r/canadaguns • u/ZmanX101 • 29d ago
Buy recommendations Lever action for range and woods defense
So I’ve got a bit of a quandary as of late. I moved to the Yukon this year and I’m looking to add a lever action to my safe. I currently have a .303 and a 12ga and I’m looking for a rifle that’s going to be cheaper than .303 to shoot at $3+ a round up here (hence a pistol calibre) and I’m torn between going for a .357 and a .44.
The way I see it the .357 is half the cost to shoot (even less for .38 spl) but the .44 offers far more peace of mind for protection from moose or bears if it comes down to it.
I do anticipate that most of my usage will be on the range but since I only have the means to get one more gun atm I am looking for it to do a bit of double duty and I don’t want to get a .357 for the range that I won’t be able to take into the bush and put to work.
I’m looking for any insight on whether the .357 would be sufficient (with appropriate hard cast ammo to be sure) for protection in the chance of bear or moose encounters
For reference I’m currently looking at either Marlin 1894 or one of the Henry options and I’m open to other suggestions
*as some have brought up, I’m looking for something for backpacking as my 12ga is 24” and I want something a bit smaller and lighter than that
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u/iatekane 28d ago
.44 mag for sure, a bit more expensive than .357 but still reasonable and a lot more capable when it comes to use on animals.
I quite like .13” 1892 for a similar use case, lower rifle in the picture
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u/ZmanX101 28d ago
Def agree but .44 is double the cost of .357 up here so I’m trying to get insight if the increased performance is worth the hit to range useability
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u/snakeleather45 28d ago
Eventually you are going to have to get both. I would suggest you get a .44 to start, and gets something decent like a Marlin/S&W/Henry. Then as funds allow, add a 357.
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u/Current_Direction595 28d ago
Watch the auction sites and buy reloading gear. Or find someone that is already doing it and buy your own dies and supplies. It's pricey to start on your own. that being said. 357 mag and bear spray would be your best options.
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u/One_Salary_9068 28d ago
Go with a Marlin trapper in 357. Its light 6.5 lbs, and short 16' barrel. Use 158 grain ammo for the range, and use 180 grain and above Ammo for the field... And yes enough punch for anything in Yukon 🤌🏼
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u/ngongo_2016 28d ago
Start reloading and stop worrying about shots cost
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u/Sco0basTeVen 28d ago
Yeah just spend $1000+ on a reloading setup only to make your own for 35% cheaper.
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u/ngongo_2016 28d ago
I bought everything used at a fun show for no more than 300. Press, dies, trimmer, scales, ultrasound bath, whatever. Yes you can get expensive progressive press, but do you need to?
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u/Airplaneondvd 28d ago
You can get a Lee loader and a die for less than 200 bucks
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u/Sco0basTeVen 28d ago
How do you tumble the old brass, measure the new powder?
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u/Airplaneondvd 28d ago
Don’t tumble your brass, and Lee kits come with a scoop. That will more than suit his needs.
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u/mischling2543 28d ago
Yeah the only way I think I could justify reloading is if I was gonna sell handloads to friends, which I'm not even sure is legal
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u/cattabliss bc 28d ago
lee hand press, 80 bucks. set of dies, 35-40 bucks, powder, primers and used cases are the real ongoing cost, but should bring the $1-2 per shot of 357/44 down to 40 cents a shot for an initial investment equal to a few boxes of ammo.
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u/BeerGunsMusicFood 25d ago
You can get a decent reloading setup for under $350.
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u/Iokua_CDN 28d ago
I have a 16 inch 357. I think it's great for the range, very compact (about the same size as my 14 inch 12 ga) and cheap to feed at the range. However, while I'm sure it would be fine out in the woods, if I had to rely on something to protect myself, I think I'd want a 44mag. As my gun is 99% a range gun, 357 is fine. And I have the short 12 ga if I ever want more power in the woods.
All that being said, I'll throw out the counter argument. Get the 357, get one box of the high power stuff like Buffalo bore, and then buy just regular 357 and 38 special ammo. The 38 special can be your cheap target shooting ammo. The 357 can be your everyday ammo, hunting and defence around the property and such. Then your high power Buffalo bore comes out when you go far into the bush and might actually need some animal defence.
Hopefully, your Buffalo bore lasts for years without needing to get shot, while you target shoot away with the cheaper stuff.
I certainly think that's a pretty valid strategy to use and your wallet will thank you if you mostly use it at the range.
My gun is a cheapo Citadel Levtac. Got it on sale for 800 bucks. Was a bit rough at the start, had to wear in the magazine spring and the loading gate spring, smooth the edges of the loading gate, and then tighten some screws that came lose while shooting. Then after that, it's been dead reliable. Highly recommend for someone on a budget who can't afford a Marlin.
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u/CurrentStructure7960 28d ago
Go for the .44 magnum. I love mine. Ammo cost really isn’t a big deal unless you’re shooting it constantly.
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u/ZmanX101 28d ago
I do hope to have it to be able to spend a day at the range with it, get some good practice and fun out of it
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u/CurrentStructure7960 28d ago
When I take mine out to shoot I usually run at least 150-200 rounds. I shoot S&B for punching paper or steel. I use Hornady 225g FTX for hunting.
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u/ZmanX101 28d ago
200 rounds here is over $400 in .44, that’s a very expensive range day
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u/Iokua_CDN 27d ago
Are ammo prices that much more in the Yukon???? I guess if you can't have it shipped up for cheap.... I wonder of like Tenda or someone would ship it up to you.
At that price I'd definitely go 357
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u/ZmanX101 27d ago
That’s how it’s shaping up, even .357 is still around $1 a shot on the lower end, with .38 being about 10¢ less, and .44 being about $1.50-$200 on the low end
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u/preferablyoutside 29d ago
More moose than you’ve had hot breakfasts have been taken with 38/357mag carbines, for bear out of season pack spray.
Get a pail of .38 ammo and practice to proficiency with that carbine if you want actual bear defence
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u/ZmanX101 29d ago
Not looking so much for hunting-wise but more so defense wise as a last resort in non optimal conditions
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u/mischling2543 28d ago
Rangers carry guns over spray for a reason.
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u/preferablyoutside 28d ago
What an valueless statement,
Police officers carry guns over spray for a reason.
If someone is scared enough of moose that they’re choosing to pack a gun, I’d greatly appreciate them carrying spray instead. Otherwise it’ll be that situation where that dim bulb pegged a black bear at 70yds in Jasper National Park because “they feared for their life.” With our poisonous and utterly slanderous media looking to tar and feather every gun owner over the slightest perceived wrong the last thing I want as a responsible gun owner is someone roaming the streets of Whitehorse with a .357mag carbine ready to level the first moose they see as they’re scared for their life. I’d recommend they pack spray and you give your head a soak.
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u/ZmanX101 28d ago
Yeah if im in a situation that im packing a gun, im gonna have spray on me as well
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u/China_bot42069 28d ago edited 28d ago
I keep my 45/70 marlin (trapper) on me when I’m flying in the mountains/ operating at remote strips. I’m usually solo so it goes right behind the seats. As soon as I land I stretch and the gun doesn’t leave my side until I’m climbing back into the plane. 357 doesn’t seem like enough, 44 is good but requires skills but 45/70 is trusted for me (skills still needed) . Up in Alaska it’s 44/45-70 and 500s. But more important is practice. A lot of the beaver drivers in Alaska carry a 44//10mm/500 handgun.
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u/black_covfefe_please 23d ago
Have you considered 30-30? Or even 308 (my Savage 99 is chamberes in 308)? 30-30 is lowered cost typically than 44mag.
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u/ZmanX101 16d ago
I’ve got a .303 rn but ammo is so expensive here (~$3+ for most larger rifle rounds) I want something cheaper to shoot
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u/hafetysazard 27d ago
For defense, also? .45-70, iron sights, or a red dot, no question. It mostly boils down to energy, and bullet selection.
Most .357/.44 handgun bullets aren’t suitable at rifle velocities, period. They expand too violently, and too rapidly, bonded, or not, resulting in fragmentation and core separation. This means they’ll deal with bone rather poorly. Being able to break through bone and have the bullet keep trucking is what you need at head-on angles in defensive situations.
The .357/.44 hardcast, and copper solids, will penetrate some bones, but are still a little light for deep penetration. It is also unfortunate they are quite long for their respective cases. This means less powder capacity, and consequently less gain in speed, and energy, from a rifle.
.45-70 offers a ton of selection for bonded, hardcast, and monolithic, bullets with, or without any, controlled expansion that will stay together even on heavy bone hits. The generous case capacity of the .45-70 makes it easy get these tough, heavy bullets moving fast. Cam Pro also has a bunch of affordable plated bullets at affordable prices if you’re willing to do a little reloading, so you can shoot for cheap.
.357/.44 is great for fun, and a little deer hunting, but they’re sub-par for reliably stopping the big angry beasts up there. The .45-70, or its big brother, the .45-90 are much safer bets.
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u/BigheadReddit 29d ago
Hi. You may get a lot of opinions here cause it’s an oft asked question. Your query is two fold. You want cost effective and protection from wild animals in the North. It also depends on what you’re doing out in the woods. .
Cost. 357 isn’t cheap, but cheaper than .44. The benefits of a .357 firearm is that you can also shoot .38 Spl to practice, which is fun plinking and cheaper still from the .357.
Protection/ Effectiveness: A .44 packs more punch and will kill a bear or moose with a well placed shot. I have a Rossi ranch hand .357 that I call my “bear gun” but I’d prefer it was a .44. A .357 is a great round, and will kill a moose or bear, but in terms of effectiveness, I’d say the .44 trumps a .357.
Situation? Camping, fishing, a “truck gun?” It all depends. If you want cost AND protection for a lever, I’d go for a .357. The Henry is nice. However, I’d consider what you already have in the 12 gauge shotgun (2 3/4 to 3 inch +) loaded with 00 buck or slugs. You can buy the ammo anywhere, it’s great at close range, relatively easy to load, shoot etc., and will likely disable most threats (including a bear or Moose) with a well placed shot.