pharaoh2

I want one in a winchester lever. How did it work at what range?

mossy33oak

pharaoh,
I have a marlin chambered in .357 mag. I plink with it some, but I have never really considered it for deer. In Maryland it doesnt have the muzzle velocity that the state requires, I guess if I handloaded for it, maybe but I have too many other deer guns to worry with it. I won mine from a gun drawing, thats the only reason i have it. In fact i kinda wondered why they even manufactured the gun, I dont see a real purpose for it.

Big Daddy K

I have killed several deer with my Ruger 44 mag carbine. Most deer drop in their tracks. I have killed them with 180m grn, 210 grn, and 240 grn bullets. I reccomend 240 grn jsp bullets. I heard Garret has a 300 grn bullit I may try if I see some. The longest shot was a little over 100 yds. Gun is great for pigs as well.

If you use a 357, federal makes a cast 180 grn hunting bullit that should work reasonably well out to 50 yds.

icthruu

I've seen deer killed with pistols in all those calibers (I carry a blackhawk in .45colt in the woods with handloads). If it works in a pistol I would think it would work in a rifle. I have the M94 in .45 colt, and talk about a fun gun to shoot.

Nomercy

I have used a Win 94 in .357, and several .44mag Marlin 1894s (and one Puma .454cassul using .45colt rounds).

They work well for what they are, short range rifles. When using the 1894, I limited my shots to under 150yrds, which I limit ALL of my open sighted shooting to. I personally don't feel undergunned using a .44mag, especially in a Marlin.

The Winchester leveractions, on the other hand, I don't think I'll be buying again in pistol calibers. I've handled 6-8 94's in 357, .44mag, and .45 colt, and have heard countless accounts similar to my own. The Win 94 action is incredibly picky when it comes to pistol cartridges, I never found a bullet shape/COL that mine ever liked to feed. The Marlin 1894 action is much more suited to pistol cartridges.

The .357 is at the bottom end of 100yrd rifles for me, as I mentioned, the .44mag can stretch a bit farther, maybe 150yrds, or maybe 200 with a scope and a load that pushes the limits of the rifle.

I don't know if I'd buy one of these pistol cartridge rifles/carbines for my ONLY or even my PRIMARY hunting rifle, but I find them to be invaluable "back up" guns in my battery ("back up" guns that usually take center-stage every season).

HighDesertWolf

Ive killed a couple deer with my ruger GP100 6" barrel which is a 357 mag my furthest shot was about 50 yards give or take a few yards. The deer ran about 20 yards keeled over was a double lung shot with a complete pass through the ammo i was using then was American eagle 158 gr soft points. Now I use two screaming hand loads one pushes a 158 grain XTP/HP at 1546 fps, the other pushes a 180 grain XTP/HP at 1471 fps. With a carbine or rifle barrel 357 mag has a substantial velocity increase, factory ammo that shoots a 158 grain bulet at 1245 fps from a 6" pistol barrel, will increase to about 1450 to 1500 fps from a carbine barrel. I would say with that kind of velocity from a carbine in 357 mag you should be good for 100 yard or under shots on deer. 44 mag is a give in, from a carbine and in some cases from the right pistol they will easily make 100 yard kills on deer. 45 colt in carbine would also be an effective cartridge on deer to 100 yards. hope this helps

DM

I've taken blk tailed, and also white tailed deer, moose and some others with my M29 S&W revolver, and also deer with my old Ruger 44 mag. carbine.

They do work, but you either break the amimial down, or wait for them to bleed out, as for the most part they don't transmit enough shock, to knock them down like you may be use to when useing a high powered rifle.

Personally, i like the 44 mag best, only because you have more choises of good hunting ammo for it over the others.

I have noticed there's an big improvement in useing a carbine over a 6" bbled revolver in these rounds for hunting.

Drilling Man

CanWoodsman

Iv'e taken both deer & bear with my Ruger 96/44mag lever action and none have traveled more than 20 yards, most not at all. I use 240g Semi JHP's.

Clint.

I have killed deer with the 44 magnum in a lever action Marlin. If you do your part and place your shot within the vitals, the 44 magnum will make a large hole for the critter's life blood to escape from. If hit in the vitals, they won't go far.

Clint

Georgetownboys

I picked up a browning lever action in a .357 last season and have been using it for feral hogs. They are a bit tougher than Deer. I have had great results with it. Mind you I use open sights and all hogs taken where at less then 40yards. A 185Gr. soft point puts them right to sleep.[8D][8D]