Seeking advice on a LA in .44Mag

[Triggerhappy]

I've own a few different lever action rifles but found myself in a conversation with a guy looking for decent lever action chambered in .44 Mag to go along with his revolver. He doesn't want to pay a whole lot if it can be avoided, I think it's going to be a truck gun more than anything. I didn't know what to tell him to look for so I figured I'd ask the experts. What to look for, what brands function / shoot well. What to stay away from.

He'll shoot a lot of jacketed through it and I'll do a lot of casting and loading for it as well so it has to like cast boolits.

Thanks for the help,

TH

[thenaaks]

i've got a marlin 1894 in 44 mag. shot jacketed before i started casting, now shoot cast. it likes everything from 180gr RNFP's to 240gr SWC's, both cast and jacketed. been a great little gun...paid $350 for it a couple years ago, slightly older model in nice condition. it does have the microgroove barrel. it even likes 44 specials!

[thenaaks]

i used to own a browning b92 in 357mag. it was a lot prettier, and the action was a bit smoother. it was so nice that i felt bad shooting it...so it had to go...no "safe queens" around here!

[MakeMineA10mm]

For a truck gun, I presume you want something cheap that can live through some "knock-about"?

In that case, I'd watch for an old Puma. (I think they were Rossi's, but they might've been Taurus.) They are basically copies of the 92, and I had a couple buddies who had them in the 80s, and they were respectable shooting irons, considering how little they cost. Used, they'd have to still be pretty darn cheap.

There've been a couple copies of the '92 through the years. Any of them would be fine.

My personal modern LA tastes go to Marlin (and have always - even before Winchester went out). I've got a stainless 1894 in 44 Magnum that's an absolute ridiculous tack-driver. Shoots as good or better than my varmint guns out to 100 yards. (Well, practically, it seems... :lol: ) My only beef with them is that a NIB one will be a little expensive for a truck gun... I bought mine used from a friend for $325, but that was darn near stealing it. New, they go for around $500 or so.

[RLJ10X]

Tell your friend to get a soft rifle case to put that levergun into while it's in the truck. There is no excuse for beating up any rifle.

[MT Gianni]

For a truck gun, I presume you want something cheap that can live through some "knock-about"?

In that case, I'd watch for an old Puma. (I think they were Rossi's, but they might've been Taurus.) They are basically copies of the 92, and I had a couple buddies who had them in the 80s, and they were respectable shooting irons, considering how little they cost. Used, they'd have to still be pretty darn cheap.

There've been a couple copies of the '92 through the years. Any of them would be fine.

My personal modern LA tastes go to Marlin (and have always - even before Winchester went out). I've got a stainless 1894 in 44 Magnum that's an absolute ridiculous tack-driver. Shoots as good or better than my varmint guns out to 100 yards. (Well, practically, it seems... :lol: ) My only beef with them is that a NIB one will be a little expensive for a truck gun... I bought mine used from a friend for $325, but that was darn near stealing it. New, they go for around $500 or so.

Ditto on the Rossi Puma 92. Mine is cast friendly but not shoulder friendly. I always thought the Lee 310 would be a good Elk combo in heavy woods @ 1750 fps but have yet to have it with me and meet a legal Elk.

[NickSS]

I have a win 94 angle eject trapper carbine in 44 mag I have had it for over 10 years and it is my personal truck gun. I have it in a scabbard behind the seat along with a box or two of ammo. Goes everywhere with me and has given me hours of fun plinking and has killed a few critters as well. You should be able to find one used for not much money.

[Firebricker]

I like the Marlins the best but if trying to keep costs down I agree with the guys on a Puma 92
I've never had one but have only heard good things abought them. I checked out there web site the have some good looking rifles. FB

[Lloyd Smale]

ive owned a ruger and a winchester and still have a marlin 44p none really are tack drivers and if i was looking for accuracy id probably look at a puma. I havent owned one but the ones ive shot have been more accurate then the 44s ive owned.

[leadeye]

I've had my Marlin 1894 for 25 years, not a nail driver but makes a fine woods gun with cast or jacketed.

[Freightman]

Don't have a 44 but have a 45 Colt Puma and it is as accurate as I am.

[AlaskaMike]

I'd suggest buying a Rossi/Puma directly from Steve Young. That way he can do his action/reliability job on it.

Mike

[Triggerhappy]

The Rossi Puma was kind of what I was thinking. I have one in .357 and love it for a saddle gun. Wasn't sure about the .44 versions never having seen one.

Thanks one and all for the input. I'll pass it along and begin the search for a used one. He's not likely to excessively beat up the rifle but it will get extensive time in a scabbard and they tend to wear the esthetics off of a rifle. No reason to buy new for this purpose. I bought my .357 used in very good shape years ago and only paid a couple hundred for it. It's been literally thousands of miles in a saddle scabbard with me.

TH

[2ndAmendmentNut]

Rossi, Marlin, and don’t forget the Henrys.

[Lloyd Smale]

for a truck gun id buck up the extra money and find a rossi in stainless.

[Triggerhappy]

Lloyd,

Good thinking on the stainless. Much of the bluing is gone off of the one I have from time in a leather scabbard. Stainless would weather the use much better.

[RLJ10X]

I took a good hard look at the Rossi/Puma. They look good. Felt good. Good sharp sights. I don't like the little safty, but I could get over that.

[O.S.O.K.]

I have a Marlin 94 in 44 Mag and it shoots great - jacketed and cast (just size them .001-.002" over bore).

But, if he can find a good used (pre wing safety) Puma, then that'll probably do better for him for the $$.

I too owned a .357 Mag Puma and it was a good shooting gun no doubt.

[Freightman]

I took a good hard look at the Rossi/Puma. They look good. Felt good. Good sharp sights. I don't like the little safety, but I could get over that.
Turn it to fire and forget it and I have never accidentally flipped it as it takes some effort.

[Four Fingers of Death]

Those Rossis are real hard to beat, I'm using one in my avitar, a 357 (shooting 38s, real cheap plinking) and I have a 44 Stainless as well. great guns.

[Dogg]

Guess I will chime in on this, I have both marlin and the Hartford model of Rossi in .44. My personal choice is the Hartford. Feeds every round I have put in it without a glitch, has been extremely accurate. Barrel lenght is a personal preference, I like the 24" but I know a lot of others like the shorter versions which I could see would be handy but for me I like the extra length and the extra weight to steady my shakes. Only thing I see as a downside is the ability to mount a scope if you desire toget the most out of the rifle. The silly safeties they put on both the marlin and the rossi aren't really a problem as was said in Freightmans post, 'turn it to fire and forget it'.

[softpoint]

I have a Winchester.
http://i245.photobucket.com/albums/gg72/Texas-Fred/005.jpg

[winelover]

Turn it to fire and forget it and I have never accidentally flipped it as it takes some effort.

I have accidently flipped it, maybe cause I'm left-handed. I solved that by installing a Tru-arc retaining ring in the groove of the Marlin cross bolt safety. Added bonus is it temporary-permanent. :bigsmyl2:

Winelover :cbpour:

[looseprojectile]

are dang nice. Years ago I had a B92 .44mag. and it was my walk around gun. I kept it for about ten years. A friend still has it.
Don't remember why I got rid of it. I think I paid $162.00 on clearance at a sport shop going out of business. $500.00 is easier to come by at this time and a good value when you buy a Rossi/LSI/Puma. A used B 92 will fetch twice what a Rossi costs new and are no better shooters.
I now have a Rossi .357 carbine and a Rossi .44 mag. 24" octagon rifle. Either one will fill the need for a gun that will handle 99% of any situations where you need a gun. They are much more politically correct [I hate that term] than a handgun an AR or even a bolt gun. Rifles are much more useful and effective than handguns if you don't have to carry concealed all the time. Also the current Rossi guns are very nice quality even compared to the Brownings. The very early Rossi guns were kinda lumpy but have improved over the years.
I don't think anyone could not like a 92 levergun for a truck gun. Works for me.

Life is good

[Four Fingers of Death]

A second hand Rossi with a gunsmith slicked action is a joy to use and still about half the price of a Browning. I had a 357 Browning and it was a bear to feed, by my Rossi is slicker than frog snot as far as feeding goes and when I get it back from the Gunsmith's it will be slicker than frog snot all round!

[Hanzerik]

I will throw another vote for the Puma/Rossi. The bottom one is my "Jeep" gun. Both are .44 Mag. Bought them both online from Bud's Gun Shop for a really good price compared to what the shops around here charge for them.

http://home.bresnan.net/~hanzerik/pics/Puma/Right-Side.JPG

[Gee_Wizz01]

+1 on the Rossi. I have a .44 Mag Puma I bought new in the the early '90's. It is very accurate and has a nice slick action. Mine is very accurate with both jacketed and cast. I didn't have much luck with cast until I got a Ranch Dog 432-265. Now I get 1 1/4" 5 shot groups using 2400. The only complaint I have is the older Puma's front sight is mounted on the barrel band instead of the barrel, something that was corrected on the newer models.

G

[doubs43]

I have the Rossi Puma in .44 Mag and like it a lot. It has the 20 inch octagon barrel and I removed the rear barrel-mounted sight, replacing it with a Marble tang sight. I shoot "buffalo stakes" competitions with it and normally have no problem clearing 8" square steel targets at 100 meters and average 9 of 10 pigs at 150 meters. My load is the Lyman 240 grain Keith SWC bullet cast to weigh 246 grains + or - 1 grain. I use 17.0 grains of 2400 and a standard LR primer. I'm going to try the 240 grain Lee RN bullet to see if it may shoot a bit flatter.

[jbunny]

I have the Rossi Puma in .44 Mag and like it a lot. It has the 20 inch octagon barrel and I removed the rear barrel-mounted sight, replacing it with a Marble tang sight. I shoot "buffalo stakes" competitions with it and normally have no problem clearing 8" square steel targets at 100 meters and average 9 of 10 pigs at 150 meters. My load is the Lyman 240 grain Keith SWC bullet cast to weigh 246 grains + or - 1 grain. I use 17.0 grains of 2400 and a standard LR primer. I'm going to try the 240 grain Lee RN bullet to see if it may shoot a bit flatter.

u use LR primer????? typo or what brand of brass do u use???
thanks
jb

[helice]

Got a couple 92 types. One is a great ol' Winchester made in1905 and converted to 357 by an opium smoker back in the 60s. The 2 Browning 92s (357 & 44) are like the Win. -- Smooth as they can be. I picked up a stainless Puma in 45 Colt and I truly appreciate it even tho it is not nearly as smooth as the others. The Puma in Stainless would get my vote for a truck rifle.

[doubs43]

u use LR primer????? typo or what brand of brass do u use??? thanks jb

Good catch, jb. I meant to say LP primer.

[cajun shooter]

Steve Young AKA Nate Kiowa Jones sells the 92 with all the action work done and they are as slick as butter. He can also remove the safety for you and put a plug where it was. On stainless guns he does it to where it's hard to see that it had one. The early Navy or Puma models are sold on the SASS wire for $400- $700. Steve also sells a DVD for the 92 if you want to do your own work. All of the guns that are posted, Navy, Puma, Hartford are made by Rossi in Brazil. They have been making this gun for over 25 years and have it down pretty good. The 92 is a very strong action and is nothing but a scaled down 1886 and was designed by the best gun man ever John M Browning. Later David

[jbunny]

Good catch, jb. I meant to say LP primer.

doubs43; i wasn't being picky. you had my hopes up. i know that there are cartriges
out there that can be had with either SP or LP primer pockets. i use SR in my 357
mag as it is a rifle on a savage bolt action and i like to push it to the max. i would
love to find 44 mag brass that has the primer pocket deep enough for LR primers.
i thought of making a pocket bottoming reamer for the extra 7 thou IIRC , but me
thinks there would not be enough meat left in the bottom. anybody done this?????
thanks jb

[MtGun44]

I spent a week with a Ruger 77 bolt gun under right leg on horseback. At the end of
a 40 mile day the leg was darned unhappy about it. Now I understand why the cowboys
used leverguns!

+1 on SS for a scabbard gun, that is hard on a rifle. Short and flat are really good and
a SS .44 16" levergun would be just excellent in that application.

Bill