357 vs 44 mag vs 44-40

[mickb]

If you haven't already ready got one just buy a boring 308 BA, and put a red dot or 2-7×33 on it.
Yes, boring, because it works.

depends on style of the hunt. Southerners forget some of us arent using lever actions up here just to play cowboy, its because they do eliminate things faster at times. If i switched to a bolt I'd let a lot get away. Not that I dont wish I was as cool as Chuck for the sake of it, great picture mate

[Oldbloke]

If you haven't already ready got one just buy a boring 308 BA, and put a red dot or 2-7×33 on it.
Yes, boring, because it works.

depends on style of the hunt. Southerners forget some of us arent using lever actions up here just to play cowboy, its because they do eliminate things faster at times. If i switched to a bolt I'd let a lot get away. Not that I dont wish I was as cool as Chuck for the sake of it, great picture mate

Yes, understand. Been there, done that. I can see the attraction. But on balance I think the BA wins.

Horses for courses.

[mickb]

If you haven't already ready got one just buy a boring 308 BA, and put a red dot or 2-7×33 on it.
Yes, boring, because it works.

depends on style of the hunt. Southerners forget some of us arent using lever actions up here just to play cowboy, its because they do eliminate things faster at times. If i switched to a bolt I'd let a lot get away. Not that I dont wish I was as cool as Chuck for the sake of it, great picture mate

Yes, understand. Been there, done that. I can see the attraction. But on balance I think the BA wins.

Horses for courses.

Sometimes you need the best tool for the job, not a versatility competition.

But this looks like the old bolt action versus lever action debate about to brew. Well it was either that or the 45-70 turning up, its always one or the other on a pistol cartridge lever action thread, someone arrives swinging their knob around

Seriously what happened to the blokes with a 45-70? He should have posted by the third or fourth comment normally. Doesnt matter if they are fishing, having sex or half way up Mt Everest, 45-70 owners will get to a pistol calibre thread directly

[bigrich]

If you haven't already ready got one just buy a boring 308 BA, and put a red dot or 2-7×33 on it.
Yes, boring, because it works.

Mate, that’s what I’ve been using lately. A FN musgrave 98 in 308. Had a bulky 2-10 Leupold on it recently fitted a little vx1 2-7 Leupold. This rifle is being rebarreled to 7x57 in the near future. Barrels ordered already. This’ll make a great hunting rig for what I do and it’ll get me into classic caliber comps at the range. But I’ve got an itch I gotta scratch, tikka lite t3 in 308 with a Leupold 2-7 as an all weather rifle is my first practical choice. But yeah, boring. So I’m looking for a new project, something a bit more interesting that’ll get me into another comp and serve as another hunting rig for what. I’ve had lever’s before and they are fun. I got away from them cause of range limitations. I’ve considered 32-20 model 92 cause there’s lots of classes for them shooting lead. But again, lack of powder to reload is an issue.
Mickb, you’re right that a 444 ticks a lot of boxes, and yeah, you’re a shocking enabler. lol

[Obie73]

My advice: Hold steady. No impulse buying. Forget about fps, power, facts, and figures. Get what you really want.

[bigrich]

Get what you really want.

if i follow that advice my credit card is doomed .........

thanks to all you fellas for listening to my waffling , i do go round in circles a bit cheers

[Oldbloke]

My advice: Hold steady. No impulse buying. Forget about fps, power, facts, and figures. Get what you really want.

The word is he wants either a 308 or 30.06 BA. Because:
Easier to clean
Easy to dismantle
More accurate
Longer range
Cheaper components
More variety of components
Uses easy to obtain powders
Cheaper bullets.
Kills more emphatically.
Quiet to operate
Doesn't rattle as you walk.
But,,,boring.
Shhhh

[Oldbloke]

Bolt actions rule.

Otherwise the ADF would have been carrying lever actions in WW11

[mickb]

Mate, that’s what I’ve been using lately. A FN musgrave 98 in 308. Had a bulky 2-10 Leupold on it recently fitted a little vx1 2-7 Leupold. This rifle is being rebarreled to 7x57 in the near future. Barrels ordered already. This’ll make a great hunting rig for what I do and it’ll get me into classic caliber comps at the range. But I’ve got an itch I gotta scratch, tikka lite t3 in 308 with a Leupold 2-7 as an all weather rifle is my first practical choice. But yeah, boring. So I’m looking for a new project, something a bit more interesting that’ll get me into another comp and serve as another hunting rig for what. I’ve had lever’s before and they are fun. I got away from them cause of range limitations. I’ve considered 32-20 model 92 cause there’s lots of classes for them shooting lead. But again, lack of powder to reload is an issue.
Mickb, you’re right that a 444 ticks a lot of boxes, and yeah, you’re a shocking enabler. lol

Mate its funny different perspectives, as to the 308 being 'boring' for pigs. To me its do I need all that powder and velocity , 50+ grains at 55KPSI, expensive spitzers, a gun 6" longer and just for an animal a 243 or 30-30 can take.

The 444 marlin was seriously in my sights for a while.I ended up passing on it as got a 454 Casull now which runs about the same power. But yes powders will be the thing for pistol cartridges. With a 357 the factory loads are good enough to get the job done, just avoid 125 grain bullets, S&B and blazer as they are underloaded

[mickb]

Bolt actions rule.

Otherwise the ADF would have been carrying lever actions in WW11

Good one OB screw up one of the remaining active threads on a dying forum with s**t stirring mate. Top job, why the forum is dead.

[Fester]

Good to hear the .357 can be effective on the critters as it seems to rule on the range but lots of blokes choose the 44 for more kick.

I only wanted 1 lever for fun and I do love it.
I chose the 30-30 as it's an effective brush gun and I load cast pills for cheap range fun.
I was over the semi-buckhorns and only good for melons at about 30yds shot offhand like a lever should be shot.
A Skinner peep fixed it for shooting groups, but then had to order the higher front post and got the different ring sizes to make the postage worth it.
The target ring is like a pinhole, but the bigger rings are the go for hunting.

Mine was a cheap Staino Rossi Rio-Grand and Rossi QC was at it's worst.
It wasn't so cheap as a smith had to fix most of the action components.

That new Rossi model looks the go if their QC has its act together.
Rossi doesn't use the micro groove rifling like Marlin so cast and jacketed ammo shoots the same and mine shoots well.

[Oldbloke]

Bolt actions rule.

Otherwise the ADF would have been carrying lever actions in WW11

Good one OB screw up one of the remaining active threads on a dying forum with s**t stirring mate. Top job, why the forum is dead.

Gees no sense of humour.

[bigrich]

righto , back on topic . 357 mag makes sense as ammo's cheap and widespread .classes i can shoot at the range too
yes mickb , folks use 243 and 30-30 on pigs but i've found it wanting, especially on tail on shots , 308 anchors things nicely .
fester , i've had a look at the new rossi 95 , and i like what i see. it's got great reviews in the USA . and they make them in 45-70 , but apparently they snuck in some 444's . very interesting .
OB i get your sense of humor about bolt actions being better for a variety of reasons, but it's a little off topic. but who am i to judge , i do it all the time
as i'm getting older and hunting less i've got to be practical in my choices , for financial reasons as well. either way i love having these discussions on the forum, especially when fellas with first hand experience get involved . keep it coming

hey OB , i sort off consider the lee enfeild a bit of a military lever gun .....

[Oldbloke]

"hey OB , i sort off consider the lee enfeild a bit of a military lever gun ..... "

Exactly, a side lever.

[mickb]

I'll leave you to it fellas. Looks to be only a dozen or so of us posting regularly anyway these days and I find my own posts getting a little argumentative too. I think a case of cabin fever creeps in when the numbers get too low. Will take my data elsewhere, see you fellas over at Aus hunt or paco's for those who use them

[Bugman]

I was away on the weekend out past Parkes and was lucky enough to be lent a Marlin lever action in .357. Very effective in the thick scrub, on pigs and the odd goat. Would I buy one? Still thinking about it.

with the pic you got for your forum avatar , i think you should get one

I am tempted

[Oldbloke]

My first centrefire was a Marlin 30.30. Loved it, but it had to go to finance a 30.06. Which I still have.

[jovialjosie2002]

The ejector on my rossi 44 mag broke. I traded it at my local gunshop for $100 (which I was happy with cause it only cost me $700 about 10 years ago). I asked them if they were going to fix the ejector and sell it. They said "No, these have so many problems, especially firing pins, we'll keep it for parts" Basically, Rossi copied the original 1892 exactly as is, they also copied its flaws. Ejectors and firing pins break often. The rossi is like a turkish shotgun....I won't be buying another one.

[bladeracer]

The ejector on my rossi 44 mag broke. I traded it at my local gunshop for $100 (which I was happy with cause it only cost me $700 about 10 years ago). I asked them if they were going to fix the ejector and sell it. They said "No, these have so many problems, especially firing pins, we'll keep it for parts" Basically, Rossi copied the original 1892 exactly as is, they also copied its flaws. Ejectors and firing pins break often. The rossi is like a turkish shotgun....I won't be buying another one.

My mate's Chiappa 92 broke the ejector within the first 50rds he put through it. The Chiappa is a little different though. I haven't compared the Rossi ejector to an original Winchester one but I suspect the flaw is the same in all the 92 replicas.

[jovialjosie2002]

My mate's Chiappa 92 broke the ejector within the first 50rds he put through it. The Chiappa is a little different though. I haven't compared the Rossi ejector to an original Winchester one but I suspect the flaw is the same in all the 92 replicas.[/quote]

Mine broke at the thinnest section. When you copy someone else's design, you also copy their faults. Apparently the modern miroku Winchesters don't have the problems.

[womble]

Realistically you need two rifles.

One show pony and one workhorse.

You already mentioned the stainless Rossi 357 octagonal barrel you previously owned in your original post. And that probably would be the one. It’s gorgeous and feels right. Yes it’s heavy but they all are unless you go with a synthetic and that feels wrong.

There is something to be said for buying back a gun you owned in your youth or years ago. It just fills a hole. I don’t know what it is. Past regrets.

I think you go full cowboy or go home. Yeah I want the 92 . Delete the safety. And I have to have octagonal barrel. A nice long one.

357 or maybe 44 40.

I think the Rossi is the compromise on price so you can use it on the field. Out of the box who knows what you’re getting. It might need some work. It’s never going to be perfect. It probably won’t shoot everything you feed it. Is what it is.



Let’s take a different tangent for your consideration. There’s also the mag fed henry supreme which I’d be very keen on in 223. Takes Pmags.

That’s going in another direction but makes a lot of sense head over heart. https://www.henryusa.com/rifles/lever-a ... eme-rifle/

Now does that thing look ugly. Does it look wrong. I don’t think it does. I think they’ve nailed it. I think somebody has finally got it right bringing the lever action into modern contemporary . I think John Browning would be impressed.

And some of the modern tactical lever constructions or late have been not so nice on the eye.

If we had sensible gun laws they’d ban synthetic stocks on lever actions. But we don’t.

[Blr243]

The Henry supreme in 300 blk will probably be my next purchase. From what I have heard they shoot exceptionally well

[womble]

I try not to look at them. I have enough.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=dXylX6OhUa0

[womble]

The ejector on my rossi 44 mag broke. I traded it at my local gunshop for $100 (which I was happy with cause it only cost me $700 about 10 years ago). I asked them if they were going to fix the ejector and sell it. They said "No, these have so many problems, especially firing pins, we'll keep it for parts" Basically, Rossi copied the original 1892 exactly as is, they also copied its flaws. Ejectors and firing pins break often. The rossi is like a turkish shotgun....I won't be buying another one.

Makes one realise just how hard they had it back in the Wild West.
Just imagine you’ve got a tribe of Comanches up your ass and your ejector breaks.
Next minute you’re strung up to a tree being skinned alive and wishing you’d bought a Marlin

[Obie73]

Well, I think it actually was pretty good if you had a '73. Not as strong as a '92 but in some ways a more logical, graceful and possibly more dependable action than a 92 in my opinion. A much-loved and respected rifle in the old West and it stuck around for years after the 92 was introduced.

In a lot of the old Hollywood westerns the lever actions they should be carrying are the 73, the 66, and the 1860 Henry. Like in 'Silverado' (1986).

[womble]

No one can challenge your opinion Obie. Winchester 1873 won the west. A real game changer.
You just have to have the right moustache to go with it.

[bigrich]

Well, I think it actually was pretty good if you had a '73. Not as strong as a '92 but in some ways a more logical, graceful and possibly more dependable action than a 92 in my opinion. A much-loved and respected rifle in the old West and it stuck around for years after the 92 was introduced.

In a lot of the old Hollywood westerns the lever actions they should be carrying are the 73, the 66, and the 1860 Henry. Like in 'Silverado' (1986).

there's actually a fault or two in "unforgiven" . great movie . in one shot you can see a plastic butt plate on a winchester, and in another somebody asks for 30-30 ammo but the timelines wrong ,the 30-30 wasn't invented yet . your right , by the time the 92 came out , the west was mostly won. interestingly mexican bandits were still a problem into the 1930's , have a google on the texas rangers and in particular, frank hammer . they brought him out of retirement to track down and kill bonnie and clyde . very interesting man