which one is the best choice in 30-30 357 44mag

[DEACONLLB]

Given the choice of leaver action rifles, which one would be you choice Marlin 336c  Uberti or Henry or the Uberti yellow boy. Thinking of a 30-30 a 357 mag or 38 special or the 44mag looking at buying 3. also looking at the marlin in 1894 in 357 mag which brand would you pick. I know that the Henry can be had in all 3 cal as well as the marlin but the Uberti only comes in 38 and 44-40 and 45 colt I think.
Deaconllb

[45-70.gov]

i  have  winchester  trappers  in those 3  calibers

if  i were  shopping  again    i  would  buy  marlins

tho  they  won't match as close

[wreckhog]

Henry is heavy, US made, pricey, and can be loaded/unloaded from the tube. For hunting and carrying I'd buy a Marlin 30-30 carbine. But I am thinking of the brass frame Henry for range plinking. I have a couple of scoped Marlins.

[Badnews Bob]

My personal prefrence would be the Marlins.

[Oldtimer]

Without knowing what you are going to do with the rifles, it is hard to answer your questions.  If you are thinking about hunting, the .30-30 is the best all around choice.  The .357 Magnum has the power out of a rifle as the original .30-30 round. The Yellowboy would be limited to BP level loads, so you could only use it for close-in hunting of deer-sized game.  For plinking, any would do, but the .30-30 is not really a plinking round unless you handload and cast your own bullets.

[fr3db3ar]

I would choose the 357.  Mostly because I already have a Model 94 30-30 and I have a 8 shot Taurus 357 Handgun.

[Savage .250]

My choice............Marlin. 

[dougk]

I went through an analysis of the different lever guns and ended up with Marlin 1894 in 44 mag and 357 mag.  My initial choice was 357 mag which I found and while putting that gun on hold, I asked if they ever get Marlin 1894 44 mag rifles, and they had one.  I could not pass that up.

[popplecop]

Mine are all Marlins: Model 1936 in 30-30, 1894s in both 44 Mag. and 357 mag.  Like all 3 and wouldn't trade any of them.

[teamnelson]

In 30-30, the Marlin 336 hands down. In .357 I'm a fan of the 92 clones (Rossi, EMF), in fact with a long barreled 92 in .357 and the right loads, I might be able to do all I do with a 30-30; lots of good reading out there on that. Never had a .44 lever, but I think a Marlin 1894 scout setup would go well with a Bisley. I like the rifle/pistol combo in same caliber idea.

[Graybeard]

For the ranges I'd chose to use a .357 magnum or .44 magnum lever gun irons would do fine so I'd chose a Rossi M92 over either of the others myself. For the .30-30 I'd go with a Marlin. If ya just absolutely gotta have a scope then Marlin might be best. I like the looks of the Henry guns but have never owned or shot one so honestly can't say how I'd like them. Their Yellow boy .22 and .22 Mag sure does look and feel nice.

[NickSS]

I like all three calibers that you mention and have rifles in all of them.  For the 30-30 round I have both a Marlin 336 and a Winchester 94.  Both are light handy rifles and mine are both fitted with receiver sights.  I got the Winchester first and when it was in storage and I needed a deer rifle I bought the Marlin.  If I was to choose one I would get the marlin and it is stronger, smoother operating, and can be fitted with a scope more easily (My 94 is a pre angle eject model).  I have Marlin and 92 winchester clones in 44 and 357 mag.  I like them both but prefer the 92 clones for iron sights.  The marlins if scoping is required.  As for the Uberti and Henry rifles they are fine smooth operating guns The modern Henry is a bit bulky and heavy and the Ubertis are built on the original toggle link action used by Winchester over 100 years ago.  If you want a 357, 44-40 or a 45 colt  for cowboy action shooting the ubertis are hard to beat for smoothness and fast function.  The Henry in 357 or 44 mag would give you fine smooth working rifles but on the heavy side and the brass finish is to flashy for me as a hunting rifle.

[KyBeast]

My personal prefrence would be the Marlins.

I'm with Badnews Bob on this one.  (We disagree all the time     )

[pneuby]

After having used comparable "Trappers" in .44 mag, here's what I've concluded in the age-old "Marlin vs. Winchester" debate....Winchester

Objective observations:

In the event of a feed failure, you need only to reach into the open receiver with your thumb or finger to correct it.

The wider, longer, more softly sprung trapdoor makes for easier loading with less finger pinch.

Safeties are a fact we must deal with, like it or not. The new tang
safety beats the cross-bolt style in both ease of use and aesthetics.

The larger finger lever and trigger guard allows more room for your hand, particulary with winter gloves.

The dovetailed front sight blade beats the screwed-on type which may loosen under recoil.(Some Marlins are dovetailed, also.)

It's a lighter weight, more compact, overall svelte package.


Subjective opinion:

Shorter LOP on the buttstock makes it easier for many to use.

The flat bottom receiver and lack of a lever hinge makes it more comfortable for in-the-hand carry.

The longer, wider trigger allows for easier purchase and helps ease the "lawyer weight".

There's less 'pinch' inside the lever to wear on my fingers.

The butt to bore angle {pitch}  allows for lighter recoil in even in a lighter weight package.
What's more, is that it is softer even without the rubber recoil-pad that my Marlin had.

Now, I've also had the opportunity to use a '92, with the godawful curved butt-plate that's traditional on that gun. Let me tell you...it was brutal from the bench! The top of that plate bruised me. Off-hand, it was tolerable, and it was fine with Specials, of course. It does have the "tight" lever feel of the Marlins that is regrettably absent on the '94 design. Plus, the trigger is better. That much I'll grant. However, I just don't see what all of the fuss is about this 'older' action.

Yes, the receiver is about 5/8" shorter in OAL. Contrary to what you might think, however, the arc of the leverstroke is exactly the same between the two designs. I'd laid both one on top of the other, and in reverse, just to check this. Unfortunately, my digi-pics just wouldn't transfer onto my PC. Since the carrier on the '94 is
specially fitted for the shorter pistol cartridge chamberings, I don't see what the fuss is. My former Ranger '94 seemed to cycle just fine in both 90 degrees from horizontal in either direction, and was even able to do so
upside down!       
               
Lastly, a poster on another site elsewhere pointed out.....
               
When loading a single round, the Winchester is much quicker and easier to use. When wanting to drop in a small game load with the gun's magazine already loaded for hunting big game, the Winchester action is MUCH easier to use. You simply work the lever slowly and don't raise the next round to feed, if you do raise the next round to feed, a little finger can push it back down, the light load dropped in, and close the bolt.

For the Marlin, the lifter can hang up on the rim and keep the action from closing when dropping single rounds in an empty gun. When wanting to load a small game load into a gun with a full magazine, you have to cycle the action, eject the round that's trying to feed, (shake it out the side of the gun with it turned sideways) and hope you don't get the lifter hung up on the shell rim when putting in the small game round. To eject your empty (or live) shell and then leave the gun in a chamber empty condition, you have to eject the shell in the chamber, then do the shaking routine to try to get the round that's feeding out.

Points to ponder....