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Thread: 38/357 and 44 lever guns 16"

  1. #1
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    38/357 and 44 lever guns 16"

    A little out of touch of the current offerings

    I have a good supply of hot loaded .44 mag (my dad loaded it) and I will never shoot this out of handgun.

    I also have a good supply of jacketed .38 and some .357

    plus I have reloading supplies for these calibers.

    I always wanted a Winchester 16" 44 mag Trapper or possibly a Wrangler (not sure on the BIG OL WIN LOOP) especially in the 90s when they were tac-ing them out back then.

    I never went in that direction as the writings (pre net) was the preference of no cross bolt safety but IIRC, there was no offerings in 16" pistol calibers.

    I would like to put a low mounted red dot and the railed receivers are inviting but I dont want to buy the wrong one the first time.

    I have recently read negatives on both current issue Marlin 1894SBL in 44 or 357 and Henry X Big Boy in the same calibers. More along the lines you might get lucky and get a good one to include the opposite.

    Can you offer opinions on 16" offerings in 44 and 357?

    if I need to start looking for older and opt away from a railed receiver, I hope someone makes a optic mount.

    The purpose of these will be plinking and general home/truck protection.

    I was looking at Browning B92 but it appears they only come in 20" and I would prefer the handier shorter barrel.

    I like the Marlin 1894SBL but damn.... pricing sure went up.

    thanks in advance
    Last edited by SW CQB 45; 11-11-20 at 01:09.

  2. #2
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    I have heard more positive about Marlin offerings in the last few years. I’d say that as long as you can lay hands on the gun before purchase, then you can make the call.

    Now if you have some patience, there are the older JB marked guns to be had (although they’re not all perfect either). The 1894 in .44Mag aren’t hard to find. Stainless and big levers might bring a bit more of a premium.

    The last gun I’ll ever give up is my 1894c in .38/.357 with Williams peep sights. It’s just so much fun! Absolutely my favorite. It wears a Burris FastFire right now, but Airdus Industries has made some prototypes to mount a red dot low with peeps built in (same as their shotgun mounts). That should be some good stuff.


    Sent from 80ms in the future

  3. #3
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    Great info. Your right, internet purchases might be a risk.

    I would like to see pics if your 1894c. At your convenience, can you post or PM for email addy to view.

    I have not attended any gun shows in quite a while... need to find some.

    Thanks and Take care

  4. #4
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    Dbl tap
    Last edited by SW CQB 45; 11-11-20 at 06:29.

  5. #5
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    I only had a chance to shoot a Henry 44 mag once, it wasn't my rifle, but that was a sweet shooting gun. Very accurate, good action. I've only ever heard good things about the new Henry's, and that's what I'd buy if I were in the market for a lever gun in .357 or .44

  6. #6
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    I like .357 lever guns. They will boost a hotter 158gr load (like Underwood) to ~ 1850-1900fps from a 16" barrel (a 125gr will hit maybe 2100fps). They will also shoot flatter than a .44 Mag one with less recoil. Currently I have a 16" Puma carbine with a rear peep sight. Sweet little gun!
    Last edited by ABNAK; 11-20-20 at 20:27.
    11C2P '83-'87
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  7. #7
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    Now that Ruger owns the rights to Marlin there’s been speculation of Ruger making Marlin design lever guns.

    For new production, the only two that come to mind in 16” are Rossi & Henry. I have a Henry (not pistol caliber) that’s well made, but last I looked there was a big price gap between Rossi & Henry.

    I agree in .357/.44 a 16” barrel makes more sense. Especially in a Henry which tend to have heavy barrels.

    I did read that someone’s Rossi lever fed .357 just fine but choked on .38spl. due to case length.

    And not a lever gun, but the new Henry single shots are nice, and way cheaper. Available in .357 & .44

  8. #8
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    thanks for the info

    I am too late to return back to the lever gun. Prices are ridiculously high.

    I like the Marlin 1894 CSBL (357) and SBL (44) but when price go well over retail.... I am going to pump the brakes.

    I hope Ruger keeps it alive.

    I should have bought a Win Trapper 44 mag in the 90s when I wanted one. I am leaning toward a .357 over a .44 even though I have a decent supply of hot .44 mag

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    Any of you guys ever mess with a larger charge of slower burning powder? Our riflesmith had some formula where you could run a different formula of a bumped up charge of some slower powder. I forget the details/powder type now, but it was an interesting idea.
    "What would a $2,000 Geissele Super Duty do that a $500 PSA door buster on Black Friday couldn't do?" - Stopsign32v

  10. #10
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    I have a JM 1894SS in 44 with a 2-8x silver leupold scope and I have a JM 1894c in 357 with ghost ring sights.
    I prefer to shoot the 357. Not because of recoil, but a multitude of things like the ring sights, accuracy, cheap ammo, and yeah there is no recoil. I am very glad to have, and always hope to have, those lever guns. I believe they will stand the test of time. I’ve dropped deer with the 357 at medium ranges. 60-90 yards. And with the 44 out to 150. The 44 hits steel plates harder than 5.56 at same distance FWIW. Really really fun guns to shoot and same as said above, the last gun I’d ever willingly part with is my 1894c.
    “Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines, sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.”
    - Mark Twain

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