.44 Magnum recommendations

Bolt action rifles, lever action, pump action, self loading rifles and other miscellaneous longarms.

.44 Magnum recommendations

Post by Pighunter » 13 Jan 2022, 12:29 pm

So I'm just waiting on my licence (I'm an experienced shooter, I've had a licence 10 years ago and grew up on a farm so I've been around firearms my entire life) but I'm going to pick up a .44 Magnum Lever Action for hunting pigs on my parents farm that are becoming a real problem. I'm looking to spend about $1500.
So far I've picked out the
Rossi 92 Stainless
The Levtec Citadel 92 Tacticool (essentially a Rossi)
The Henry Big Boy X .44 magnum

Does anyone have experience with any of these firearms and which would be the best for night hunting pigs. Obviously the Henry is one of the "Gold standard" brands of lever actions but for a rifle that will get maybe 40 rounds put through it a year I'm not sure if I should go for it unless it's miles ahead of the Rossi rifles.

I have a few issues to resolve with the choice as well
I mostly hunt at night - I have a thermal spotting scope already and was looking at an night scope. My understanding is this would be difficult to use on the Rossi rifles as they are top eject. The Henry wins in this regard I guess.

Edit: I realise I clicked the wrong subforum. Could a Moderator please move this to Centrefire rifles
Generally my friends (Who are the current shooters as I don't have a licence) and I wait in a spot for the pigs to pass by, we don't have to shoot at more than 50m usually, so for the Rossi rifles potentially a pressure switch front torch could do the job (If any of you are concerned about us waiting in a spot at night for pigs, fear not we are actually about 2m above ground in a large tree we've essentially turned into a treehouse/hunting hutch).

So while the obvious answer is "Get the Henry numbnuts" I would like to hear other peoples experiences with these rifles if they have any. I know Rossi has come a long way in terms of quality. But my reasons for questioning the Henry is also I'm not a rich man, so saving money on the rifle would allow me to hasten up the ability to purchase a nightscope but then I would run into the issue of mounting it on the Rossi.
Pighunter
Lance Corporal
Lance Corporal
 
Posts: 100
-

Re: .44 Magnum recommendations

Post by bigpete » 13 Jan 2022, 12:32 pm

Rossi 92
bigpete
Colonel
Colonel
 
Posts: 3577
South Australia

Re: .44 Magnum recommendations

Post by Shootermick » 13 Jan 2022, 12:46 pm

Pighunter wrote:So I'm just waiting on my licence (I'm an experienced shooter, I've had a licence 10 years ago and grew up on a farm so I've been around firearms my entire life) but I'm going to pick up a .44 Magnum Lever Action for hunting pigs on my parents farm that are becoming a real problem. I'm looking to spend about $1500.
So far I've picked out the
Rossi 92 Stainless
The Levtec Citadel 92 Tacticool (essentially a Rossi)
The Henry Big Boy X .44 magnum

Does anyone have experience with any of these firearms and which would be the best for night hunting pigs. Obviously the Henry is one of the "Gold standard" brands of lever actions but for a rifle that will get maybe 40 rounds put through it a year I'm not sure if I should go for it unless it's miles ahead of the Rossi rifles.

I have a few issues to resolve with the choice as well
I mostly hunt at night - I have a thermal spotting scope already and was looking at an night scope. My understanding is this would be difficult to use on the Rossi rifles as they are top eject. The Henry wins in this regard I guess.

Edit: I realise I clicked the wrong subforum. Could a Moderator please move this to Centrefire rifles
Generally my friends (Who are the current shooters as I don't have a licence) and I wait in a spot for the pigs to pass by, we don't have to shoot at more than 50m usually, so for the Rossi rifles potentially a pressure switch front torch could do the job (If any of you are concerned about us waiting in a spot at night for pigs, fear not we are actually about 2m above ground in a large tree we've essentially turned into a treehouse/hunting hutch).

So while the obvious answer is "Get the Henry numbnuts" I would like to hear other peoples experiences with these rifles if they have any. I know Rossi has come a long way in terms of quality. But my reasons for questioning the Henry is also I'm not a rich man, so saving money on the rifle would allow me to hasten up the ability to purchase a nightscope but then I would run into the issue of mounting it on the Rossi.


Do you know of a dealer who actually has the Henry X model in stock?
I’m after one too, but I didn’t think they’d landed anywhere in Australia yet.??
.22, .22wmr, 223, 243, 303, 20ga, 12ga
Shootermick
Staff Sergeant
Staff Sergeant
 
Posts: 795
Victoria

Re: .44 Magnum recommendations

Post by Pighunter » 13 Jan 2022, 12:59 pm

Shootermick wrote:
Pighunter wrote:So I'm just waiting on my licence (I'm an experienced shooter, I've had a licence 10 years ago and grew up on a farm so I've been around firearms my entire life) but I'm going to pick up a .44 Magnum Lever Action for hunting pigs on my parents farm that are becoming a real problem. I'm looking to spend about $1500.
So far I've picked out the
Rossi 92 Stainless
The Levtec Citadel 92 Tacticool (essentially a Rossi)
The Henry Big Boy X .44 magnum

Does anyone have experience with any of these firearms and which would be the best for night hunting pigs. Obviously the Henry is one of the "Gold standard" brands of lever actions but for a rifle that will get maybe 40 rounds put through it a year I'm not sure if I should go for it unless it's miles ahead of the Rossi rifles.

I have a few issues to resolve with the choice as well
I mostly hunt at night - I have a thermal spotting scope already and was looking at an night scope. My understanding is this would be difficult to use on the Rossi rifles as they are top eject. The Henry wins in this regard I guess.

Edit: I realise I clicked the wrong subforum. Could a Moderator please move this to Centrefire rifles
Generally my friends (Who are the current shooters as I don't have a licence) and I wait in a spot for the pigs to pass by, we don't have to shoot at more than 50m usually, so for the Rossi rifles potentially a pressure switch front torch could do the job (If any of you are concerned about us waiting in a spot at night for pigs, fear not we are actually about 2m above ground in a large tree we've essentially turned into a treehouse/hunting hutch).

So while the obvious answer is "Get the Henry numbnuts" I would like to hear other peoples experiences with these rifles if they have any. I know Rossi has come a long way in terms of quality. But my reasons for questioning the Henry is also I'm not a rich man, so saving money on the rifle would allow me to hasten up the ability to purchase a nightscope but then I would run into the issue of mounting it on the Rossi.


Do you know of a dealer who actually has the Henry X model in stock?
I’m after one too, but I didn’t think they’d landed anywhere in Australia yet.??


I'm happy to wait for the stock to come in. Once my licence arrives (Hopefully this month or next) I'll just use my fathers 30-30 until I can get the .44 I want.
Pighunter
Lance Corporal
Lance Corporal
 
Posts: 100
-

Re: .44 Magnum recommendations

Post by bladeracer » 13 Jan 2022, 1:22 pm

If you intend to run an optic then either the Henry or the Marlin 1894. I don't have the Henry, but I don't consider Henry to be gold standard in anything, they make budget rifles that do what you ask of them without faffing about. You can scope the Rossi with either an offset mount or a scout scope on the barrel.

I have the Marlin in .44 and the Rossi 92 in .357, both are good rifles, but are not controlled feed so jams can happen, particularly if the rifle is not cycled vertically (I prefer to lay the rifle over my left hand to catch my brass, but that doesn't work with these, the new round falls out with the spent case). This shows the rounds falling off the Marlin's lifter during cycling https://youtu.be/5s4aHSLAveQ Probably won't be an issue but good to be aware of. I generally carry levers with the lever open, closing it to take a shot, but that can allow the round to bounce around or fall out completely with these rifles (the Winchester 66 and 94 are controlled feed and work fine even inverted). I don't think the Henry is in-country yet so it's hard to know if it's any good. The Henry appears to use a rear locking block similar to the 92, but I doubt it's a direct copy of the action due to the side eject. It may be an excellent new design but we won't know until they've been out in the wild for some time. I avoid buying the latest designs until other people have sorted the glitches out.

But if you're only likely to put 40rds a year through it grab the Rossi Trapper 16", cheap and reliable.

For a setup using thermal I would go with a bolt-action in 7mm-08 or .308.

If you're shooting from a stand just set up some lights over the target area and you won't need thermal or a spotlight. Thermal is a hell of a lot of money for 40rds a year of shooting.

Pighunter wrote:So I'm just waiting on my licence (I'm an experienced shooter, I've had a licence 10 years ago and grew up on a farm so I've been around firearms my entire life) but I'm going to pick up a .44 Magnum Lever Action for hunting pigs on my parents farm that are becoming a real problem. I'm looking to spend about $1500.
So far I've picked out the
Rossi 92 Stainless
The Levtec Citadel 92 Tacticool (essentially a Rossi)
The Henry Big Boy X .44 magnum

Does anyone have experience with any of these firearms and which would be the best for night hunting pigs. Obviously the Henry is one of the "Gold standard" brands of lever actions but for a rifle that will get maybe 40 rounds put through it a year I'm not sure if I should go for it unless it's miles ahead of the Rossi rifles.

I have a few issues to resolve with the choice as well
I mostly hunt at night - I have a thermal spotting scope already and was looking at an night scope. My understanding is this would be difficult to use on the Rossi rifles as they are top eject. The Henry wins in this regard I guess.

Edit: I realise I clicked the wrong subforum. Could a Moderator please move this to Centrefire rifles
Generally my friends (Who are the current shooters as I don't have a licence) and I wait in a spot for the pigs to pass by, we don't have to shoot at more than 50m usually, so for the Rossi rifles potentially a pressure switch front torch could do the job (If any of you are concerned about us waiting in a spot at night for pigs, fear not we are actually about 2m above ground in a large tree we've essentially turned into a treehouse/hunting hutch).

So while the obvious answer is "Get the Henry numbnuts" I would like to hear other peoples experiences with these rifles if they have any. I know Rossi has come a long way in terms of quality. But my reasons for questioning the Henry is also I'm not a rich man, so saving money on the rifle would allow me to hasten up the ability to purchase a nightscope but then I would run into the issue of mounting it on the Rossi.
Practice Strict Gun Control - Precision Counts!
User avatar
bladeracer
Field Marshal
Field Marshal
 
Posts: 12655
Victoria

Re: .44 Magnum recommendations

Post by Shootermick » 13 Jan 2022, 1:37 pm

Pighunter wrote:So I'm just waiting on my licence (I'm an experienced shooter, I've had a licence 10 years ago and grew up on a farm so I've been around firearms my entire life) but I'm going to pick up a .44 Magnum Lever Action for hunting pigs on my parents farm that are becoming a real problem. I'm looking to spend about $1500.
So far I've picked out the
Rossi 92 Stainless
The Levtec Citadel 92 Tacticool (essentially a Rossi)
The Henry Big Boy X .44 magnum

Does anyone have experience with any of these firearms and which would be the best for night hunting pigs. Obviously the Henry is one of the "Gold standard" brands of lever actions but for a rifle that will get maybe 40 rounds put through it a year I'm not sure if I should go for it unless it's miles ahead of the Rossi rifles.

I have a few issues to resolve with the choice as well
I mostly hunt at night - I have a thermal spotting scope already and was looking at an night scope. My understanding is this would be difficult to use on the Rossi rifles as they are top eject. The Henry wins in this regard I guess.

Edit: I realise I clicked the wrong subforum. Could a Moderator please move this to Centrefire rifles
Generally my friends (Who are the current shooters as I don't have a licence) and I wait in a spot for the pigs to pass by, we don't have to shoot at more than 50m usually, so for the Rossi rifles potentially a pressure switch front torch could do the job (If any of you are concerned about us waiting in a spot at night for pigs, fear not we are actually about 2m above ground in a large tree we've essentially turned into a treehouse/hunting hutch).

So while the obvious answer is "Get the Henry numbnuts" I would like to hear other peoples experiences with these rifles if they have any. I know Rossi has come a long way in terms of quality. But my reasons for questioning the Henry is also I'm not a rich man, so saving money on the rifle would allow me to hasten up the ability to purchase a nightscope but then I would run into the issue of mounting it on the Rossi.


Do you know of a dealer who actually has the Henry X model in stock?
I’m after one too, but I didn’t think they’d landed anywhere in Australia yet.??
.22, .22wmr, 223, 243, 303, 20ga, 12ga
Shootermick
Staff Sergeant
Staff Sergeant
 
Posts: 795
Victoria

Re: .44 Magnum recommendations

Post by Pighunter » 13 Jan 2022, 1:57 pm

bladeracer wrote:If you intend to run an optic then either the Henry or the Marlin 1894. I don't have the Henry, but I don't consider Henry to be gold standard in anything, they make budget rifles that do what you ask of them without faffing about. You can scope the Rossi with either an offset mount or a scout scope on the barrel.

I have the Marlin in .44 and the Rossi 92 in .357, both are good rifles, but are not controlled feed so jams can happen, particularly if the rifle is not cycled vertically (I prefer to lay the rifle over my left hand to catch my brass, but that doesn't work with these, the new round falls out with the spent case). This shows the rounds falling off the Marlin's lifter during cycling https://youtu.be/5s4aHSLAveQ Probably won't be an issue but good to be aware of. I generally carry levers with the lever open, closing it to take a shot, but that can allow the round to bounce around or fall out completely with these rifles (the Winchester 66 and 94 are controlled feed and work fine even inverted). I don't think the Henry is in-country yet so it's hard to know if it's any good. The Henry appears to use a rear locking block similar to the 92, but I doubt it's a direct copy of the action due to the side eject. It may be an excellent new design but we won't know until they've been out in the wild for some time. I avoid buying the latest designs until other people have sorted the glitches out.

But if you're only likely to put 40rds a year through it grab the Rossi Trapper 16", cheap and reliable.

For a setup using thermal I would go with a bolt-action in 7mm-08 or .308.

If you're shooting from a stand just set up some lights over the target area and you won't need thermal or a spotlight. Thermal is a hell of a lot of money for 40rds a year of shooting.


Great info thank you. The main reason I bought the thermal spotting scope was because my family are horse breeders. We often shoot in areas that have quite a few horses in the area, so Thermal makes it VERY easy to do a quick scan to see where the horses are at the time of taking a shot. Obviously a rifle mounted one is just the process of me wanting cool things and not completely necessary. Waiting in the dark and simply spotlighting when we spotted a pig on the thermal or with my NV binos has worked out well so far so you might be correct in it being overkill for the range I shoot at and the amount of rounds I'll be using. Obviously 40 rounds is a low estimate but I'm being realistic there have been maybe 10 trips out of 30 where we haven't fired a shot.

The Rossi Trapper 16" has been a big temptation at this point, it looks great and I've been watching a lot of Yellowstone so I'm in a cowboy mood. So its definitely the front runner right now.
Pighunter
Lance Corporal
Lance Corporal
 
Posts: 100
-

Re: .44 Magnum recommendations

Post by Bugman » 13 Jan 2022, 2:23 pm

It is ironic that you should want a 44 mag, yet until you can get one, you would rely on the old 30/30. I posted an answer on another post about a 357mag and my reply post was that I ended up ditching my 357 lever action for a 30/30 which was more effective in close quarter shots for pigs and goats. I used to have a Winchester in 44mag about 35 years ago, with open sights and it was excellent.
If I could get one again, would I? For me the answer is no, I really feel more comfortable with the 30/30, but then again I am getting older.
When you get your 44mag, let us know how you got on. :)
User avatar
Bugman
Warrant Officer C2
Warrant Officer C2
 
Posts: 1071
New South Wales

Re: .44 Magnum recommendations

Post by boingk » 13 Jan 2022, 2:42 pm

Hey mate, I got a Levtac 92 in 44 mag and it's a brilliant bit of gear. Factory loads come out hard and accurate and you'll certainly have no issue hitting pig sized targets at 50 to 150m.

The ghost ring sights arent bad but I'd be using a dab of whiteout on the rear surfaces to help in the dark, stock the ring is Matt Black and the foresight had a brass bead... I'd do them both white.

Lever is pretty slick, the rifle is very light and very handy... cycles well and ejection is positive. I alternate between the irons and a Burris RT1 red dot.

The mlok forend means you can mount lasers, torches whatever out there easily. I've done so with cheap generic plastic rail kits from eBay and they worked fine for a bit of extra light.

Overall very happy with mine, I'd be happy to recommend it.
Nil
boingk
Sergeant
Sergeant
 
Posts: 682
Other

Re: .44 Magnum recommendations

Post by womble » 13 Jan 2022, 2:53 pm

Whichever one feels right when you pick it up and shoulder it.
The Rossi and the Henry are a world apart.
I dream of a world where chickens can cross the road without having their motives questioned
womble
Lieutenant
Lieutenant
 
Posts: 2369
Victoria

Re: .44 Magnum recommendations

Post by Pighunter » 13 Jan 2022, 3:41 pm

Bugman wrote:It is ironic that you should want a 44 mag, yet until you can get one, you would rely on the old 30/30. I posted an answer on another post about a 357mag and my reply post was that I ended up ditching my 357 lever action for a 30/30 which was more effective in close quarter shots for pigs and goats. I used to have a Winchester in 44mag about 35 years ago, with open sights and it was excellent.
If I could get one again, would I? For me the answer is no, I really feel more comfortable with the 30/30, but then again I am getting older.
When you get your 44mag, let us know how you got on. :)

I'll probably be back here bitching about the recoil lmao. The 30-30 is my dads rifle that I recommended to him after talking with a few American buds who are keen on hunting. He's a bit more of a ranged shooter than I, so for him the 30-30 out to 300m works wonders. He takes it with him when he's working out in the paddocks or in the creek.
For me it's simply I've always wanted a .44 Magnum, is it mildly less practical than a 30-30? Sure, but I'll probably just buy a Howa .223 and take that along with me. Might be a better option to use the .44 when making my way through scrub and put the heavy duty optics on the .223.

boingk wrote:Hey mate, I got a Levtac 92 in 44 mag and it's a brilliant bit of gear. Factory loads come out hard and accurate and you'll certainly have no issue hitting pig sized targets at 50 to 150m.

The ghost ring sights arent bad but I'd be using a dab of whiteout on the rear surfaces to help in the dark, stock the ring is Matt Black and the foresight had a brass bead... I'd do them both white.

Lever is pretty slick, the rifle is very light and very handy... cycles well and ejection is positive. I alternate between the irons and a Burris RT1 red dot.

The mlok forend means you can mount lasers, torches whatever out there easily. I've done so with cheap generic plastic rail kits from eBay and they worked fine for a bit of extra light.

Overall very happy with mine, I'd be happy to recommend it.


Everything I've seen about the Levtac has been good so far. I'm pleased we have such a nicely priced rifle with a useful array of features. How do you find the big loop? and how's the recoil with it?
I'm not overly worried about recoil as I was shooting old WW2 .303's when I was 12 years old, but I'd still love to know how the kick is on it.
Pighunter
Lance Corporal
Lance Corporal
 
Posts: 100
-

Re: .44 Magnum recommendations

Post by bladeracer » 13 Jan 2022, 3:56 pm

If you really want the .44 I would go with it.

I _really_ wanted an 1100 Katana...until I actually got to ride one :-)

But I doubt you would be disappointed with the .44, especially on pigs. I would put the .44 mag and .30-30 in the same basket for most purposes. The .44 tends to have less bark to it if you prefer not to use hearing protection. The .30-30 gives you the option of single-loading modern long-range bullets rather than the normal blunt pistol bullets. The .44 has more capacity on-board and extra ammo is more compact.


Pighunter wrote:
Bugman wrote:It is ironic that you should want a 44 mag, yet until you can get one, you would rely on the old 30/30. I posted an answer on another post about a 357mag and my reply post was that I ended up ditching my 357 lever action for a 30/30 which was more effective in close quarter shots for pigs and goats. I used to have a Winchester in 44mag about 35 years ago, with open sights and it was excellent.
If I could get one again, would I? For me the answer is no, I really feel more comfortable with the 30/30, but then again I am getting older.
When you get your 44mag, let us know how you got on. :)

I'll probably be back here bitching about the recoil lmao. The 30-30 is my dads rifle that I recommended to him after talking with a few American buds who are keen on hunting. He's a bit more of a ranged shooter than I, so for him the 30-30 out to 300m works wonders. He takes it with him when he's working out in the paddocks or in the creek.
For me it's simply I've always wanted a .44 Magnum, is it mildly less practical than a 30-30? Sure, but I'll probably just buy a Howa .223 and take that along with me. Might be a better option to use the .44 when making my way through scrub and put the heavy duty optics on the .223.

boingk wrote:Hey mate, I got a Levtac 92 in 44 mag and it's a brilliant bit of gear. Factory loads come out hard and accurate and you'll certainly have no issue hitting pig sized targets at 50 to 150m.

The ghost ring sights arent bad but I'd be using a dab of whiteout on the rear surfaces to help in the dark, stock the ring is Matt Black and the foresight had a brass bead... I'd do them both white.

Lever is pretty slick, the rifle is very light and very handy... cycles well and ejection is positive. I alternate between the irons and a Burris RT1 red dot.

The mlok forend means you can mount lasers, torches whatever out there easily. I've done so with cheap generic plastic rail kits from eBay and they worked fine for a bit of extra light.

Overall very happy with mine, I'd be happy to recommend it.


Everything I've seen about the Levtac has been good so far. I'm pleased we have such a nicely priced rifle with a useful array of features. How do you find the big loop? and how's the recoil with it?
I'm not overly worried about recoil as I was shooting old WW2 .303's when I was 12 years old, but I'd still love to know how the kick is on it.
Practice Strict Gun Control - Precision Counts!
User avatar
bladeracer
Field Marshal
Field Marshal
 
Posts: 12655
Victoria

Re: .44 Magnum recommendations

Post by Pighunter » 13 Jan 2022, 5:01 pm

bladeracer wrote:If you really want the .44 I would go with it.

I _really_ wanted an 1100 Katana...until I actually got to ride one :-)

But I doubt you would be disappointed with the .44, especially on pigs. I would put the .44 mag and .30-30 in the same basket for most purposes. The .44 tends to have less bark to it if you prefer not to use hearing protection. The .30-30 gives you the option of single-loading modern long-range bullets rather than the normal blunt pistol bullets. The .44 has more capacity on-board and extra ammo is more compact.


Pighunter wrote:
Bugman wrote:It is ironic that you should want a 44 mag, yet until you can get one, you would rely on the old 30/30. I posted an answer on another post about a 357mag and my reply post was that I ended up ditching my 357 lever action for a 30/30 which was more effective in close quarter shots for pigs and goats. I used to have a Winchester in 44mag about 35 years ago, with open sights and it was excellent.
If I could get one again, would I? For me the answer is no, I really feel more comfortable with the 30/30, but then again I am getting older.
When you get your 44mag, let us know how you got on. :)

I'll probably be back here bitching about the recoil lmao. The 30-30 is my dads rifle that I recommended to him after talking with a few American buds who are keen on hunting. He's a bit more of a ranged shooter than I, so for him the 30-30 out to 300m works wonders. He takes it with him when he's working out in the paddocks or in the creek.
For me it's simply I've always wanted a .44 Magnum, is it mildly less practical than a 30-30? Sure, but I'll probably just buy a Howa .223 and take that along with me. Might be a better option to use the .44 when making my way through scrub and put the heavy duty optics on the .223.

boingk wrote:Hey mate, I got a Levtac 92 in 44 mag and it's a brilliant bit of gear. Factory loads come out hard and accurate and you'll certainly have no issue hitting pig sized targets at 50 to 150m.

The ghost ring sights arent bad but I'd be using a dab of whiteout on the rear surfaces to help in the dark, stock the ring is Matt Black and the foresight had a brass bead... I'd do them both white.

Lever is pretty slick, the rifle is very light and very handy... cycles well and ejection is positive. I alternate between the irons and a Burris RT1 red dot.

The mlok forend means you can mount lasers, torches whatever out there easily. I've done so with cheap generic plastic rail kits from eBay and they worked fine for a bit of extra light.

Overall very happy with mine, I'd be happy to recommend it.


Everything I've seen about the Levtac has been good so far. I'm pleased we have such a nicely priced rifle with a useful array of features. How do you find the big loop? and how's the recoil with it?
I'm not overly worried about recoil as I was shooting old WW2 .303's when I was 12 years old, but I'd still love to know how the kick is on it.



One thing I don't play around with is my hearing, so I always wear my Walkers Razor digital ears when I go out hunting (though I understand these aren't enough protection for louder guns on their own). I did enough damage to my ears in my 20s with my stupid subwoofer in my car.
Pighunter
Lance Corporal
Lance Corporal
 
Posts: 100
-

Re: .44 Magnum recommendations

Post by bigpete » 13 Jan 2022, 6:09 pm

Why not look at the ruger bolt action 44 mag ?
bigpete
Colonel
Colonel
 
Posts: 3577
South Australia

Re: .44 Magnum recommendations

Post by Communism_Is_Cancer » 13 Jan 2022, 6:39 pm

Heaps of 45-70s on used guns.
Communism_Is_Cancer
Sergeant
Sergeant
 
Posts: 681
Queensland

Re: .44 Magnum recommendations

Post by in2anity » 13 Jan 2022, 6:48 pm

Marlin 30-30, preferably a JM 336. But just get a Remlin if you need it in a hurry. Scoped, you’ll have no dramas with the recoil - Marlins are meatier than 92-based designs and thus absorb the recoil better. They are a nice 100m either offhand or supported gun that hits well hard enough on thick-skinned game at such distances, especially if you run a soft point.
At what point does lack of maintenance become patina?
User avatar
in2anity
Lieutenant Colonel
Lieutenant Colonel
 
Posts: 3048
New South Wales

Re: .44 Magnum recommendations

Post by Blr243 » 13 Jan 2022, 7:59 pm

Buy an extremely good red torch while u save up for a thermal scope. I Only have used Rossi marlin and browning levers. No exp with Henry
Blr243
Brigadier
Brigadier
 
Posts: 4479
Queensland

Re: .44 Magnum recommendations

Post by animalpest » 13 Jan 2022, 9:08 pm

If I was up close and personal with pigs (or any medium game) my .44 mag Marlin would be trumps over any 30/30 or .308. You just cannot beat big calibre in a light rifle.

Oh for my Ruger Deerstalker.. now that was an up close and personal rifle that nothing has ever come close to
Professional shooter and trapper
Trainer and consultant
animalpest
Warrant Officer C2
Warrant Officer C2
 
Posts: 1025
Western Australia

Re: .44 Magnum recommendations

Post by Pighunter » 13 Jan 2022, 10:48 pm

bigpete wrote:Why not look at the ruger bolt action 44 mag ?

Not overly keen on using a bolt action when a pig is charging me from 10m away in the scrub.
Pighunter
Lance Corporal
Lance Corporal
 
Posts: 100
-

Re: .44 Magnum recommendations

Post by bladeracer » 13 Jan 2022, 11:26 pm

Pighunter wrote:
bigpete wrote:Why not look at the ruger bolt action 44 mag ?

Not overly keen on using a bolt action when a pig is charging me from 10m away in the scrub.


I would consider most bolt actions more reliable in that situation. The Winchester 94 is probably one of the more reliable lever actions, in my own limited experience. I wouldn't be betting my life on the 92's or the Marlin 94 as I've had stoppages just plinking with both of them. But even the Win94 has a lot going on in the feed system compared to the simplicity of a bolt action.
Practice Strict Gun Control - Precision Counts!
User avatar
bladeracer
Field Marshal
Field Marshal
 
Posts: 12655
Victoria

Re: .44 Magnum recommendations

Post by Pighunter » 14 Jan 2022, 12:21 am

bladeracer wrote:
Pighunter wrote:
bigpete wrote:Why not look at the ruger bolt action 44 mag ?

Not overly keen on using a bolt action when a pig is charging me from 10m away in the scrub.


I would consider most bolt actions more reliable in that situation. The Winchester 94 is probably one of the more reliable lever actions, in my own limited experience. I wouldn't be betting my life on the 92's or the Marlin 94 as I've had stoppages just plinking with both of them. But even the Win94 has a lot going on in the feed system compared to the simplicity of a bolt action.


If it comes to that I honestly hope one of the 2 other guys I usually go hunting who should be no more than 5m away from me don't also have jams with their straightpull 12g or their over under 12g.
I do understand what you're saying however, it's just a personal preference to want a lever action in this case, I already have access to a multitude of bolt actions that I transferred to my father when my license originally expired (i.e when I moved to the city).
Pighunter
Lance Corporal
Lance Corporal
 
Posts: 100
-

Re: .44 Magnum recommendations

Post by bigpete » 14 Jan 2022, 2:46 am

Pighunter wrote:
bigpete wrote:Why not look at the ruger bolt action 44 mag ?

Not overly keen on using a bolt action when a pig is charging me from 10m away in the scrub.


If its that close it won't matter sweet fa,you'll only get one shot anyway. Maybe you should just get a double barrel shotty
bigpete
Colonel
Colonel
 
Posts: 3577
South Australia

Re: .44 Magnum recommendations

Post by bigpete » 14 Jan 2022, 2:54 am

animalpest wrote:If I was up close and personal with pigs (or any medium game) my .44 mag Marlin would be trumps over any 30/30 or .308. You just cannot beat big calibre in a light rifle.

Oh for my Ruger Deerstalker.. now that was an up close and personal rifle that nothing has ever come close to


Agree. 44 mag is a great cartridge 50m and under,and has the added bonus of being able to fit twice as many rounds in a tube magazine than a 3030.
bigpete
Colonel
Colonel
 
Posts: 3577
South Australia

Re: .44 Magnum recommendations

Post by bigpete » 14 Jan 2022, 2:58 am

bladeracer wrote:
Pighunter wrote:
bigpete wrote:Why not look at the ruger bolt action 44 mag ?

Not overly keen on using a bolt action when a pig is charging me from 10m away in the scrub.


I would consider most bolt actions more reliable in that situation. The Winchester 94 is probably one of the more reliable lever actions, in my own limited experience. I wouldn't be betting my life on the 92's or the Marlin 94 as I've had stoppages just plinking with both of them. But even the Win94 has a lot going on in the feed system compared to the simplicity of a bolt action.


I honestly never once had a jam in my rossi 92 44 mag,but I had plenty in my 1894cb 45-70. Also trying to work out how one even finds a charging pig in a thermal scope at 10m, those things,like night vision, have their place,but they're not really great for " action " shooting
bigpete
Colonel
Colonel
 
Posts: 3577
South Australia

Re: .44 Magnum recommendations

Post by womble » 14 Jan 2022, 3:00 am

Yep, that’s what shotguns are for.

Ideally though, you dont want to be in close quarters with several people trying to shoot an angry boar.
Firstly, that would make it more angry.
And secondly, Jonno would shoot wazza in the bum.

Just buy what you want. The one you like.
I think the 94 is superior (because it’s true), but i love the 92. So I’d buy a 92.
Whatever makes you happy.

Brands, buying new :unknown:
They’ve all been built to a price and in a hurry.
If you like the gun invest a bit more, get it stripped down, deburred , polished, slicked up. Get all the dumb safety crap deleted.
Especially that stupid top tang floppy thing on the Rossi.
I dream of a world where chickens can cross the road without having their motives questioned
womble
Lieutenant
Lieutenant
 
Posts: 2369
Victoria

Re: .44 Magnum recommendations

Post by Shootermick » 14 Jan 2022, 5:54 am

I sent an email to OSA asking about when the next shipment of Henry’s are due. I got a reply saying that there is no current delivery date or shipping confirmation at this time. So it might be a long wait if you decide on one.
.22, .22wmr, 223, 243, 303, 20ga, 12ga
Shootermick
Staff Sergeant
Staff Sergeant
 
Posts: 795
Victoria

Re: .44 Magnum recommendations

Post by Pighunter » 14 Jan 2022, 10:01 am

bigpete wrote:
bladeracer wrote:
Pighunter wrote:
bigpete wrote:Why not look at the ruger bolt action 44 mag ?

Not overly keen on using a bolt action when a pig is charging me from 10m away in the scrub.


I would consider most bolt actions more reliable in that situation. The Winchester 94 is probably one of the more reliable lever actions, in my own limited experience. I wouldn't be betting my life on the 92's or the Marlin 94 as I've had stoppages just plinking with both of them. But even the Win94 has a lot going on in the feed system compared to the simplicity of a bolt action.


I honestly never once had a jam in my rossi 92 44 mag,but I had plenty in my 1894cb 45-70. Also trying to work out how one even finds a charging pig in a thermal scope at 10m, those things,like night vision, have their place,but they're not really great for " action " shooting


When I wrote that I wasn't thinking in terms with a Thermal Scope on, in fact at this point I've essentially been persuaded out of the thermal scope on a .44.
Pighunter
Lance Corporal
Lance Corporal
 
Posts: 100
-

Re: .44 Magnum recommendations

Post by M3D1C » 01 Feb 2022, 9:01 pm

Communism_Is_Cancer wrote:Heaps of 45-70s on used guns.


Probably because the cool factor of a round that can stop a T-Rex doesn't make up for paying $2.50-$4 every time it goes "Bang!"
M3D1C
Recruit
Recruit
 
Posts: 4
Victoria

Re: .44 Magnum recommendations

Post by womble » 02 Feb 2022, 2:47 am

Haha yep. A lot of people buy them and then sell them after a case of ammo renders them bankrupt.

Just my opinion but lever action carbines are best suited for hunting inside 100 yards. And a 44 magnum is more than adequate as such. I think a 357 is enough with the right ammo.
Outside 100 yards just get a decent bolt action 308.
I dream of a world where chickens can cross the road without having their motives questioned
womble
Lieutenant
Lieutenant
 
Posts: 2369
Victoria

Re: .44 Magnum recommendations

Post by bigpete » 02 Feb 2022, 5:14 am

M3D1C wrote:
Communism_Is_Cancer wrote:Heaps of 45-70s on used guns.


Probably because the cool factor of a round that can stop a T-Rex doesn't make up for paying $2.50-$4 every time it goes "Bang!"


More like they're too much for 90% and not enough for 5% and just right for the remainder
bigpete
Colonel
Colonel
 
Posts: 3577
South Australia

Next

Back to top
 
Return to Centerfire rifles