38-40 and 44-40 are excellent rounds.Rimmed pistol cartridges are fine for hunting and generally the least expensive for shooting. The Winchester 1873 in 44-40 is often referred to as the gun that won the west for good reason.
I hope that is just a hyperbolic expression. A .44 magnum can certainly kill a deer and with a CNS hit drop one its tracks but no shoulder fired weapon can "knock" a deer sized animal down. When it comes to rifles, the .44 mag is pretty low on the power scale, even for lever actions.If you prefer a more "big-boy" round that will positively knock a deer down with plenty of power to spare, 44 Magnum is a great choice.
I hope that is just a hyperbolic expression. A .44 magnum can certainly kill a deer and with a CNS hit drop one its tracks but no shoulder fired weapon can "knock" a deer sized animal down. When it comes to rifles, the .44 mag is pretty low on the power scale, even for lever actions.
While your assessment may be technically correct, I think it overlooks the disturbing amount of damage a well placed 44 mag round will do to Bucky at typical pistol caliber ranges. Zowie.
Speaking of ranges, what kind of effective range can I expect out of a 44 mag?
You might even talk someone into letting you handle a few before you purchase.
Are you looking for old, new, or don't have a preference? Some guys really like the tactical lever guns and there's another thread on here regarding a mag fed lever gun offering I believe.
To me that is stretching it, but I don't have a glass on any of my lever gunsYou'll hear all kinds of stuff, but for me, 125 yards is about it. I'm all about shot placement and a quick, humane kill.
Depends on optics or irons. Good ammo and a optic 125 is a good range. Some can go further, some wll not even get that far.Speaking of ranges, what kind of effective range can I expect out of a 44 mag?