Best straight-walled cartridge for deer hunting.

+1 for the 444 Marlin.

My Marlin in that caliber won my heart by being the most accurate lever gun that I've ever owned. It's a bad shooting day if prints a group larger than one inch with the 265 gr. Hornadys.

BTW I just bought 250 of the Starline cases... they're nice.
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The 265 gr Superformance load cannot be beaten for off-the-shelf accuracy, in 95% of Marlins and Handi-Rifles. My favorite 444 puts them all in the same hole - literally.

The Starline brass is good stuff.
I prefer Hornady, since I already have a bunch on hand, and that's what my loads are based on. But the Starline stuff is pretty decent.
Before it was released, I was provided with a small sample by one of about 10 people (that I know of) that were sent pre-production lots of the Starline 444 brass for testing and feedback. I fired one of those cases 62 times with a moderate load, without failure. It was work-hardened like a muther and was likely to spit with just a couple more firings, but did not fail.
My shoulder gave out before the case.
 
I've wanted a big horn armory carbine length .50 s&w lever action since they started making them. Probably overkill for deer, but I'd rather have it in a lever gun than a handgun.
 
Up to 100 yards, the .44 mag. Past that, the 45-70.
Mainly because I like the Marlin 1894 and 1895.
YMMV, lever guns aren't for everybody.
 
This year they began to allow straight walled pistol/rifle cartridges.
This wouldn't be a problem, as I've always wanted a good lever action 30-30.
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Ummm...Just to be clear, you did NOT think the .30-30 was a straight walled pistol/rifle cartridge did you?
 
I would go with a Marlin 1895 Guide Gun 45-70. Here's why. I currently own one and have owned similar ones in the past. With standard factory ammo, the recoil is moderate. Standard factory ammo will fully penetrate a fat Iowa deer and make a mess of vitals in the process. If I had a need for greater range, I could go to the Hornady FTX load and have and easy 175-200 yard gun without a whole lot more fuss. There are factory loads that run the gamut from fairly tame to obnoxious.

Guide Guns feel extremely good in the hand and tend to be very accurate. Prices at some vendors are in the mid 400's now. Marlin had a $100 rebate on them last month. They may re-offer it.
 
I own five 45-70 rifles and I'd have to say that for the purpose of just getting an effective straight wall cartridge to hunt deer with it wouldn't be my first choice. First of all, deer just aren't that difficult to kill (I've killed over a hundred and fifty in my life so far so I know what I'm talking about). Although I enjoy the 45-70 immensely, it's more about the nostaglia and the fun of load developement rather than its effectiveness in killing deer. A .357mag, .357max, or any "lower" recoiling cartridge will do just as well and not punish the shooter in the process. I've killed over fifty deer with the .357mag using a handgun and have yet to lose one deer with this cartridge. However, if having a big bore rifle cartridge for the fun of shooting it and being able to use it for deer hunting is a combination idea then the 45-70 might be the ticket. It's just that it's simply not necessary if you're just looking for something to hunt deer with.
 
What commercially loaded bullet would you recommend for the 357 maximum at rifle velocities? What 357 max rifle would you recommend?
 
I chose .357 mag for Ohio deer, but mostly because I wanted a companion to my .357 revolvers more than a companion for my one .44 mag revolver.

Deer aren't necessarily that large or hard to kill, .357 mag will do it and I don't see a reason to go larger than .44 mag.
 
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Those Iowa deer can be absolutely vicious... :p

Were I to be picking off the rack, I'd probably go with .45-70.

Another possible choice would be the .375 Winchester. You'll still see some of those floating around, but it's really a reloading proposition. It's been years since I've seen a box of ammo in the stores.
 
What commercially loaded bullet would you recommend for the 357 maximum at rifle velocities? What 357 max rifle would you recommend?
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Alas, the 357max is a reload only propositioin. I don't believe anyone loads for it anymore. It's an easy to load cartridge and no more complicated to load than the 357mag. If you don't reload, just get a 357mag gun....it will kill any deer you shoot with it. Regardless of what caliber you use, you need to hit the vitals to kill. That's why it's very important to use something you can shoot well. The 357mag is available in a number of accurate well made rifles. Henry, Rossi, Marlin, Ruger, and TC Encore/Contender. The most common bullet in commercial is the 158g bullet and I've killed 85% of my handgun killed deer with this bullet weight. In a rifle the 357mag produces velocities in a 20" bbl that is nearly equal to a 357max in a 14" TC barrel.
 
The 38-55 is an excellent deer/bear cartridge...as well as the modern version of 375 Win. Although they appear similar, the modern 375 Win should never be fired in older guns chambered for 38-55. It operates at a much higher pressure.
 
Within 100 yards or so I would opt for the 44 Mag, past that the 444 and 45-70 have merit. Just depends on where you hunt.
 
If you reload, then in addition to the .444 Marlin and 45-70, I'd throw in both the 357Max and the .375 Winchester (note that Winchester did make a run of ammo for the .375 Win this year and CapTech also has made brass runs).

I personlly like the .375 Win; no one makes a rifle in .375 Win any more, but there are always 94 Big Bores available on gunbroker, Marlins come up periodically, and once in awhile rarer (and expensive) Savage 99s. If you are nastolgic, also consider an old .38-55.
 
I love the idea of a rifle/handgun pair (for the purpose of stocking less ammo), so assuming either .357 mag or .44 mag are the forerunners there, which one would do the best on whitetail at 150 yards?
I'm not being argumentative, because I truly don't know, but is the .357 mag really up to that task? I had a Smith 686 for years, and the tolerable handgun recoil lead me to believe that caliber might not be a great stand-in for a big game cartridge.

p.s. I know .41 mag and .45 Colt could be up there as well, but the handgun versions are basically only offered in single action (with very few exceptions). Using the "pick a caliber that twins with a handgun," it should be an easily acquired double action revolver caliber.
Thank you!
 
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