.44 Magnum recommendations

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Re: .44 Magnum recommendations

Post by Border_Bloke » 02 Feb 2022, 7:49 am

I had a Rossi 92 in 44mag back in 1988 and never had a problem feeding with it. I still regret selling it.
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Re: .44 Magnum recommendations

Post by SJFT » 04 Mar 2022, 6:21 am

Great suggestions and discussion so far. All I'd add is that throwing a thermal on any of the lever guns you've mentioned kind of takes the light, well balanced and handy bits that make them so useful and creates a top heavy gun that is a PITA to shoot.

I have an 1894 in 44mag I love. It'll empty itself into a palm sized target at 100m with either the ghost ring sights or the low profile red dot I have on it and I've added a forend that allows me to attach and remove a light easily. It is also great at punching through light scrub compared to my .223 or .308. Only downside is reloading is now virtually impossible thanks to the lack of powder available and the Leverrevolution ammo it likes can be hard to find. Some places will ask to see rego papers when buying handgun rounds.. so I'd carry them with you 'just in case'

Whatever you pick I'm sure you'll enjoy it. Good luck.
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Re: .44 Magnum recommendations

Post by mickb » 12 Mar 2022, 1:39 pm

My setup for the same sort of work is a 357 rossi 20" barrel with red dot forward mounted and torch cable tied under the mag tube at the front. 44 would work the same way. Torch is a slimline S2 Convoy Osram emitter which is about the most powerful for its small size. Remote switch on the right side of the foregrip soit can be activated easily with the left hand. Being the gun is only 6lbs or so, like you say, preserving quick handling is the idea.

As mentioned the top eject makes things a little harder for the 1892 actions. A red dot suffers no disadvantage once forward mounted, scopes though need to be long eye relief models and using them forward mounted can take some getting used to. Some people never gel to it. Anything stuck with normal eye relief, which I imagine NVG, Thermals are going to be, I would class as a no-go on a top eject. My choice if a normal eye relief optic of some sort was needed would be a marlin.
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Re: .44 Magnum recommendations

Post by Blr243 » 12 Mar 2022, 4:08 pm

Mick bs comment sounds spot on
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Re: .44 Magnum recommendations

Post by Pighunter » 25 Mar 2022, 9:48 am

SJFT wrote:Great suggestions and discussion so far. All I'd add is that throwing a thermal on any of the lever guns you've mentioned kind of takes the light, well balanced and handy bits that make them so useful and creates a top heavy gun that is a PITA to shoot.

I have an 1894 in 44mag I love. It'll empty itself into a palm sized target at 100m with either the ghost ring sights or the low profile red dot I have on it and I've added a forend that allows me to attach and remove a light easily. It is also great at punching through light scrub compared to my .223 or .308. Only downside is reloading is now virtually impossible thanks to the lack of powder available and the Leverrevolution ammo it likes can be hard to find. Some places will ask to see rego papers when buying handgun rounds.. so I'd carry them with you 'just in case'

Whatever you pick I'm sure you'll enjoy it. Good luck.


So far I'm still locked in on the .44 Mag, Looking at a Chiappa Takedown or a Henry at this point. But I'm still waiting for my licence (27 weeks later) So perhaps next year or the year after I can update that I finally have my licence again and am heading to the shop to pick one up.
The thermal on a .44 magnum was an idea borne out of over excitement I feel. I've since moved into a simple red dot will suffice and if I want thermal I'll throw it on a 308 or something.
At this point if I got my licence and PTA I'll be down to the shop and buy whatever .44 mag lever they can sell me, Rossi, Citadel, Chiappa, Henry I honestly don't care at this point, it's like an itch I've just been waiting to scratch.
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Re: .44 Magnum recommendations

Post by gixxerdims » 08 May 2022, 10:26 am

anyone have info on the Henry X?
I ordered one in Dec'21 with the expectation of "due in a few months" even when spoke to them said no later than Q1, but unfortunately it's now well into Q2 and still no ETA.
Forum posts on here range back to late 2020 saying they were due last month from back then, so they've kind of been on backorder for 1.5 years now...
Did look at Rossi92, great price but just not a fan of the look (optic mount past the receiver). and Marlin quality has apparently gone downhill since Remington took over...
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Re: .44 Magnum recommendations

Post by bladeracer » 08 May 2022, 7:17 pm

Marlin is now owned by Ruger, and the reviews I've seen so far of the Ruger Marlins have been very good. Don't if any have made it to Oz yet though.
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Re: .44 Magnum recommendations

Post by Pighunter » 23 Jun 2022, 7:36 pm

Gun licence finally approved after 40 weeks. I'll be picking one of these up at the end of the month (PTA is also approved for .44 lever action). I just have to wait for my physical licence and a that pesky 28 day waiting period which seems slightly redundant after a 40 week wait.
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Re: .44 Magnum recommendations

Post by mickb » 24 Jun 2022, 12:23 am

Nice mate what 44mag did you go for and how did you go with amm/components
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Re: .44 Magnum recommendations

Post by Pighunter » 24 Jun 2022, 11:42 am

mickb wrote:Nice mate what 44mag did you go for and how did you go with amm/components


Sadly I'm still waiting for the physical licence and the 28 day waiting period to be up. I'm either going the Levtac-92 or the Rossi Puma in stainless. I've bought a Vortex Sparc red dot already regardless. My local gun shop has quite a bit of .44 magnum in stock of a few different brands. so I'll buy a box of each to see which ones whatever rifle I pick prefers. But I'll let you guys know when I've got it in my hands and how it goes.
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Re: .44 Magnum recommendations

Post by mickb » 25 Jun 2022, 10:26 pm

nice mate my vote would be the rossi stainless, just got one myself, but that is mostly just as I like a longer barrel. The lev-tac should be interesting if you get it, let us know how it goes.
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Re: .44 Magnum recommendations

Post by Pighunter » 26 Jun 2022, 4:27 pm

mickb wrote:nice mate my vote would be the rossi stainless, just got one myself, but that is mostly just as I like a longer barrel. The lev-tac should be interesting if you get it, let us know how it goes.

Yeah when I head down to pick one up I'll just have a feel and see which one I prefer in person. The Lev-tac has a lot of things already on it that would be handy, but the majority of them can easily be installed on the SS Rossi. Ideally I'd go the Chiappa Alaskan or the Henry big boy but who knows when the Henry will be in stock. These guns are mostly going to used for hunting so a lower budget Rossi won't really affect my overall life as I'm not going to be taking them to the range and putting hundreds of rounds through them. They will be lucky to get 100 rounds through them a year.
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Re: .44 Magnum recommendations

Post by Pighunter » 26 Jun 2022, 4:53 pm

Sorry for the double post but has anyone had experience with the PPU .44 magnum? is it a round that could be used for hunting. I've seen mentions that it's a "hot load" and others that say it's an under powered load.
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Re: .44 Magnum recommendations

Post by mickb » 26 Jun 2022, 5:08 pm

Not sure myself but I will buying a few boxes of whatever is around and chronying them shortly. Still waiting for my PTA.
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Re: .44 Magnum recommendations

Post by Pighunter » 06 Jul 2022, 6:11 pm

I am now the proud owner of a Citadel Levtac-92 .44 magnum.
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Re: .44 Magnum recommendations

Post by mickb » 06 Jul 2022, 6:31 pm

Congrats mate nice one! Let us know how it feels and handles. How is the load gate on it- Rossi's can be a bit sharp, as can some of the internals. If they are chewing up your thumb , or anything is nicking noses or cartridge rims they can be smoothed out pretty easily.
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Re: .44 Magnum recommendations

Post by Pighunter » 06 Jul 2022, 9:37 pm

mickb wrote:Congrats mate nice one! Let us know how it feels and handles. How is the load gate on it- Rossi's can be a bit sharp, as can some of the internals. If they are chewing up your thumb , or anything is nicking noses or cartridge rims they can be smoothed out pretty easily.

I've got slender fingers (which is ridiculous for a former boxer) but I loaded a few rounds just to make sure it was all working properly, I didn't find any real issues with the loading at all, the odd round stuck a little as it went in but nothing too bad, I can see why bigger thicker fingers could have a bad time though.
I'll be taking it out for a hunt this Sunday weather permitting. I'll check the rounds I loaded in when I get a mind and see if there was any nicking or grating on the tips.
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Re: .44 Magnum recommendations

Post by bullzeye » 07 Jul 2022, 9:17 pm

gixxerdims wrote:anyone have info on the Henry X?
I ordered one in Dec'21 with the expectation of "due in a few months" even when spoke to them said no later than Q1, but unfortunately it's now well into Q2 and still no ETA.
Forum posts on here range back to late 2020 saying they were due last month from back then, so they've kind of been on backorder for 1.5 years now...
Did look at Rossi92, great price but just not a fan of the look (optic mount past the receiver). and Marlin quality has apparently gone downhill since Remington took over...


The Henry factory in the US closed for about 1.5 years because of Covid. They have a big backlog of orders but they are servicing US customers first, before they get to the rest of the world. I suspect your wait will be long. The gun shop surely would have known this, why didn’t they tell you?
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Re: .44 Magnum recommendations

Post by Blr243 » 07 Jul 2022, 9:41 pm

That’s. The first I have heard of the closure .... that’s enough time for people to just forget bout Henry’s altogether... if we are waiting for months on primers from factories that are full swing production it’s crazy to think how long a Henry might take to get here
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Re: .44 Magnum recommendations

Post by Fionn » 08 Jul 2022, 4:18 pm

bullzeye wrote:
gixxerdims wrote:anyone have info on the Henry X?
I ordered one in Dec'21 with the expectation of "due in a few months" even when spoke to them said no later than Q1, but unfortunately it's now well into Q2 and still no ETA.
Forum posts on here range back to late 2020 saying they were due last month from back then, so they've kind of been on backorder for 1.5 years now...
Did look at Rossi92, great price but just not a fan of the look (optic mount past the receiver). and Marlin quality has apparently gone downhill since Remington took over...


The Henry factory in the US closed for about 1.5 years because of Covid. They have a big backlog of orders but they are servicing US customers first, before they get to the rest of the world. I suspect your wait will be long. The gun shop surely would have known this, why didn’t they tell you?


Henry's Bayonne, New Jersey factory closed for about 4 months, its larger factory in Rice lake stayed open.

The delay is more to do with the increased demand, reportedly several hundred percent increase, maybe from the possible AR bans, the ruger/marlin takeover and the general covid gun buying madness in the US.

They have just opened another factory to meet the demand.
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Re: .44 Magnum recommendations

Post by Pighunter » 10 Jul 2022, 9:36 pm

Took my Citadel Levtac-92 .44mag out for a spin this afternoon. Bigpete was right, there is bugger all recoil. Lighter than the 30-30.
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Re: .44 Magnum recommendations

Post by mickb » 10 Jul 2022, 10:14 pm

Nice pighunter, how is the noise next to your 30-30 with the short barrel
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Re: .44 Magnum recommendations

Post by Billo » 10 Jul 2022, 11:20 pm

Used a newish Marlin 44 mag with a 2 Moa Aimpoint last week and was well impressed, knocked over a horse and then 2 dingo's that turned up a few days later. :thumbsup:
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Re: .44 Magnum recommendations

Post by mickb » 10 Jul 2022, 11:30 pm

nice mate, what ammo did you get the horse with and where did you hit it? I upgraded from 357 to 44 just recently, not specifically big game hunting but opportunistic shots at larger game than pigs when out and about.
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Re: .44 Magnum recommendations

Post by Pighunter » 11 Jul 2022, 9:09 am

mickb wrote:Nice pighunter, how is the noise next to your 30-30 with the short barrel


So I was out on the property with my father at the time, He had fired his 30-30 20" barrel about 20 seconds before I fired. I would say the .44 Mag was loud but not in the same vein as the 30-30. The 30-30 has much more of a report and boom, the 44 magnum had a boom but none of the crack that follows.
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Re: .44 Magnum recommendations

Post by Billo » 11 Jul 2022, 10:01 am

mickb wrote:nice mate, what ammo did you get the horse with and where did you hit it? I upgraded from 357 to 44 just recently, not specifically big game hunting but opportunistic shots at larger game than pigs when out and about.


hit it just under the ear at around 85m, had a nice tree rest, animal was side on. Ammo was federal.
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