VoodooMountain
Member
This isn’t one of those ‘ which should I buy’ threads. I have examples of both and like both.
Rather this is a question as to why the 44 lever gun isn’t as popular as the 30-30.
The 44 mag. can launch a 180 gr bullet about as fast as the 30-30 does with a 170 gr out of its short barrel. Plus, the 44 can shoot 300 gr bullets at just north of 1000 fps. It isn’t blistering fast but will certainly penetrate just about anything if your using a good cast bullet. Most 44 lever guns need to be tweaked to feed many of the 300+gr bullets but that’s not much of an issue.
Even then so many guys state how a 405 gr cast bullet from a 45/70 at 12000fps will penetrate anything that walks the planet but a 300gr bullet at 1200 fps from a 44 mag lever is anemic.
30-30 ammo is cheaper and familiar to most hunters. There is t much recoil and ammo/components are everywhere.
44 mag factory ammo is more expensive, recoil is about the same and actually much less with 180gr bullets. A guy can pair up his revolver with his lever. On paper it seems to have all the power of thr 30-30 and then much more versatility as well. 44 lever gun will also usually hold more in the tube as well.
So what am I missing? Is the 44 just overshadowed by the 45/70 and 444?
For that matter, how did the 30/30 remain so popular and thr 35 Remington become a niche round?
What makes the 30/30 so great?
Rather this is a question as to why the 44 lever gun isn’t as popular as the 30-30.
The 44 mag. can launch a 180 gr bullet about as fast as the 30-30 does with a 170 gr out of its short barrel. Plus, the 44 can shoot 300 gr bullets at just north of 1000 fps. It isn’t blistering fast but will certainly penetrate just about anything if your using a good cast bullet. Most 44 lever guns need to be tweaked to feed many of the 300+gr bullets but that’s not much of an issue.
Even then so many guys state how a 405 gr cast bullet from a 45/70 at 12000fps will penetrate anything that walks the planet but a 300gr bullet at 1200 fps from a 44 mag lever is anemic.
30-30 ammo is cheaper and familiar to most hunters. There is t much recoil and ammo/components are everywhere.
44 mag factory ammo is more expensive, recoil is about the same and actually much less with 180gr bullets. A guy can pair up his revolver with his lever. On paper it seems to have all the power of thr 30-30 and then much more versatility as well. 44 lever gun will also usually hold more in the tube as well.
So what am I missing? Is the 44 just overshadowed by the 45/70 and 444?
For that matter, how did the 30/30 remain so popular and thr 35 Remington become a niche round?
What makes the 30/30 so great?