• If you are being asked to change your password, and unsure how to do it, follow these instructions. Click here

Most powerful lever action cartridge

V

vmf

Member
Joined
May 29, 2017
Messages
20
Hi everybody. Yesterday I was arguing with a friend about which is the most powerful commercial lever rifle and cartridge (not reload). I think this is a very debatable topic, but you know, it was just a funny conversation.
Imagine for example, if you had to STOP a big and dangerous animal about a hundred yards and you had to choose a lever rifle and its caliber, what would you choose?

What do you think?
 
If you could find one but if my old forgetful mind is correct didn't Browning make their blr in .338 win mag at one time, that would work. Marlin offers the .45/70, 444, 450 cartridges in various versions of their levers...If your looking old school and could find one the model 88 & 99 I think came in .358 winmany moons ago...not a lot of choice on this question....
 
I'd say the 50 Alaskan chambered in an '86 or '71 would be about as beefy as you could get. Buffalo Bore offers a 525gr Hardcast running along at 1850fps! I'd say that would just about kill anything alive these days, and perhaps even the dinosaurs from the Stone Age!
 
My vote would be for the model 90 from big horn armory. (if I could afford one) because the 460 and the 500, have almost the same muzzle energy but the 460 has a much better trajectory if 200 to 300 yard shots are required.

Big Horn Armory Gun Catalog | Model 89 Rifles &amp | Big Horn Armory

The marlin 450 is also a powerful cartridge if you can find one of there rifles in this cartridge. I looked for years for one and once marlin went out of business
they are almost nonexistent.

Just my Opinion

J E CUSTOM
 
I didn't know the .50 Alaskan, maybe this is the winner. About the other cartridges, I bet the 450 Marlin is the most powerful, my friend said 45/70.
 
There's also a 450 Alaskan...
They both utilize a blown out 348 Winchester case.
That 460 would probably be my second choice if I needed any sort of range on what I was shooting
I also think the 45-70 Magnum loads from Buffalo Bore are more powerful than a 450 Marlin, I could be wrong though.
 
That Marlin guide gun I have with a short 18.5 ported barrel and 405 gr. Magnum Buffalo Bore ammo gets your attention when you touch of a round, it will spin a fella in about half a circle and just about bust your knuckles. I would not want to be on the receiving end of that bullet even if I was 1500 pounds and 20 feet tall. :D It gets my vote for the most powerful combo that I have shot for close range, don't know about any others mentioned here.
 
Waynzee said:
That Marlin guide gun I have with a short 18.5 ported barrel and 405 gr. Magnum Buffalo Bore ammo gets your attention when you touch of a round, it will spin a fella in about half a circle and just about bust your knuckles. I would not want to be on the receiving end of that bullet even if I was 1500 pounds and 20 feet tall. :D It gets my vote for the most powerful combo that I have shot for close range, don't know about any others mentioned here.
Click to expand...

I've owned a Marlin Guide in 45-70 I ran Buffalobore Magnums in and a Winchester M71 in 50 Alaskan I felt "man enough" to shoot a couple dozen times during the time I owned it. I would agree there's no animal I wouldn't have felt complete confidence in defending myself against.
The recoil was too much for my enjoyment and I've since started carrying short, lightweight lever guns chambered for 44 Magnum and 45 Colt loaded to Magnum pressures for brush hunting and defense. These rifles, even at their light sub 5 lbs weight are fun to shoot, still pack plenty of thump for close encounters, and don't beat on my knuckles or rattle my teeth loose with each trigger pull.
 
Last edited:
405 win in a 1895 rifle
I shoot 300 grain pills at ~2300 fps in my rifle ( a 1895 high grade- with the t.r. safari engraving), but you can use 400 grain slugs too and you are still doing about 1900 fps with them...
 
.450 Marlin, .444 Marlin, or .45-70 Gov't would be a hard line to contend with in a lever-gun...

My old man hunts with an old Marlin (JM stamped) 336 in .444 Marlin. The LeverEvolution ammo for it is pretty **** impressive.
 
WeiserBucks said:
I use the Buffalo Bore ammo in my 45/70 , I've yet to find an animal that can stop the bullet. Penetration and recoil are off the charts .
Click to expand...

I second that... I've used the 405grn buffalo bore-1950 fps and I've reloaded 405 grn hard cast w/ 50.5 grns of H4198 2090fps... both are very bad medicine!

Tom
 
I'm pretty sure the 475 Turnbull is the most powerful lever action round at 4200#lb. The 50 Alaskan seems to come next at 4100#lb.

Of course if you load other rounds beyond specs and individual may exceed those numbers. If you are at my range testing them please let me know so I can go to the other side of the brick wall.

I have two or several 45-70 Govt. One is a Winchester model 1886 built in 1888. Immensely strong action. Loads can be made that become extremely uncomfortable to shoot except from a standing position.
 
Warning! This thread is more than 6 years ago old.
It's likely that no further discussion is required, in which case we recommend starting a new thread. If however you feel your response is required you can still do so.

Similar threads

Canhunter35
Most Underrated Cartridge
9 10 11
Replies
147
Views
26K
Antonio m
A
L
Thoughts on Lever Action
11 12 13
Replies
174
Views
25K
DMP25-06
D
P
Rossi 357mag lever action
Replies
0
Views
275
Prairiemoose
P
K
Lever action 30/30
2
Replies
19
Views
5K
shaughn
S
B
Marlin Lever Action Experts
Replies
11
Views
831
Geno67
G

Recent Posts

Top