considering getting a replica lever action rifle.....

[Brad]

Been thinking of getting a Winchester replica 1873, or maybe a yellow boy??
Any reccomendations?? Any one in particular to avoid?? Dont want trouble, just a good reliable shooter.
Thinking I'd want a 357 mag / 38 sp so the ammo would be cheap??
Thanks in advance

[Johnny P]

If you are going to be shooting factory loads, I would compare the price of .357 and .45 Colt as I doubt there is much difference. If you are going to reload there won't be enough difference to matter. Neither were original calibers of the Model 1873, but I would go with the larger bore .45 Colt. The .38 Special is somewhat of a puny cartridge for the Winchester .73.

[Embalmer]

Had a uberti 1860 Henry in 44-40. Liked it but ammo in that caliber tough to find, and wasn't set up for reloading black powder rounds

[joem]

I have a Marlin lever gun in .38 spl / .357 mag. If you want any accuracy it needs .357 mag. Good rifle.

[Johnny P]

Just curious, but why does the .45 Colt become inaccurate in a rifle when it is accurate in a pistol?

http://gunsmagazine.com/the-45-colt-lever-action/

[da gimp]

.45Colt is a better self defense/ deer, hog hunting round too..... it'd be my 1st pick in a modern '73........

[budster]

Just curious, but why does the .45 Colt become inaccurate in a rifle when it is accurate in a pistol?

http://gunsmagazine.com/the-45-colt-lever-action/

Gun writers sit at the computer a lot rather than practice. I believe that if you had the same rifle, you would have shot much better.

[BudT]

Johnny P, ya I would like to know that one to. Someone forgot to program that into my .45Colt lever gun because it will shoot very tight groups with my 300 grain hunting loads .

[Art]

On caliber.

Since you want to avoid the expense of a period cartridge the .38 Special/.357 Magnum combo allows you to buy factory plinking ammo at $20.00 to $25.00 per box. I can get Privi Partisan .357 158gr SJHPs at Academy under their "Monarch" brand label at $22.00 for 50. I wouldn't want to use it either for hunting or serious social encounters but it's just fine to practice with. If you do go the .38 Special/.357 Magnum route make sure the rifle will feed .38s reliably. Not all will. .45 Colt is more "traditional" and the ammo is findable and affordable in the "Cowboy Action" loads, though not as easy to locate where I live as the .38/.357 Magnums. If you want to hunt with your lever gun either cartridge will take up to deer size game quite nicely as long as you don't push them.

[cwartyman]

The .45 Colt becomes a problem in rifles but not in pistols when Black powder is used. The case does not seal well in rifle chambers and you get more fouling from the BP than you would using say a 44-40 which is a slight bottle neck. When using smokeless you dont get that level of fouling. You can run into problems with bore diameter versus chamber diameter in the rifle usually you need a bigger bullet than the chamber is cut for and you end up having to use softer lead with a smaller bullet hoping that is upsets and fills the grooves or you get leading. I have a Henry in 44-40 that wants .431 bullets(groove dia is .430) but will not chamber a bullet that size so I have to size to .429 and use softer lead to get it to work(This is with BP).
Mack

[Fred]

I've seen original bullets from old 44-40 BP cartridges that are somewhat hollow based. They must've been meant to upset into the rifling better.

[Johnny P]

The last thing I would do is reload with black powder for that rifle. The 1873 Winchester came out in the black powder era, and transitioned right into the smokeless era. You will never regret going with the larger caliber.

[da gimp]

& with the new 1873's there is no need to use black powder to reload..............they are not hard to strip all the wood off & to take apart the action........... but why bother with it?

[macPA]

For BP many folks like the 44-40 as it is made for BP. Suppsed to seal the chamber better when fired and prevent blow back
I shoot .45 colt for my BP levers. My primary is an Uberti copy of the 1860 Henery and back up is a Marlin. I get no blow back from either
I load a 30 grain load topped with a thin wax cover and a Circle Fly wad with 250gr bullet
Nice smoke and accurate

[JimF]

. . . . My primary is an Uberti copy of the 1860 Henery and back up is a Marlin. I get no blow back from either
I load a 30 grain load topped with . . . . .

How on earth do you keep the brass frame from BP tarnishing???

I have the same rifle (the Henry), and am afraid to use BP because of the "tarnishing factor".

I'm using #2400 smokless instead. --Jim