which caliber?

[tantrum]

This is my first post and I would like some input to help in my decision process.  I am considering buying my brother a marlin lever gun as a gift but can't make up my mind as to which caliber to buy.  He will be using it for deer and hogs in Texas and it will probably be used for close up work since he uses his .270 for long range work.  My first inclination is to go with the tried and true 30-30 but since I have a Marlin 30-30 already and I will be using his gun also it makes me want to get him something different.  Neither of us handload and this will be an open sight rifle.  What are the pro's and con's of the .35 Rem., .444 Mar.  and .45/70 in regards to recoil, killing power, factory bullet selection and accuracy.   Thanks in advance

[S.S.]

I sold a Model 1895 marlin in 45-70 to my brother.
It is an excellent shooter but sometimes bullets are hard to find
if you do not reload. With full power loads and it's straight stock, Recoil is substantial.
I have a Model 36 in .35 Remington That is definitely on the KEEPER list.
This gun is exceptionally accurate.
I sold a Model 336 in .30-30 to my nephew a little while back also and it too
was a very good shooter.
.35 Rem and .30-30 Win ammo is available just about anywhere that sells ammo too.
I like the 405 grain in .45-70 the 200 grain in .35 Rem ans 150 Grain in .30-30.
All can be improved a great deal by handloading.
Needless to say, I like Marlins

[TNrifleman]

It sounds like your brother is a lucky man! A Marlin lever gun should work just fine for the hunting task you describe. If you are wanting to try a different cartridge than your tried-and-true 30-30, the 35 Remington is an excellent choice for deer and hogs at reasonable hunting distances. The felt recoil of both rounds is fairly similar. I have both, and have come to prefer the 35 Remington over the 30-30. Another plus is that both of these cartridges are less expensive and more widely available than the 444 or 45-70.

My first real deer rifle was a Marlin 444. I shot my first deer with that gun and liked it. I also have a real fondness for the grand old 45-70 Govt. cartridge. Both recoil more than the 30-30 or 35 Remington and don't offer any real-world benefits as far as killing power or effectiveness over the two smaller rounds when it comes to deer or hogs.

Obviously, my reply is only opinion, and others may hold differing ones. What I have intended to do is offer a sensible approach to your selection process. Good luck and good hunting. BTW, welcome to GBO!

[tantrum]

Thanks.  It looks like I will go with the .35 Rem.  Does anyone have experience with the lever evolution ammo in this caliber?  It looks impressive on paper but that doesn't tell me what it is really like.

[wncchester]

[.  It looks like I will go with the .35 Rem. ]

Excellent choice.

[Jerry Lester]

From the choices you gave, I'm another one for the 35 Remington. It's an excellent caliber, and a joy to shoot.

One small draw back to the 35 though is that in some areas, ammo can be a bit hard to find. If you've got a place to keep a steady supply, then it's no problem. If you find that it is a little scarce, then I'd be more inclined to go with a 45-70. The 45-70 is an awsome caliber, and will bring down anything in North America with the right ammo. It's also a fun caliber to shoot, and hunt with.

[McLernon]

If you go with the 45-70 you will not need another lever action rifle. It is an extremely versatile cartridge from 'mild-to-wild'.

Mc

[KYBOY]

Im a big fan of the .35  and 45/70 myself. You wouldn't be disappointed in either one.

[victorcharlie]

I own both calibers in Marlin Lever actions.   The .35 is a little bit lighter and smaller....and I find myself taking the .35 more and more......I plan to find a good .32 Winchester special in the future, as well as a 30.30 and possibly a 375.......

I love sitting in the woods with a lever action in my lap......just makes the world feel right!

[markc]

My experience with the leverrevolution ammo is that it is very accurate, very deadly on feral hogs and bobcats,   but unless you buy a brand new model rifle designed for that pointed ammo, then replace the follower from the start and avoid the feeding, jam problem that a good # of us experienced..   Good luck,  the .35 is a wonderful round.

[DAG460]

Tantrum

You can buy 45/70 ammo with a 300 grain bullet for less recoil and it will work just fine on what you want to hunt.  There is all kinds of factory and custom ammo for the 45/70 that will keep you busy for quite awhile trying them.  The 45/70 is extremely fun to shoot and will kill anything you want to hunt at appropriate ranges.

DAG

[Lloyd Smale]

anyone of them are fine calibers. All will kill deer with no problem. I depends on what your field conditions are but a good 3030 is tough to beat for a combination of killing power and flat trajectory if loaded properly.