anyone else really like the 45 cal lever guns

[rimrock]

Ive owned a 45/70 marlin, for 30 years, (traded it off for well more than it was worth new) and currently own a 450 marlin caliber BLR, Ive been very pleased with both rifles, and think the BLR I upgraded too is a real nice close cover ELK rifle, ballistics easily duplicate the loads I used for many years hunting with the 45/70 (405 grain bullets at 1800fps) accuracy is under 1.5" @ 100 yards off the bench with the first load I tried, and I like the idea of front locking lugs like a bolt action when dealing with that much pressure in a lever gun, and Ive always been a fan of the larger caliber lever guns

http://www.gunwalker.com/450marlin/handloading.html

http://www.loaddata.com/members/search_detail.cfm?MetallicID=2292&caliber=.45&caliberid=26&header=.45%20Caliber%20Reloading%20Data

http://www.chuckhawks.com/450Marlin.htm

http://www.loaddata.com/members/search_detail.cfm?MetallicID=3441&caliber=.45&caliberid=26&header=.45%20Caliber%20Reloading%20Data

http://www.loaddata.com/members/search_detail.cfm?MetallicID=5004&caliber=.45&caliberid=26&header=.45%20Caliber%20Reloading%20Data

http://www.loaddata.com/members/search_detail.cfm?MetallicID=4568&caliber=.45&caliberid=26&header=.45%20Caliber%20Reloading%20Data

http://www.loaddata.com/members/search_detail.cfm?MetallicID=2255&caliber=.45&caliberid=26&header=.45%20Caliber%20Reloading%20Data

[Just a Hunter]

I dont currently own a .45cal rifle, but I have a great respect for what they can do.

[Bill Gunn]

I like the .444 myself (but it's 6 of one 1/2 dozen of the other :) )

I have 2...

http://pic90.picturetrail.com/VOL2250/777751/13525437/206229425.jpg

I like the "S" (on the bottom) more than I like the "SS", it has nicer wood, and no hammer block safety.

Here's how the "S" shoots.

240 gr @ 100 yds...

http://pic90.picturetrail.com/VOL2250/777751/13525437/340390146.jpg

270 gr @ 100 yds...

http://pic90.picturetrail.com/VOL2250/777751/13525437/291397236.jpg

Here's a deer my wife got with it...

http://pic90.picturetrail.com/VOL2250/777751/13525437/36083623.jpg

And a bear I got with it...

http://pic90.picturetrail.com/VOL2250/777751/13525437/29379125.jpg

I love the lever actions, I also have a .22 mag 9422 winchester, a '94 trapper in .357, and a Savage '99-EG in .308.
I'd like to get a .44 mag with an octagon barrel just because I can't find one under my bed, or behind my dresser :p

[rimrock]

I owned a 444 marlin when they first came out in about 1964 it had a long barrel and a cheek piece style stock and IM sorry I sold it.
it flattened deer with the 240 grain soft points designed for the 44 mag and worked on ELK for my partner, who I sold it to, for years with 265 grain hornady bullets, over a stiff load of IMR 4198. but Ive always preferred the heavier 45 caliber bullets and faster twist rifling in the 45 caliber versions

http://www.hwsportsman.net/444Marlin.html

http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0BQY/is_1_47/ai_67717272/

http://www.beartoothbullets.com/tech_notes/archive_tech_notes.htm/17

[dave-t.]

Bill- Don't take this the wrong way, but I have never been a fan of that white blaze on a bear, and I can't explain why. But, after seeing that bear you have there, I have to say that it is simply striking. Very cool trophy.

How big was that darn thing?

[Bill Gunn]

It was actually weighed and it went 250 pounds gutted. I would guess it was 300 pounds alive.
Goes to show you that a lot of those supposed "300lb" bears you see pictures of are really 150 to 200 pounds ;)

Even the taxidermist was surprised at the actual weight, he thought it was much bigger, and he only seen the cape.

When hit with a 300 gr Barnes .444, the bear dropped it in it's tracks like you dropped a truck on it, it never even twitched :)

Actual bullet...

http://pic90.picturetrail.com/VOL2250/777751/13525437/58943817.jpg

Shot from 10 yards between the shoulders.

[GF.]

I like mine... It's an 1895SS


But I like my wife's family's heirloom 1862 Win in .40/82 even better ;)

I've shot one deer with the .45/70 - 80 yards, center-punched the heart with a 300 gr factory-loaded HP and she covered 40 yards before she went down in a heap. Not a lightning-bolt, but plenty convincing, as I could see she was on her way down from that first step, pretty much.

Some guys complain that a standard .45/0 load kicks too much. Some like their hotter loads, and a lot of folks these days are enamored with solid copper pellets doing at least 2.5X the velocity of a BP-class 405 load.

But there's something about using 100 or 200 or 10,000 year-old technology to hunt that speaks to me in a way that scopes and ballistics tables just don't.

[rimrock]

one reason I really like the 45 caliber rifles is you can use low velocity hard cast loads that cost very little to load for practice loads, load a 350 grain hard cast to about 1000-1100 fps and you can have a very pleasant combo to punch beer cans or paper targets at the local range for pennies a shot 20 grains of 2400 under a 350 grain hard cast will do that and slightly less blue dot will too.

http://www.neihandtools.com/catalog/index.html
http://www.neihandtools.com/catalog/458-355-gc.jpg

http://www.midsouthshooterssupply.com/item.asp?sku=0004482045

keep in mind that still far exceeds a 44 mag but its still a light recoil level load compared to the full potential loads

[Hi Ball]

Nah! Those thar lever guns are useless as the "hammer of Thor" in the woods or small bean fields. I just can't savvy why anyone would even want to shoot a deer or blackbear with a 45 caliber bullet. It is bound to be a blood-spilling hole for sure.

They also have a trajectory like a rainbow, mighty pretty colors though when the smoke settles down a bit. I sometimes wish I never perhaps should have listened to my elders talk about that 45/70 caliber in the first place, not to mention that kissin cusin the .444 Marlin, which I do own a couple of sitting in the vault.

Someday the Gun-Rags are going to write a decent article or two about them thar 45 caliber "quick to the shoulder guns" but I am not holding my breath about reading any more rags in the future. They just take up loads of space downstairs and become a fire hazzard. However, hats off to them that really knows the true story and reasoning behind those lever guns, especially the 45calibers.;) :D :D