Other than .357 mag... what is your favorite...

505stevec · Post by **505stevec** » Wed Apr 09, 2008 5:31 pm

Other than .357 mag, 44 mag, 45 colt and 30-30 what is your favorite levergun cartridge and what can you shoot with it.

answer wanted is more specific than "everything". I guess the reason I am asking is now that I am getting into reloading I was considering 38-55 but I have no idea what its good for I just hear about it here now and then. I would like to condider other rounds later just to try. I saw on a post yesterday some one asking what everyone loads. some of the lists were as long as my... arm.

Thanks for any comments

Blaine · Post by **Blaine** » Wed Apr 09, 2008 5:38 pm

45-70.... I feed a 1895GS, 1895CB, 1886EL and a BFR with it. You can load light and shoot small game or take it to Africa with Garrett's finest (not that I ever will)..

tman · Post by **tman** » Wed Apr 09, 2008 5:51 pm

always liked the .356 wcf. especially caused it chambered in the model 94 winchester. kind of like a fast handling 30-06 out to 200 yards. i am confident that this combination will stop anything on the north american continent at iron site ranges. only problem the ammo is expensive and hard to find.

505stevec · Post by **505stevec** » Wed Apr 09, 2008 5:58 pm

tman wrote:always liked the .356 wcf. especially caused it chambered in the model 94 winchester. kind of like a fast handling 30-06 out to 200 yards. i am confident that this combination will stop anything on the north american continent at iron site ranges. only problem the ammo is expensive and hard to find.

Due to my ignorance can you enlighten me as to what this round is close to? What size of game is it best suited toward?

Tycer · Post by **Tycer** » Wed Apr 09, 2008 6:08 pm

505stevec wrote:
tman wrote:always liked the .356 wcf. especially caused it chambered in the model 94 winchester. kind of like a fast handling 30-06 out to 200 yards. i am confident that this combination will stop anything on the north american continent at iron site ranges. only problem the ammo is expensive and hard to find.
Due to my ignorance can you enlighten me as to what this round is close to? What size of game is it best suited toward?

http://www.leverguns.com/articles/paco/358_wcf.htm

Basically the same as a rimmed 358 Win.

There are bullets from 110 to 280 grains available. Explosive or slow in the light bullets can give you misted prairiedogs or harvested squirrels.

158 grain pistol bullets can be shot mild to wild

200-220s from deer to elk to black bear

250s to moose to grizz

Great round.

45-70 can be loaded up or down too. 300-500 grain bullets from <1000-2000+fps

Post by **Old Savage** » Wed Apr 09, 2008 6:08 pm

I would like to have a 44 Spl. - very balanced cartridge and my favorite for pistols. In the real rifle category I would see what hunting I wanted to do and there would be a choice of anyone of half a dozen.

Bigahh · Post by **Bigahh** » Wed Apr 09, 2008 6:10 pm

.32 Winchester Special! It is about the same as a 30-30. I just like it due to the fact 3 generations before me used it exclusively here in Wisconsin. I now own my Grandfathers, and some day will own my Fathers, and Great Grandfathers, I just need one of my own now.

shawn_c992001 · Post by **shawn_c992001** » Wed Apr 09, 2008 6:12 pm

I gotta go with the 45-70, because of the previous mention. Then the
32-20 I usually carry it in the truck. It can be used to dispatch the occasional coyote, turkey, fox, coon, ground hogs, and even a deer or bear if the shot if close enough and perfect.

jeepnik · Post by **jeepnik** » Wed Apr 09, 2008 6:16 pm

I, also use the 45-70. You can load it mild to wild. Plus, you can use black powder. My GS has a holographic sight, so it's got a sorta outa time look to it. Some folks are surprised with that big ole cloud of smoke and sometimes flame shoot out the barrel. Even had a fella tell me once that I couldn't shoot it at the point I was at because it was reserved for black powder shooters. Those there all pretty much had front stuffers. I ignored him and cut loose with four rounds right quick. Couldn't see a darned thing after the second, but the resulting cloud was impressive, to say the least.

stretch · Post by **stretch** » Wed Apr 09, 2008 6:33 pm

505Stevec - you'll want a 35 Remington, of course.

I mean, other than the wimpy 45-70, or the geriatric 30WCF
and it's oddball 32 Special cousin, (who I must admit a certain
fondness for), what other REAL levergun cartridge is there?!
Sheesh......

I don't know what you're planning to shoot out your way,
but it's good for everything in Maine. And you can load it
with 357 pistol bullets for plinkin' and varmints and suchlike.
It takes lead or jacketed, and there are lots of old recipes
for it. It was developed as a smokeless powder cartridge,
and I've never heard of anyone running it with BP.

A bit of a rainbow trajectory out much beyond a hundred yards
as the ballistic coeffecient is not all that it could be.

Bruce Scott · Post by **Bruce Scott** » Wed Apr 09, 2008 6:41 pm

So far I have only used my .38-55 on paper with factory cartridges. It's really sweet to shoot - accurate with very low recoil.

According to The Reload Bench:

"Introduced by Ballard in 1884 for various single shot target rifles, the .38-55 was one of the first cartridges to appear in Winchester's Model 94 lever action ten years later. The .38-55 was also once available in the Marlin Model 93 and Savage Model 99 lever actions, the Remington Lee bolt action, and various Winchester single shot rifles.

In its high velocity loading, which pushed a 255 grain bullet along at over 1500 fps, the .38-55 once enjoyed an excellent reputation as a deer and black bear cartridge for woods hunting. Many hunters were forever convinced that due to the .38-55's greater bullet diameter it was a far more effective big game cartridge than the .30-30 and not far behind the harder kicking .45-70.

Now the .38-55 is seldom seen in the woods, but it is one of the more popular cartridges among todays schuetzen competitors. Benchrest shooters have their PPC cartridges but for those who gather for the annual Coors Schuetzenfest in Golden Colorado, it's the .32-40 or the .38-55 that win most of the gold. Those fellows, by the way, are shooting groups of minute of angle and less with cast bullets in single shot rifles of falling block design.

Most target shooters load the .38-55 with light charges of quick burning powders such as H4227 and SR-4759 for muzzle velocities of 1200 to 1300 fps with bullet weighing from 250 to 300 grains. Some shoot cast bullets of spitzer form for increased wind resistance. For deer and black bear, the Sierra 200 grain and Hornady 220 grain jacketed bullets at about 1600 fps work fine. Another good choice is a cast bullet weighing around 250 grains. Excellent powders for the .38-55 hunting loads are H322, H4895, and H335. In a pinch, .375 Winchester cases can be used in .38-55 rifles, although they are a bit short. Never fire .375 Winchester factory loads in a rifle originally chambered for the .38-55.

Source: Hodgdon Data Manual, 26th Edition "

Ben_Rumson · Post by **Ben_Rumson** » Wed Apr 09, 2008 6:56 pm

50-70 45-70 7x57 but 6.5x55 is my all time favorite rifle cart. 44mag 44spec. 357-38

2ndovc · Post by **2ndovc** » Wed Apr 09, 2008 6:58 pm

I really enjoy shooting my .44-40, .480 Ruger and .450 Marlin.

But my favorites are my 45-70 and .32-20s !! Shot the most game with these except for my 30-06s'.

Followed by the 38-55 and 35 WCF.

Post by **Hobie** » Wed Apr 09, 2008 6:59 pm

If you get rid of my favorite, which is my favorite? .22LR then .38-55 then 7-30 Waters, then maybe .25-35, then...

AJMD429 · Post by **AJMD429** » Wed Apr 09, 2008 6:59 pm

For the 'if you just had ONE cartridge' question it is easy to say .357, .44 or .45 - but when it becomes TWO it gets interesting...

Adding a .22 LR is always nice, or a 12 gauge, but within the centerfire rifle/handgun realm, what ones...

Good point about the .45-70 (or .444) being enough for virtually anything, and downloadable for squirrels if needed. If I had just a .45-70 I'd consider a .32-20 (or 327 mag) as my 'other' gun in that it would be handy and fun and CHEAP(er than a .357 mag) due to less lead thrown downrange. That would leave a gap in the 'powerful handgun' area, although I'd think a .32-20 in a modern gun or a .327 mag would work well enough (I sure as heck wouldn't want to get shot with one!).

meanc · Post by **meanc** » Wed Apr 09, 2008 6:59 pm

the 22lr !!!

And I can shoot just about anything with it !!!!

RIHMFIRE · Post by **RIHMFIRE** » Wed Apr 09, 2008 7:00 pm

38-40....sweet shooter...1926 Winchester model 92...
38-55 will be my next "rifle" cartidge.....unless I
find a uberti 357 mag with a short throw action....
in a short rifle configuration

model55 · Post by **model55** » Wed Apr 09, 2008 7:08 pm

I'll be odd man out .41 magnum-haven't shot anything but paper when the marlin isn't driving me nuts but should be right in there with the .357 and .45.Someday I'll get around to fixing it or sending it back to Marlin.

Grizz · Post by **Grizz** » Wed Apr 09, 2008 7:10 pm

I'd have to say it's a tossup between the Marlin .22 and any of several 45/70s.

My all time favorite cartridge is 45/70. But I like the .22 so much I built a box to transport them together.

And I can shoot just about anything with them !!!!

SMP · Post by **SMP** » Wed Apr 09, 2008 7:23 pm

I have to with the 45-70,can do anything and it's nostalgic.

homefront · Post by **homefront** » Wed Apr 09, 2008 7:25 pm

I like my Marlin 1894FG .41 mag.
I also like my Marlin CB .38-55.

The .38-55 can throw a 255gr., .380" diameter lead bullet just shy of 2,000 fps.
The .41 mag. is a 215 gr., .41" diameter lead bullet traveling around 1,700 fps.

At under 100 yards, I doubt if there'd be any difference on game.
Over 100 yards, the .38-55 will carry more energy and have greater penetration, due to better cross sectional density and velocity.

M336 · Post by **M336** » Wed Apr 09, 2008 7:26 pm

Hard to beat the most famous levergun round of all, the 30-30! Especially if you reload, you can load 110gr bullets for varmints and 170grs. for elk and cover everything inbetween pretty well as long as you don't try to stretch the range. Brass is cheap and easy to come by and if you get into casting it gets even cheaper to do a lot of shooting. You need a 30-30!

rjohns94 · Post by **rjohns94** » Wed Apr 09, 2008 7:36 pm

45-70 in my 1886 and my Sharps - what Blaine G said, light loads to african big game .

PPpastordon · Post by **PPpastordon** » Wed Apr 09, 2008 7:38 pm

Since you took all my favorites (.44, .357, .30-30), I ain't gonna pick another!

Grace and Peace

Griff · Post by **Griff** » Wed Apr 09, 2008 7:53 pm

.45-70 in an 1886 Browning. Good for all North American game, but I prefer to reserve its use to larger stuff. Sqirrels or rabbits requre headshots; and I'm just not THAT confident.

.375 Winchester; darn near, if not anything the .45-70 can handle in a lighter package.

.32-40; can handle anything the .30-30 does in a cool BP cartridge.

C. Cash · Post by **C. Cash** » Wed Apr 09, 2008 8:27 pm

I'll second or third the 356 Winchester in the Model 94. Powerful, relatively flat shooting and accurate. The fact that it comes in the handy and superbly balanced 94 just sweetens the cake. That being said, I usually load mine to 35 Rem. velocities with cast bullets, which it shoots great. We'll see this again at some point, probably be called the 358 Short Ultra Magnum or something like that to make your average Joe think he has something totally new and on the edge performance wise

iceman · Post by **iceman** » Wed Apr 09, 2008 8:36 pm

I'll vote for the 356 also. For all the stated reasons.

Old Ironsights · Post by **Old Ironsights** » Wed Apr 09, 2008 9:03 pm

BlaineG wrote:45-70.... I feed a 1895GS, 1895CB, 1886EL and a BFR with it. You can load light and shoot small game or take it to Africa with Garrett's finest (not that I ever will)..

Ditto.

Especially now that I have one again.

Post by **Ysabel Kid** » Wed Apr 09, 2008 9:03 pm

Another vote for the .22 - I can shoot it all day long with the kids and everyone thoroughly enjoys themselves...

Jaguarundi · Post by **Jaguarundi** » Wed Apr 09, 2008 9:37 pm

SMP wrote:I have to with the 45-70,can do anything and it's nostalgic.

+1 yup 45-70 for me too.

(I also luv the 45 Colt & 30-30

)

Lefty Dude · Post by **Lefty Dude** » Wed Apr 09, 2008 11:27 pm

Some day I will find a very nice Marlin 93 in 32-40, my brother has one and it is a tack driver.

Jeff Pitts · Post by **Jeff Pitts** » Wed Apr 09, 2008 11:58 pm

I really enjoy my .45-70's. But there is something about this Marlin CB 38-55 that really gets me going. Maybe it's the 280gr cast I'm getting close to 1800fps and 1 1/2" groups. Maybe it's the way it has been killing elk for me.

25-35's are neat too..............

Jeff

AndyM · Post by **AndyM** » Thu Apr 10, 2008 7:03 am

I love my 45-70's - both the Marlin 1895 and the Sharps
But my other best is the WINCHESTER 1892 from 1901 in 32-20 WCF
I always am reaching for the 32-20 when I want to go out and have some fun.

Noah Zark · Post by **Noah Zark** » Thu Apr 10, 2008 7:26 am

Since my favorite levergun cartridges are already listed in the "Other than" category, I have to go with what's not mentioned:

45-70, with the 375 Win / 38-55 a close second and the 50-110 third.

Noah

Old Ironsights · Post by **Old Ironsights** » Thu Apr 10, 2008 10:48 am

Ysabel Kid wrote:Another vote for the .22 - I can shoot it all day long with the kids and everyone thoroughly enjoys themselves...

I just can't call a "non-reloadable" cartridge a favorite...

Hillbilly · Post by **Hillbilly** » Thu Apr 10, 2008 1:49 pm

I am really partial to the .25-35. Low recoil ...low noise and pretty decent deer round .

I shoot a lot of .22LR so that doesnt count... almost like piano practice

Jeff

woods-walker · Post by **woods-walker** » Thu Apr 10, 2008 2:38 pm

I find the .32 wcf very useful in a Browning 53 and a Winchester 1892.
Works well for me on small game and tin cans.

Savage99 · Post by **Savage99** » Thu Apr 10, 2008 6:17 pm

.444 or my .454 possibly even one of my .45-70's...but heck I ain't never seen a gun I didn't like..

Lastmohecken · Post by **Lastmohecken** » Fri Apr 11, 2008 9:27 pm

It's hard to name a favorite. I love the 44mag in my Browning 92, I love the 45/70 in my Browning 86 SRC, but I also like my 30/30's with my favorite rifle being my Pre-64, and I like my 348Win.

On the more modern side, I like my 95 Browning in 30-06 a lot, but my most used rifle at least over the last 15 yrs or more, when I just had to get it killed, no matter what, is my Older Browning BLR in .308 Win.

Malamute · Post by **Malamute** » Fri Apr 11, 2008 10:12 pm

"...Sqirrels or rabbits requre headshots; and I'm just not THAT confident."

With round balls or collar button loads in the 45-70, head shots arent required. You can shoot small game anywhere and not tear them up. Just large clean holes. I used to shoot jacks and cottontails with cast 400 gr bullets and black powder and they didnt tear them up too bad either.

gundownunder · Post by **gundownunder** » Sat Apr 12, 2008 4:44 am

I've got the 357 and the 22 both in Marlin, now I'm hanging out for the Marlin 218 bee, either new if Marlin get their act together or second hand if I can find someone silly enough to sell one.

dbateman · Post by **dbateman** » Sat Apr 12, 2008 6:08 am

my favorite levergun at the moment is my 94bb 375win
this rifle is awesome light powerful and can down anything
I will ever run into

Rod WMG · Post by **Rod WMG** » Sat Apr 12, 2008 7:11 am

I too have a hard time naming a favorite. Heck, I like the .30-30, the .45-70, and my .44 Marlin is a real favorite, but like woods walker, I really like the B53 .32-20 for small game and small deer.

Lastmohecken · Post by **Lastmohecken** » Sat Apr 12, 2008 10:43 pm

I think in the end, I am pretty flexible on the calibers I use, what makes it or breaks it for me, when it comes to favorite rifles, vs. rifles that tend to get traded off, is handling qualities, and how reliable, and slick working the action is.

If it's unreliable it gets fixed or gets traded off, I have little tolerance there. Then you have the handling characteristics to consider, guns that just don't feel right to me, once again get modified or traded off.

Accuracy comes next, but when it comes to accuracy, I am not that rigid, there is a term called (accurate enough) depending on practical ranging capabilities, etc that dictate what kind of groups are acceptable for a given rifle. But I have traded off more then one very accurate rifle, due to reliability issues and also kept less accurate rifles at times, because they just felt right and always worked 100% of the time.

t.r. · Post by **t.r.** » Sun Apr 13, 2008 8:47 am

This Ruger 96 is chambered for 44 MAG. I like it's versatility and light weight.

- 300 grain Hornady XTP for self defense in back country of Bighorn
Mts. of Wyoming

- 240 grain Hornady XTP for deer hunting creek bottoms

- 44 Special for night time shooting of porcupines; quiet and deadly. Also a
nice zero recoil load for target practice

TR

505stevec · Post by **505stevec** » Sun Apr 13, 2008 9:23 am

Lastmohecken wrote:I think in the end, I am pretty flexible on the calibers I use, what makes it or breaks it for me, when it comes to favorite rifles, vs. rifles that tend to get traded off, is handling qualities, and how reliable, and slick working the action is.

If it's unreliable it gets fixed or gets traded off, I have little tolerance there. Then you have the handling characteristics to consider, guns that just don't feel right to me, once again get modified or traded off.

Accuracy comes next, but when it comes to accuracy, I am not that rigid, there is a term called (accurate enough) depending on practical ranging capabilities, etc that dictate what kind of groups are acceptable for a given rifle. But I have traded off more then one very accurate rifle, due to reliability issues and also kept less accurate rifles at times, because they just felt right and always worked 100% of the time.

I feel exactly the same way. I have traded many a nice weapon due to problems I could not easily fix. I have another post here in which I had just bought two Vaqueros. Both shot high. turned out someone had filed the front sights down about an 1/8inch. shot 12 inches high at 10 feet. way too much for me so I traded up. Now I am happyy and will begin reloading for them soon.

Gryphon Black · Post by **Gryphon Black** » Sun Apr 13, 2008 10:35 am

I know you said "other than", but I gotta put in my two, which are .357mag and .45 colt.
Main thing, they are both so easily reloadable for almost anything, and what they don't do, well the 45-70 has already had plenty of good press...
The .357/38sp is the widest range round for reloadability, light plinking, cheapness, deer shooting, squirrell shooting, handgun compatibility, gun availability, and so on.
I like the 45 colt on account of it uses a bullet I can find anywhere, if I have to, and I can load it up to near .454 casull pressures if I need to.
I never warmed up to the 30-30 I had, and 22LR hasn't yet appealed to me, but I'd have to say the perfect target rifle [that I don't have yet] would be a Marlin 1894 in .357mag with a 24" barrel.
And if you have a 38-55, shoot it and enjoy! Don't think you'd be a bit sorry, as long as the rifle was well tuned for you.

Gryphon