Lever rifle fun ......

[orchemo]

Took a couple lever guns to the range today...what fun

Marlin 1894 in 44mag with Leupold scout scope. Zeroed to 100 yds and knocked over 3/3 steel rams at 100 yds

250 gr gas checked hard cast bullet with H-110 produced 1600 fps from the carbine length barrel


Then pulled out a new to me, Winchester Big Bore in 375 Win (back in the 375 Win game for me).

200gr hard cast bullets at 1900 FPS
220 gr Hornady bullets at 2100 fps

Adjusted the iron sight to shoot, but installing a Williams aperture sight this weekend. What a fun close quarter (125 yds) black bear rifle this will be.

We get so caught up in the new cartridges, myself very much included (6 ARC & 6.8 Western) that the old time fun rifles get neglected.

Now I need to find some 327 cal gas checked hard cast for my Ruger Single Seven in 327 Federal. Saw where Buffalo Bore has a 130 gr offering.

 

[gerry]

Sounds like it was a lot of fun. The 375 Winchester is such an underrated round.

 

[bdbrown66]

I shoot warm loads in my Henry 45 Colt rifle. 240gr Hornady XTP Mag or 250gr XTP at a little over 1700 fps, using Accurate #9. Pretty nice deer load in the woods.

 

[Blkram]

Pulling the trigger on a 375 Win always puts a grin on my chin!
Huntin' bear is such a blast with these rifles! Moose too!

 

[JD338]

375 Winchester has a lot of cool factor.
I've got a TC Contender in 375 Win. It's a hammer.


JD338

 

[TexasLife]

i've thought about the 358 before, but haven't given any thought about a 375 possibility? sounded like you have a very good day! so far i only have levers in 44mag and 45-70gvt. before i bought (actually won 1 in a raffle) a 45-70 i asked around about the fun it would be on my shoulder and all of those who have owned and shot that cartridge said it'll let you know it's there. well.............it doesn't kick like i thought it could and my at the time 15yo son (might have been 14 instead) had a real fun day with it.

 

[RememberBaker]

The only lever gun I own is one of the Browning model 71’s but some day I’ll get one of the Winchester Deluxe’s.
I don’t know enough to know how the .348 compares to rounds like the .375 Win but the .348 has about as much recoil as I consider “fun”.

 

[Blkram]

The only lever gun I own is one of the Browning model 71’s but some day I’ll get one of the Winchester Deluxe’s.
I don’t know enough to know how the .348 compares to rounds like the .375 Win but the .348 has about as much recoil as I consider “fun”.

The 348 Win/358 Win is a step up from the 375 Win in performance level. (Including recoil energy.)
The 348 Win pushes a 200 gr bullet to 2520 fps with 2820 ft lbs of energy fps, and the 358 Win pushes the same weight bullet to 2490 fps with 2753 ft lbs of energy. (Winchester factory ammo specs) This good for bears out to 150 yards, after which the velocity drops below the velocity required for proper bullet expansion, even though the energy is still more than 1700 ft lbs.
The 375 Win pushes a 200 gr bullet to 2200 fps with 2150 ft lbs of energy. (Again Winchester factory ammo specs). This is good out to 100 yards, after which the velocity again drops below that required for proper bullet expansion, and even though the retained energy is still over 1500 ft lbs.

My levers in these calibers are:

• 358 Win - Browning pre-81 BLR with 20" barrel. I have taken a half dozen elk, moose, mule deer, and a grizzly bear with it over the years.
• 375 Win - Marlin 375S with 20" barrel. I have taken about a dozen black bear, moose. and a caribou with it over the years. I have also owned the 94 Big Bore in 375 Win, and while I have shot and hunted with them, I never did taken any game with either one while I owned them. (Still fun to own and shoot! Set up a good friend with my last one for bear protection on his new property in the Kootenays, with dies, brass, bullets and ammo.)

Both are fun to own, carry, shoot , and hunt with!