357 mag rifle or 44 mag rifle?

You've already got a lot of good answers to your OP, so I'll limit myself to one opinion.

If you don't reload, shooting .44 is going to get expensive fast. If that's a consideration at all, I'd get the .357 mag rifle, so you can shoot .38 spl and make things a bit easier on the wallet.
 
Downloading the .44 Mag rifle to pistol ballistics will take away some of the recoil and still remain an honest 100 yard proposition.
 
While I'm a 45 Colt guy all the way, there is the advantage of using milder loads in the 357 for smaller game. I'm sure you could kill small game with a 44 or 45, but I doubt there would be much left worth eating.
 
pull the trigger

I cannot endorse the "pulling the trigger" comment earlier. It would seem that despite the lawyer crossbolt, some still do not completely understand the lever rifle. Which is why I consider any lever with an external hammer, crossbolt safety or not, not an appropriate action type for youth of others not completely familiar with its safe handling. I suppose that goes with any firearm......
 
Thanks guys. I'm gonna try to answer some questions.
I do reload and will be eventually. I do not have any pistols in any of those calibers. I am planning on getting a 45acp soon. So I am basically up in the air as far as 357 44 or 45lc. I would like to keep it a bolt action rifle. And some also mentioned a 300bo. As I will be using it for deer in Ohio it must be a straight wall pistol round. I'm not going to get into the specifics but the original 3 specified rounds are my only option. If it was for me id just get a 45-70 leaver action. Bit I would like something that my son or I could use.
At this time I may see what happens due to the m77/44 is not available through my dealer at this time only the m77/357 is. Seems like most people like the 44. If it becomes available I may just get it. Or I may see what other options are available.

Thanks again for all the input.
 
Owned an 1894 44 Mag and it was a joy. I could take 240gr Green Box Rems an keep all shots on an 8" pie pan at 100 yards, offhand. Now, I did have Skinner Sights front and rear.
 
Jak300gt,

Gotcha! I didn't notice that you were in Ohio. Seems like you're on the right track then. Let us know what you end up with.
 
There are a bunch or bolt action 44 manums on gunbroker right now, mostly Rugers, but there is one Remington 788 that's got a couple of bids.
 
Blue Dot and Unique could go either way, although the 45Colt can make good use of some slower (H110, 296, 4227 etc...) powders in heavy loads. For me I would prefer heavier bullets in the Colt (250gr+) than the ACP, maybe a 225gr Speer or 240gr Sierra for both?
 
I'd seriously consider a single shot rifle in 45 Long Colt, since there is some crossover in the hand loading area. You could load them lighter at first, and then load them a bit stiffer as he grows.
 
16" 44 mag carbine--weighs 4.8 lbs and is the easiest heavy woods stalking rifle I've ever used, and at 100 yds or less whatever you hit is likely going down. Power up the load and you can reach further. 44 mag in a revolver I wouldn't call fun--but in a shorty carbine it sure is. ; )
 
I think you've gotten a lot of great information so far. I can't argue with anything that has been said.

What I will say is that you really can't go wrong with 357 or 44 Mag. Take a look at the two choices from a logistical standpoint. Finding 357 and 38 Special brass will probably be a lot easier and cheaper than 44 Mag and 44 Special brass. So since you reload, you should take that into consideration. Also since both calibers are also pistol calibers, if you ever had plans on getting a pistol in 357 or 44 Mag then I would pick a rifle in that same caliber also. For me, I never liked the heavy recoil of the 44 Mag in a pistol, so I would never own a 44 Mag revolver. But I do like and own several 357 pistols, so having a rifle in that caliber would make more sense to me. Your situation may be different from mine, but if it were me, I would go with the 357 rifle and then later on down the road, you can add a 357 pistol.
 
I own and shoot Winchester Trappers in both .45 LC and .44 Rem Mag as well ass a Marlin Cowboy II in .357 Mag.

Recoil is negligible so there's no reason at all to load special level loads unless you want to avoid leading the barrels.
 
Isn't 45 ACP .451" and 45 Colt .452"???

I know it's only .001" but I don't know if I would use them interchangeably, at least not with jacketed....Or am I picking fly poo out of black pepper??
 
I have been running a 77/44 with a suppressor for a few years now. With handloads in the 900fps range it has no recoil and makes as much noise as a bow. Last season's buck was taken at 90yds and that slow 240gn cast SWC went shoulder to hip. He made it about 10ft. It is accurate enough for headshots at 70-90yds in the back yard...couldn't ask for more.
 
I've got 2ea 357mag leverguns, a 20" carbine and 24" rifle as well as 2ea 45 Colt leverguns, a 19" carbine and 24" rifle. While I don't hunt deer with either caliber, I'd pick the 45 Colt as a better choice for an 8yr old than a 44 Mag due to recoil considerations.
 
Lot's of good advice so far, hopefully you have picked something up but if not here is my 2 cents.

I think there was a typo in your last post, sounds like you don't reload yet but are considering it. Straight walled pistol cases are a great way to get started, I believe they are the simplest cartridges to reload. I am going to focus on .357 & .44, I don't know much about .45LC. In general at least here in western NY both .38/.357 & .44spl/.44mag are commercially available although the .357's are significantly cheaper than the .44 counterparts. The only way I would go .357 is if you are going to be a high volume shooter and not reload. 44 special is mild in a carbine and if you start reloading you can load magnum cases down to the .38/.357 level or all the way up as needed. If reloading the cost difference between the 2 is somewhat neglidgeable in my opinion.

I think you are on the right track with looking at bolt actions instead of levers in this case and I agree with everything bamaranger said and has said a number of times over the years on this topic. I do have a Marlin 1894 in .44 and it does jam from time to time, I think the bolt gun will be safer and probably more reliable for a new/inexperienced shooter.

I see you are having difficulty finding a 77/44 locally, it really is what I would recommend and suggest checking online sources such as budsgunshop before ruling it out even though that might make it harder for me to find one :). I would like to think if your local dealer can't source one from their normal channels that they would be willing to transfer one in reasonably especially if it means getting a new shooter on board.

Best of luck in your search.
 
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