Which is the Best .45 Colt Lever Gun for the Price?

[JohnnyFlake]

I am thinking of purchasing a .45 Colt Lever Gun to compliment my .45 Colt Handguns. Actually, I'd would love to pick up a .454 Lever Gun and just shoot .45 Colt Ruger type loads in it but there are none that are currently being made. I understand that one of the Custom Gun Makers is going to release a .454 Lever Gun which they are building from scratch, but the price will be $2500 and up!

I would really like to stay in the $800 or less price range.

For those of you who own them or have had experience with them, which is the best one out there for the money?

[Albtraum]

No experience with 'em but I'd check out the Henry Big Boy, and the Marlin 1894.

[al45lc]

All I can say is I love my Marlin, it's a tackdriver and I like the side eject as it lets me mount an aperture rear sight for a great open sighted system.
I have a Henry, but in another caliber. It's great too.

[Freebore]

I would favor the Marlin 1894 over the Henry, my Marlin 45LC is just one great shooting gun. I've put some heavy 45LC loads through it without a problem, it pretty much will feed and shoot anything you put in it...the Henry's are nice, but I feel the Marlin is a little more user friendly, also no need to use a cantilever (Henry) mount if you put a scope on it.....

[Alpo]

Has Rossi discontinued their 454?

Rossi. It's a John Browning design, and they don't come no better.

[JohnnyFlake]

Originally Posted by Alpo

Has Rossi discontinued their 454?

Rossi. It's a John Browning design, and they don't come no better.

Yes, the Rossi .454 was discontinued a couple of years back. I have read a lot of material about it and from what I understand, they are great guns, especially if you only stick with .45 Colt and upper end .45 Colt Loads. The .454 loads, after repeated use, tend to loosen the gun up to extremes and there have also been many issues resulting from the extremely high pressures produced by the .454 round.