I have been waffling worse than Obama on the campaign trail for the last week trying to figure out what my next rifle purchase is going to be. While I don't hunt now, I want to get a rifle that I can learn to be proficient with so I can hunt the local whitetails if the need arises. I'm juggling the 44 and 30-30 right now, and have different things pulling me toward each one: 30-30 is known good deer cartridge within 150 yards at least, relatively inexpensive to buy factory ammo. 44 mag: I can also buy a revolver in 44 which I would really like without having to deal with a second caliber.
I'm tossing around the idea of reloading if I get the 44... so, assuming the gun in question in question is an 18.5" or 20" Marlin 1894, what kind of velocity ceiling am I looking at for the 44 if I stay on the lighter end of available bullet weights? I would like to use iron sights or a low-power scope... is a 44 going to be a consistent performer out to 150 yards if I do my part? I know a 44 is more like lobbing a big rock than zapping with a laser, but is it practical to try to flatten the trajectory a smidgen so bullet drop isn't so bad?
I'm tossing around the idea of reloading if I get the 44... so, assuming the gun in question in question is an 18.5" or 20" Marlin 1894, what kind of velocity ceiling am I looking at for the 44 if I stay on the lighter end of available bullet weights? I would like to use iron sights or a low-power scope... is a 44 going to be a consistent performer out to 150 yards if I do my part? I know a 44 is more like lobbing a big rock than zapping with a laser, but is it practical to try to flatten the trajectory a smidgen so bullet drop isn't so bad?