So I have a browning gold hunter mossy oak camp 12 gauge 3" that looks like new. I bought it new 10 years ago at least. I think I want tot trade it for a 44 mag lever gun. Then eventually I can get the browning a5 shotgun when the urge strikes. I dont have any lever guns now and I want a 44 wheel gun down the road so I thought might as well combine calibers. So what 44s are good? I tried to go to one of my LGS but he was on vacation. Also how much out of pocket should I come up with? -Jason
Not a bad idea on the common caliber lever action/pistol, but I wouldn't get rid of the 12 ga. until I was ready to replace it (or add another one ) Maybe...if they are within your budget and haven't been deemed illegal.
If I could only have one rifle, it would be my .357 lever action. 44 mag is even better in some ways.
I tend to agree with @techsar and not trade/sell a good shotgun such as the one you are thinking of letting go. I would let the single shot go first if it was me. I have a Mossberg 590 9-shot that will not leave my cabinet for nothing...
I would agree with you except I kinda dont like the gun. Its nice and I've shot a few deer with it but I messed up when I bought it. I've kicked myself in the butt ever since. When I bought it there was a used walnut stock 3 ½" browning right next to it. They were the same price and it looked new. I should have bought the 3 ½" version. I was younger and waaay dumber and was all like "its camo........awesome" (in my best Eric cart man voice) -Jason
Nothing like a good Browning A5, or Remington Model 11, to keep a Gun Cabinet happy.... They are the definitive Semi-auto Shotgun. That said, back to the original OP's question, on Pistol Cartridge Lever Guns. These were very common back in the Day, and Winchester made them popular in 44-40, 38-55, and the venerable 45 Long Colt. The modern incarnations are .357 Mag, and 44 Mag. The thing you have to remember when loading for such combo Weapons, is that ANY Pistol Cartridge, will under-preform in a Rifle, and ANY correct Rifle Loading will waste Unburnt Powder when fired from a Pistol. It is simply a matter of Barrel Length, and Powder Burn Rates. Correctly Loaded Pistol Cartridges will use very Fast Powders, where as Correctly Loaded Rifle Cartridges will use Moderate, or Slow Burning Powders. This is so that the Powder will have just finished burning, as the projectile leaves the Barrel. To much Powder or to Slow Burn Rate, gives you NO extra Muzzle Velocity, and a BIG Muzzle Flash, in a short barreled Pistol. Where the same loading in a Long Barreled Rifle, a Fast burning Powder will have completely burned, long before the projectile leaves the barrel, and thus Barrel Friction will cause a significant loss of Muzzle Velocity, compared to a correct Loading. Yes, both will actually fire, from each weapon, but the compromised loading in the wrong weapon, will not be preforming the way a well designed Loading will. The science of designing a well balanced loading, to do both, is a near impossibility, without a significant compromise. ......
Good to know and it makes sense. I knew I would have to have a different hunting load but I will probably plink with handgun loads. -Jason
I would advise anyone who's looking to trade a firearm, to familiarize themselves with (or at least reference) the relevant laws. The link below provides answers to many questions, and I strongly recommend that anyone who is not a licensed dealer take the time to read it, to make sure they're not breaking any laws. Firearms - Frequently Asked Questions - Unlicensed Persons | ATF You should do your own due diligence on any relevant state and local laws as well. Sorry to be such a buzzkill, but whether you like the laws or not, they are what they are...
Unless I know where the gun came from, I won't do business with anyone but a reputable gun shop. -Jason
I'm personally in favor of common ammo for at least one set of weapons. I have a Ruger Vaquero and a Marlin 1894, both of which are chambered in .45 Colt. The same loads aren't optimal for both, but I have acceptable loads that work interchangeably. Also, I have no intention of using a lever gun for long range shooting.
I have a Ruger blackhawk in 44 mag matched with a ruger camp carbine. I love both. The Ruger mod 96 lever is their current production in 44 mag using the rotary mag system. My buddy has on of these and it is a nice rifle. I also like the 45 long colt cartridge as a saddle set.
So I got beat up pretty good. I eyed a nice ruger 96 at one shop but he wouldn't take the shotgun in trade. So I went on a mission to sell my browning. I called 2 shops and they weren't even interested. I got out of work early and headed to a shop about an hour away. I had previously called this shop, they said they didn't have any 44 levers but they wanted to see the shotgun. I knew a even trade went out the window after the second shop turned me down. I was hoping for $400 at least at this point. They looked my gun over and offered me $300. I was a little disappointed and asked again if they had a lever gun. Much to my surprise they had a ruger 96, ruger semi and a marlin 1894. He turned around and almost like he wasn't even looking, grabbed the marlin and handed it to me. It is a great gun and I went home with it. They gave me $350 trade and sold the marlin for $500. It wasn't optimal but not real bad either. Unfortunately the market drives the price for the shotgun, it wasnt black and tactical and everyone had a pile of them. I am happy because the marlin is actually just what I wanted. So now the question is what ammo do I get? I did a search on the internet and it is split on jhp of jsp. Also marlins like a smaller bullet because of the rifle twist? -Jason
Be careful. Marlinitis is contagious. I don't have the 44 mag, I have an 1894C in .357 mag. They are mechanically very similar. I let lots of friends shoot it, and everyone of them has wanted to buy it from me. I polished up the action on mine according to this TUNING MARLIN LEVER ACTIONS and put in Wild West Guns "Happy Trigger" Wild West Guns Rifle Trigger Marlin 336 444 1894 1895 Blue . I also added this scope Leupold VX-1 Shotgun Scope 1-4x 20mm Turkey Plex Reticle Matte and a Skinner Peep Sight Feedback. Wild West Guns is in Anchorage and they specialize in Marlins. Good guys, I've been in their shop. As far as JHP versus JSP, the rifle will be pushing the bullets about 400fps faster than pistol velocity. A JHP will hold up and penetrate better while the JHP will probably fragment with more of a wounding channel. Plus, the JSP will be shorter than a JHP of the same weight, which will likely be more stable with the twist ratio. The twist ratio has more to do with bullet length than weight. If you go with cast, you will have to slug to bore to get the right size bullets. My bore is a little oversize, so I shoot .360 bullets which I cast from a custom mould.