Which Lever Gun Caliber?

[L84CABO]

So I think I'm going to start looking for a lever gun. I've wanted once since I was a kid and can't for the life of me figure out why I've waited this long. I haven't done any research yet but the first question crossing my mind is, "which caliber?"

Or rather, I think I want two lever guns with the first one being in 30-30 as I want something I could hunt with if I needed too and a caliber that isn't horribly expensive or hard to find. So what should the second one be? For the second one I'm just looking for a fun, affordable plinking caliber. So maybe 357 or possibly 45 Long Colt...but I know nothing about that caliber. Is it reasonably affordable? How does the ballistics of 45 LC compare to 357?

So...what do you guys think? Any thoughts and/or comments are appreciated. And if anyone wants to suggest which guns to look at, that's fine too. Like I said, I haven't ever started researching yet so I don't have much knowledge yet.

[TMB 1]

45 Colt loads can be anywhere from mild cowboy action loads all the way up to 44mag level loads. With the 357 you'd be able to shoot 38 specials too.

[Mojaveman]

Like lever guns too and have a nice Winchester 94 that I'm keeping forever.

Prices for .30-30 are decent if you look around. I believe in having the most powerful cartridge that the type of firearm will handle.

[NapalmCheese]

.22 lr

[TripleThreat]

I've always thought a 44 magnum revolver mated with at 44 magnum lever action rifle would be the ultimate combination. You can take out just about anything that walks the earth with a 44 magnum rifle. You can also down load a 44 magnum pistol to a 44 special, light loads, hot loads, pistol rounds, rifle rounds, it pretty much can all be covered with this duo.

Triple

[bruceflinch]

If you reload, then any caliber you want will be affordable to shoot. 44 Mag is a good choice if you want to mate it with a handgun.

30-30 brass is plentiful on the ground at most ranges. Lots of choices for flat nose .308 bullets on the market.

38/357 is a fun round to shoot in a lever gun.

[Mayor McRifle]

If I limited myself to two, it would be a Winchester Model 94 (.30-30) and a Browning BL-22 (.22)

[nickel plate]

I did the brand/model research a few months ago and my choice was to find a JM roll marked Marlin (not a late model Remlin) model 1894 .357 caliber in as new condition as possible. They are out there and I did find one.
I chose the .357 because I have a Colt Python in the same caliber and the ammunition is fairly common and not overly priced.
I guess the best generic advice I can give you is that if you focus on a used pistol caliber lever rifle, find out if it was used in any form of Cowboy Action shooting. Most of these will be quite high mileage rifles.
I don't hunt large game but the .357 will take deer at a reasonable range but my primary purpose is plinking, target and an all round "porch" gun.
Good luck in your search-It's really fun to cycle the lever on something that was designed one hundred and twenty one years ago!

[MongooseV8]

I did the brand/model research a few months ago and my choice was to find a JM roll marked Marlin (not a late model Remlin) model 1894 .357 caliber in as new condition as possible. They are out there and I did find one.

This is great advice. But 45 Colt is the master race. Start reloading and you will have a cheap plinker, and a heavy handed game taker.

[scotchblade]

I wound up with a Marlin 1894 *JM* in .44. I have both .357 and .44 revolvers and reload for both, so I could have gone either way. But at the time, .357 was harder to find (maybe still is) and I got a pretty good deal on the .44. I put a Skinner peep sight on mine. Beautiful rifle and great fun to shoot.

[nickel plate]

This is great advice. But 45 Colt is the master race. Start reloading and you will have a cheap plinker, and a heavy handed game taker.

Also great advice MongooseV8, but I don't reload-probably never will-the .45 Long Colt and .44 Magnum are truly exciting pistol/long gun calibers but I must also consider recoil as my lovely S.O. we share/shoot everything in the gun safe.
Side note-watcha got to kill off a Cobra??

[Junkie]

30-30 makes sense for a rifle caliber lever gun. If you want something with balls for the other one, any heavy duty pistol caliber would go. If you can find one for the right price, .460S&W packs quite a punch. You'd also be able to shoot .454 Casull and .45 (Long) Colt. Of course, the available .460 lever guns aren't cheap.

.44 Magnum would be another good choice, or .357 Magnum. It all depends on your budget, as well as if you reload.

[Shiloh]

Quick chime in, there are a couple of calibers that keep being mentioned again and again. These would be cal. 44 S&W/Mag, 45LC, and 38/357. These are all great cartridges to play with and give you some room to play. If you reload or are looking into reloading there are a lot of recipes you can play with to load hot, mild, or light. If your just looking to plink, Id say go with 45LC. Reason being you can shoot full loads of 45LC or go as light as a 45 Schofield. Plus larger calibers thump things a little harder and make bigger holes which IMO is pretty fun for plinking. Any of those calibers will hold their value in resale though.

[LRShooter]

45 Colt isn't really affordable unless you reload. 44 mag is only a little cheaper. 357 is the way to go if buying off the shelf ammo.

Load your own, it really doesn't matter.

[pdq_wizzard]

If you reload, then any caliber you want will be affordable to shoot. 44 Mag is a good choice if you want to mate it with a handgun.

30-30 brass is plentiful on the ground at most ranges. Lots of choices for flat nose .308 bullets on the market.

38/357 is a fun round to shoot in a lever gun.

don't have to worry about loading only flat nose now, Hornady has the flex tip 160gr and they work great.