You know,just gotta say without trying to create a poo storm,some of these chamberings,especially in the Handi-Rifle setup are IMHO, a short range gun. The 357,44mag,45LC,444Marlin,and 45-70 are to me 100yd guns. Can you accurately shoot further with these....yes. Can you kill your game at the ranges beyond 100yds....yes. Did Quigley hit the bucket at a gazillion yards....yes. But if you want a 200,300,400,etc,yard Handi I sure can think of much better offerings.
FOR ME ..... my Handi's are for close range hunting. This is why I use low power optics. BTW,I use optics because of my eye sight. On these weapons my scope is always on the lowest power. I killed a deer two years ago with my wife's Handi at 90yds,with the scope set on 2X.
FOR ME ..... I want a rifle that is easy to shoulder,with a balance point more under the trigger guard,with a short bbl that I can steer thru the heaviest of brush. Also fairly light weight. Short and light to me also means that I do not have tie the gun onto a string,climb my ladder stands,then pull them up,then untie them. I climb with the gun on my back.
These are simply my feelings. My intention is not to start a ballistics war. ---pruhdlr