44 or 45?

[Blammer]

Ok If I decide to get a PUMA model 92 with a 20" barrel, blued, should I get it in 44 magnum? or 45 colt? or 454 casull?

Currently I don't have anything in 45 colt or 454 casull, but do have stuff in 44 magnum.

This would be for mostly deer hunting and target shooting/plinking.

What would you get?

[Marine Sgt 2111]

I'd opt for the .454 as you can shoot colt ammo as well as "the hammer of Thor" loads...

[454PB]

I have a Puma 92 in .454 Casull. It's a very handy and powerful rifle, but more than is needed for any deer I've ever met. I bought it as a companion to my three .454 revolvers, and was already set up for casting and loading. A .44 magnum is plenty powerful enough for your needs.

[MtGun44]

I don't know how the Puma interpretation of the Win 92 is set
up, but my Browning 92 is a PITA due to short max cartridge length.
I love the 429421 in most of my .44 pistols and my 94 carbine,
but it is too long for the 92. You should see if a normal length
"long" .44 cartridge will cycle thru the 92 if you plan on using
any of the longer nosed bullet designs in it. My Browning requires
very shortnosed bullets to cycle.

I don't know if it actually comes up in practice, but the original
design of the .45 Colt had a super narrow rim because the
extraction was by the rod in the case, not the rim. The modern
cases have bigger rims but they are still much smaller than the
.44 rims. Does anyone know if this becomes an actual issue
with any of the .45 Colt lever guns??

Bill

[45r]

I've read the 45 colt marlins cycle well and some shoot pretty good.The 45's have bigger chamber holes and don't jam as much as say a 357 but some say the 357 and 44's are more accurate.The 45 would be best as a hunting gun I think because it would have plenty of power with 300 grain boolits and the 44 doesn't have fast enough rifling(marlins) for long boolits.Some like the puma's but I think the deep cut ballard rifling and easier take down and cleaning of the marlin plus more options for optics or peep sights and getting parts easier and sooner than an import make a better choice to me.The puma's are cheaper and the action stronger and I guess that is what makes some buy them.I'm fond of the 45 when it comes to cast so that is what I'd get.I was thinking about getting a 357 but they just don't have near the power of a 45 shooting 300 grain boolits.

[Lloyd Smale]

flip a coin as they all are just as good for there intended purpose

[arkypete]

Blammer
If you have the 44 stuff, save your bucks and get that caliber.
I had 5 or 6 45 Colt revolvers, so when it came time to get a 92, 45 Colt it was.
My loads with a 300 grain, a case full of H110 is about all the fun I want.
I think of it as 45-70 short!

Jim

[MT Gianni]

I have a 92 in 44. It is older with the medalion on the side and it feeds from the 429415 to the 300 lee RF with no difficulties. It generally shoots 429421,429244 and is happy with either. Slightly more leading withthe plain base but I do know how to clean a gun so it isn't a problem. Gianni

[felix]

I tend to go with the cheaper way out. You already have dies for the 44, so that would be my choice. The Brazil guns tend to have larger chambers and have much better twist rates than the Marlins and early Winnies. The later Winnies corrected that problem with 26 twist; the Puma has 30 twist. The Marlins? Hopefully, they are fully corrected by now. Ruger started using 20 twist in their newer guns. ... felix

[Char-Gar]

I bought my first 44 mag hangun in 1964 and have never been without one since that time. I have found the round to be highly accurate and very easy to load for. Accurate loads are not elusive. I also have several hanguns in 45 Colt, but still favor the 44 magnum.

I have a Marlin 94 in 44 Mag and find it a delight. plenty of power for deer and it just suits me to a T.

[Poohgyrr]

I keep wondering about this 44/45 myself.. A .45 would be a lot of fun, but I already have .44 reloading stuff.

[modoc]

Went with the 44 myself because I already had a hand cannon w/ accessories[smilie=1:. later, my dad got a 45 to match his vaqueros. Both worked well and are still going strong. FWIW, I'd save the money and get the 44.

[carpetman]

Already set for 44. You need more toys and reloading stuff and RCBS and others need the business. How would you feel if RCBS went broke and you had a chance to save them?

[snowtigger]

Already set for 44. You need more toys and reloading stuff and RCBS and others need the business. How would you feel if RCBS went broke and you had a chance to save them?

I have to agree with Carpetman, partly because I love that Avatar. But mostly, because you can never have too many guns, or reloading stuff.

[Bret4207]

I have to agree with Carpetman, partly because I love that Avatar.

As I have noted before, Carpetmans avatar is a pic of his granddaughter. Missy will be 15 next May. Some of you guys are disgusting.

I have a 44 Puma. It weighs in at 5 1/2 lb. A full house 44 Mag moves parts of my head around that are supposed to remain fixed. I can only imagine the joy a 454 would allow me to have. You'd darn sure know when it went off.

[45r]

I changed my mind on getting a 45 marlin and ordered a 357 CB.Got told you better have a lot of brass for what caliber you get because you end up liking shootem so much I'll need it.Then I remembered I bought 1000 once fired fed. 357 brass a while back.Won't have as much power but I think a 185 LBT boolit pushed by a heavy dose of lil-gun or H-110 and placed in the right spot will put a deer in the freezer.I also remembered my muzzle loaders will put three 300 grain J-word bullets into 1 inch groups at a 100 yards and I've never needed more than 1 shot.So I don't really need a 45 and the 357 will be a lot easier to shoot fast with out pounding my shoulder and jarring what little brains I have left.Glad I finally ordered one,been debating what to get for a long time.Hope I get a good one.Couldn't find one to look at around here(lots of cowboy-action shooters) but hear Marlin has good reputation for standing behind their product so if it needs something done I can send it in.

[EDK]

While I am a heavy duty 44 fan, I have to agree with JOHN TAFFIN's comment that the only thing more necessary to have than a good 357 magnum lever gun is an equally good 22 long rifle lever gun. Try looking for articles by GLENN FRYXELL (sp?) on loading for leverguns, specifically the MARLIN 1894s....save you some headaches on loads and bullet choices. I like the older 24 inch octagon barrelled guns, but they are all good--especially with the current Ballard style rifling.

WARNING: Don't loan the Marlin to your buddies for a first time deer rifle. You may end up with a check instead of your rifle back. I've loaned several 44 model 1894s for deer guns here in eastern Missouri and it's always "hit the deer in the chest and it dropped like you hit it with a sledge hammer...How much do you want for it?"

GOOD LUCK AND ENJOY

:castmine: :Fire:

[lovedogs]

I think the .44 can easily be shown to be the most versatile of the three. I've shot an unknown number of deer and antelope with the great .44 mag and it's always done a good job. Some experience problems with the .45's. The .44 has plenty of punch and all the recoil one needs, especially in a lighter rifle. I can't imagine why anyone would want the .454. If you need more power why not just go to the .45-70; it's more versatile and you can do almost anything with a .45-70. Guess I'm a hopelessly loyal .44 fan, and I think it's for good reason.

[ktw]

I think the 45s are more versatile in that you can use most all the bullets available for 45 ACP and 45 Colt, as well as the lighter 45/70 bullets.

I think the 44s are easier in that you don't have to deal with things like the oversize chambers often found in the 45 Colt guns.

I have 45s and like them. But, if I was starting from scratch I'd probably go with the 44, particularly if I already had 44 infrastructure.

-ktw

[lar45]

Neither, go for the 480 Ruger.

I do like the look of the Octagon barrels for 44 mag and 45 Colt.

[Ed Barrett]

Go for the 454. If you only stick with what you are set up with already your experiences won't grow.

[Poohgyrr]

The EMF Levers are nice, with good wood, fit, and finish. Problem is they don't import the .44 mags into the US..... And the stainless versions might not arrive here either..

Good news is the .357 Levers do real well.

EMF's are nice Rossi's. :drinks:

[Scrounger]

The EMF Levers are nice, with good wood, fit, and finish. Problem is they don't import the .44 mags into the US..... And the stainless versions might not arrive here either..

Good news is the .357 Levers do real well.

EMF's are nice Rossi's. :drinks:

I checked the EMF website and they only had Winchester 66 and 73 copies, nothing like the stronger M92. I wouldn't want to put a .357 or .44 Mag in a 73 clone.

[Poohgyrr]

www.stevesgunz.com

EMF has their M92s buried in their website somewhere, but they do sell them.

EDITED: Here is a link to their picture:

http://emf-company.com/1892-winchester-rifle-carbine.htm


And the latest word is the Rossi made 44 Magnum bores are now .429.

Here is my 16" octagon .44 Special EMF M92 tuned & built by Steve Young.

www.http://img170.imageshack.us/img170/6958/emfsaw003th3.jpg