Lever Guns

[Duelist]

I’ve found myself as of late taking a hard look at the Henry All-Weather variants. Seems like there is a lot to like over the unobtainable Marlin 1894/1895. No safety, the right barrel twist for shooting heavy bullets, availability.

I’m starting to drift back into reality and a 357 mag or 44 mag would probably do everything I require. Anyone have experience with 357 mag for whitetail and black bear? I know it’d be fine for deer not sure about a bear though.

I *love* my 1894 .357, but I’ve never shot a critter with it. Not really enough legs on it for most of my deer hunting, but it sure is slick and nice for a rifle to pack along hiking or camping, or to slide under a seat in the SUV for a long road trip, and everyone in the family likes shooting it.

[NPV]

The 45colt Trapper is vetted out to about 80~100 yards, at 1000 fps. and a 265grain Keith bullet.

I’ve considered that as well, shares the same bullets as a 45 auto (.452) correct? Granted profile and grain weight probably won’t be ideal.

Basically I’m doing mental gymnastics trying to figure out the simplest setup logistically before I go buy a new reloading setup and a lever gun. Most of my loading will be for 45 auto and 38/357.

But 45-70, 45 Colt, or 44 Mag is more attractive to me for irrational reasons. After pricing out components though I really can’t justify a 45-70 now, maybe down the road.

[Lester Polfus]

I’ve found myself as of late taking a hard look at the Henry All-Weather variants. Seems like there is a lot to like over the unobtainable Marlin 1894/1895. No safety, the right barrel twist for shooting heavy bullets, availability.

I’m starting to drift back into reality and a 357 mag or 44 mag would probably do everything I require. Anyone have experience with 357 mag for whitetail and black bear? I know it’d be fine for deer not sure about a bear though.

We don't have whitetails out here, but a 158 grain JSP or 140 grain Barnes copper solid will fetch a blacktail with authority, you hit it right.

"Bears" covers a bunch of territory. I'd probably tote my .308 if I were setting out to hunt bears on purpose, but that same 158 JSP or a 180 grain hardcast should work fine. Our black bears typically run in the 300 to 400 lb range for something you'd want to hunt, although I see plenty smaller than that. I have a mutual non-aggression agreement with bears in general so that's all theoretical for me.

Lucky Gunner Lounge has an article/video comparing .357 and .44 from lever guns. I elected to go .357, but I wouldn't argue with anyone that picked .44. For starters, they'd have a .44 Magnum lever gun, and I tend not to argue with people like that.

[CSW]

I’ve considered that as well, shares the same bullets as a 45 auto (.452) correct? Granted profile and grain weight probably won’t be ideal.

Basically I’m doing mental gymnastics trying to figure out the simplest setup logistically before I go buy a new reloading setup and a lever gun. Most of my loading will be for 45 auto and 38/357.

But 45-70, 45 Colt, or 44 Mag is more attractive to me for irrational reasons. After pricing out components though I really can’t justify a 45-70 now, maybe down the road.

Yes, 452.
I have the Smith Mountain Gun in 45colt, so the Trapper was a natural match.

[Wheeler]

A quick follow up to replacing the scope on my BLR.

The Vortex Strike Eagle 1-6 did quite well. The biggest issue I had with it was I should have checked the eye box with the magnification turned up to 6X.

I got on paper using the craptastic Red Army Standard 150 grain .308. Out of 18 rounds I dropped the hammer on two did not go back, even after running them through the gun a second time. They were good enough to get on paper and to do a quick bit of steel banging at 100 yards. The final group was just over 1”. Not too terrible given the heavy trigger on the BLR and running off a bunch of bench blocks.






I’m going to tweak this setup a bit more and then see what I can do with some quality ammo at 300 yards.

[NPV]

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=__SwzP0_Czo

Lucky Gunner Review of the Chiappa Takedown

[Lester Polfus]

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=__SwzP0_Czo

Lucky Gunner Review of the Chiappa Takedown

I hope somebody at Ruger is taking note of the $1600 price tag on that and furiously working a spreadsheet to see how much it would cost to build a takedown version of the 1894.

[Spartan1980]

I was just coming over to post the video on the Chiapa. Seriously want! That sharp edge at the loading gate needs to be fixed tho. Filing it off with the chrome doesn't work for me. For that money chrome is pretty much mandatory and the sharp edge isn't really acceptable, but otherwise I really, really, REALLY want one in .357.

[Bigghoss]

Lucky Gunner Review of the Chiappa Takedown

Embedded for convenience.

[gato naranja]

I hope somebody at Ruger is taking note of the $1600 price tag on that and furiously working a spreadsheet to see how much it would cost to build a takedown version of the 1894.

Since the R&D costs of the original Marlin takedown system were likely amortized back when Theodore Roosevelt was still alive, that ought to reduce the MSRP price by at least a dime per unit.

I have always heard bad things (and/or naughty words) about Winchester's takedown system by comparison with that used by Marlin. I wonder if that stigma has evaporated because Chiappa actually improved the setup, or only because nobody has used these new guns enough to have a problem. My own experiences with TD rifles leaves me lukewarm about them mechanically, but they really are handier to travel with.

If I live long enough to see Ruger resurrect the 1894 CSSB, I will buy one for the principle of the thing. With or without TD capability.