new lever in 44-40 or 45 colt

[andym79]

Hi guys, I have decided to add another lever to the family. I am struggling to choose between 44-40 or 45col; whilst a 45 colt is an authentic 19th century cartridge its not an authentic lever caliber! (There is always another authentic 45 cal maybe another time).

I have excluded Marlin on account of quality control and Henry on account of availability of the big boy!

As I see it these are my options:

1. Try to find a good example of an original Winchester 1892; the cheapest option for a well used example but its going to cost a lot for an excellent one, they stopped making them 70 years ago!

How good can a 100 year old lever action rifle be?

My Carl Gustav turned a 100 this year and it in very good condition; no offense intended, but a 1892 action is no where near as strong as a Swedish Mauser and I doubt the barrel would have been forged to the same standard.

2. Buy a new Rossi 1892, best I can get it for is $830.

3. Buy a Uberti reproduction Winchester 1873, best I can get it for is $1450.

I would consider buying a new Miroku (Winchester) 1892, best I can get it for is $1500 and it has a highly unauthentic tang safety and rebounding hammer

Can you please give me first hand experience of Uberti and Rossi rifles chambered in 44-40 or 45 colt.

Thanks

[Yelp]

Damn.

I saw lever action and was all ready to talk about the Browning BLR which is my current fav

[inspector]

I have excluded Marlin on account of quality control and Henry on account of availability of the big boy!

No love for the Marlin 1895?

A very dependable lever action IMO.

[Old Fart]

I've a huge fan of the Uberti.

The 1873 Short Rifle is about top of my list.



Comes in .45 colt as requested.

There's no smarter looking lever action to my eyes and rock solid.

[Old Fart]

Had to update my avatar after posting this to match

[Arth]

A bit off topic on the Miroku, but...

I shoot a mates Miroku MK11 Sporter every once in a while and it's top notch.

Doesn't cost a fortune, but solid as for the money.

[andym79]

I have excluded Marlin on account of quality control and Henry on account of availability of the big boy!

No love for the Marlin 1895?

A very dependable lever action IMO.

I thought 1895 was chambered in 45-70 and its was the 1894 chambered in my choice of cartridge?

[inspector]

I thought 1895 was chambered in 45-70 and its was the 1894 chambered in my choice of cartridge?

Sorry, you're right.

I new they were 45/70, but thought there was a .44 mag version as well for some reason... My bad.

[buster]

2. Buy a new Rossi 1892, best I can get it for is $830.

A mate recently moved on his .45 colt 1892 after not being able to get serviceable accuracy out of it.

At 50m of the bench best grouping with hand loads was 3".

Very load sensitive too... A 0.1gr change and you'd be all over the place, one more and it would tighten down again.

My 2c.

[Norton]

Either the Uberti or Rossi would serve you well.

44-40 is available in all as a classic lever cartridge and has the power for anything you'd be putting down in at normal lever ranges.

[wadeo]

My old man owns a Uberti 1866 yellowboy in 44/40. We both shoot with it and love it. It was around $1450 for the 20" barrel.

Great rifle IMO but ammo isn't cheap.

[Aster]

How'd you go andym79?

Pick something up yet?

[newsteadvic]

The November-December issue of Rifle magazine has a review of the new Winchester 45 colt and is quite complimentary about it, while acknowledging the problems with prior rifles, this article posits these were due to barrel twist problems. This current rifle is 1:26 twist while earlier rifles were 36 to 38 inch twists:

[MeccaOz]

I put Alot of rounds through a Rossi, lasted me 20+ before minor things started to happen... By Alot I do mean ALOT. I have every intention of buying another. This I admit was in .357 mag though.

[Grrzrr]

I thought for a second you meant you got 20+ rounds through it before you had problems.

Calling that "a lot"... Boy, you've got low standards

[Bennybigbores]

Have a look at chiappa, they have some awesome reproduction lever actions, I got a 12g lever and love it awesome workmanship and quality but you will pay for it, Google chiappa firearms

[MeccaOz]

I thought for a second you meant you got 20+ rounds through it before you had problems.

Calling that "a lot"... Boy, you've got low standards

LOL, dammit I meant 20+ years

[Bark]

awesome workmanship and quality but you will pay for it

To be expected though.

I'm sure you've handled some of the super cheap shotty or rifle options. Yuck.

Better to pay for a quality FA.

[andym79]

I haven't got one yet. I have however decided to just get an original 44-40 1892, worse case it needs a barrel liner fitted. Best case I get a rifle that can shot with a proper 24" barrel and no abomination on its tang. If my 38-40 from 1903 can shoot well (how many rounds do you think might have been don that barrel in 110 years?) then I sure there must be original 44-40 out there that can.

If the new Winchester had the correct barrel and the correct tang then I would be willing to lash the cash. Come on Winchester no half measures!

[Gregg]

If the new Winchester had the correct barrel and the correct tang then I would be willing to lash the cash. Come on Winchester no half measures!

I sense a petition coming