Hi Guys,
well Ive being shooting a Savage 7-08mm (bolt ) for the last 18 months and a friend has asked to buy it, I have no great sentimental feeling on the gun so it's probably off to a new home.
Here's where the fun starts, I would like to go back to a lever gun ( had a Win 94 , total load of crap and would never own another one ) but liked the levergun feel.
Thought I would look at a Marlin, but calibre is doing my head in.Iam living in New Zealand, shooting 100kg Red Deer as main quarry.Most of the shots will be 30mtrs to 100mtrs.
The bush is real thick so if I tag one I want it to stay tagged, however I will get the odd 130mtr plus shot.I find the 30/30 makes me yawn so wanted to try something else.Its' down to a 44mag , .35 rem, but any thoughts or suggestions would be great.Whats the on game performance of these rounds like? 444 marlin?...regards to all Kat

Hi Kat,

The .35 Remington is a great choice for your purposes. The .444 is good too but I love the .35 Remington for heavy brush hunting. It out preforms the 30-30 considerably and kills reliably with 200 gr bullets. It's a favorite heavy cover brush gun for Black Bear over here, and they can run 300 to 400 lbs on the average. You can also load .38 cal pistol bullets for plinking and close in varmints.

Ron

I like my .35 Remington and it will give you more range than the .44 Magnum. Which one hits harder is too close to call. On the other hand, our host Marshall Stanton has a thing about the .444.

http://www.shootersforum.com/showthread.htm?t=41770

Bye
Jack

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Buy a 450 Marlin and enjoy a real "thumper". I shoot a 45-70 and a 35 Rem in Model 336 Marlin and love them both. If you reload, the 35 Rem. will make a deadly Elk (Red Deer) round when loaded with a 200 gr. bullet to about 2150 fps. I have loaded my 35 to 2250 fps but I give up a little speed for better accuracy. About 2150 fps works best in my gun.

The 450 Marlin is a belted case 45-70 and loaded to higher pressure. The 45-70 can be handloaded to the same ballistic level in a Marlin rifle.

.

You didn't say wether you wanted the flat trajectory of the 7mm or not, but there are lot's of guns and calibers to choose from. You really should decide which caliber you want, then choose a rifle for that caliber. My favorite lever is a .45-70 Guide gun, simply because I like the big heavy cast slugs in that caliber, and I like the compactness of the rifle. I'm not a fan of high velocity lever guns and will take a good bolt gun for that. BUT thats just my prejudices. I like to let the chosen caliber dictate the firearm that carries it. Good shootin'

Given your situation, a 44 mag sounds like a good fit, until you factor in those 130m shots. It's doable at that range with enough practice, but the 35 Rem becomes a better answer with range to spare. The 444 and the 45-70 are more powerful than you seem to need although both could be loaded down (if you're a handloader).

You'll not be sorry if you go the 45-70 route.

I own a .444 and enjoy shooting it. But, factory load choices and lack of available ammo on local level can be a problem. Reload for it and you'll have less of a problem. I do have to get my brass from the Internet (usually MidwayUSA.com). On the other hand, the literature on the .35 Whelen (and .357) can offer some good insights on a viable cartridge.

One thing I have to say, if I ever where to need my T4 for self defense, the BG would need some good cover because this round does penetrate well with cast loads running about 2100-2200 fps.

Hello, sorry to hear that you had a bum winchester, the later ones are nothing to brag about. To get a good one you have to go back to before '64. As for calibers the 35 rem is a good choice balistically, but you might wanna check out ammo availability. Last I knew there was only one for two bullets weights and the production is timed for north american deer seasons. Personally I'd look hard at the 30-30, 44mag, 45 colt, and 45-70. They are going to have more ammo choices and more chamberings in more guns.

http://www.beartoothbullets.com/tech_notes/archive_tech_notes.htm/49

If you are looking to reload here is a link that might be of use.

Marlin lever guns are very well made and solid. If you go the Marlin route you will get a lot of use out of it and end up passing it down to a deserving relative or friend. I have the Guide Gun and my confidence zone is about 170 - 180 meters with my handloads.

Do you plan to handload?

Hello, sorry to hear that you had a bum winchester, the later ones are nothing to brag about. To get a good one you have to go back to before '64. As for calibers the 35 rem is a good choice balistically, but you might wanna check out ammo availability. Last I knew there was only one for two bullets weights and the production is timed for north american deer seasons. Personally I'd look hard at the 30-30, 44mag, 45 colt, and 45-70. They are going to have more ammo choices and more chamberings in more guns.
Hi Coyote,
yeah my Winchester was a big dissappointment, they made 6 million of the things and mine had a barrel that was screwed into the receiver out of aligment?, It was an angle eject model, shot fine with open sights, both rear and fore sight on barrel. However the scopes on the receiver, so it didnt line up. Scope didnt have enough adjustment , would have shot 5-6 FEET to the right at 100yrds. I took it to a gun smith who didnt even need to see it to know it shot right, he had seen maybe 6 -8 others just the same.Really put me off Winchester. Also yeah Iam looking hard at Marlin in 30/30 or the .44 lever Ruger

I like my .35 Remington and it will give you more range than the .44 Magnum. Which one hits harder is too close to call. On the other hand, our host Marshall Stanton has a thing about the .444.

http://www.shootersforum.com/showthread.htm?t=41770

Bye
Jack
I will 2nd the vote for the 444

You'll not be sorry if you go the 45-70 route.

I couldn't agree more.

I would suggest a .375Win in a Win 94 BigBore - perhaps a bit hard to get. But it a nice light handy rifle and the recoil of the cartridge is quite appreciable. You feel it as a heavy push but not as a mean kick.

An alternative is the .38-55, which I think is a bit easier to get.

Old Sh.