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View Poll Results: If you had to pick one Lever Action Rifle, what caliber who you choose?

Voters
1115. You may not vote on this poll
  • .357 Mag / 38 Special

    188 16.86%
  • .44 Mag / 44 Special

    133 11.93%
  • 45 Colt

    76 6.82%
  • .454 Casull

    29 2.60%
  • 444 Marlin

    39 3.50%
  • 45-70

    274 24.57%
  • 44-40

    41 3.68%
  • 450 Marlin

    2 0.18%
  • 30-30

    276 24.75%
  • 35 Remington

    84 7.53%
Multiple Choice Poll.
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Thread: If you had to pick one Lever Action Rifle, what caliber who you choose?

  1. #1
    Boolit Buddy huntersdog's Avatar
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    If you had to pick one Lever Action Rifle, what caliber who you choose?

    If you had to pick one Lever Action Rifle, what caliber who you choose? If not on the list please post it.

  2. #2
    Boolit Grand Master GhostHawk's Avatar
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    That is a tough choice.

    Do you go with the classic .30-30?
    Bigger bore with .357 mag?

    Bigger yet bore with .44 mag?

    .45lc? or the real big ol man of the woods, the .45-70?

    I don't think there is a wrong answer in there.
    .30-30 is going to do the job with less powder, lead.
    .357 could be a great plinking gun, low cost, 3-5 grains of fast powder and a smaller bullet.

    .44 mag that one is pretty much self explanatory. Big, mean, fast enough. Yet can be loaded down for reasonably inexpensive plinking, target work.

    Same is basically true of the .45lc.

    Or do you go full house .45-70?

    Did I forget the .35 rem?

    If I won the lottery one of each would be tempting.

    What do YOU want.

  3. #3
    Boolit Master
    labradigger1's Avatar
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    My votes for the 44 mag. Great revolver and rifle round. Hits with authority and will do it all w/o the 45/70 whipping.
    I'll take a '92 carbine with brass dot front sight and ghost ring rear please.
    You don't have 32/20 listed or that would be my first choice.
    Life is so much better with dogs!

  4. #4
    Boolit Master
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    .357 hands down

  5. #5
    Boolit Master
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    Of your choices, I chose the 3030. In real life I am shooting and hunting more with my pretend 3855 ( it is a 375 Win but I treat it as a 3855). Still if only one it would be the pre64 Win 94 In 30WCF, light,handy,accurate, and very versatile. Seems to have a solid track record too. But then the same gun in 3530 would be ..... yep 30WCF Is it for me.
    “You don’t practice until you get it right. You practice until you can’t get it wrong.” Jason Elam, All-Pro kicker, Denver Broncos

  6. #6
    Boolit Master

    Hickory's Avatar
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    For a woods rifle at distances of 75 yards or less the 44 magnum can't be beat for the right amount of power and performance.
    Political correctness is a national suicide pact.

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    only to God and my own conscience.

  7. #7
    Boolit Master 308Jeff's Avatar
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    There are three rifles I'll never get rid of: My M1 Carbine, my LR-308, and my Win 94 in 38/357. All three of them bring me a lot of joy to shoot.

  8. #8
    Boolit Grand Master

    dragon813gt's Avatar
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    If you had to pick one Lever Action Rifle, what caliber who you choose?

    Out of the poll choices, 35 Remington. That would mean a Marlin 336. What I would really choose is a Marlin 336 converted to 356 Winchester. Or a Savage 99 in 358 Winchester or 300 Savage. There are a lot of cartridges missing from the poll.

  9. #9
    Boolit Master MyFlatline's Avatar
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    Is a toss up between the 357 and 44. If I lived in bear country, I would have chosen a 44 mag. Here in Florida a 357 will take care of everything.

    This because of matching a side arm.

  10. #10
    Boolit Buddy huntersdog's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by mcdaniel.mac View Post
    .357 hands down
    That's what I picked. You can target shoot with it, for self-defense, small game, deer and bear with the right bullet.

  11. #11
    Boolit Master
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    The winner is 45/70 ,mouse fart to rockum sockum it does it all

  12. #12
    Boolit Grand Master

    gwpercle's Avatar
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    What ? 41 Remington magnum doesn't exist . I would get a lever gun, model 92 Winchester or Henry in 41 magnum to go with the model 58 41 mag. in my avatar !

    In your poll I choose ...none of the above...Oh, wait...that's not even an option !

    Yeah....us 41 magnum owners are treated like red headed step children....
    As Rodney Dangerfield would say...We don't get no respect !
    Gary
    Certified Cajun
    Proud Member of The Basket of Deplorables
    " Let's Go Brandon !"

  13. #13
    Boolit Master buckshotshoey's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Edward View Post
    The winner is 45/70 ,mouse fart to rockum sockum it does it all
    My choice also. And here's why I believe that....
    First, since a .22 lever wasn't included in the list, none of these calibers are going to be suitable for rabbits or squirrels.

    Second, unless you get a Savage, Browning, or a Henry Long Ranger, that shoot magazine fed bottleneck cartridges, your ranges are limited to 150 yards or less (Even though the 45- 70 was a proven killer at much greater ranges).
    All of these calibers are intended for larger game.

    And when downloaded to trap door pressures, and lighter boolits of 325 grains, it is very comfortable to shoot. Mine are far less recoil then a .50 cal muzzleloader. I guess somewhere between a 20ga and a 12 ga. And the reduced load is more then enough for deer and wild hog. Step it up to a little higher pressure and even griz will learn to respect it. The hard way.

    Ok, so it's not to be considered a plinking round, but I really wouldn't consider the others on the list in that category either. That, and small game, is what a .22 is for.
    Last edited by buckshotshoey; 07-28-2017 at 08:48 PM.

  14. #14
    Boolit Master

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    call mine another vote for the 356 Win.
    ..




    but the 444 isn't a bad choice either.
    or the 35 Rem or .357 mag or 30-30 or ................
    ..

  15. #15
    Boolit Grand Master Bazoo's Avatar
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    I voted 30-30. History, ammo availability, light and handy, its all there. It has been used to take all manner of game from deer to grizzly bear. Not the best, but my choice for the present.

    Edit, I might add that I'd prefer it in the winchester 94.
    Last edited by Bazoo; 07-30-2017 at 12:35 AM.

  16. #16
    Boolit Buddy gundownunder's Avatar
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    If America ever gets to the point were you can only have one lever gun, I'd say something has gone seriously wrong. If that happened, I'd opt for a caliber that gives me three things, versatility, portability, and economy. I'd go the .357, and then also pick up whatever the opposition is carrying as soon as I could.
    Hard work made me what I am today,
    Broken and broke
    ******************************
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  17. #17
    Boolit Master
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    It took me a few minutes to decide, but I went with the 30WCF. For the simple fact that brass is abundant, and I love my '58 model 94. my next choice was the 35 Rem, which I'm shocked it has no votes! But those two will do all I need for my lifetime. I think the 30-30 will be around for a long time, longer than I'm Gona be around!

  18. #18
    Boolit Master daloper's Avatar
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    My vote is for the .44 mag. I live in Michigan and below the rifle line. I am limited to shotgun or straight walled pistol rounds.

  19. #19
    Boolit Master
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    If I could choose one lever action rifle cartridge, I would choose .357 Magnum. But the question was one lever action rifle, which cartridge. That rifle is a pre-'64 Winchester 1894, and I chose .30-30. In reality though, I might choose .32 Special over .30 WCF.
    Now if Winchester had made the 1894 in .357 prior to '64, that would be my choice. Preferably a Trapper.

  20. #20
    Boolit Master Speedo66's Avatar
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    If I still lived in a state where I could hunt with it, it would be my Browning BLR in .308. But since I've moved to a state with straight walled cartridges only for deer, I'd have to go with my scoped Rossi 92 in .357.

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Abbreviations used in Reloading

BP Bronze Point IMR Improved Military Rifle PTD Pointed
BR Bench Rest M Magnum RN Round Nose
BT Boat Tail PL Power-Lokt SP Soft Point
C Compressed Charge PR Primer SPCL Soft Point "Core-Lokt"
HP Hollow Point PSPCL Pointed Soft Point "Core Lokt" C.O.L. Cartridge Overall Length
PSP Pointed Soft Point Spz Spitzer Point SBT Spitzer Boat Tail
LRN Lead Round Nose LWC Lead Wad Cutter LSWC Lead Semi Wad Cutter
GC Gas Check