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Ammo for lever rifle

Posted: Thu Feb 14, 2013 8:22 pm
by Don1911
I just got a lever rifle in 357 mag. I know not to use pointed ammo. Flat point is best. Is it safe to use jacketed round nose?
Thanks in advance.
Donny.

Re: Ammo for lever rifle

Posted: Thu Feb 14, 2013 8:32 pm
by C-dub
Don1911 wrote:I just got a lever rifle in 357 mag. I know not to use pointed ammo. Flat point is best. Is it safe to use jacketed round nose?
Thanks in advance.
Donny.
I have a Henry in .44Mag. I haven't had any trouble with jacketed soft points with round noses. I haven't tried anything with points or hollow points. I kinds figured the hollow points might not feed properly, but what's the problem with pointed rounds?

Re: Ammo for lever rifle

Posted: Thu Feb 14, 2013 8:43 pm
by C-dub
AndyC wrote:Pointed ammo in a tubular magazine can set off the primer of the round in front of it under recoil.
Good to know. Whew! Glad I hadn't tried that yet. Although, I haven't seen any pointed .44mag yet either.

Re: Ammo for lever rifle

Posted: Thu Feb 14, 2013 8:43 pm
by RX8er
:iagree:

I too think it's more about setting off the round in front with a pointed bullet. That's what I was always told anyways....

Re: Ammo for lever rifle

Posted: Thu Feb 14, 2013 8:45 pm
by Carry-a-Kimber

Re: Ammo for lever rifle

Posted: Thu Feb 14, 2013 8:47 pm
by Carry-a-Kimber
C-dub wrote:
AndyC wrote:Pointed ammo in a tubular magazine can set off the primer of the round in front of it under recoil.
Good to know. Whew! Glad I hadn't tried that yet. Although, I haven't seen any pointed .44mag yet either.
"Pointed" 44 Magazine for lever actions

Re: Ammo for lever rifle

Posted: Thu Feb 14, 2013 8:54 pm
by Don1911
Thanks for your quick informative responses. The round nose should be good for playing. Hollow points should be fine for defensive purposes if it functions properly. I've heard of leverevolution ammo. Haven't seen any to buy yet. I'll try some eventually. Maybe I'll see some at the gun show this weekend.

Thanks again everyone.
Donny

Re: Ammo for lever rifle

Posted: Thu Feb 14, 2013 8:56 pm
by A-R
Don1911 wrote:I just got a lever rifle in 357 mag. I know not to use pointed ammo. Flat point is best. Is it safe to use jacketed round nose?
Thanks in advance.
Donny.
Where'd you find one? New or used?

Re: Ammo for lever rifle

Posted: Thu Feb 14, 2013 8:58 pm
by C-dub
Carry-a-Kimber wrote:
C-dub wrote:
AndyC wrote:Pointed ammo in a tubular magazine can set off the primer of the round in front of it under recoil.
Good to know. Whew! Glad I hadn't tried that yet. Although, I haven't seen any pointed .44mag yet either.
"Pointed" 44 Magazine for lever actions
Interesting stuff. However, at $1/round or more I'll pass.

Re: Ammo for lever rifle

Posted: Thu Feb 14, 2013 8:58 pm
by AEA
LEVERevolution ammo is indeed nice. Some folks change out their follower in the tube to one with a deeper dimple in the middle to accommodate the rubberized point of the bullet.

But there is a drawback with this ammo that many are not aware of. The brass cases of LEVERevolution ammo cannot be reloaded with standard round nose or flat point ammo.

This is because the LEVERevolution brass is slightly shorter than "normal" to achieve correct OAL for the pointed round.

You can buy LEVERevolution bullets that reload fine in this brass but "normal" bullets will be shorter in OAL if reloaded into LEVERevolution brass which could cause feed problems in the rifles. Could also increase possibility of an overcharge in the shorter case.

If you don't reload, then none of this means anything to you and will not affect you.

EDIT: Now I want to emphasize that this MAY not be as critical in the shorter pistol calibers as it is in say the 45-70 Govt. cal. I do not really have any first hand experience in this and I am not a re-loader. But in my travels searching for ammo for a 45-70 Govt. Marlin Lever (when I owned one) I found this info concerning the difference in length of "standard" Starline Brass and LEVERevolution Brass being shorter. Maybe a few re-loaders will chime in here to comment.

Re: Ammo for lever rifle

Posted: Thu Feb 14, 2013 9:50 pm
by A-R
Now THAT is good info to know ... I was unaware of this with LeveRevolution .... need to sort out my Hornady headstamped .357 brass and double-check lengths (don't load .357 right now - only .38 - but will likely do so at some point in the future, thus saving up brass from my own use and various range pickups).

Re: Ammo for lever rifle

Posted: Thu Feb 14, 2013 9:55 pm
by AEA
I use Federal .38 158gr TMJ Flat Point +P ammo in my Rossi 92, or any Federal JHP ammo with no problems.

.357 for "Serious" work! :thumbs2:

I edited my post above to insert a disclaimer on brass length.

Re: Ammo for lever rifle

Posted: Thu Feb 14, 2013 10:13 pm
by K.Mooneyham
My Henry "Big Boy" .357 feeds .38 Specials just as well as it feeds .357 Magnum ammo. I'll admit that I stick with flat-nose bullets, though. Just to be on the safe side...

Re: Ammo for lever rifle

Posted: Thu Feb 14, 2013 10:17 pm
by The Annoyed Man
C-dub wrote:
AndyC wrote:Pointed ammo in a tubular magazine can set off the primer of the round in front of it under recoil.
Good to know. Whew! Glad I hadn't tried that yet. Although, I haven't seen any pointed .44mag yet either.
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