Are .44 / .45 lever guns easier to load than .357's?

[Ron3]

Thanks.

I haven't fired a lever in several years. Never had one long and never had a pistol-caliber one.

Just something I thought might be fun to explore / experience and want the wife to enjoy it, too.

[Coal Dragger]

I realize you’re currently looking at magnum pistol caliber calibers for a lever gun, but have you considered a .223 Remington?

The Browning BLR can be had in .223 with a 20” barrel, feeds from a flush mounted box magazine (no pinching issues), and easily mounts an optic. Plus you get to use cheap ammo you can find anywhere, and recoils very little. Downside is the barrel is 1-12” so above 55gr bullets will not shoot well.

There are plenty of other caliber options though if recoil sensitivity isn’t an issue.

Just a thought.

[Ron3]

I realize you’re currently looking at magnum pistol caliber calibers for a lever gun, but have you considered a .223 Remington?

The Browning BLR can be had in .223 with a 20” barrel, feeds from a flush mounted box magazine (no pinching issues), and easily mounts an optic. Plus you get to use cheap ammo you can find anywhere, and recoils very little. Downside is the barrel is 1-12” so above 55gr bullets will not shoot well.

There are plenty of other caliber options though if recoil sensitivity isn’t an issue.

Just a thought.

No, but thanks.

We like to shoot steel at closer ranges. Pistol ammo suppresses better, and I reload only pistol ammo so far.

I have a relative with early, takedown Savage 99's. Thin barrels, box mags, ammo counters, aperture sights. Light rifles. One in .300 Sav, one .303 Sav. I've fired the .303 sav. It zeroed fine and is pleasant to shoot. It's pretty tempting to trade for that rifle but I'd have to load for it and no upgrades should be done to it. (It's not even tapped for a scope mount)

[BuzzinSATX]

I totally understand the fun of a pistol caliber lever gun. I want to add a new Ruger-Marlin at some point in 44 mag.

But do yourself a favor, especially if you have kids who shoot, and get a .22LR. They are so much fun! And a great way to build skills using a lever.

A basic Henry is an easy way to start…


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[Ron3]

I totally understand the fun of a pistol caliber lever gun. I want to add a new Ruger-Marlin at some point in 44 mag.

But do yourself a favor, especially if you have kids who shoot, and get a .22LR. They are so much fun! And a great way to build skills using a lever.

A basic Henry is an easy way to start…


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No kids. Dislike .22.

I remember now I did briefly have a Marlin 39A.

Was nice. Would have kept it if it was CF.

[Bruce in WV]

You can "tune" the loading gate to allow easier loading. Check out the Marlin website, I know it's there, for sure; Winchester and Henry probably have similar info for their rifles.
If all else fails, Steve's Guns (https://stevesgunz.com) can do it for you.

[Ron3]

You can "tune" the loading gate to allow easier loading. Check out the Marlin website, I know it's there, for sure; Winchester and Henry probably have similar info for their rifles.
If all else fails, Steve's Guns (https://stevesgunz.com) can do it for you.

Thanks

[Ron3]

I wasn't planning on it but I got a Rossi Ranch Hand in a trade. It's the .357 mag pistol.

It seems like many guns that it's just a base to build on. Not much by itself but SBR it, add a full wood stock, get it threaded, suppress it, add a dot optic, and you've got a $2800 double-stamp fun-gun.