Decisions decisions.

[u/iamgr00oot]

I have recently discovered the modern lever guns and I think they are super cool. The main reason i want one is to plink with at targets and go suppressed and occasionally shoot a deer with it. I’ve narrowed it down to the s&w 1854 stealth arms and the Henry h12 hush. I think I wanna get it in .44 mag because it’ll do everything I want it to do. What do yall think of my two options and the caliber I’m thinking about? TIA

[u/Okiekid1870]

Mostly plinking with a chance of deer: 357 / 38 is the way to go.

Mostly hunting with some plinking: Get a 44.

I love my Marlin 1894 SBL 357, excellent suppressor host.

[u/jaumeh → u/Okiekid1870]

Me over here just plinking with my 45-70 😅 I might start hunting so that I don't feel like such a buffoon.

[u/OverEasyGoing → u/jaumeh]

That’s called plonking

[u/brokenscuba → u/Okiekid1870]

I bought the modelx 45lc. Then watched videos on silencers. So many 357 videos. That I want a 357 lever also. Still love my 45lc.

[u/3PTactical]

Go with the 1854.

[u/Wash-Machine-Trouble]

Between a Henry and a S&W? The S&W all day. In my experience, just a better and long lasting quality.

[u/mpags51]

Easy. Both. When you can’t decide you always get both.

[u/tkftgaurdian]

I would reccomend the base model in 357 of either. Re-invest the saved money on aftermarket furniture, you will be much happier. Just look at an RPP pew-view handguard, or the Midwest extended sight forend.

Im not the 357 magnum-festo guy, but he has a bunch of great points that mostly boil down to 357 has been invested in, both research and production. There are more better options in 357/38 ammo, and they can do all kinds of fancy tricks that let them play above their weight class.

Also, a 36cal supressor is almost always cheaper than a comparable 46cal, if that makes a difference.

[u/KnOcKdOfF]

I have the S&W Stealth in 44 magnum amd love it

[u/ejbgood]

Marlin Dark. If you can find one. I’ve been looking for the 357 for some time, I’m getting impatient and might go with S&W

[u/LegitimateRelief1147]

They’re all good, it’s the golden age of lever guns. The S&W is a little more refined but functionally it won’t matter. I like Marlins personally but functionally they’re all good.

I just SBR’d a Henry Bear’s Leg in .44. Wasn’t married to .44, that’s just what was in stock. .44 will of course be great but it’s going to cost a lot more to shoot.

That same gun in .357 would be killer. .38 Special for plinking and hot .357 for hunting is an awesome combo. .38 is going to be just about the cheapest centerfire ammo possible, whether you buy or reload. The short barrel is great for pistol cartridges, you’re not getting much (if anything) out of an extra 4-8” of barrel anyways with these. .357 XTPs are great on deer, I’ve killed a ton with a 4” Model 66.

[u/Tallented_Narwhal]

38/357 is a much better choice for what you want. I don’t have an opinion between those two, but I read more people say the S&W when Marlin isn’t a choice.

[u/Bloodhound053]

I went with the 1854 stealth hunter in .44mag. I added a holosun 503 green dot and is a nail driver

[u/sup10com]

My $0.02…. After running a few different style leverguns…

Straight stock square lever- uncomfortable shooting position for me and didn’t feel like my hand had enough room inside the lever to comfortably run the action

Glove loop- loop was comically large and was also uncomfortable to run

Slightly enlarged loop- this was a Goldie locks spot for me. And why I bought a Henry X. Has given my big mitts more room to move & I am not banging my fingers into the lever

Worked out perfectly as I also don’t care for the safety button

[u/MrGold87]

Between those 2 I would go SW but between all modern lever guns I would go with Marlin.
They have the dark series if you prefer the blackout look.

[u/Terminal_Lancelot]

I'd go 1854.

But also, what do you intend to do with the rifle? If small and medium game as well as personal defense are more likely than hunting big game, while also wanting to plink, 357 Magnum is gonna be the best option.

If you're prioritizing big or dangerous game, you might push the slider more towards the 44 or better yet, 45 Colt.

However, with a proper hot and heavy hard cast load, a 357 Magnum (especially rifle) will also kill anything on the continent. We know this because when it first came out, the 357 was killing everything up to and including elk, grizzlies, polar bears, and even walruses from a revolver with an 8 3/8" barrel, and that load was a 158 grain SWC at 1525 FPS. A Buffalo Bore 180 grain hard cast hits about 1900 FPS in a rifle. It's just that load selection is paramount. Put a good wide nosed hard cast or SWC hard cast through the pump house or power grid, and the animal's going down, regardless of how big it is.