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I've used the 44 mag and 45-70 in leverguns a lot through the years. 125 yards was a long shot with one of my Winchester 94 .44 mags but it was cake for the Marlin or H&R .45-70. I feel 175 starts getting long for the traditionally loaded 45-70. Leverevolutions of course change things for both rounds.

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Having used the 44 Mag Marlin on one deer, Im glad my home state will recognize it as a legal tool. Shotguns on their best day suck ass.

This has more to do with selling more licenses and tags than anything else, believe me. But its about time.

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I had great luck with shotguns.
Mossberg 500 w smooth bore, D&T and scoped. Back in the day.
Took deer cleanly to 150 yards.

Got a rifled bore 870, D&T and changed to WW HI Supremes. BT's were way shorter, with more down at the shot.

Effectiveness? Shotguns work just fine. Recoil is pretty mean though.

Note: I tested stuff, and when I found what worked, would buy 10 boxes of slugs, all from one lot #.

Had a Marlin .44 mag lever gun............it shot well. No bucks big enough that yr. I sold it and got a TC .35 rem carbine.
That was a fun rig!

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I have a 44 mag 1894, for around the camp, with peep sights. If I was buying it for just hunting, I'd go 45-70 probably. Bigger is better. I realize both will do the job. You can use both on black bear even,


But if you want to shoot it, 44mag is fun. I am told you can load 45-70 down. Not sure to the light levels of 44 mag. Unique and it almost feels like 22. Even with H110 pleasant to shoot.

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Originally Posted by Autofive
A high shoulder shot with the 44 mag.

I really not interested in guns that require certain shot placement. Though I think 44 in the lungs is fine.

Elmer Keith though 44 mag was better than 30-30 at close ranges, due to bigger hole. Be interesting to know his opinions on modern bullets. Would he still be shooting lead? 30-30, is not all that powerful, but obviously killed alot of deer.

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Then there is the hole Marlin JM and Remlins discussion. I got my 1894 around 2012, and it had lots of quality problems. Buggered screws, and stripped holes for mounting sights. Sent it in, go it back fast. New screws in each hole, but still stripped. Sent back, another new screw in receiver. You could drop the plugs in, only 1 thread was catching.

At this point I could either get my money back or wait a couple weeks, as they were retooling line. I waited. Next one very smooth. 1st one I literally cycled 1k times. If you talk to honest old marlin owners, they will tell you the old ones were not the holy grail, they were made out to be. The term marlin jam, was invented before Remington bought them.

Hopefully they retooled the lines, and are better. I handled another in the store, and it felt great.

I would not wait until right before deer season to get any lever. Lots of moving parts.

I put a Ranger medium loop. Cheapest and quickest shipping. Like ergonomics. Not oversized, but about right. Finish looks more like paint, than blue. I am ok, my guns are all more working guns, and not collectors. I had to file new angles, and shorten other angles. Some people say drop right in. I don't know if I just had bad luck, or people afraid to speak out about sponsors.

Muleloops use your own loops, just weld bigger loop. I'd be tempted to do this next time. I think he is slower, he actually blues them he says, so waits for enough. WWG told me about the other rifles they made them for, when asked if ever going to do 1894 again. Kinda chapped my rump roast.

I like my skinner peep. If I was shooting 100 yards, I would just go with a scope, even though some object cosmetically on levers, and if my only deer rifle. I bought it for camp and walking.

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My only deer with the Marlin 44 was at about 60 yards.

The shot was ass first quartering; the bullet entered the guts and exited the oppsite side just in front of the shoulder. It would be like getting shot below your kidney and having it exit your opposite collarbone.

It was a 300gr. softnosed cast lead bullet.

Miles better than any friggen shotgun, of which Ive had the displeasure of shooting many deer with....

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I wouldn't want to gut shoot a deer, due to the mess. But If it was the big one walking away, I probably would.

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I liked the BRI style deer slug in the WW High Impact Supremes.
Rifled bore, it shot 5 under 2" at 100 yards.
.50 cal hole...........I only recovered one slug. That deer shot at 12 paces, front edge of onside shoulder, the slug stopped under the hide on opp ham.

Only taken one deer w .44 mag rifle. 65 yards w Norma factory JHP, '66 Ruger carbine sporter. Iron sights.
Took out shoulder and spine (was coming down hill). DRT.

Like to put a 1-4X on that Ruger. Pops won't let me LOL.

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Originally Posted by Zerk
I wouldn't want to gut shoot a deer, due to the mess. But If it was the big one walking away, I probably would.


Its about knowing versus guessing.

People get off on "modern" bullets to the point that somehow ANYTHING but a broadside, double lung shot is the only certain, ethical shot.
Oddly enough, the bullet I made did exactly what I poured it to do. If viewed from someone who routinely shoots deer with a 270 and a 150 Ballistic Tip, yeah, its going to be messy and might not always work out so well.

A gut shot? Nope. Exited exactly where I knew it would. Instant kill.
"Gut shots" dont work out that way.YMMV.

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Originally Posted by hookeye
I liked the BRI style deer slug in the WW High Impact Supremes.
Rifled bore, it shot 5 under 2" at 100 yards.
.50 cal hole...........I only recovered one slug. That deer shot at 12 paces, front edge of onside shoulder, the slug stopped under the hide on opp ham.



That was a decent slug.

Would still take a slab sided levergun in deference to a full sized pump/auto bird gun.

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Zerk, the high shoulder shot was in reference to my post just prior to that. I've shot several buck through the lungs and head on with the 44 mag.,they all died pronto.

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Originally Posted by HawkI
Originally Posted by hookeye
I liked the BRI style deer slug in the WW High Impact Supremes.
Rifled bore, it shot 5 under 2" at 100 yards.
.50 cal hole...........I only recovered one slug. That deer shot at 12 paces, front edge of onside shoulder, the slug stopped under the hide on opp ham.



That was a decent slug.

Would still take a slab sided levergun in deference to a full sized pump/auto bird gun.


I'm not a lever gun fan. My deer slug guns were high comb stocked, drilled and tapped receivers and trigger jobs........dedicated rigs............not bird guns.
Have had 1894 in.44mag.
BigBore 94 in .307
Reg 94 in .30-30
Sav 99 in .300 sav
and four 9422M

Tried and tried and still no likey a lever gun.

I wouldn't mind a Ruger #1 in .44 mag or .357...........but rather have one redone in .35 rem.

Around here the rubes think of them as lever action single shots LOL.

Last edited by hookeye; 07/23/17.
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My Marlin .44 mag shot well, only tried the 240gr Hornady factory ammo in it.
No need to try anything else since it was sub 2" w scope (at 100 yds).
Was pre Cerberus.
Nice gun, just never took a shine to it.

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I have both a Marlin 1894 in 44 magnum and an 1895 in 45/70. I haven't killed a lot of deer with them, but the on game performance has been very similar for me. Shot to the vitals with large exit wound. 30 yard death dash and a pile up. I handload and am able tom make my 45-70 a comfortable 200 yard gun. With my 44 magnum, about 125 is my comfort range.

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Yup, 125 yards is sensible.
I'm lacking a bit of that so would go to 150.
And be happy to smoke them all at half that distance.

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Originally Posted by hookeye
Originally Posted by HawkI
Originally Posted by hookeye
I liked the BRI style deer slug in the WW High Impact Supremes.
Rifled bore, it shot 5 under 2" at 100 yards.
.50 cal hole...........I only recovered one slug. That deer shot at 12 paces, front edge of onside shoulder, the slug stopped under the hide on opp ham.



That was a decent slug.

Would still take a slab sided levergun in deference to a full sized pump/auto bird gun.


I'm not a lever gun fan. My deer slug guns were high comb stocked, drilled and tapped receivers and trigger jobs........dedicated rigs............not bird guns.
Have had 1894 in.44mag.
BigBore 94 in .307
Reg 94 in .30-30
Sav 99 in .300 sav
and four 9422M

Tried and tried and still no likey a lever gun.

I wouldn't mind a Ruger #1 in .44 mag or .357...........but rather have one redone in .35 rem.

Around here the rubes think of them as lever action single shots LOL.


It depends on a lot of things.

Id take a lever simply because of handiness on drives and portability on still hunts with ample accuracy.
A dedicated accuracy shotgun from a stand makes sense too, but if the ground n pound is needed, its now a HEAVY assed bird gun.

Ive hunted quite a bit with a handgun the last several years on stands and still hunting. For drives its still the 12 gauge. A lever would work nicely in that regard and is welcomed.

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High comb stock, scope of low mount...........makes for a reflexive slugger.
1 or 1.5X makes movers easy.

Lever guns scoped.............often the stock isn't designed for that.

Think maybe a Burris Fastfire on a lever gun to be pretty wicked. Certainly maintain the handy quality.

Eh, if I get a Fastfire it'll go on a Superredhawk.

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Pops Ruger auto is peep sight w large bead front. That front sight sucks.
He won't let me swap it for a smaller bead.
Eh, when I get it (eventually) it'll have a Leupold 1-4X.
Ought to be nice on drives.

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Lots of hunting pressure around my old spot, deer would need a boot in the azz to get to moving mid week.
Not my favorite technique, but it worked, and could be fun.
Decent sized spot. Now I hunt elsewhere, smaller...........stand and still hunt only.
.44 mag would do all I need.

However.............a .45-70 double rifle might be a fun rig.
A .44 mag one would be pretty sweet.

Last edited by hookeye; 07/23/17.
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