.44 or .357 rifle?
I put in a pretty good day's work around here today. The wife has this theory that if she brags on me, I'll bust my butt even harder. So she was laying it on pretty thick, and I figured she was in a good mood, so I said "You should buy me a pistol". Well, you could have knocked me over with a hammer, but she said "OK". So, I said "How bout I kick in a couple of bucks and get a rifle". She said "whatever".
I'm thinking I want a Marlin stainless steel lever action but I can't decide if I want a .44 or a .357. What are the pros and cons for each?
I'm thinking I want a Marlin stainless steel lever action but I can't decide if I want a .44 or a .357. What are the pros and cons for each?
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Well, you didn't say what it's intended purpose will be, but from shooting the Winchester 94 in .44 mag, I'd have to say it's a great little rifle for almost anything you could imagine at shorter ranges. If the sole purpose is for plinking, then the .357 would be a little cheaper. 0 -
FWIW....My Marlin 1894 in 44mag is quickly becoming one of my favoites. 0 -
I have both - not in stainless but they are excellent brush guns. They were my
brother's and well cared for.
I like Marlins much better than Winchester lever guns - the side ejectors are far better
than flipping brass out the top of the receiver - makes scope mounts difficult/awkward
on Winchesters. A scoped Marlin lever action rifle is something beautiful to behold. I
prefer the .44 Mag. a slight tad over the .357 because of the heavier bullet selection.
... I'd suggest, if I may, a stainless Guide in either 45-70 (my choice) or the 450. I have
both but have given the 450 to a neighbor up in Talkeetna, who stores my guns up there
for me. For sheer fun - in knock down power - the short Guide (scoped) just can't be
beat in heavy brush or in the open out to about 150-175 Yds.
... just my opinion, of course!0 -
Get one in 44 mag....more knockdown power plus then with that you can do some major bottle blowin up 0 -
44mag
You can shoot 44 Colt and mags, and reloading options out the wazoo.0 -
just some thing to think about but you can also go with one in 41mag or 45lc 0 -
I have a Marlin in 357, and it is the gun I probably shoot the most. I put XS ghost ring sigts on it, and I think they are a good compromise between a scope and factory iron sights. It is amazing what you can turn a 357 round into out of a 18 inch rifle barrel. I know for a fact that rock chucks vaporize after being hit with a 125 hollowpoint going around 2050 FPS! 0 -
...Sounds like a "win win" James. Have both, and they are both great rifles. Either the .44 or .357 fired from the longer barrel adds a little more "punch" to the rounds...either would be a lot of fun.
...I may like the .357 a bit more, flatter shooting out to 100yds...[;)]
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Love my Ruger 44 auto carbine...
Think tho in a lever I'd go with 357... slightly cheaper to shoot...0 -
I'm a thinking you should get one of these:
http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.asp?Item=72788106
Just cause I haven't got a bid. (hint, hint)[:D][:D][:D][:D]0 -
Good advice, Sarge. My youngest son has an M2 20" Puma 454 Casull.
Awesome little lever gun. I haven't shot it as much as my others BUT
it has 'the weight' and 'the feel' of the best of them! We load it up
with 60-65,000 psi reloads. Hits HARD! John likes it best of the
levers he has.[8D]0 -
44mag and shoot specials 0 -
Depends. Is the pistola gonna be the same caliber as the riffle? What do like shooting the most? I use my Marlin .44 for deer hunting and completely trust it, but shy away from .44 pistols.
Get whatever tickles your fancy.0 -
The 44mag is more versitile. I have a 44MAG in a Ruger Dearslayer model. my 2 cents 0 -
I appreciate all the opinions. I'm leaning toward the .44 right now, but I'll have to agonize over it for a while. [:D] 0 -
JamesRK - Maybe you should compare the ballistics of those two pistol rounds to the classic .30-30.
What better caliber for a lever gun.
I have never seen the justification for a scope on a 150 yard max, pistol round, lever gun.
The Old West does not live with a scoped rifle.
Doug0 -
I say .357 for range.
Is anyone chambering the .500 in a lever gun yet?[:D]
Ben0 -
Mr.James I also have both calibers in rifle and revolver,takin many of deer with the .44 both rifle and handgun and a few hogs with 357,both great calibers for short range out to 150 yards.Also to the fella that stated about scopes on em,when you get as old as my eyes are you,ll have scopes too.Also if you reload either is simple to load as any stright wall cartridge.Thanks,Paul 0 -
.500 Lever action: Mike's got one and it's a good shooter.[:D] 0 -
I have both and probably trust the .44 more.[:)] 0 -
quote:Doug Wilson:
I have never seen the justification for a scope on a 150 yard max, pistol round, lever gun.
The Old West does not live with a scoped rifle.
Doug
LOL ... the Old West ain't got nothin to do with it! The NOW NORTH is where I
spend part of my summers. What you think can a little problem - for you and
your fantasy Wild West Cowboys - has little to do with me!
Well, unless you've been in Alaska during the summer and seen a brownie charging
at a full head of steam - they reportedly can run at 45 Mph. - I know they can/and do
at least 40Mph. because we've had them run along side of us before when we were
Jeeping through their territory - and I doubt you've ever seen moose up close in a
thicket not more than 30 yards away. We have them all over the place in Talkeetna,
and given the choice of a ghost sight or a 2x scope ... ain't no two ways about it ...
scope, every time, old feller.
... and just as a post script ... when brownies charge ... and they do ... they have a
shovel-shaped skull, which they keep low, close to the ground (protecting their chest)
... at 40Mph! The only thing you've got to stop them is a head shot - skull's an inch
to an inch and a half inches thick!
... THAT, Virginia, is why *I* insist on an big bore scoped carbine AND a S&W .500
4" on my hip ... if all else fails.
The Alaskan Tourist Bureau does NOT like to publicise accounts of grizzly/human
kills up there. ... and THAT'S a fact!
[8D]0 -
JRK....sounds like you are looking to buy for pure shooting fun. Therefore, I'll restrict my posting to the fun aspect exclusively. I have several lever's in various calibers. And they are lots of fun. A nice surprise, (my opinion, which I rarely give out) was when I fired my NIB Taurus thunderbolt .45 for the first time. This side of a semi-auto, it's the fastest of the fast. Tons of fun. Everyone else loved it also. Best, Joe 0 -
for a rifle def. get the beefier .44 mag 0 -
quote:Originally posted by zipperzap
.500 Lever action: Mike's got one and it's a good shooter.[:D]
Besides Rossi, who makes one?0 -
James...I have the 94 Trapper in a 44 and the wife has her 94 Trapper in 357. We love them both...fast, lightweight and fun to shoot.
We are considering getting the Marlins in 44 and 357...like some have said, the solid top receiver is just beefier and I like side eject personally. BIG Marlin fan here. [8D]0 -
Dunno who else does but I've seen something about one sometime in the past.
I'll research it.[8D]0 -
this is kind of related, how aout one of the new taurus pump rifles? 0 -
I doubt if it will ever go hunting, but if it does, it'll be in the thickets and woods or just shoot a deer in the back yard.
I'll use it to poke holes in paper and tin cans mostly. I have a bunch of volunteer pumpkins come up in my compost every year. Somebody has to shoot them. [:D]
I was poking around on the internet last night looking at the Marlin Stainless Steel .44 Magnum. Wal-Mart has it for almost a $100 less than everybody else. I wonder if it's the same rifle.0 -
Yep - Marlin only makes one model .44 stainless.[8D] 0 -
quote:Originally posted by JamesRK
I doubt if it will ever go hunting, but if it does, it'll be in the thickets and woods or just shoot a deer in the back yard.
I'll use it to poke holes in paper and tin cans mostly. I have a bunch of volunteer pumpkins come up in my compost every year. Somebody has to shoot them. [:D]
I was poking around on the internet last night looking at the Marlin Stainless Steel .44 Magnum. Wal-Mart has it for almost a $100 less than everybody else. I wonder if it's the same rifle.
No they are lesser quality0
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