What are good rounds to use in 44 mag/special, 357/38, and 45 Colt lever actions for home defense?

Will the pistol caliber defensive rounds like Hornady Critical Defense work out of a 20" rifle barrel?

Or do you have to worry about fragmentation or key holing or other problems because of the high velocities?

Lead SWCs would probably get the job done in any of these calibers I suppose, but what about the self defense and police duty rounds?

Dave

It sounds like you are asking for advice on Factory ammunition recommendations. I can not help there as mine get hand loads most of the time.

On my 45LC levers and pumps, I use a 300 grain JHP at 1000+FPS. This is so I can put a suppressor on the guns.

For the 357s I load the Remington 180 SJHPs up to the same velocity.

I have used many various factory rounds, but usually for plinking and never really kept track of what was what.

There is no reason why Hornady's load would do anything weird. Just try some to make sure they feed.

Yes. At this point I don't hand load. Perhaps in the future, but not now.

The Speer Gold Dot 200 gr 44 Special ammo goes 1200 fps from a 20 inch barrel. Should be about right.

The 38 Special +P hollow points pick up a lot of speed in a rifle length barrel, too. Dont know about 45 Colt but any standard pressure hollow point should be OK.

Just make sure whatever you use will feed 100%. Lever guns can be fussy about ammo.

Look at hornady's lever evolution. Work great in pistol and lever guns.

__________________
God, country, family.

My opinion I keep Magtec 240 grain 44 special cowboy loads in my lever action
Accurate and in a home defense situation in a home or close out doors should be
Just fine!

Not enough experience really with lever action and the 44, and can't speak as to terminal performance---but---as far as accuracy-----in the past it looked as if the barrels on all of the 44 rifles (Marlin lever, Winchester lever, Browning 92, Ruger semi-auto) were the same barrel---same rifling etc. Perhaps all bought from same maker. I did an accuracy test with a Ruger 44 semi with iron sights. Everything I shot; various 240's, 275 Rem, Speer Gold Dot , Corbon 180, 200, 300, etc. all shot tacks at 50 yds----but---at 100 yds, all seemed to open up from 4 to 8 inches---except 240's---they still about 2 inches that distance.

I used to use 250 grain Winchester Black Talon SXT .44 mag ammo in my 16" Winchester Trapper saddle ring carbine. It used to be my house gun. Preferred it over a shotgun.

I prefer the American Eagle 357 Magnum 158 grain jacketed soft point, my 1894 seems to shoot it best. I also use Buffalo Bore 125 grain JHP for short distance work and Buffalo's 180 grain hard-cast lead semi-wadcutter for longer shots where I want better accuracy (longer bullet) and good penetration.

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"Sacramento" Bruce Conklin

I would use something subsonic. That way you might still have some hearing when the action stops. I don't own a pistol caliber lever gun, but i do keep a 9mm Hi-Point carbine stocked with 147gr JHPs. They certainly crack the whip much less than 124gr +P Gold Dots.

For 45 Colt, any revolver round that will feed is great in the lever guns! I have both a Marlin 1894 and a Rossi 92, mine feed SWC (factory Fed. 225 gr and 185gr SWC HP handloads) just fine. Both actions will handle "Ruger Blackhawk Only" loads. All that being said, I use a 230 cast RNFP at 700fps in the handgun and about 900-950 in the 92 (has the shorter barrel). This is my everything except deer hunting load. I have shot as many as 450 in one day practicing, without serious fatigue. Our normal cowboy matches are 120-130 rounds. After the match we often use a box or 2 plinking, I use my handguns on the rifle targets for the training at longer distance (up to 75 yards) at speed. Out on Dad's farm , I use that load out to 200 yards (adjusting sight is needed) on ground hogs as well as paper. Ivan

The Marlin 38/357 will give you 357 velocities from 38s, and 357 rounds in it will generate over 1000 ft pounds of energy. Shooting 38s through one is like shooting a 22 rifle.
I would avoid very fast expanding loads out of a rifle, since they might break up if they hit anything, unless you want that. You will get better terminal performance with a heavier 140 gr, or a lighter more traditional bullet, like the 125 gr. HP. I would expect optimal performance from a 125 gr Gold Dot, but not the short barrel load.

Home defense?

30-30 Lever Evolution all the way.....if you're using a lever gun for defense you want to make sure that what gets hit, stays hit.

Save the .357 and .44 for wheelguns.