No question for me, a .45-70.
From a round ball gallery load to something that wants to dislocate your shoulder, the fun factor is off the charts.
.357 Mag / 38 Special
.44 Mag / 44 Special
45 Colt
.454 Casull
444 Marlin
45-70
44-40
450 Marlin
30-30
35 Remington
No question for me, a .45-70.
From a round ball gallery load to something that wants to dislocate your shoulder, the fun factor is off the charts.
Winchester '94, 30/30. Lyman peep sight.
Having hunted large game like moose and such, the 45-70 was always my 1st choice.
1886 Winchester with hard cast 405 grn. Flat tip over 14.5 grn of Unique
I voted for the .45-70 but the .30-30 was my go-to lever for decades before moving to the .45-70.
Jon.
I have four real favorites, (1) Henry GOLDEN BOY .22, (2) Henry 45-70, (3) Rossi 16 inch barrel 38/357, (4) 45 colt/454 casull
Good to see that the .45-70 continues to win the poll. After 150 years, the cartridge is still going strong, maybe strongest yet. I have so many .45-70's that it dwarfs the rest of my collection. Rossi's, Henry's, Marlins, David Pedersoli's and I can't get enough of them. While I shoot almost every caliver of lever gun, I always prefer a straight wall cartridge. "Long Live The Lever Gun"!
http://1895gunner.com/
Reloading | Shooting | Hunting
I have a few lever guns... I chose the 45 Colt caliber because it was the only one on the list that I own, LOL!
Others are 38-40, 38-55, 25/35 and 22WRFM.
Certainly I love lever guns!
The_Doctor
without if: I wanted a lever, and I wanted a .444_
and that's what I chose_
Food is overrated. A nice rifle is way more important.
Rob
Since I have a buncha lever guns I had to ask myself which one would be the last to go, if I had to sell them all. Easy answer: JM Marlin .45-70 Guide Gun.
45-70 for sure. I need to get another one. Had TWO Marlin STP's at one point. Regret not keeping atleast one.
45-70 is just too versatile with too many bullet choices. Besides, who doesn't like a big boom? That and it matches my BFR.
Amen Brother
Just to spice the mix: I have 4 smokeless-era 1886 original Winchesters in 33 WCF. But to balance them out, another 3 pre-war Model 71s in .348 ...
But there is another 1910 1886 half-magazine 45-70 nickle steel barreled rifle guarding the rest.
a 1972 Winchester m94 in 35/30-30 (JES Reboring)
Russian Admiral said, after the Moskva sank, "we have the world's worst navy but we aren't as bad as our army".
US Army 12B & 51B
BP | Bronze Point | IMR | Improved Military Rifle | PTD | Pointed |
BR | Bench Rest | M | Magnum | RN | Round Nose |
BT | Boat Tail | PL | Power-Lokt | SP | Soft Point |
C | Compressed Charge | PR | Primer | SPCL | Soft Point "Core-Lokt" |
HP | Hollow Point | PSPCL | Pointed Soft Point "Core Lokt" | C.O.L. | Cartridge Overall Length |
PSP | Pointed Soft Point | Spz | Spitzer Point | SBT | Spitzer Boat Tail |
LRN | Lead Round Nose | LWC | Lead Wad Cutter | LSWC | Lead Semi Wad Cutter |
GC | Gas Check |