So, I'm thinking about my first lever gun. BUT.....

Not sure which caliber.

Does anyone make a factory rifle in .50ae?? Ive seen some custom made. But I don't want a custom price. I know I'm asking for alot.

If not, which other? .357? .44 mag? 45-70?


Before the flames starts, I know the .50ae dosent make sense for anything but fun. Im not going to hunt with it. just fun.

If your looking to get one just for fun then I suggest the 45/70,I bought one around a year ago and it the most fun gun I own.(Right now )

Edit for pic.It;s been posted on here before.

If it is just for fun, why not a .22 LR?

If you are looking for a little more oompf, but still just a plinker, I'd suggest a Rossi .38spl/ .357.

- AG

I have never liked .22s

I like knowing im shooting something. I want some bang. If I want somthing like a .22, ill get a BB gun.

Marlin 45/70 guide gun for the win!
Ammo is not too bad, and there are lots of choices.

don't worry about the caliber if it is a "fun" gun. you will like it so much that you will buy others and you will then have all the bases covered

I got the Rossi 92 in .357 and it is fun as all hell. 16 inch barrel that I'm about to have threaded. Suppressed lever action..mmmmmmmmmm

Yeah, but to me, part of the fun, is someone saying"WTF? Ive never seen a .50ae lever before!

I like being different.

If its for fun then go with .357 since it will be the cheapest to shoot (w/.38 Spls). Or if you reload it doesn't really matter. I have a couple .22s, a .44 Mag and two .45-70s and they are all good, just different. Rossi makes a .454 Casull if you want a big handgun caliber.

.

I love my .45-70 guide gun.

Now we're talking.

So you like to know your shooting something? Sounds like the 4570 is your answer.

The 405 hard cast bullets driven to 1850+ fps let you know your shooting alright....

I love my Marlin 1895 ABL 45/70. Kick ass!

Could always try to find a 1895 in 405WCF, or in 7.62x54R

45/70 is my favorite, just be sure to pick up some basic reloading tools. I think Lee makes the little mallet loader in that cal.

I have three Marlin's, one in .22 one in 30-30 and one in 45-70. The 45-70 is a ball to shoot and reload for. I still want one in 44 mag and just because nobody else seems to use them here a 35 Remington. You will soon see why they were so popular in the west. A joy to carry, easy to aim, and fun to shoot. Be careful however as the lever guns can become addicting rather quickly.

Being "different" usually costs a lot –––– Big Horn Armory was trying to market a 500 SW lever, but they failed miserably ––- there have been a few made in 480 Ruger and 454 Casual, but those did not take off that well either. The .450 MArlin is now somewhat extinct ––––- If you are trying to keep it cheap, the 45-70 is your only choice ––- it has taken every game animal in the world up to and including elephants with the right loads

Plus you have the option of shooting .45 Colt in it too.

If you want "big" just get the 45-70. Although I sold my 45-70 guide gun a few years ago (still have my 30-30) the 45-70 is in my view the right one to have if you go large. What I really liked about it is that you can buy mild ammo for it because of the lower standard pressure of this old cartridge but if you want some real punch you can buy the Buffalo ammo and really get your a** kicked. I do not reload so for me this was really nice. I am a known recoil wimp but even with the lower pressures of commercial 45-70 loads when you push 400+ grain bullets they really pack a big punch - ever at fairly low velocitys.

I sold it because I prefer my 30-30 and I'm not hunting anything big enough to justify owning the 45-70. As an aside the 30-30 is the Rodney Dangerfield cartridge - it gets no respect - but it's a nice round in my view.

This is the only lever gun I could find, and it's in S&W 500 caliber. Plus, it costs $2,000.

http://www.bighornarmory.com/products/carbine.php

http://www.rossiusa.com/product-details.cfm?id=164&category=8&toggle=&breadcrumbseries=

picking just one lever gun would be hard. i have five marlins one in 357mag, 44mag, 45 Colt, 35 Remington, and one in 375 Winchester. i also have a Henry in 22lr.

i shoot the pistol cal lever guns the most. i cast and reload for all of them. and that lets me and my kids shoot them alot.

when other people shoot them and pick one they like the most it usualy comes down to they type of sight they like the best. the 357mag has XS ghost ring sights, the 44 mag has Williams WGRS peep sight and the 45 cold has stock sights.

if the gun is just for fun you will like any of them.

i would have to say i like the 357mag the best. it is light and a little shorter than the others. but most of all i really like the XS sight! the XS sight makes fast shots on moving targets (like rabbits) quick and accurate.

what every you choose post pictures of it.

here are mine. the 45colt is missing from the photo.. : 375 Winchester, 35 Remington, 44mag, 357mag

I have a Rossi 92 in 357 and 454, Marlin 336 in 30/30, 1894 in 44 mag and a 1895 in 45/70, by far the most fun is the Rossi in 454. It's light and portable and can shoot a wide variety of loads. A close second would be the 357 shooting cheap 38 special ammo.

You mentioned the .50 AE.................There are a few options on .50 but none are exactly cheap. They are for all intents and purposes custom guns from custom shops. Big Horn Armory offers a .500 S&W Magnum which is a pretty serious cartridge good for hunting medium or even large game. It will cost you $2000 or up depending on configuration and options. They are a beautiful rifle though and worth looking and drooling at. You can find them here.

There is my personal favorite, Wild West Guns of Alaska (or others can do the conversion too) .50 Alaskan, which is a serious big game cartridge that has taken Africa's Big 5. You have every option imaginable so prices may vary, but it is safe to say you will spend $2000 or more, as package prices have gone up since the website was last updated. Buffalo bore, and Grizzly Cartridge both make some hefty loads for the .50 Alaskan. Reliably speaking it is probably the biggest you would want to go for smooth function in the Marlin 1895 frame. It is another website worth looking over, including some tactical lever-gun accessories. Jeff Cooper even praised them in his writings for their Co-Pilot take-down model. They did have a SBR (Short-Barrel-Rifle) version available, but it is no longer on the website, so they may no longer offer it. See Here

Other .50 diameter cartridges are available, some on the Winchester 1886 was available in 50-110 Express, but are usually only found (in pristine condition) in high-end collections. Marlins can also be converted into the insane (for a lever gun anyway) .510 Kodiak Express which propels a 453 grain bullet at over 2300 fps with some loads. Producing over 5400 ft lbs of kinetic energy, it may require extensive bedding, porting, and mercury recoil buffers in order to be manageable, but is guaranteed to put a grin on your face, if you are into the rough stuff. This would also require a loading setup to produce ammunition as no commercial loads are available.

If you do not want a custom, you cannot go wrong with a Marlin 1895 Guide Gun. The "modern pressure" rating of the Marlin give it the ability to shine with the 45/70. And despite being 140 years old, this cartridge is really a hunters dream. Commercial loads are available for everything from plinking to dangerous game whatever you may desire. Modern bullet design provide better long-range characteristics than previously available in the form of Hornady Leverevolution series of ammunition. Before modern bullets existed buffalo hunters were rumored to take extremely long shots on game with the 45/70. It was developed for use as a military arm, and is still seen in use today aboard Naval Ships for shooting lines/ ropes over the ships. If you reload you can load in-expensively and it can be loaded with a vast variety of powders, and with bullets in a large range of weights/ designs. In the Guide Gun it is also a very accurate cartridge, and my WWG custom can shoot close to MOA with good quality ammunition. The gun is short, handy, and light, with many accessories available to make it perfect for many applications. If you choose to have it made into a custom down the road, it is a perfect candidate as well.

If solely paper-punching is your goal. And you do not desire recoil, then there are a number of rifles available in .357/ .38, which can also be used for small and up to deer/ hog size game if you choose. It also would not be bad in a home defense role, and ammo is cheap and available at Wal-Mart.

As others have said, do not dismiss the notion of a .22LR, it is fun, accurate, and capable o handling small critters. Not to mention for the price of one box of shells for any of the others, you can shoot all day long with the .22 LR.

I by no means am a lever-gun professional, nor am I a cowboy shooter. But through my career I have been exposed to many combat-type arms, and have a good sized collection of such. But even with modern tactical firearms loaded and ready, there are times when I hear a bump in the night, I grab my Guide Gun for the pure muscle, and for the win! Good Luck and Happy Shooting!

-PC-

I have .17 HMR, .22 LR, .357 mag, .44 Mag, .410 bore, 30-30 and 45/70.

The 45/70 is a Marlin large loop guide gun, GBL, and is my favorite by far.

The 405 grain standard Remington's are a pleasure to shoot and fun to plink with at longer ranges.

Lever guns are addicting. I started out with a Winchester 9422M. I soon added a Marlin 1894 in .44 Magnum followed by a Marlin 336 in .35 Remington. My latest is a Henry H001T .22LR. Out of those, my Henry has had the most rounds fired out of it. Shooting a .22 lever action is fun, cheap, and not loud enough to be obnoxious to my neighbors. Now I need to start saving for a nice vintage Marlin 39 to add to my collection! Or maybe a Marlin 1894 Cowboy in 45/70!

I own/have owned a pile of leverguns and a good 92 chambered for the 454 Casull is my favorite by far.

Pretty much every gun store in the world that has been open for more than 3 years has a old dusty single stage press tossed in the back room with a price
tag of $15-$25. Way better than the hand reloader

Dies,hand primer,scale and a reloading book or two and you are ready to buy components

460 S&W for the trifecta! (Would a modern lever gun take the presure?) Old Marlin might have taken a shot at it but new Marlin can't hardly work out
how to build a gun old Marlin has been doing for the last 120 years so I wouldn't hold your breath

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