MT_Sourdough Report post Posted September 10, 2013 I know I have better rifles for the job, but I am using a Marlin 444 for Coues. Understand, I am a die hard 444 fan and I hope to take as many of Arizona's different critters with the cartridge. I designed a 237gr cast bullet that I am pushing to about 2550 fps and should be good to go past 250 yards. Anyways, I was just wondering, how many folk out there go after these little deer with a leveraction? 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ready2hunt Report post Posted September 10, 2013 I personally don't know of any but with that grain of a bullet you have a pretty good chance of taking out a whole heard haha. I love lever actions, my wife has her little .22 henery lever action. Good luck to you 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Viper Report post Posted September 10, 2013 I have a Marlin lever-action in .30-.30. I have taken a small coues and a couple mulies with it several years ago, at less than 100 yards. That was when I didn't know anything about coues. Now that I hunt coues pretty much exclusively, the .30-.30 won't do for most of my opportunities. If you are proficient to 250 yards with your 444, then you shouldn't have a problem taking a decent coues. A 237 gr bullet will probably knock him clean off the mountain...and leave strips of jerky along the way. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Chef Report post Posted September 10, 2013 I sure have! (back in 2002) I actually used a triple four also. 44 yards and the rest is history! 5 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Chef Report post Posted September 10, 2013 Oh yeah, killed a bull elk with the same 444 also, in Colorado. Love them levers! 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
doogan Report post Posted September 10, 2013 I've shot lots of stuff with my .44 mag lever gun. Just get within your comfortable range and don't try to over extend it. With that extra 4 on there it should be no problem haha! I shoot the Lever revolution stuff and it definitely extended my range. Its a 225 grain bullet that hits really hard. Its basically a soft tipped ballistic tip. You will not have any problems killing one, just have to get closer than others do. 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DCS Report post Posted September 11, 2013 I have shot several nice coues with my model 88 Winchester 243 lever gun.It was the first rifle my dad gave me in 1962.We hunted horseback,and it fit a scabbard better,and my dad was left handed so he could shoot it also.We killed buffalo,elk,deer,pigs,and bulls that we couldn't round up.I still have it. 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
southernxpress Report post Posted September 11, 2013 Ya a few years ago I wanted to get it done the old way and I used my Sharps replica in 45-70 shooting the 300 grain Hornady hollow points and got it done at 162 yards... I rolled it when I hit it and the story was over. My older brother gave me crap for wanting to use that rifle and so with that I made double sure to get a deer that year. It wasn't a huge coues, but it was a fun way to hunt. I'm pretty proud of my small deer. I may end up using a 300 grain bullet again this year... but in the .338 Edge I built earlier this year. We keep talking about doing a cowboy hunt for pigs some year but we haven't done that yet... all levers or single action revolvers. I carried my 45-70 on a elk hunt one year too. 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Snapshot Report post Posted September 11, 2013 I was hoping to buy the Marlin lever action .308, but just not in the budget this year. I am a little leery of the rubber bullet tips, for tube feed lever actions. Anyone have any experience with these? 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
sjvcon Report post Posted September 11, 2013 Some day, I will buy a Winchester 1895 converted to .35 Whelen or .338-06. That will be my "go to" hunting in the junipers rifle. 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
MT_Sourdough Report post Posted September 11, 2013 Wow, great replies. I don't feel so alone. Chef, I have a 444P along with two others. '65 24" micro-groove, '07 Ballard 22" barrel and the Outfitter. I am using the '65 for the Coues hunt. I like the scout set-up on yours along with the custom lever. As far as the gummy tip bullets are concerned, I took 4 whitetail with them back in Montana. All four were bang flops. Some rifles shoot the gum tips well, but many do not. It's a hit and miss with the Micro-groove Marlins. Another problem with the gummy tip bullets is that often times you need to change the follower in the magazine. The older flat faced followers can cause the bullets to get cock-eyed in the magazine and cause feeding problems. I do not use the gummy tips anymore, because I cast my own these days. Last week, I received a new mold in the mail. It's my new "Chino Valley" 44 cal 187gr LNFP GC. In a little look-see, I recorded 2996fps 15 feet in front of the muzzle. That will be my future Coues, Pronghorn, javelina and coyote round. I do not have enough time and enough of the right powder to do proper load development before my October Coues hunt. For Javelina, I'll load the 187gr Chino Valley bullet with Trail Boss to about 1500fps. Anyways, It is great to hear about people using levers for these challenging little deer. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Arizona Griz Report post Posted September 11, 2013 Some day, I will buy a Winchester 1895 converted to .35 Whelen or .338-06. That will be my "go to" hunting in the junipers rifle. A great rifle especially in 405 Winchester. My first deer, though not a Coues, was taken with a Marlin '93 in 30-30 caliber made in 1917. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
stanley Report post Posted September 11, 2013 Awesome thread! Kudos for the lever actions! I have a 1894 Winchester 30-30 that my dad passed to me when I was young. Killed a couple of things with it then put it away for many years (other than fun target shooting/plinking...). Over the past couple of years though, I've had a hankering to use it on a deer again! I'm going to haul it along on my hunts in the future to try to kill a deer with it. Full buckhorn iron sights! I guess the way I look at it is if a coues can be killed spot/stalk with a bow, then I better be able to get within iron-sight range with my 30-30! S. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Mocha1545 Report post Posted September 11, 2013 I Love my Savage 99C in 308. Had it for over 40 years now. It'll do the job. 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
firstcoueswas80 Report post Posted September 11, 2013 Carried a 99e for a few years with never firing a shot. I did, how ever kill 2 elk with it. 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
