spiff

How much different would the .44 magnum be in a lever action? Would it significantly increase the killing power or range from the .357? Looking for a cartridge that would be for both the side arm and the scabbard. I knew of a guy back east that bought the .44 magnum in a ruger 10/44 for hunting deer, but don't know how he liked it?

ths78

44Mag and 45LC have much more killing power than a 357Mag. They don't really increase your range all that much, b/c they drop so quickly after about 150-175 yards, but inside of 150 yards, when loaded with heavy cast bullets, they will both kill any game in North America.

Compare the Taylor Knockout Value of a 44 or 45 Cal Slug that weighs 320gr+ and has a velocity of 1650fps to any 30-06 or 7Mag load

formula: bullet diameter * wt in grains * velocity / 7000
ex: 44Mag - (.429 * 320 * 1650) / 7000 = 32.35
45LC - (.452 * 335 * 1600) / 7000 = 34.61
30-06 - (.308 * 150 * 3000) / 7000 = 19.8

Hit something in the chest with a 44 or 45 & you've got a dead critter.

Also, for home protection, load the 44 with 44spcl and the 45 with standard 45LC

don32888

I couldn't afford the .357 leaver gun so I sent in my padna shotgun and had H&R put a .357 barrel on it for $115. Good 50-75 yard deer gun for small & med white tail. Rifle rounds also available for .357 for 18 - 22 inch barrells. H&H will fit .357 and .44 to shotgun receivers but no other calibers. see H&H 1871 sight. All other handgun and riflebarrel exchanges to rifles only. I never shot a deer with a .357 but the math shows it would be good at close range. Heck, cops used it on people for years with great results!

country1

The Marlin in 357 Magis a good gun. Use the right loads/bullets, and it can do a number on mountain lions and deer (check your local rules and regulations). It works verywell on coyotes. As stated earlier, a 44 Mag will have a lot more energy that the 357 Mag.

TUK101

I had one in 44 magnum and it was pretty accurate to about 75 yards, but the groups really opened up at 100. These where with both lead cast bullets and jacketed flat nosed bullets. I did shoot a deer with it at about 50 yards and it was a bang flop. I figured that it would pretty much tear up the exit side of the deer but it was a very clean, no meat wasted kill. I have also had experience with the 357 levergun too, and it was about the same as the 44 for accuracy, but I dont think that I would use it past about 75-100 yards either. You start getting a pretty good arc to your shot past that distance. Either way, use the heaviest bullet that you can shoot accurately with the gun and it should have no problems on deer or cats, but with bear I would use the 44 and not the 357 unless you are pretty close and confident with the gun. I kind of figured that if I am going to use a lever gun, it may as well be the 30-30 since it does everything that the pistol rounds do but better and at a greater distance.

spiff

tuk101...I'm with you on the 30-30 concept ( I'm a .35 remington guy already). But with see through sights and a scope on this lever gun, I can't bang it around as much as with a lever gunand open sights. Just was looking for "another" gun to keep in the gun boot as I atv around the back woods in case of predator problems. Figured with my .357 wheel gun it would beeasier keeping cartidges the same.