Marlin .44mag lever as your primary hunting rifle

[Calgunz420]

Would it be enough to take down a buck or even a bear with one shot?

[Deltadude]

I don't see why not especially with a well placed shot.

[Calgunz420]

Whats the "accurate distance" 75-150yds?See well placement means you got time but if your in a threatening hunting situation can you stop whatever danger that is in its tracks? Probably have to finish at lease 4 rounds especially thick hide like wild boar.

[timmyb21]

If you want a lever gun for your primary go at least .30-30 if not .45-70. Just my opinion.

[Trapper]

I love my Marlin 1894P but wouldn't choose it as my primary hunting rifle for a couple of reasons. The .44mag is a great round but looses energy quickly when shots are longer than 100yds. Most of my deer and pig hunting in Ca takes place in the condor region. This is a problem because Marlin 1894's come with a 1:38" twist rate and will not stabilize the 225gr Barnes bullet. The 200gr barnes bullet has a deep hollow point and sheds energy quickly.
With that said it is a great rifle for deer and pig hunting at distances of 125yds or less. I've never taken a bear with my .44mag and can't speak to it's effectiveness on bear

[Argonaut]

If your primary hunting area was the Oregon coast it would be fine, You can seldom see further than a few yards anyway.......and up close, it will take anything on this continent. But past 50-100 yards or so it looses a lot.

[Snapping Twig]

A cast bullet in the 250 ~ 265g area moving @ 1700fps will snuff anything that takes air within 50 to 70 yards. Deer and pig I'd engage out to 150 ~ 200 yards.

A bear wouldn't stand a chance with a well placed shot.

Make sure your cast bullet has a large metplat.

I'd use it, I plan on using mine.

[r3dn3ck]

A cast bullet in the 250 ~ 265g area moving @ 1700fps will snuff anything that takes air within 50 to 70 yards. Deer and pig I'd engage out to 150 ~ 200 yards.

A bear wouldn't stand a chance with a well placed shot.

Make sure your cast bullet has a large metplat.

I'd use it, I plan on using mine.

+1. I'd be happy with a .44mag from a carbine on just about anything in N. America. You'll have to pick your shots and keep em' on the close side but wtih a good flat point hard cast you'll knock the air right out of anything that bleeds. On deer size game I'd use standard expanding slugs. Hollow point or jacketed flat nose soft tip. Bears and such, I'd rather have the added penetration from a hard cast flat nose.

I've taken deer with .429" bullets. Damage is tremendous.

[glockman19]

If I am pig or deer hunting and the shot will be taken in dense forrest at 100 yards or less a .44mag 1894 would be my choice. Otherwise I hunt with a Remington 700 CDL in .30-06. My sidearm is always a S&W 629 Classic 5".

[Hunt]

close range only, eliminates it as a primary hunting rifle-- 30/30 or something based on lever revolution by Hornady would be much better. I think Hornady has a chambering that is almost the same as .308 win for lever rifles. If I was to chose a "primary" rifle and it had to be a lever gun it would be that cartridge.

[Hunt]

here ya go . 308 Marlin express http://www.hornady.com/store/searcha...D=335&x=24&y=7
this would be good from thick timber out to 300 yards or more

[Sionadi]

Youll be shooting 100 yards max accurately with a .44 mag.

[BigNick]

Two years in a row I got my deer with a .44 mag and I will be hunting bear with it this year also, I dont plan on shooting over 100yds with it anyway. The .44 mag is more than adequate for this.