First lever gun .357 or .22 ?

[edgerly779]

To save money and for fun plinking use 38 spl. Or buy both.

[green grunt]

I have 3 levers..... the 38/357 gets the most use....just plain fun to shoot with 38spls ....but....you do NEED both !

[pennstater]

I have 3 levers..... the 38/357 gets the most use....just plain fun to shoot with 38spls ....but....you do NEED both !

And then soon, very soon, a lever gun in .45 Colt. Just because!

MLC

[Oceanbob]

.44 magnum

Or I like the Henry 22 magnum as well. Evil Roy

https://www.calguns.net/calgunforum/showthread.php?t=1633755

[Spyder]

If I was only to get one of those two calibers, I'd go with the 357. But you kind of must have both.

22 Mag doesn't do it for me. Cost per round is too high for performance out of it.

[Spyder]

We can save you the trouble right here and now.

You will, over the foreseeable future, purchase in the following order:

1. 357

2. 22

3. 45 Colt or .44 Mag

Your list is not nearly long enough.

[nickel plate]

So, I think I want a lever gun strictly as a fun range gun. Trying to decide between a .22 or a .357. Would either be better for bowling pins, steel, water jugs etc.. So which would be more fun?
I do currently reload for .357 revolvers I have. I could reload for other calibers If another caliber would be more fun.
So any suggestions?
Thanks

I went vintage Marlin for my first lever action rifle as in this configuration new wasn't an option.
Searched out and found on gunbroker an unfired NIB 1894-C in .357 made in 1981.
As far as the .22 lever action goes, I never had the desire to own one as I have an early model Ruger 10/22 for over half a decade now and has never let me down-until a friend of mine recently let me shoot his 1950s Marlin Golden Mountie. That did it! I now own a 1957 (gold trigger) Marlin 39A and a 1972 Marlin (gold trigger) Original Golden-39M.
All three rifles have interchangeable cartridges, fun to mix them up in the magazine tubes .38spl and .357mag in the 1894-C and .22 short, long or long rifle in the 39A and the OG-39M.

[Cowboy T]

I have a .357M and a .22. Both get usage. Since you're already set up to reload .38/357, then I would go with that. In my Rossi 92 in .357M, my .38 Special load feels almost like a .22LR. The recoil is almost non-existent. Matter of fact, I call it the "reloadable .22".

Back in 2013-2014 when .22LR ammo was nowhere to be found, I was shooting .38 Spl out of the Rossi 92 instead. Worked great. The now-wife loves it. You'd be amazed what 4 grains of either Bullseye or Titegroup under a 110-gr bullet can do in a .38 Special case. :-)

So, at this particular time, that should be your first levergun. Then later, get the .22LR or .44M.

[The War Wagon]

.357

That way you can load a dozen .38's in there, and thumb your nose at the 10rd limit!

[Ora Serrata]

I have three of them: 22LR, .357 and .44 mag.

The .22 gets shot the most because it's cheap and easy. The .357 is IMO the most fun. The .44 is cool, but I only got it as a surrogate until I found the .357 at a reasonable price.

A friend has one in 45 LC. That is a lot of fun. If cost was equal I'd probably choose a 45LC over the .44 mag.

[Calif Hunter]

I have a .22 Henry, a Win 9422M, 2 Win 94 .30-30s, a Rossi .44 and a Rossi .45. FOr hunting small game, the .22 Mag is worth it. For general plinking and fun shooting, the .22 is fine. I load pleasant level ammo for both the .44 and the .45, so they are fun, too. I just never found a .357 lever action at a good price. I imagine with light loads, it would be fun.

[GeeBee49]

Between the two you mentioned I would go with the 357 magnum. When it comes to "cowboy" guns I prefer 45 Colt. I have a Winchester Model 94 Trails End and a Henry Big Boy both in 45 Colt. I have two Taylor's/Uberti SA Gunfighter models in 45 Colt to go along with them.
Last week I picked up my Taylor's/Uberti SA Smoke Wagon model in 357 magnum. My plan is to pick up a lever action in 357 magnum to go with the Smoke Wagon. I'm leaning toward another Henry but may consider a Marlin.

[DueceMcGurk]

Until recently my only 22LR long gun was a Marlin 989 M2. First gift I ever gave my wife those many years ago. Thought it was terrifically romantic. My first insight that Momma was not going to be a gunner. lol

Not a lever. But still one of the most accurate guns I own at 25 yds iron.

[golfish]

I have a .22 Henry, a Win 9422M, 2 Win 94 .30-30s, a Rossi .44 and a Rossi .45. FOr hunting small game, the .22 Mag is worth it. For general plinking and fun shooting, the .22 is fine. I load pleasant level ammo for both the .44 and the .45, so they are fun, too. I just never found a .357 lever action at a good price.

I think I reached 12 if you count my lever action break 410, and 4 are .38/.357...IMO, .38/357 is the perfect round for a lever action.

[DrewN]

I agree with the guys above. At a group shoot everyone starts big and ends up on .22. It's just more fun for screwing around.