Lever gun safe ammo question

[asp]

Just bought a lever gun in .44 magnum and feel comfortable that my 180 and 240 grain jacketed soft points are safe to use in the tube. (Both are flat-nosed.) However, I'm not so sure about the Winchester Platinum Tip HP's. The hollow points look large enough to prohibit setting off the primer in the adjacent round, but I would appreciate any input on using this particular round in a lever gun. Thanks in advance.

 

[Rich Lucibella]

Personally, I'd not be concerned about any .44 Mag ammo in a lever gun. If it'll feed it should fire safely. There just shouldn't be enough recoil to create an in-tube detonation.

I've heard about such issues with real hot 45-70 loads and Buffalo Bore has now gone to small primers as a result. But .44 mag in a 7 lb gun? I'd really be surprised to hear of problems.
Rich

 

[asp]

Thanks Rich; I appreciate your input. Although this rifle is significantly lighter than a Marlin or Winchester, your advice is sound. BTW, I just bought the Win. Platinum Tip ammo today. First time I'd seen this 250 grain stuff. Looks like an all-business round.

 

[Rich Lucibella]

asp-
Don't take it as gospel. I've shot 44 LG's a bit, but never owned one. There's others here with far more direct experience than me. We may find there's a well known (except to me) problem with some types of ammo.
Rich

 

[treeprof]

I've shot 240 gr Gold Dots, 240 gr SJHP and the Win 250 gr Partition Golds in my 1894ss and 1894p just fine. Like Rich, I don't think the recoil is stout enuf to cause probs anyway. Laying some loaded Gold Dots bullet-to-primer on a flat surface, it looks like there's not enuf of a case angle for the bullet to contact the primer. I don't have any Platinum Tip on hand, but in the Win ammo catalog it looks like the HP cavity in the Plat Tip is at least a bit smaller than in the Part Gold. However, Win lists rifle ballistics for the Plat Tip right along with the Part Gold, and if the ammo box doesn't have a warning on it, it's prob safe. I'd say call or email Win if you can't find anything more definitive.

 

[asp]

Thanks for the input treeprof. Bullet-to-primer resting on a flat surface, it appears that the bullet might contact the primer. I had decided to return the Plat. Tips but think I'll call/email Winchester before doing so. Not sure about W-Mart's ammo return policy, either.