Home Forums Lever Action Central Lever Actions - General 357 vs 44 mag in carbines

What the .357 rifle can do, the 44 mag does a lot better.

So does a 30-06 or .308 compared to a 30-30, but each has a useful niche.

I consider the fun factor in lever actions in pistol calibers over capability. If plinking and hunting with them, I'd prefer the lesser cost and recoil of .357 over .44. If wanting something more capable in a lever, there's lots better to choose from. Namely the .30-30.

I have both and as everyone else has said the difference in killing power is pretty huge. The 357 will do, and it's cheap and fun to shoot with 38's, but otherwise grab the 44 mag all day.

Under 100 yards I've seen no difference in killing power between a 30-30 and 44 mag from a carbine (or saboted muzzleloader bullet). A 16" 44 mag is much quieter and nicer to shoot than a 16" 30-30.

The .430” XTP 200 gr and 240 gr are great bullets in both revolver and carbine. At 50 yards the 240 gr XTP does expand well at 44 magnum carbine velocities. At 100 yards its expansion at impact velocities is not as prevalent as the XTPs are tough bullets. If hunting whitetail size game out at 100 yards, the 200 gr XTP will expand and kill reliably as it will produce carbine muzzle velocities around 2,000 fps. The 240 gr XTP expands significantly better on whitetail and larger game at 150-200 yds out of a 444 Marlin launched at 2,450 fps. The 357 magnum is a great ranch rifle and will put the fear of God in trespassers, but has no ability to perform like a 44 magnum on game simply due to the array of hunting bullet construction and various weights from 180 gr - 340 gr for use in carbines and revolvers.

LOL. I guess the elk I killed with mine never read all that.

"In the 357 Mag, I like either the 158gr XTP-FP"

+1!

It's designed for a higher velocity window than the standard HP.
We've never caught one in a whitetail yet and they always look like they were hit hard.
17.5 grn of Lil'gun is your friend.

Teeder, I have used the FP and the HP XTP. I think the FP is tougher, but have you ever had issues with the HP out of a carbine within say 25-100 yards?

No, absolutely no issues. Pretty sure that's the one my brother uses.

Have only taken deer with a .44, but added a .357 single shot recently. No worries for me about its power. With a good bullet, I’d also shoot a black bear with it, but wouldn’t go looking for one carrying it.

Writer Brian Pearce, a very experienced and practical guy, compares the performance of .357 rifles on game with the .30/30, and of the .44 to the .30/06, within range limitations naturally. He and his family have used them a lot for such work. He’s also a big Marlin fan, and when the new 1894 from Ruger appears, it will probably have the 1-20” twist he’s been arguing for for years.

I won’t be buying one of the new ones because I already have my rifles, but I’m very glad to see them back.

I noticed that Pearce chose the FP for fast .357 loads in his article on loading for rifles, so picked up several boxes for mine. He gets over 2000 with Lil Gun, which equals original .30 WCF performance, and probably even some current factory ammo in carbines, based on articles I’ve seen over the years. New powders pump up the .30/30 too, of course, but the point is the old stuff got it done very well before, and will now.

I too would take it black bear hunting if I knew the ranges were going to be close.

I'll have to look at my notes, but I think I'm somewhere around 1900fps. Could probably bump it up, but this load shoots very well in both my 1894 and Ruger 77.
I keep the 1894 beside my bed loaded with HP's and the Ruger goes for walks with me during season with the FP's.

With a Henry Big Boy Steel carbine using 158 Hornady FPs, Starline brass and 16.7 gr of H110, I'm at 1,710 fps and it cuts holes at 50 yards.

A 1:20 twist 1894 would be the bees knees.

I have a 357 and 44 mag in the Marlin 1894 plus a 1895 cowboy 45/70. I only use the cowboy on live critters.

357/44 zoom in on the ballistics taped on the stock, with zero at 150yrds. It will kill deer and such handily. I’ve not tried it yet but I will.

The serial number for the action dates to 1908 the barrel is custom, don’t know the maker and the take down is slick. If you zoom in on the barrel band you can just make out the release button.

It’s 100% nickel plated.

That's gotta be pretty slick. I've only ever seen a couple 357/44s years ago, and they were both Contenders.

30-30, .357, .44. All pre. safety Marlins. All have killed deer.

Just perusing older Thread here. But pausing to add my take re Post citing shop prices... $1.8K for Marlin 94 in .357 and $1K for '80 Winchester 94... Dang! I called 'time' to decades of collecting in '14 as Calif imposed long gun transfer registration. For me, appropriate timing as age, mid seventies! Nice small plethora of guns acquired, mostly levers & bolt rifles! Not a hunter, just shooter. Those prices knock my socks off. I may have a 500% average profit in my rifles. Investments as distant second to appreciation for especially more vintage long guns.

I like my Marlin 94 in .357 because for years ammo less expensive and no real reason for more power. Also in L/E .38 spl was one of our standard five 'carry chamberings' and Agency Hq kept buying as our rangemasters begging us to take home a supply! 'The Govt!' Our Regional Head shed with Field Office inspections and instructions, 'shoot it or lose it'! It disappeared! My Marlin reliable and fun!

Best to all!
John

I own both in Browning, the 44 seemingly has a bigger effect on impact to me, I love to shoot my 357 though.