All this talk about thutty thutties and 35 rem's, so who plans to tote a real lever gun in the woods this fall and what are you shooting in it?

Winchester 300 grain JHP.
Don't waste your money on them 405 grain Remingtons, they're like tossing a wet soft ball.

if my head could take the recoil, i'd still be toting a .45-70. my youngest son is using an NEF single shot in that great chambering. he prefers the hornady leverevolution 300 grain load (or is it 325? can't remember). i'll be running a marlin 1894 in .44 magnum this season for close hunting. it has enough bite for an old man like me. outback is right about the 300 grain loads. the 405 is an original load with a rainbow arc ...

I was thinking more of the 500gr Buffalo Bore.

bwahahahahahaha! 500 grain buffalo bore. perfect for texas heart shots; the shooter gets one, too ...

My favorite load was a 350 Hornady XTP running way too fast.. kicked like a mule but good grief would it put em down quick.

They are slime, but they still put em down in 20 steps or more.

My 1895g guide gun is my go to I shoot hand loads using the hornady 325 grain ftx bullet. I only take my 30-06 out hunting if I'm hunting some thing real open but 90% of my hunting is on management areas and other public lands which mainly hardwoods or pines so the guide gun gets to go alot.



Hand loads at 100yds

A “real” levergun is a 444, and the original modern cartridge was a 44 Russian. I love the 30-30 but usually hunt with a Big Bore Forty-Four.

“1872 Ordinance test summarized in the "Report of a Board of Ordnance Officers Convened Under Special Orders No. 107, Dated Adjutant General's Office, May 7, 1872, For the Purpose of Determining the Proper Caliber for Small Arms”,published in 1873. Ultimately, this research led to the adoption of the .45-70 as the standard cartridge for the 1873 Trapdoor Springfield rifle. However, it's interesting to note that as a part of this evaluation, the Ordnance Officers developed a cartridge (test fired in "Gun Number 15") with a straight-tapered 2.3" rimmed case, with a .430" diameter 365 grain bullet, that bore a remarkable resemblance to what would later be called the ".444 Marlin", differing only a few thousandths in certain key dimensions. While some have described the .444 Marlin as "a modern .45-70", the historical record shows that the basic concept behind the case design actually predates the adoption of the .45-70 as the official military cartridge”.

When the 444 doesn’t work, I skip to the 450 Marlin

Nice rifle, JohnnyLoco. IMO, that's as much scope as a levergun shoud ever wear.

I don’t think one can go wrong with a 2-7, or 4x either.

i carried mine last year. Never shot anything with it. Was shooting the leverlotions. Ended up getting some slight surface rust on it. Decided I probably wont carry it very much next year. May change my mind between now and then though.

The .444 and the 450 Marlin aint got nothing on the 45-70. History alone makes me want a 45-70 over those two pea shooters.

Soft cases for soft men

1870 is the lineage of the 44 which was the first of the modern type cartridge, now dats history. Interesting enough, since the Russians Invented the 44 with modern case and Paul Mauser invented several .30 cal variations in the late 1800’s, nothing has been significantly improved upon.

So history and case stiffness is why I choose these over the 45/70 Pea shooter

Don’t ya jus love me?

I want a .444 if I can find a pre safety one they don’t want a house payment for it.

Depends on who’s house payment

lineage is one thing but when it comes to actually being there and doing it, the 45-70 smokes the 444. Plus I like the bullet selection of the .45 better.

The 45/70 has its place

The 450 is for people who don't know how to handload. The 444 is a fine cartridge , but the 45-70 it is not.

The 45-70 , when loaded correctly , is just a little shy of a 458 Win. mag.in a very maneuverable package. Roll it with a flat nose hard cast 500 grain bullet and there is no game animal on earth it cannot take.