what rifle to get next?

[skin'erback]

starting to get the fever again-daydreaming about new calibers, dropping by gun shops just to "look",already thinking of justifications for new rifle.. Anyway, I am currently shooting a 1894 and I love it , Followed this up with a 444, and bullet molds, and casting stuff and more reloading stuff, and matching revolvers. back on topic now-- I need something new (can be old, just new to me) to play with. Maybe a 357 (saves money on powder and lead) or a 35 rem (load it down like 357 or up for deer and elk), maybe 450 marlin just because is big and loud and kicks too much.. help me please. my brother showed up with an XLR in 45/70. nice rifle. maybe I need one of those....

[GabbyM]

Don't even know what state you're in.
35 Rem is hard to beat in about any situation. Get a RCBS 35-200-FN mold and tear the world up. Mine cast a 215gr boolit.

If you're just going to shoot paper and stuff a good old 30-30 has been a proven winner.
not much use in you loading it down as you've already a 94 to shoot.

[Buckshot]

..............skin'erback, a hearty welcome to the board. I'd like to suggest a M92 clone in either 45 Colt or 357. I bought a Rossi in 357 several months back, and what a blast it is! About as fun as a 22LR on steroids, ha! It's nicely accurate and with mild loads using plain based RN's cast of unsofisticated alloy (ie: CHEAP) it's just a flat gas to chase cans, bust dirt clods, or bounce rocks. Great for kids to as the 38 Special leavel loads don't kick at all.

.................Buckshot

[357maximum]

Cannot hardly go wrong with a marlin 336 in 35REM...........especially if it is a pre-micro model. I have both a pistol gripped/forend cap (sc) and a straight stock/barrel band(RC) version...I prefer the handling of the SC a bit more than the rc, but the RC is easier to find round these parts anyway. They are both alot of value for something under 300 bucks, and I feel pretty confident that I could kill anything on this continent with them ......in the right conditions.

[Bass Ackward]

I say you have two choices.

First is to decide what you want to do with the rifle and go logically.
Or just handle a few and let one talk to you.

I gotta tell ya that I have become a fan of the 35 Rem. It will spit 125 grainers for head shots on squirrels out to about 75 yards and on up to what ever you got a mind to throw the sight on when loaded up.

If you are a lever man, this comes as close to the mythical one gun for everything as I have seen.

[jhrosier]

skin'erback,

If you can live with iron sights, go for a Browning or Winchester 1895 in .35 Whelen.
Otherwise, the Browning BLR in .35 Whelen or .358 Winchester would be a dandy rifle.
The .35 cal rifles are cheap and easy to load for and have sufficient power for most hunting.

Jack

[missionary5155]

I am hooked on the 38´s... 38-55 or 375 is hard to beat ! All the above mentioned calibers would all be fun... But I have to vote for a 38... but I sure would be happy to see a long case 40 or 41.

[felix]

Yep, agree whole heartedly. Marlin lever: 35Rem; Win lever: 32WS; Cowboy pure: 45Colt; Bolt anything: 35 Whelen; lots of shooting with young kids: 357Mag. ... felix

[Four Fingers of Death]

Theres lotsssssssssssssss of good calibres out there, but seeing you have a big'un in the 444 (I just bought another of these the other day, a recent one with ballard rifling to compare against my 1977 vintage 444S) you'd be hard pressed to go past the 357Mag. I have a 92 Rossi in 38/357, it is an absolute hoot! I bought it for not much money as a back up rifle and to lend to beginners. It is the rifle in my avitar. It has been my main match rifle in Cowboy Action for the past three years, all others seem to have teething troubles, it never misses a beat, great little gun. Cheap as chips to feed with 38s as well. It will be retired for a day or so soon and my ladyfriend will be using it as her first cowboy action rifle until she decides what she wants to use.

If you want to use a scope maybe an 1894 Marlin might be the go. Sweet as!!!!

[Muddy Creek Sam]

I just got a Legendary Frontiersman 94 NIB 38-55, It is a reall hoot to shoot. Got to get the Marbles Tang and Lyman hood front sight. Got a long Range Cowboy Competition coming up in Nov. Also have a 94 Legacy 357, 73 Clone in 357, and a Marlin 94 CBC in 38 spl. And my favorite of all my lever guns, My Original 1887 12 ga with 30" Barrel DOM 1892.

Good luck choosing,

Sam :-D

[acsteve]

I'd go for a 35 rem xlr. It would be great for plinking through deer. And as a bonus, ranch dog is coming out with a mold. Of course it sounds like you like eclectic stuff, so maybe you should go for a 25/20. Not to usefull for deer big deer, but maybe just what you need for the size of deer you go after. Them small deer are harder to hit. Expecially those tough, cotton tail deer.

[MT Gianni]

WW has dropped the 358 win from their loads per Sportsmans Warehouse. This allowed me to by a BLR 358 at a low price and sell my 356 Win. Look around and see what you can find. Gianni

[acsteve]

how do you like your BLR? How do they compare to XLR?

[leadeye]

I picked up a NHR 45 lc a while back at a show. The rifle is a little on the heavy side but a lot of fun to shoot. Looks good sitting next to my Ruger Blackhawk.

[acsteve]

skin'erback, I have been thinking, maybe you should look for an old martini in one of the big slow cartridges or maybe even one of the martini, rook type cartridges