Favorite combinations. (Rifle and handgun)

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Scott Tschirhart
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Favorite combinations. (Rifle and handgun)

Post by Scott Tschirhart »

I like the idea of using the same cartridge for bumming around with both my rifle and revolver.

But when I carried a gun for serious business my levergun was a .30-30 because of the extra power and penetration.

This combo of a .44 Special and a .30-30 made sense.
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Re: Favorite combinations. (Rifle and handgun)

Post by Scott Tschirhart »

These days I prefer a couple of.45 Colts.
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Re: Favorite combinations. (Rifle and handgun)

Post by marlinman93 »

Although the pistol/rifle combo in the same caliber sounds great, it rarely results in an optimum round that works equally well in both. Often what works great in one wont work great in the other. And toss in the possibility of the two having different groove diameters, and one of them can be a poor choice for accuracy.
Over the years I've owned a lot of .44-40, .38-40, and .32-20 combinations, but rarely carried both out in the field.
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Re: Favorite combinations. (Rifle and handgun)

Post by AJMD429 »

There is definitely something appealing, perhaps just in a romantic adventure sense, about having a long gun and handgun in the same chambering, but I agree that unless a person we’re on some sort of a survival adventure it probably isn’t that practical. That’s not to say I don’t go on the occasional woods-walk With a pair of 357 magnum’s, 9 mm, or 44 magnums. 8)

From a more practical standpoint though, it often would make sense to have something long-range and powerful for hunting, and something handy and compact for ‘pot-meat’ or protection. The long gun selection would depend on the hunting or mission involved, but the handgun is where it gets tricky. The same handgun that could accurately shoot a rabbit and leave all the edible meat is probably not going to be ones first choice if you need to stop a two-legged or four-legged predator. Somebody could make an over-under Contender pistol that held 22 Long rifle or 22 Winchester Magnum on the upper barrel with good sights, with a lower barrel chambered in 45 colt or 410. (Not both though because the bullet jump is so great when you try to use a 45 Colt in a .410... may be possible to use a 444 Marlin case with the option of shotshell loads or something.)
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Re: Favorite combinations. (Rifle and handgun)

Post by Scott Tschirhart »

My handgun shooting limits me to 40-50 yards. But I can reach out there with the .45 Colt in a rifle. I load a lot of the Hornady Cowboy bullets over 8.5 gr of Unique and I treat it like a big .22. Seems to shoot well in my revolvers and both of my leverguns. I don't think that load is too stressful on my 66 but it extends my reach considerably.

I'm not generally hunting for anything but I might see a coyote or some other critter that needs shooting.
Last edited by Scott Tschirhart on Fri Nov 20, 2020 12:55 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Favorite combinations. (Rifle and handgun)

Post by Rusty »

I think if you're walking in the woods with a handgun and a long gun the point is to have a long gun that can reach out as well as a handgun for up and close. I'm not sure the two interchange even though the calibers do. I'd rather carry a rifle caliber and take full advantage.
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Re: Favorite combinations. (Rifle and handgun)

Post by TomF »

Chances are I'm not carrying 2 of the same. My side arm will be 44 Special, 45 Colt, 357 or 22. The long gun is usually a Marlin 45 Colt or 357 or 30-30 Winchester trapper.

No need to carry extra as the Marlins hold 13 rounds. Plus, all but the 22 and 30-30 are fed homemade boolits.
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Re: Favorite combinations. (Rifle and handgun)

Post by Streetstar »

I got nostalgic about this as well and settled on the 45/45 combo, with my Trapper and a Blackhawk

However, - Ive since decided its not thta hard keeping 2 different types of ammo onhamd, so generally it is a double action Colt 357 on my hip (a Lawman fixed sight model) paired with whatever rifle or shotgun suits the needs that particular day
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Re: Favorite combinations. (Rifle and handgun)

Post by jeepnik »

The necessity for same caliber rifle & handgun is pretty much gone these days. I pretty much prefer a .45 caliber handgun and a rifle caliber rifle. My favorite is a .45 Blackhawk and a Marlin 1895.
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Re: Favorite combinations. (Rifle and handgun)

Post by JimT »

If I am gonna carry a levergun and a sixgun in the same caliber, it will be the .357 Magnum. It works well out of a sixgun and approaches the low end of 30-30 power in the levergun.

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Re: Favorite combinations. (Rifle and handgun)

Post by rock-steady »

I tend to use the Big Little approach.

When I carry a small caliber rifle like a Marlin 39A, I usually carry a Ruger Super Blackhawk in 44Mag.

When I carry a large caliber rifle like a Marlin 444, I may also carry a Ruger Mark II in 22LR.
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Re: Favorite combinations. (Rifle and handgun)

Post by Pitchy »

Marlin cowboy 45-70 and a Ruger 44 mag. is my best choice. :)
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Re: Favorite combinations. (Rifle and handgun)

Post by crs »

.357 Mag all the way.
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Re: Favorite combinations. (Rifle and handgun)

Post by Griff »

45 Colt for me. I like my SAAs and have 5 leverguns in the same cartridge. I've been really enjoying the '73 with it's 18-½" barrel, Using 200 grain bullets in both... those Speer "Flying Ashtrays" are just awesome. Picked up 1100 of 'em in an estate sale last year... I'm really looking forward to the "Iron-Framed" Henry with an 18-½" barrel I have on order from Taylor's. I'm going to install a Cowboy45Special carrier, (it'll hold 11). And since the SAA can use the same cartridge, it just might become my newest favorite combo...

Although generally, if I'm hunting, I've carried the mdl 94 .30-30 and a 1911 in 45ACP.
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Re: Favorite combinations. (Rifle and handgun)

Post by gamekeeper »

rock-steady wrote: Fri Nov 20, 2020 4:08 pm I tend to use the Big Little approach.

When I carry a small caliber rifle like a Marlin 39A, I usually carry a Ruger Super Blackhawk in 44Mag.

When I carry a large caliber rifle like a Marlin 444, I may also carry a Ruger Mark II in 22LR.
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Re: Favorite combinations. (Rifle and handgun)

Post by HawkCreek »

My favorite combo is a New Vaquero in .45 Colt and a Winchester 1895 in .30-06 or .30-40 Krag.
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Re: Favorite combinations. (Rifle and handgun)

Post by AJMD429 »

rock-steady wrote: Fri Nov 20, 2020 4:08 pm I tend to use the Big Little approach.

When I carry a small caliber rifle like a Marlin 39A, I usually carry a Ruger Super Blackhawk in 44Mag.

When I carry a large caliber rifle like a Marlin 444, I may also carry a Ruger Mark II in 22LR.
Makes sense to me.
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Re: Favorite combinations. (Rifle and handgun)

Post by Ray Newman »

My Ruger Bisley in .41 Remington Magnum or 45 Colt Bisley and my Marlin .41 mag 1894 FG or .45 Colt CB. Both are hard hitting and very versatile calibres.
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Re: Favorite combinations. (Rifle and handgun)

Post by 44shooter »

Today it was my M70 in 270 Win and a S&W Airweight in 38 Special in my pocket. The handgun isn't very exciting but it's handy and light. I would rather use it for a finisher than expend another Trophy Bonded Bearclaw
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Re: Favorite combinations. (Rifle and handgun)

Post by M. M. Wright »

My fave combo;
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Re: Favorite combinations. (Rifle and handgun)

Post by piller »

I need to get a lever action rifle in .45 Colt. I have a Ruger in .45 Colt, and a carbine in that caliber would be dandy. .44 Mag or .357 Mag in a pistol and carbine would be great.
More likely, I will have a .357 Mag revolver of a 10mm Colt style semiauto and a .30-30, or .32 WS, or .35 Rem rifle.
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Re: Favorite combinations. (Rifle and handgun)

Post by Catshooter »

The short half of my favorite combo is a .45. The .45 is good from pocket gophers to people to large game (close in). The small game it just pokes a half inch hole through and you can eat right up to it. Larger stuff it just pokes a half inch . . . well you get the idea.

The longer half varies more. AR in 5.56, Marlin 336 .30-30, T/C Compass in '06, 10-22, the list goes on. Depends.


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Re: Favorite combinations. (Rifle and handgun)

Post by 2ndovc »

Two of my favorite woods bummin'/ camp gun combinations.

My .32-20 '92 SRC that I bought almost 30 years ago and a 1911. The National Match most days.
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Or a beat up old Chinese SKS that I paid all of $65 for and my Bowen, Super Blackhawk .44 Magnum.
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Re: Favorite combinations. (Rifle and handgun)

Post by 6pt-sika »

Only time I carry two is when I’m deer sitting and that’s a rifle and a shotgun . The rifle can change day to day but 90% of the time the shotgun will be a 10 gauge 2 7/8” double . For the last couple weeks I’ve carried a 6.5x54 MS carbine and something a touch larger than my normal 10 gauge .
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Re: Favorite combinations. (Rifle and handgun)

Post by Old Savage »

.357/45
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Re: Favorite combinations. (Rifle and handgun)

Post by CowboyTutt »

I guess if I had to go the combo route, my 454 Rossi Puma and one of these handguns. Could use 45 Colt or 454 Casull.

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Truly though, the Raging Bull in 454 has enough sight radius, accuracy and range at 100 yards I would just carry it in my cross chest holster and a couple of speed loaders in my jacket pocket. Its very easy to carry that way. If I wanted to get real serious bring my Primo/Shockey tri-pod shooting stick on my back with an EZGunsSling (swiveless). Really not much I couldn't do with a "one gun combo" at typical hunting and defense ranges with that set-up. I USED to be able to shoot it pretty well in a "shrimp" seated position with my hands squeezed between my knees. I just need to be sure to wear thick jeans to protect from muzzle blast and be wearing my Walker game ears. The ported RB is super loud (although not as loud as the 460 snubbie). -Tutt
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