TEXASforLIFE
Handloader
- May 24, 2020
- 885
- 913
Here's a 45-70 7.5" pistol using Barnes ammo
Lever Gun Considerations
- Thread starter 3 Meter Para Bellum
- Start date
Vince
Handloader
- May 26, 2012
- 4,810
- 1,558
TEXASforLIFE
Handloader
- May 24, 2020
- 885
- 913
It is in 45-70 though
Lastmohecken
Beginner
- Jul 7, 2026
- 3
- 15
I am new on here and this post caught my attention. I am from NW Arkansas, and since the OP is from Arkansas, I thought I might add that since we now have the new alternative straight wall deer season, you might want to consider a straight wall cartridge because it will work in both the alternative straight wall season and the regular gun season. The 45/70 is pretty good but some rifles will recoil more than you might like, but maybe not with the standard factory 300 grain softpoints.
If you really want a light kicker, then the Henry 360 Buckhammer is it. Anybody can handle it. And it duplicates the 35 Remington pretty closely. Once you get a good leveraction or two, you will probably want more, and everyone ought to own a 30/30. I have shot a lot of deer with the 45/70, and the .308 Win in a Browning BLR. I do have a new Henry 360 Buckhammer, but I have not killed a deer with it, yet. As it came out of the box, mine was not particularly very accurate, but many report good accuracy out of them. It did feed, fire and eject flawlessly. I am going to use it this season, so we will see. I just wanted to remind you about the straight wall season, if that's important to you.
If you really want a light kicker, then the Henry 360 Buckhammer is it. Anybody can handle it. And it duplicates the 35 Remington pretty closely. Once you get a good leveraction or two, you will probably want more, and everyone ought to own a 30/30. I have shot a lot of deer with the 45/70, and the .308 Win in a Browning BLR. I do have a new Henry 360 Buckhammer, but I have not killed a deer with it, yet. As it came out of the box, mine was not particularly very accurate, but many report good accuracy out of them. It did feed, fire and eject flawlessly. I am going to use it this season, so we will see. I just wanted to remind you about the straight wall season, if that's important to you.
I'm glad someone mentioned the .358 Win. I have four of the things. Two Ruger M77s and a Browning BLR and a Savage 99. Nice thing with the .358 is if you're a handloader you can load everything from pistol bullets, cast bullets and full power go gettums. BTW, they work just fine on deer. My early hunting was in the northwest corner in the California rain forest and long shots only came at clear cuts. Cast bullets worked just fine in that country.
I didn'tsee the .32 Win. Spl. mentions. The real difference between it and the 30-30 is a slightly larger bore and a twist rate meant for cast bullets. one thing for sure, the 30-30 is a good cartridge for cast bullet loads and you can load them to just about equal factory ammo by playing with the alloy.
The only reason I placed so much emphasis on cast bullets id suppose the bullet makers all stopped making bullets for us because of a war. I remember just how hard it was to get components during WW2 as a kid growing up was lucky enough to have a few old timers get me going on reloading and bullet casting. . One old gentleman was Dutchman complete with accent and very smelly old pipe. Dunno what he may have put in that pipe but it must have come from the back end of a horse. He was one of those Shuetzen style shooter way back he and I saw his rifle which I thought looked funny at the time but he showed me the whys and wherefores of the design. He passed on this advice, " if things get bad, a man who can cast bullets will never be a casting away from having bullets. He recommended the Ideal # 311291 which was made for the 30-06 but useable. He gave me a single cavity mold for that bullet. layer I got a Lyman two cavity mold of the same number but the bullets, while they work are not quite as accurate as that old 1920s/30s Ideal. The trick with that bullet is to seat it into the land very slightly so the nose is engraved by the rifle. Not much just skosh. It works in two M94s, two M64s and an M54 bolt action. Weight is nominally 175/180 gr.
Lyman also make #31141 now called #311041 and it's a beatuful bullet. I just can't ger it to work in the330-30, .308 or 30-06. I have two of the Lyman molds and one by the now defunct NIE. One more mold I'll mention., the RCBS #30-180-FN. Nominally weight is 180 gr. but in my particular alloy weight is justshort of 190 gr. I've loaded it up to 1960 FPS which for all practical purposes duplicates the old .303 Savage load.
I hope I didn't bore anyone. Just wanted to give an idea of an option or two if the OP is already a reloader. I won't say I know it all because with cast you never stop learning Just part of the game. It can be sorely addicting.
PJ
I didn'tsee the .32 Win. Spl. mentions. The real difference between it and the 30-30 is a slightly larger bore and a twist rate meant for cast bullets. one thing for sure, the 30-30 is a good cartridge for cast bullet loads and you can load them to just about equal factory ammo by playing with the alloy.
The only reason I placed so much emphasis on cast bullets id suppose the bullet makers all stopped making bullets for us because of a war. I remember just how hard it was to get components during WW2 as a kid growing up was lucky enough to have a few old timers get me going on reloading and bullet casting. . One old gentleman was Dutchman complete with accent and very smelly old pipe. Dunno what he may have put in that pipe but it must have come from the back end of a horse. He was one of those Shuetzen style shooter way back he and I saw his rifle which I thought looked funny at the time but he showed me the whys and wherefores of the design. He passed on this advice, " if things get bad, a man who can cast bullets will never be a casting away from having bullets. He recommended the Ideal # 311291 which was made for the 30-06 but useable. He gave me a single cavity mold for that bullet. layer I got a Lyman two cavity mold of the same number but the bullets, while they work are not quite as accurate as that old 1920s/30s Ideal. The trick with that bullet is to seat it into the land very slightly so the nose is engraved by the rifle. Not much just skosh. It works in two M94s, two M64s and an M54 bolt action. Weight is nominally 175/180 gr.
Lyman also make #31141 now called #311041 and it's a beatuful bullet. I just can't ger it to work in the330-30, .308 or 30-06. I have two of the Lyman molds and one by the now defunct NIE. One more mold I'll mention., the RCBS #30-180-FN. Nominally weight is 180 gr. but in my particular alloy weight is justshort of 190 gr. I've loaded it up to 1960 FPS which for all practical purposes duplicates the old .303 Savage load.
I hope I didn't bore anyone. Just wanted to give an idea of an option or two if the OP is already a reloader. I won't say I know it all because with cast you never stop learning Just part of the game. It can be sorely addicting.
PJ
- Oct 30, 2004
- 25,084
- 5,394
I love the levers for sure. Like previously stated a nice 30-30 or 35 Rem will do a great job indeed especially if the flex-tips are employed. Now if by strange chance you run across a 32 Win special on a great deal I would not pass it up either. Last year we were busting steel at 200 yards and more with my friend's Pre-64 Winchester with factory 32 Win flex-tips using the Williams peep on it.
I have levers in .22 Mag, 30-30, 30-06, .38-40, .358 Win, .44 Rem Mag and .45-70. They are a hoot to shoot and hunt with, and I've taken deer with a couple of them. My addition to this lineup would be a Winchester model 71 .348 Win, if I could find the right one. This would be a plain model 71, that is used but not abused, never drilled for a scope, and could have a receiver sight already mounted.
