Lever Action 357 . . . ?

I like .357 carbines but just one field lever gun why not get a .44?
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Because if you're going to get a 44, why not get a Rossi 92 in 454? And if you're going to get a 454, why not get a BHA 90 in 460 S&W?
 
Very good point there on the 454 but as only have .357,44 and 45 revolvers in lever gun cals.here I passed plus its another round to load too.
 
While 44 Mag recoil in a pistol can be considered by some pretty stout when chambered in a rifle it’s recoil is really tamed. The 44 has basically the same free recoil level as the 243, 6mm and 30-30; these are hardly considered excessive and deal out much more (especially the 24’s) muzzle blast. These are some of the lighter recoiling game calibers and not much more than the 357 Mag. Stock type and fit are important (I actually have a 77/44) but I have owned a Trapper, 1894 and a H&R single shot in 44 and always thought their recoil was mild. I don’t own any cannons anymore, largest being a couple 30-06’s.
 
Because if you're going to get a 44, why not get a Rossi 92 in 454? And if you're going to get a 454, why not get a BHA 90 in 460 S&W?
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Well, the Big Horn Armory (BHA) offering is around $5,000.
https://www.bighornarmory.com/product/model-90-460-sw/

(I've complained about the price of the Henry and it's "only" around $1,000.)

I would be VERY impressed with a lever gun that would shoot .45 Colt, .454 Casull and .460 S&W like the old .22's that shot shorts, longs, and long rifles but I guess that is not to be. BHA offers a pretty good explanation of why they don't do that on their web page.

While I still have mixed feelings about getting a rifle that fires "just" a pistol cartridge I recently got to fire a Henry in .45 Colt and was really impressed with it. Plus several folk on this site have posted some good information about rifles chambered for pistol cartridges.
 
Pumpkin said:
While 44 Mag recoil in a pistol can be considered by some pretty stout when chambered in a rifle it’s recoil is really tamed. The 44 has basically the same free recoil level as the 243, 6mm and 30-30; these are hardly considered excessive and deal out much more (especially the 24’s) muzzle blast. These are some of the lighter recoiling game calibers and not much more than the 357 Mag. Stock type and fit are important (I actually have a 77/44) but I have owned a Trapper, 1894 and a H&R single shot in 44 and always thought their recoil was mild. I don’t own any cannons anymore, largest being a couple 30-06’s.
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Remember that weight and stock shape of rifle is a big factor.

In a Model 94 Winchester just over six pounds and with a poorly shape stock with a lot of drop........ both the 30-30 and the .44 Mag will rattle your teeth.

The .243 not only has less recoil as a cartridge, it is usually shot from a rifle with a large scope and usually averages EIGHT pounds in weight and has a straighter, better shaped stock.

So the comparisons suffer.

Also, recoil is a matter of feel and opinion. Very subjective.

Those who shoot a lot tend to be less bothered.

Those who shoot only a few times a year will be more bothered.

In a fun gun you want the .357 where you can have less than half the recoil of the .44 Mag and even go to the .38 special with almost no felt recoil.
 
i have a 38-40 in winchester 71, it's nice shooting, no recoil. only good under 100yds really but lots of fun.

the 38-40 was never as popular as the 44-40 but this is not a replica, so ...
 
georgehwbush said:
i have a 38-40 in winchester 71, it's nice shooting, no recoil. only good under 100yds really but lots of fun.

the 38-40 was never as popular as the 44-40 but this is not a replica, so ...
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That 38-40 is a great cartridge.

Actually .40 caliber so it has a lot of punch.

First handgun I ever shot was a Colt Peacemaker in 38-40.

In a rifle I'd choose it over the 44-40.
 
Because if you're going to get a 44, why not get a Rossi 92 in 454? And if you're going to get a 454, why not get a BHA 90 in 460 S&W?
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Why stop there, why not just get a .45-70?? (or a .450 Marlin?)

From rodents up through buffalo and elk there is some lever gun and caliber in a suitable cartridge. Its up to you to pick the best one for your needs and uses.
 
The other Marlin quirk (don't know if this applies to other rifles, or not) is that its a bit picky feeding SWC bullets. My experience is that all the RN and HP bullets work fine, but SWC can be an issue, unless you operate the lever "correctly" and by that, I mean at the right speed.

"Smartly" is the term I use, and that means rapidly, but not as fast a humanly possible. What can happen when worked too fast is that the bullet can "bounce" up enough to hit the edge of the chamber, and where a RN or jacketed bullet will slide in, the square edge of a lead SWC can catch on the edge of the chamber and jam.

Trying to force the round in with continued pressure on the lever does nothing. "Bumping" the lever forward just a bit relieves the pressure on the round and allows it to drop back down into its normal position on the carrier, and it will then chamber smoothly.

Its a small matter really, just an example of a design that works fine when operated the way it wants to be worked, but may not when you don't.

If you're going to be playing "Rifleman" (rapid fire like Chuck Conners in the old TV show) best not to use SWC bullets.
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There is a simple solution to making the Marlins feed SWC bullets. Start with post number 20 and read my other post on how made my levers feed SWC bullets. Its a very simple solution.

https://www.marlinowners.com/threads/marlin-1894-44-magnum-problem.407882/#replies
 
Prof Young said:
Rifle Lovers:

I'm interested in acquiring a lever action rifle chambered in 357. My 357 handguns also accommodate 38 special. I'm assuming that would be true for a rifle as well. Is this a correct assumption?

Life is good.
Prof Young
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Correct assumption.

I just (a month or so ago) picked up a 16" Rossi R92 in .357. Yes, an "Illinois friendly PCC solution". Fun gun. I've got ~50 round through it so far, mixed .38 and .357. No problem cycling any of it.
 
My brother in law’s Marlin 44mag with a Micro Groove barrel shoots and feeds the old discontinued Speer 225 SWCHP Half Jacket very well and has from day one. So much so he bought a bunch more of those bullets way back then.
 
lee n. field said:
Correct assumption.

I just (a month or so ago) picked up a 16" Rossi R92 in .357. Yes, an "Illinois friendly PCC solution". Fun gun. I've got ~50 round through it so far, mixed .38 and .357. No problem cycling any of it.
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Again, as I mentioned in Post #14 of this thread, not all .357s can handle .38 Special.


Frank
 
Again, as I mentioned in Post #14 of this thread, not all .357s can handle .38 Special.
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What the maker marks on the gun and what the gun can "handle" are not always exactly the same thing.

There is a difference between can't and won't, just as there is a difference between must not and should not.

A gun that can safety chamber and fire a round "handles it". A gun that does that but does not reliably feed or extract, goes into the "should not" group.
 
For the first year or two the Marlins were not marked to use .38 Special.

I had a couple, but I never shot any .38 so I don't know if changes were made or if it was just an oversight.
 
I doubt it was an oversight, more likely just something that they didn't feel they had to stamp on their guns. Every .357 will chamber and fire .38 special. Everyone knew that.

None of the Marlin's I've run into ever had any issues with .38specials. MAYBE one might have issues with really short bullets but I never had any trouble with 158s. (which is all I used in .38spl)

My 1894 carbine is the pre-pushbutton safety and is marked .357 Magnum

Not .357 & .38, and not .357 ONLY.

There was a time when warning labels were not put on the gun, they were put in the manual. I kinda miss that...
 
I had the gentlman at STEVES GUNZ, tell me the reason a lot of folks have problems feeding pistol caliber leverguns, is they were originally designed for bottleneck cartridges, and that makes sense , sort of. I have two Rossi R 92s and as long as I keep the length the same as factory cartridges, and work the lever vigorously, I have had no problems, when I let friends work the guns and they try te ease the lever, they jam.
 
"...we should remove all warning labels, and just let nature take it's course."

well i wouldn't go that far actually, but i do subscribe to the "dont try to make it idiot prof, they will just make a better idiot."

i believe in safety, but it can only go so far; education goes much further. and even it fails.
 
trouble is 44AMP, I don't think most folks read the manuals anymore, is why they started putting them on the gun
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I don't think "most" people read the manuals in the old days. OR, if they did, either didn't understand or disregarded what was there.

The majority of guns I've owned didn't come with their manuals. The handful I bought new, did, a couple I bought used still had the manual with them, but the overwhelming majority did not.

We live in a time where stupid people doing stupid things have been awarded $ because "no one told them NOT to do the stupid thing". :rolleyes:
 
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