What Lever Straight Wall Caliber?

rep308 said:
You can really push 44 mag with 270 gn bullets near 45/70 territory but make sure your rifle can handle it and do not shoot it in a handgun.
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A friend of mine made up some loads for his single shot Thompson (Contender??) that were monsters.

I believe he used H110, a slow burning powder to optimize it for rifle use.

He modeled internal ballistics with QuickLoad before he started testing.
 
dcmdon said:
A friend of mine made up some loads for his single shot Thompson (Contender??) that were monsters.

I believe he used H110, a slow burning powder to optimize it for rifle use.

He modeled internal ballistics with QuickLoad before he started testing.
Click to expand...
H110 or 2400 is what is typically used for 44mag hunting loads.....I think I've even used it for hot 45 Long Colt loads for hunting that are near 44 mag speed.
Both around 1500 fps or more if remember right.... with a 240 grain XTP. Can probably load 44 mag hotter......

I keep both in stock....and it will last my lifetime and then some for what i need for hunting loads. But in general my plinking loads are just made with Unique.
 
Broc Tuah said:
Not reloading must suck.
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This..although the older I get the less I want to have a lot of different calibers......keeping everything in stock for all the different stuff sucks.

I can use the same powder I use for shotgun for 44 and 357 and 45acp.....those are what I'm gonna move towards.

9mm....Im just gonna buy it......just bought a case of 124 grain CCI at 21 cents. I hate reloading it. Its not that big of a savings with the volume I shoot.

Then just keep one powder for manbun loads. Getting rid of all the 30 calibers eventually.
 
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Mark from ? said:
H110 or 2400 is what is typically used for 44mag hunting loads.....I think I've even used it for hot 45 Long Colt loads for hunting that are near 44 mag speed.
Both around 1500 fps or more if remember right.... with a 240 grain XTP. Can probably load 44 mag hotter......

I keep both in stock....and it will last my lifetime and then some for what i need for hunting loads. But in general my plinking loads are just made with Unique.
Click to expand...

Yup. H110 is for the higher end of pistol loads or good for short barreled rifles. This same guy has used it for .300 BLK out of a SBR.

I use it mainly for .460 S&W mag loads and .454 Casull. Like you, I have a couple of pounds which is probably a lifetime supply.

The .460 XVR revolver is about 6 lbs with a scope, plus it's got a huge 10 in barrel with a compensator. So it's not too bad.

My .454 Casull is a simple 6" Ruger Super Blackhawk and weighs 50 oz. It's a monster to shoot. My first shot is usually pretty much in the bulls eye. The second shot is 6" low at 25 yards and the 3rd shot is off the bottom of the paper. I'd need to shoot it more to avoid developing a push in just 3 rounds. Ha.
 
Mark from ? said:
This..although the older I get the less I want to have a lot of different calibers......keeping everything in stock for all the different stuff sucks.

I can use the same powder I use for shotgun for 44 and 357 and 45acp.....those are what I'm gonna move towards.

9mm....Im just gonna buy it......just bought a case of 124 grain CCI at 21 cents. I hate reloading it. Its not that big of a savings with the volume I shoot.

Then just keep one powder for manbun loads. Getting rid of all the 30 calibers eventually.
Click to expand...
Most of my shooting is either .22 LR, 9mm, or .223.

The Lee Turret has really been wonderful for the oddball calibers. I ca buy a set of lee dies for $30 and a turret for $15 and load almost anything. About 5 years ago I decided to make some .44 mag. So I spent an hour plus pulling the handle and made 150ish rounds. I just ran out a few months ago. Good enough.

I'm set up on my Dillon 550 for .380. I make about 1000/yr. That is super cheap to reload and fairly expensive to buy.

Again, if its not fun for you, then its not worth it. Especially as you get older and more affluent. I started reloading in college because it was the only way I could shoot as much as I wanted to. I had a Lee single stage clamped to a B&D workmate. My gun club did big group orders every 6 months or so so I could stock up without laying out too much cash.

Now I can afford to buy all the ammo I want. But I still enjoy reloading.
 
I used H110 and 270 gn XTP bullets and got 44 mag up to 1500 fps, I've seen loads that go to 1700+ FPS :oops:

Oh a factory 44 mag with 270 gn at 1700 fps, not 45/70 level but wow

www.federalpremium.com

Buy HammerDown Handgun 44 Rem Magnum Ammo 270 | LG441

Shopping for the HammerDown Handgun - Learn more about the latest HammerDown and other hunting or shooting gear at Federal Ammunition.
www.federalpremium.com www.federalpremium.com
 
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If your just plinking
Then go for a good backup gun
Plinking,Hunting.Defense
Unless you don't mind the 44 mag, The 357 would be the answer.
Find yourself a nice takedown, A 3" or a snubby
Some Lever Revolution ( legal in jersey )
And some 38's for the range
 
Mark from ? said:
Just bought the 1894 SBL at LockedLoaded for 1080 with no tax.
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1730860719008.png
Nice looking gun. I'd love to see Marlin or Henry come out with that same gun in .22 Magnum (WMR). I like the ring rear and light tube front for low light. Would be a perfect coyote gun in maybe 18 or 20 inches. I think I prefer the curved pistol grip/lever over the straight/rectangular ones. Chop off the front half of that top rail too.

Does ANYBODY make a .22 WMR in a curved lever? In stainless?

Also like the Ruger 96. Another good one. Good in beech & blue, but beech & stainless would be pretty cool.
 
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1903Collector said:
There's a triple 4 Marlin that's been sitting at one of the local shops in my neck of the woods for quite a while now, this thread got me really wanting it now.
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I looked real hard at that. In the end I decided to hold off as it is comparable to 45/70 and there is more ammo variety and availability for the 45/70 for about the same cost per round with the caveat that I do not reload and really don’t want to start.
 
HorizontalHunter said:
I looked real hard at that. In the end I decided to hold off as it is comparable to 45/70 and there is more ammo variety and availability for the 45/70 for about the same cost per round with the caveat that I do not reload and really don’t want to start.
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I hear you but I do reload, it could have a home next to my .32 Win spl, 44/40, and 35 Remington lol
 
Reloading is the only way to afford most of the calibers mentioned. If I didn't reload, I'd have to get another job just to buy ammo.
 
1903Collector said:
There's a triple 4 Marlin that's been sitting at one of the local shops in my neck of the woods for quite a while now, this thread got me really wanting it now.
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I had a chance to get one in 444 but I passed and I regret it. Then I came across a 1964 marlin in .35 rem by the original owner. Pretty neat but I wish I had them both! The problem is I don't reload
 
If you eliminated bear hunting the .357 would be the best option for lower cost, but since you threw that in there and the intention is mostly plinking, you're basically wanting something that's fairly affordable to shoot, but has significant power at least in terms of a rifle.

Sorry to tell you, but .357 isn't something I'd trust on a 300lb bear for a clean kill. If you've got issues about stocking a new caliber, tough titty.

You're pretty much looking at .44 Mag as a bare minimum in power, but going up to .444 or .45-70 is going to get costly. I would say take a look at the Rossi in .454 Casull because that is much more powerful than .44 Mag, but is capable of running .45 Colt, which you may or may not already own, but is going to cost about what .44 Mag does, just be less powerful and less available in stores.

The reality is if you want power and you don't reload, you're going to have to pay to have it.
 
What T-Unit says makes a lot of sense. If you don't reload, ammo will be very expensive. A 357 will kill a bear but shot placement will be critical. Even if you buy a 454 and plink with 45 Colt, ammo will be quite expensive. A much less expensive option is forget the hunting and plink with a Henry lever action 22.
 
I have no experience Bear hunting.

However, MA hunting regulations allow using a revolver in .357mag or larger for part of the season. If 357 coming out of a revolver barrel can humanly kill a black bear, wouldn’t the same round out of a 16” rifle barrel making twice the velocity be considered effective?
If I were bear hunting, I’d want to use a 35rem or 30-30. But going by all-wise MA wildlife regulations I would assume 357mag from a rifle will work fine.
 
gerrycaruso said:
Reloading is the only way to afford most of the calibers mentioned. If I didn't reload, I'd have to get another job just to buy ammo.
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That’s what I was referring to. I really don’t need another hobby, but it looks like I am going to have to jump in and it really changes the cartridge variety when you can load your own.
 

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