serious QC issues with the 1894s that were being produced a few years ago but that seems to have been ironed out. I'd love to hear your feedback on this. Thanks!
Deer lever gun options
- Thread starter Isaacorps
- Start date
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I looked at those as well and they seem decent. I've always had a thing for lever guns and since 30-30 is useless in Ohio I figured I'll get one in a caliber that I'll be able to use otherwise I'd be all over the single shot
Marlin is at the top of my list, Henry, more expensive and a little fancier but with my style of deer hunting I need practical not pretty.... My buddy has the dies for reloading so that's the plan here in the future... Probably sell my Savage 220 and switch too the 44 mag... Something different...
I've had a custom Marlin 45-70 rifle for 25 yrs now. It shoots 3 shot groups at 50 yds in one hole. My nerves go south after 3 shots.
Also have a Ruger 44 mag auto rifle that shoots 1-1.5" at 50 yds.
Both rifles shoots my reloads so cost of ammo is low.
Have taken several deer with both rifles. Took my buck at 150 yds in 2016 with the 45-70.
I would consider the 44 mag a good 100 yd rifle for deer. Some may feel longer. But the rainbow bullet path of both calibers can be the downfall of most except the experienced shooters.
In the 45-70 I've been hunting with handloaded Lever-action plastic tip Hornady bullet. But would have no problem hunting with a hard cast flat nose bullet.
I've only hunted with my hand cast solid lead bullets in the 44 mag. Either 240 or 310 gr flat nose bullets. Have never found a bullet as I get complete pass through. I even took a 'Texas heart shot' on a big doe. Hit her 1" to the right of her butt hole and exit hole was in her throut with a complete body length travel. That won't happen with a jacketed hollow point bullet.
I'm a firm believer in bigger is better. Also a believer in complete bullet pass through for 2 holes. I always found the bullet stopping in the animal body for complete energy useage to be a silly thought. IMHO when a bullet shops there is no energy to be released.
Years ago when Ohio handgun deer hunting was opened our group of 10-12 deer hunters voted no 357 handgun would be permitted to hunt deer in our group. We all use 44 mag pistols but we left one sissy use a 41 mag and all used hard cast lead bullets.
Still believe the same today.
I'm sorry to say this in a way. Price of ammo shouldn't enter into the picture of hunting. As only one shot is required for hunting and maybe a box of ammo for practice. Don't beat me up too much over that comment as I'm older and bruise easy. LOL
By the way I've taken 23 deer in Ohio with a handgun shooting solid lead bullets. 22 deer with the 44 mag and 1 deer with the 45LC. I lost the 24th deer as it went on another property and landowner wouldn't permit a follow up. Latter I learned he found the buck and ate it so no loss there.
Leason for the day. There is no such thing as 45LC '45Long Colt'. No one knows where the Long Colt term came from as the proper caliber is just 45 Colt.
IMHO of 51 yrs of deer hunting.
Also have a Ruger 44 mag auto rifle that shoots 1-1.5" at 50 yds.
Both rifles shoots my reloads so cost of ammo is low.
Have taken several deer with both rifles. Took my buck at 150 yds in 2016 with the 45-70.
I would consider the 44 mag a good 100 yd rifle for deer. Some may feel longer. But the rainbow bullet path of both calibers can be the downfall of most except the experienced shooters.
In the 45-70 I've been hunting with handloaded Lever-action plastic tip Hornady bullet. But would have no problem hunting with a hard cast flat nose bullet.
I've only hunted with my hand cast solid lead bullets in the 44 mag. Either 240 or 310 gr flat nose bullets. Have never found a bullet as I get complete pass through. I even took a 'Texas heart shot' on a big doe. Hit her 1" to the right of her butt hole and exit hole was in her throut with a complete body length travel. That won't happen with a jacketed hollow point bullet.
I'm a firm believer in bigger is better. Also a believer in complete bullet pass through for 2 holes. I always found the bullet stopping in the animal body for complete energy useage to be a silly thought. IMHO when a bullet shops there is no energy to be released.
Years ago when Ohio handgun deer hunting was opened our group of 10-12 deer hunters voted no 357 handgun would be permitted to hunt deer in our group. We all use 44 mag pistols but we left one sissy use a 41 mag and all used hard cast lead bullets.
Still believe the same today.
I'm sorry to say this in a way. Price of ammo shouldn't enter into the picture of hunting. As only one shot is required for hunting and maybe a box of ammo for practice. Don't beat me up too much over that comment as I'm older and bruise easy. LOL
By the way I've taken 23 deer in Ohio with a handgun shooting solid lead bullets. 22 deer with the 44 mag and 1 deer with the 45LC. I lost the 24th deer as it went on another property and landowner wouldn't permit a follow up. Latter I learned he found the buck and ate it so no loss there.
Leason for the day. There is no such thing as 45LC '45Long Colt'. No one knows where the Long Colt term came from as the proper caliber is just 45 Colt.
IMHO of 51 yrs of deer hunting.
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Pretty much agree with most of your posting Frank, no worries about beating you up on a lifetime of knowledge with the experience too back it up....
Only reason I stated cheaper and more available was for the non reloading folks who are looking at them....
I'll have deer rounds and varmint rounds for mine as I plan too shoot chucks periodically with it....
Some folks get recoil sensitive with the 45-70's especially when shooting at the range zeroing it in, no need to shoot a 45-70 a dozen times other then zeroing.... But I'm a fan of simplicity and staying with what works... 44 mags have killed far more game then 45-70's through history.... Plus like CJ mentioned, handgun round as well lol
Only reason I stated cheaper and more available was for the non reloading folks who are looking at them....
I'll have deer rounds and varmint rounds for mine as I plan too shoot chucks periodically with it....
Some folks get recoil sensitive with the 45-70's especially when shooting at the range zeroing it in, no need to shoot a 45-70 a dozen times other then zeroing.... But I'm a fan of simplicity and staying with what works... 44 mags have killed far more game then 45-70's through history.... Plus like CJ mentioned, handgun round as well lol
I maybe getting my Win 1894 in 44 mag back. I sold it about 25 yrs ago to a friend that is a Attorney. He's never shot it and asked me to buy it back. But it will be a keeper. Hopefully he'll sell it at 1990 selling price and not 2017 value price.
As I stated I firmly believe bigger and heavier is better for hunting. I was planning on going to hunt Alaska.
So about 1990 my friend Dale and I designed the 310 gr cast bullet that Lee Precious still sells. My son and I was and still are a Lee Precious Dist of their products and I asked John Lee to make me a new design of heavy flat nose lead bullet to carry in brown bear country in Alaska. When I got back there was a message to call Lee. They wanted to change the bullet design to more along their line of bullet designs. I said keep my design as is and we sold the molds as special order for couple years but gave Lee the go ahead to sell them also.
We got it right the 1st try and it's a awesome bullet design and very accurate.
I took the same design for the 45 Colt and 357 mag but my health went south and never brought those 2 out. Lee did introduce the 45 Colt bullet design. I have one mold for the 180 gr 357 Mag bullet and it proved to be very accurate as my friend Dale has tried it out.
Life is fun when you enjoy it.
So about 1990 my friend Dale and I designed the 310 gr cast bullet that Lee Precious still sells. My son and I was and still are a Lee Precious Dist of their products and I asked John Lee to make me a new design of heavy flat nose lead bullet to carry in brown bear country in Alaska. When I got back there was a message to call Lee. They wanted to change the bullet design to more along their line of bullet designs. I said keep my design as is and we sold the molds as special order for couple years but gave Lee the go ahead to sell them also.
We got it right the 1st try and it's a awesome bullet design and very accurate.
I took the same design for the 45 Colt and 357 mag but my health went south and never brought those 2 out. Lee did introduce the 45 Colt bullet design. I have one mold for the 180 gr 357 Mag bullet and it proved to be very accurate as my friend Dale has tried it out.
Life is fun when you enjoy it.
I wish you luck getting that gun back. 25 years is to long to sit cold. Hope he's kept it wiped down.
Thanks so much for all the great info! You more than answered my questions. I agree that when it comes to hunting ammo price is somewhat inconsequential but I'd also like to be able to do some occasional "just for fun" shooting with it as well. That's honestly what's making me lean towards the 44 but man that 45-70 is tempting lol. Thanks again for your input!
Ohiosam
*Supporting Member*
I disagree with the price of ammo not being a factor. There are guys in the woods that don't practice enough. If there's cheap practice ammo available that's one less reason for a guy not to practice and be familiar with his rifle. Price of ammo is the biggest negative to saboted shotgun slugs and one of the best reasons to pick a rifle that may have inferior ballistics to the sabots. You can buy cheap .44 mag ammo for 50-60 cents a round, going out and shooting 25-50 rounds a few times a year wont break the bank or the shoulder.
I don't buy that idea.
There are 'shooters' and 'shootist'. A 'shooter' shoot only a few if any and a 'shootist' shoot a whole lot. If there was cheap or even free ammo some guys in the woods will shoot no more to practice. It's just not in their blood.