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View Poll Results: If you had to pick one lever rifle to keep would you keep the .357 Mag or 45 Colt?

Voters
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  • .357 mAG

    155 53.82%
  • 45 Colt

    133 46.18%
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Thread: If you had to pick one lever rifle to keep would you keep the .357 Mag or 45 Colt?

  1. #61
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    RogerDat's Avatar
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    I like both. Both have shall we say "redeeming qualities" If I couldn't have my first choice a 30-30 or 44 mag then I would have to go with the 38/357 while my preferred field pistol is a 45 colt the wife has a .38 and I can use same .38 ammo in .357 field pistol. So the advantage in reduced gear and single ammo wins, barely. I really love the 45 colt round but would be more likely to toss a 38/357 lever gun in the trailer when camping along with a single box of 38 ammo. ok maybe a small box of 357 mag ammo would find it's way into my shaving kit or duffle bag.

    In the end it comes down to shared ammo and shared speed loaders. I would really not want to carry a 45 colt side arm and 44 mag rifle. Sorting that brass is tough wearing reading glasses. In a rush too easy to grab wrong ammo between 45 and 44 mag.
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  2. #62
    Boolit Buddy
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    I voted .45 Colt as it is more versatile, can go from powderpuff SASS loads to low end .45-70 loads. Besides I've been loading for it since '89 and have somewhere between 1500 and 2000 cases in my stash.

    The downside is the tiny rim has caused problems with extraction in my Win 94 trapper, and the typical loose chamber in the Winchester is not conducive to great case life. I have tried only partially sizing cases, but that results in cases that won't chamber in my Blackhawk or my S&W 25-5 and 625-5.
    Last edited by goryshaw; 04-16-2018 at 06:33 AM. Reason: typop

  3. #63
    Boolit Master
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    I wish they made a .25 acp in a lever action.

    that would be a hoot!

  4. #64
    Boolit Buddy huntersdog's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by HATCH View Post
    you didn't state a reason for the weapon.

    357 is the more preferred caliber because its more common then 45 colt.
    If you get one that can also shoot 38sp that would be even better.

    I have a lever in 38sp/357 mag and a lever in 45 colt.
    I shoot the smaller caliber lever gun more then the larger. So much that the 45 colt has sat enough in the safe that I am thinking about selling it one of these days. (IT IS NOT FOR SALE AT THIS TIME SO DON'T ASK)
    Just to keep and shoot in general. It may hit the field one day to hunt deer or tree rats.

  5. #65
    Boolit Master
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    If you had to pick
    45 colt.

  6. #66
    Boolit Master
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    I love the threads I have both. Both are Henry Brass Carbines.

    Both are great looking rifles.
    Both shoot very accurately.
    Both can be shot and reloaded very inexpensively.
    45-colt can be loaded and shot with much more powerful loads and heavier boolits.
    Both have very available and a wide variety of reloading components.
    Reduced loads work well in both rifles.
    Both are Lever guns.
    Both will take deer well but the 45 colt is more effective because of boolit weight and velocity.
    45 Colt loaded to +P will take Elk (I have done it)
    Easier to carry 25 rounds of 357 than 45 colt.
    357 is lighter than the 45 colt
    Recoil is lower with full house rounds in the 357 but the 45 can be down loaded.


    This is tough, so IF I can only have 1 and only 1 I would choose the 45 colt because of power potential and for no other reason.

    Sure am glad no choice is needed that way I enjoy both rifles.

  7. #67
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    knuckleball's Avatar
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    Neither. The best of both 357 and 45 would be 44 Magnum. Oh wait that's what I have!

  8. #68
    Boolit Buddy 59sharps's Avatar
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    neither I'd go w the 44-40
    14th VA. CAV.
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  9. #69
    Boolit Master
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    For me personally I'd get rid of both and get a 44 MAG .
    Parker's , 6.5mm's and my family in the Philippines

  10. #70
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    Eddie Southgate's Avatar
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    Voted .45 Colt of the two listed .
    Grumpy Old Man With A Gun....... Do Not Touch !!

  11. #71
    Boolit Buddy
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    I voted 357.

    I also have levers in 22lr, 25-20, 44mag, and 30-30, but shoot the 357 the most.
    NRA Endowment Member

  12. #72
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    I pick the 45colt, just because more lead down range.

  13. #73
    Boolit Buddy
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    Quote Originally Posted by 6pt-sika View Post
    For me personally I'd get rid of both and get a 44 MAG .
    This.

    Although if I got rid of my wife's little .357, I might as well not come home!

  14. #74
    Boolit Buddy maglvr's Avatar
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    I have 3 357 carbines, 6 or 8 357 revolvers, 2 45 colt carbines and a matching Blackhawk.
    357 is my first love cartridge above anything else ever made, but man, i'd find it pretty hard to part with either, but I guess if I had to, i'd cry a little and say bye bye to the 45 colt.
    Then again I guess I could have posted a blank reply and let my signature say it all
    Last edited by maglvr; 05-09-2018 at 06:36 AM.
    The .357 Magnum......
    1935
    Major Douglas Wesson, using factory loads, which were a 158 gr. soft lead bullet, traveling 1515 fps, from an 8 3/4" barreled S&W, producing 812 ft. lbs of muzzle energy.
    Antelope - 200 yards (2 shots)
    Elk - 130 yards (1 shot)
    Moose - 100 yards (1 shot)
    Grizzly Bear - 135 yards (1 shot).

    It kind of makes one wonder, why today, it will bounce off anything bigger than a rabbit

  15. #75
    Boolit Buddy
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    +1 on the 45 colt group. Haven't bought 357 lever yet.

  16. #76
    Boolit Buddy
    Bubba w/a 45/70's Avatar
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    357.

    Simple, really......it happens to be able to do everything I need to accomplish. Plus there is a bucket full of brass, buckets full of lead, and primers stacked next to powder in the reloading room. Along with multiple revolvers to shoot the same load they all enjoy digesting accurately.....what needs more than this?
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  17. #77
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    Another thread that "grew legs" and went far afield from the original question. I'll go with the .45 LC rifle, if having to play by the rules. BUT--
    I'd much rather have the .30-30 Win. for better performance at somewhat longer ranges, very accurate, easy acquisition of ammo. I've got a .356 Win. that you'd have to pry from my cold, dead fingers, but the .30-30 is just a great compromise on all requirements.

  18. #78
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    cajun shooter's Avatar
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    My first choice would be my 44wcf rifles, one 1873 and one 1892. The 73 wins out for the real cowboy gun and the 92 wins out for strength and the most used in cowboy movies. Later David
    Shooter of the "HOLY BLACK" SASS 81802 AKA FAIRSHAKE; NRA ; BOLD; WARTHOG;Deadwood Marshal;Bayou Bounty Hunter; So That his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat; 44 WCF filled to the top, 210 gr. bullet

  19. #79
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    The only reason I can think of that I would have to limit to one would involve financial circumstances so since the 357 can be fed with roughly half the expendables, the 357 is my only logical choice.
    "The price good men pay for indifference to public affairs is to be ruled by evil men."--Plato

  20. #80
    Boolit Master gc45's Avatar
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    45 Colt

    GC45

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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