Suggest A Gun for Hunting Pigs + Deer in CA Non-Lead Ammo?

[wmhandy]

New to the board here… Hello!
New to hunting!
Like lever guns!
Live in over-regulated California!

Name here is Bill Handy… If it’s broke, I can fix it!

[Old Ironsights]

Depends on the gun, but at the moment you are pretty much stuck with the Barnes offerings in anything under .45-70.

[stew71]

Welcome Mr Handy...I'm in the same boat as you. I have a pig hunt coming up this spring down in San Benito county and I'm dealing with the lead-ban as well. About the only offerings I've seen out there are the commercial Barnes loads Old Ironsights mentioned, but they are gawd-awful expensive and I don't think they come in any caliber safe in a tube-fed lever-action. I may try to come up with some 30-40 Krag handloads using the Barnes and see where that goes in my 1895 Browning. Or I may just buy a box of the 30-06 and see how my Remington 700 likes it. Not sure at this point. Pretty slim and expensive pickings.

[O.S.O.K.]

Do you handload?

You are looking to purchase a rifle? And are wondering about which chambering?

[Crazy Horse]

I love the Marlin 1895 Cowboy and the Winchester 1886 extra lite. They would both be great Deer or Hog guns. I would go with the Marlin if I wanted a scope.

[Bogie35]

I don't have a good answer for you, but WELCOME TO THE FORUM!!

Sincerely,
bogie

[Old Ironsights]

Welcome Mr Handy...I'm in the same boat as you. I have a pig hunt coming up this spring down in San Benito county and I'm dealing with the lead-ban as well. About the only offerings I've seen out there are the commercial Barnes loads Old Ironsights mentioned, but they are gawd-awful expensive and I don't think they come in any caliber safe in a tube-fed lever-action. I may try to come up with some 30-40 Krag handloads using the Barnes and see where that goes in my 1895 Browning. Or I may just buy a box of the 30-06 and see how my Remington 700 likes it. Not sure at this point. Pretty slim and expensive pickings.

Actually, Federal Premium sells the Barnes100% copper 140gr .357. Those same bullets ARE available as components, but, as said, pricy.

[Mike D.]

I have the Barnes TSXs for my 45-70 and 90 caliber guns, too. They are a tad on the 'spensive side, at a buck each, which doesn't leave any for target practice. I also have a hundred rounds of 150s loaded for my '95 '06 SRC. Good enough for the deer and pigs around these parts.

[El Chivo]

Check Midway; Cor-Bon makes everything you might want except 35 Remington, using Barnes Bullets. Also check out Conley Precision Cartridge (they DO have 35 Rem, but they're spire points so you can only load two).

Corbon makes 30-30, .357 mag, 44 mag, 45-70, all good levergun rounds. Plus all the bolts, 30-06, 223, etc.

You should be able to take any deer or pig with a 30-30. If you don't have your gun yet, hit the Big 5 and get a Marlin in 30-30, or 44 mag. They go on sale every other week so look for the yellow tags.

[aussie]

The old thuddy-thuddy will do just nicely...

[RIHMFIRE]

My advise is to MOVE!
Pistol caliber ....
One guy here took a nice deer with a 357MAG
But I think 44 mag is a better choice for pigs
Rifle caliber 30-30...32 ws, 35 rem, 38-55 for mid range

[rost495]

How many rounds do you fire when hunting? Not many if any. A few to zero the gun. Thats not expensive, its just a cost with hunting.

Now I wouldn't practice with Barnes but they are some of the best bullets ever made. I run them in about everything I shoot, they provide expansion and penetration.

The lead thing is all BS anyway but since you choose to live there you have to put up with it, and as such Barnes will solve the problem very easily.

The pistol ones I run in small rifle calibers, are generally cookie cutters and would be safe in any tube mag, flat hollow points. And they are accurate and work so well.

Good luck. Wished you could change the idiots in KA or at least move...

Jeff

[O.S.O.K.]

OK (by the way, welcome to the board! Hope to see you post often )

I will assume since you said "new new" that you are looking to purchase a rifle.

I would suggest a Marlin 336 in 30-30. That allows you the most easy sighting options of any made. You can have tang or receiver or mid-barrel or easily mount a scope. Just look around here for scope recommendations and mounts. I like Leupold's mount with super low rings and a low power variable like 1x4X or 1.5x5X. But a nice fixed 2 or 4x is a great scope too. I prefer the scopes with no bell on the front end - they just look right and mount real low on leverguns IMHO. If you anticipate a lot of low-light opportunities, you may consider a good red dot. I have a Burris that I like a lot and its reasonably priced. Same mounts.

Here's an example of a nice low mount and the type of scope I'm talking about (member Chuck 100yd's rifle):



He's using a Weaver base and some alloy rings - not sure of the make - maybe Burris? And that's a Leupold scope - prob a VX-11 1-4X which about perfect IMHO.

And here is some loaded ammo from Midway USA http://www.midwayusa.com



This is pricey but will last many hunting seasons. Practice with Remington or Winchester and only shoot enough of these to check your sight-in for hunting.

Now, if you are adventurous, you could take that same rifle and have it reamed to 30-30 Ackley Improved. This can be done very easily as the barrel stays in the action for the rechamber which saves a lot of money. That will boost your 150 grain TXS to 2500 fps and extend your range. But it will require handloading. You shoot standard 30-30 rounds in the rifle and it fireforms them into the Ackley Improved case which you then handload from that point forward. You can use a Lee Loader which costs only $25 at the most.

Lee Loader ($19 at midway usa)



The Lee Loader is a very old design that's been around since the 50's at least. My dad used one of these to load his old 30-06 when I was a kid. They are very slow to load and neck size the cases so you only get so many loadings out of the brass, but on the plus side, you can take this to the range, load three rounds, test and then try another load, repeat untill you get the "one". They come with direcections of course and load data IIRC.

Or you can just buy a new Marlin chambered for 308 Marlin - add 150 fps for 2650 fps but again, you'll need to handload with TSX bullets for your hunting.

My best answers given your information.

[J Miller]

wmhandy,

I have no answers to your questions, just wanted to say: Welcome to the forum.

Joe

[GANJIRO]

Is this lead ban for the whole state? My BIL hunts northern Cali with lead jacketed bullets, will this ban spread north if it already hasn't?
I'm concerned because Hawaii is like Kalipornia's snot nosed kid sister who loves to copy everything big sister does and try to outdo her. Hawaii has more endangered species than any other state and this includes birds of prey, and waterfowl. This state is also a one party state which worships the Obamanation and will say "how high?" when asked to jump. I expecting the worse from our next state legislative session.
Sorry, I got little off topic, getting stir crazy sitting here waiting for my darn back to heal.

[Mike D.]

Gi, at this time the use of no-lead ammunition is enforced only in the counties that California Condors currently fly in. The list covers a portion of Santa Clara Co, all of Monterey, San Benito, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, Ventura Cos, and the majority of Los Angeles, Kern, Tulare, and Madera Cos. The rest of the state is still a "leaded" zone, but for how long?

[GANJIRO]

Thanks Mike. In Cali are cast bullets legal in these areas if cast from a non-toxic metal or alloy like tin or tin/silver (the newest plumbing solder)?

[Mike D.]

Without consulting the entire text of the law, I would say yes. The rule considers only lead as toxic in this case. Shot that has an other than lead content is legal, so why not bullets?

[Modoc ED]

My advise is to MOVE!
Pistol caliber ....
One guy here took a nice deer with a 357MAG
But I think 44 mag is a better choice for pigs
Rifle caliber 30-30...32 ws, 35 rem, 38-55 for mid range

When the lead ban comes to Florida, where are you gonna MOVE!!!!

[Buck Elliott]

When the lead ban comes to Florida, where are you gonna MOVE!!!!

WYOMING...

[Modoc ED]

When the lead ban comes to Florida, where are you gonna MOVE!!!!

WYOMING...

And when the lead ban comes to Wyoming, where are you gonna MOVE and to cut this short where is everyone that keeps knocking CA gonna MOVE when the lead ban comes to their states?

It may take awhile but it (lead ban) is going to be country wide in the future including Alaska and Hawaii.

[BwanaDave]

Don't use 357 for pigs. I tried that once after wounding one on the run with my rifle and running out of ammo. I had my 357 Blackhawk with me. I ran after that sucker and shot it 5 times in the head and didn't kill it. Finally I calmed down enough to put one in it's ear which ended the matter. I haven't looked at 357 the same since. I now carry a 45 Colt or 45 Mag.

It used to be that the Calif hunting proclaimation under hogs advised against using 357 mag.

I agree with the advice about moving. That is what I did 3 1/2 years ago (at the top of the RE market) and have been laughing since.

Dave

[new pig hunter]

Bill,

three ideas:

.45LC. There is a used Winchester Trapper in .45LC for sale at Turner's in Chino Hills, a bit south of you. Corbon makes .45LC +P DPX ammo which is legal in Kali.

.44 Magum. Also at the Turner's used guns list, there are a couple of Marlin lever actions in .44 Magnum at the Signal Hill store. Same deal, Corbon makes Kali-legal DPX ammo.

.444 Marlin. Same deal, Corbon makes Kali-legal DPX ammo.

Cheers,

Carl
(near Whittier)