Home Forums Lever Action Central Lever Actions - General .41 or .44

Need firsthand comparison between the 1894FG and .44 1894. Rifle would be carried hiking and in the kayak. Also some blacktail deer hunting and general camp security. Will be loading my own for the most part. I know the .44 may be a little better, but is it really that big of a difference to really matter?

.44 PRO's

Can accept .44 special or .44magnum ammo. .44special is great plinking and small game ammo. .44 can handle ammo in weights from 180gr to 300gr. .44 will reliably take anything from a squirrel to an elk. wide range of factory ammo available nearly everywhere.

CON's

uhhhh.... still haven't found any

TXpitdog,
I'm a fan of the .44. and that was the way I was leaning untill I got to try the .41 at the range. Ammo avilability really not an issue with me, as I have fired up the reloader again. Was just courious as to how the two stack up against each other in a carbine. JCW.

I ask this question too much--on every lever discussion board. Does anyone remember reading a piece in a gun mag this past year in which the writer made the case that if he were to have only one centerfire gun, it'd be a lever .44, and his one load would (if I remember correctly) be a 270 gr.? Said it handled everything from angry jackrabbits to elk. Darned if I can remember where I read it.

Take care, John F.

IMHO, anything the 44 will do the 41 will do. The difference in terminal ballistics isn't enough to matter. That said I prefer a 41 over a 44 everytime. The recoil from 44 mag is very sharp and that's why I went with 41 in pistols many years ago and it carried over into riffles. The only 44 mag in the house is the wife's old Ruger 44 Carbine that she uses to brush hunt with. Took my deer last year with the 41 in my Redhawk, my first deer with a pistol. He dropped in place with a neck shot.

Guess this is an older thread, maybe I should check in a little more often.

Remember that a "44" is really just a .429, so not quite as much difference in diameter as it might appear. Yes the .44 has heavier bullets available but don't tell my Blackhawk when it is loaded with the 265gr Cor-Bon hard cast that it is inferior. Also have worked up some .41 "Special" loads for that application.

Bear4570...... I am at that age where I am considered to be Enthusiastically Treacherous!

Later
KDK