Sidearms & Scatterguns Lever Action
- Thread starter mrdrar
- Start date
I will go with the .357...
Hands down. The versatility of anything chambered in .357 Mag is unmatched, except of course, by other straight wall cartridges of black powder origin.
I would also recommend an 1873 as opposed to a '92 if there is an 1873 chambered in .357... Cannot beat the 1873's side plate which opens up the works for far easier cleaning and repairs if needed. Get an 1873 carbine, and it will serve you faithfully for a lifetime and leave you with a priceless heirloom to pass on to future generations.
Hands down. The versatility of anything chambered in .357 Mag is unmatched, except of course, by other straight wall cartridges of black powder origin.
I would also recommend an 1873 as opposed to a '92 if there is an 1873 chambered in .357... Cannot beat the 1873's side plate which opens up the works for far easier cleaning and repairs if needed. Get an 1873 carbine, and it will serve you faithfully for a lifetime and leave you with a priceless heirloom to pass on to future generations.
Definately .357! Especially with all the killer factory loads available now too. 357 out of rifle length barrels are super underrated around my parts. I know you didn't mention a .44 mag but those are great too. Is it just for plinking or for hunting too?
Strictly fun and potentially self defense. No hunting anticipated. I’ll look into 1873 but picked 1892 for handiness. Asked about .223 for self defense reasons. Not interested in .44 in 1892 because they supposedly are problematic. How are the 1873s in .44? How about either in .45LC?
I had a Uberti '73 carbine in .45 LC for some time. It was a BEAST. .45 LC with a full case of Swiss FFFg will push a 250 grainer well into .357 Mag territory out of a revolver. With the longer barrel of a carbine, you will be getting serious performance out of them. Uberti is also a company that is VERY invested in their rifles and builds a steady line of superb quality pieces. Their pistols? Not as flawless as their rifles, but passable, although if you are looking for a revolver, I recommend Pietta.
.45 LC/.357 are NOT niche calibers and they are not narrow spectrum performers. They are duty rounds and guns and they were designed in order to fulfill every role that a frontiersman, drover, or commercial hunter was expected to perform, in bandit infested badlands. Going after small game for the cook camp? Load a couple .45's light... Rabbits and grouse'll fill yer' kettle soon. Hostiles and nomadic horsemen waiting for your 'Buffalo Sharps' to fall silent before closing in on your scalp? Drop the big sidehammer and pick up the Winchester beside ya'... 250 grain flat point at 1220 FPS kills 'em dead. Works the same way on modern armed intruders and carjackers as well. Want to make steel silhouettes clang at 400 yards or farther? Lever action .45 will git' it done... Practice is part of the fun... Load with smokeless or Holy Black... Just remember if you are loading with black to fill any extra space with cream of wheat so you do not get an airspace... Another bonus... Cast your own bullets with a Lee or Lyman mold like how it's been done for the past 130 years. You can even load 'em with round balls. Ain't nothing that can't be done with a straight wall and a lever gun...
If I had a good .357 revolver, I'd roll a .357 levergun (I have a .45 Colt, ergo, I have a .45 Colt levergun, but there's no reason a man couldn't have both guns in both calibers 
).
I really do like my Henry Big Boy Steel Carbine. EGW makes a rail for it that makes scope or red dot optic mounting easy (I've got an old Leupy M8 2.5 on mine, in weaver lows). The only drawback to the Henry, is that, while not burdensome, they are heavy (they do come standard with swivel studs). Not necessarily with a heavy loaded .45 Colt or .44 Mag, but probably heavier than a .357 needs to be. They do have a very nice recoil pad, so they don't slide out of a corner and into the floor (like a plastic or steel buttplate will) and it is VERY comfortable to shoot, even with 286 grains at close to 1500fps (admittedly, the rifle hates that load, so right now I'm running the same bullet at 1,184fps with 9 grains of Universal until I find a better "heavy" load).
If I wanted lighter, I'd likely look at a Rossi '92. Slick it up and add a peep sight.
Not a thing wrong with the '73. I think I've even seen some newer ones chambered in higher pressure calibers.
If I were specing out a .223 for your scenario, I'd go short, DBM, bolt gun instead of levergun, but that's just me. I do have a friend with a BLR in .223 and it's sent several groundhogs and coyotes to their reward.
The main thing to me is, if you don't handload, find out what the rifle/pistol combo likes and just buy a case or two of it. I have buddies with a "main" rifle or sidearm, that always seem to be scouring wally world or the interweb for whatever's left 3 days before deer season.
).I really do like my Henry Big Boy Steel Carbine. EGW makes a rail for it that makes scope or red dot optic mounting easy (I've got an old Leupy M8 2.5 on mine, in weaver lows). The only drawback to the Henry, is that, while not burdensome, they are heavy (they do come standard with swivel studs). Not necessarily with a heavy loaded .45 Colt or .44 Mag, but probably heavier than a .357 needs to be. They do have a very nice recoil pad, so they don't slide out of a corner and into the floor (like a plastic or steel buttplate will) and it is VERY comfortable to shoot, even with 286 grains at close to 1500fps (admittedly, the rifle hates that load, so right now I'm running the same bullet at 1,184fps with 9 grains of Universal until I find a better "heavy" load).
If I wanted lighter, I'd likely look at a Rossi '92. Slick it up and add a peep sight.
Not a thing wrong with the '73. I think I've even seen some newer ones chambered in higher pressure calibers.
If I were specing out a .223 for your scenario, I'd go short, DBM, bolt gun instead of levergun, but that's just me. I do have a friend with a BLR in .223 and it's sent several groundhogs and coyotes to their reward.
The main thing to me is, if you don't handload, find out what the rifle/pistol combo likes and just buy a case or two of it. I have buddies with a "main" rifle or sidearm, that always seem to be scouring wally world or the interweb for whatever's left 3 days before deer season.
I picked up a Chiappa 1892 Alaskan take-down a few years ago and it is one of my most used rifles. Mine is 45LC but I'm pretty sure they make a 357 as well.
I love 45LC, I've run everything from 200gr cowboy loads to 335gr +P grizzly loads through this thing and it just rolls right along.
I love 45LC, I've run everything from 200gr cowboy loads to 335gr +P grizzly loads through this thing and it just rolls right along.
If you want a '92, I'd look around for an older Puma which was imported by Legacy Sports (same folks that import Howa). I have one in .357 with the heavy 24" octagonal barrel and color case hardened frame that I bought I think about 13 years ago. It's a beauty and a real shooter. The action was a little stiff out of the box but after a few hundred rounds and lots of dry firing it smoothed out. I have always liked the looks of the 92 vs. the 94 because of the no barrel band which I also think has some effect on barrel harmonics. I used to do a bit of cowboy action and also have an Uberti SAA in .357 with matching color case hardened frame. I'd post pics but don't know how. I also own a Win 94 in 30-30 that was made in 1915.
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definately go with 357 if you are not going to hunt. why? put 100 rounds in you pocket of either 45 colt or 44 magnum and then put 100 of the 357 in your pocket.
357 is perfect for plinking or defense. i’d skip the winchesters, and the henrys, and the pumas. find a JM stamped marlin and you’ll be well served.
357 is perfect for plinking or defense. i’d skip the winchesters, and the henrys, and the pumas. find a JM stamped marlin and you’ll be well served.
I have a few BLR’s, never really shoot them anymore. Got one of those lever deals that mount on the trigger guard to lighten the pull weight on the .270win BLR. The 30-30 is bone stock. They are fudd guns, all I can say about that.
I love levers. They may be Fudd guns but I’m just a fudd soul trapped in younger body and always have been ha.
I’ve got a Browning from the early ‘80s in .44 Mag and it’s an excellent firearm. Heirloom all the way. I hear they have some accuracy issues occasionally but mine doesn’t. The .357 versions are apparently harder to find.
I’ve got one of the newer Miroku made Winny 1873s in .357 and that gun is absolutely great. Only have a couple boxes of .357 through it but it’s probably got 2,500rnds of .38spcl down the pipe and man is it fun. It’s a lot like the Uberti, there are only a couple small differences between the two. I picked this one because I liked the wood grain on the stocks so much and it felt slightly smoother than the two Ubertis I compared it to.
A Henry Long Ranger is on my short list but I’ll be doing either .308 or 6.5CM. Leaning .308 as the faster lever followup shots might make it a natural for a hog rifle. I wouldn’t do one in .223 though: the action is long for a .223 and I just have enough ARs that I just don’t need a lever in that caliber.
Keep us apprised of your decision!
Bingo
I’ve got a Browning from the early ‘80s in .44 Mag and it’s an excellent firearm. Heirloom all the way. I hear they have some accuracy issues occasionally but mine doesn’t. The .357 versions are apparently harder to find.
I’ve got one of the newer Miroku made Winny 1873s in .357 and that gun is absolutely great. Only have a couple boxes of .357 through it but it’s probably got 2,500rnds of .38spcl down the pipe and man is it fun. It’s a lot like the Uberti, there are only a couple small differences between the two. I picked this one because I liked the wood grain on the stocks so much and it felt slightly smoother than the two Ubertis I compared it to.
A Henry Long Ranger is on my short list but I’ll be doing either .308 or 6.5CM. Leaning .308 as the faster lever followup shots might make it a natural for a hog rifle. I wouldn’t do one in .223 though: the action is long for a .223 and I just have enough ARs that I just don’t need a lever in that caliber.
Keep us apprised of your decision!
Bingo
Funny you mention that, I actually have a nib win 1873 in 30-30 with an octagon barrel. Haven’t even looked at it, heirloom status.
