In my search for a new Winchester lever action,nI have happened across two at very reasonable prices.
A Winchester 73, 24inch occy barrel, blued.
A 20 inch model 92 blued
Both are in .45 LC however. I have no experience with this cartridge. Before I dive into the Google cesspool I was wondering if anyone has a firearm in this calibre. How does it perform compared to a .357mag?
Recoil etc.
The 73 is $1500 pick up
The 92 is $1250 shipped
Available as I write this but no idea how long they will be available.
I have a 44, which I guess is pretty close to 45LC.
And 357…
What specifically would you like to know, amigo?
I’d take a 73 over a 92 any day & I have a 92.
My brother had a 92 in 45lc, I shot it at the range, was mild to shoot though that could of been his reloads.
Another mate has a 73 in 38spec and it’s smooth as butter.
Performance against 357 is hard to describe for me. I don’t generally shoot either one (and never had actually, perhaps I should) for groups. Just blast clays (page out of your book, @supaduke) and random shit, in fact sometimes real shit lol (I wanted to see a cow patty explode, 357 explodes it). 
It’s really hard to explain. They both feel fine like you can plink all day with it. In fact a lovely young lady I know shot 100+ max load 44MAG cartridges with 240gr slugs off hand without hesitation. So in terms of recoil management and comfort they are both gentle enough, obviously 44 has more oomph, but from my Marlin, very manageable.
The biggest difference I would say is when you shoot 44 with proper loads, it just feels like there’s a bit of authority (like a big boys gun), the bang and the jump and thump on the other end. With 357 and max (in fact bit over max) loads using 158gr HRBC bullets, it’s less so, it feels a little amoebic to be honest.
I would say if you load your 45-70 at about 75% - 80% and just let it rip, that would be close to 44 (maybe 45?). 357 is not in that ball park.
Accuracy and precision, they both hit gongs, clay, dung and cans with reasonable accuracy. 
N.B.
38’s through a carbine is like watching a strip show, when really all you want to do is get laid.
Update:
38’s through a 686 revolver is also like watching a strip show, when really all you want to do is get laid.
Update:
38spc through anything is like watching a strip show, when really all you want to do is get laid.
Just for plinking. Both rifles are at a good price, new and several hundred dollars below retail. To get a 92 in .357 they are $1750 and a 73 is nearer $2k
I know a .45 LC would cost more to run. But not much more reloading.
Don’t want to jump on a “bargain” only to discover it’s a lame cartridge.
Give you a Police Positive with 38Spl full house loads, see what you think when the pain stops!
I have a number of different firearms in 45LC, from a Martini Childs Carbine at 16" barrel to a 4" S&W Model 25 (N frame) as well as 1873 S/A revolvers. They are an easy to load cartridge, with smokeless or Black, and can shoot 180g to 260g at loads from heavy (reaching 44Magnum power levels) in the M25 to mild in the Armi San Marco SAA. This is the cartridge that Elmer Keith used to develop the 44 Mag in the 1st place. It is an absolute classic, my current all purpose load is 6.7g of Trailboss with 200g Hawkesbury SWC, a very easy load that still has enough whoomph to knock over 100m Rams, Cheers.
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Would you get a 92 or 73 No.1?, disregarding price.
I have to admit I’m leaning towards the 73. Opens the door for a beautiful Chiappa 92 with case hardening in .357. saw a second hand one . Great condition. Scratch both itches.
Personally I would buy the 92 over the 73, the 92 replaced the 73 on everybodys rig in the old days because it was a stronger action and could take heavier loads. It was also more reliable and easier to maintain. With todays modern metals and manufacturing the strength and reliability are less of an issue, but the inherent design of the 92 is stronger. I like the clean lines of the 92 from an aesthetic viewpoint, Cheers.
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I can supply you a chiappa in 357 for a good price if you want
Price, type, condition etc, etc.
Will pm mate
I. Love. Recoil. Pain. Gimme Gimme.
I don’t mind a bit of recoil. I’m looking for a lady/kid friendly plinker with a bit more oomph than a .22 though.
Circling around several different options at the moment.
So many clones of the same rifle doesn’t help sometimes.
Would imagine that 45 is similar to 44, but it’s an educated guess…
44 with trail boss (and I am guessing 45) is very mild and fun. Like mild, mild, little above 22 from a very lite rifle sort of mild.
44 with about 19gr of 2205 is quite pleasant and has some authority.
44 with (I am not going to say what I took it up to, to avoid keen readers replicating without working up, but some cases split) is freaking awesome.
We all feel recoil different, in my case I found shooting over-max loads of 44 off the bench is sort of weird, the rifle vibrated the butt - sort of teeth rattling sort of feeling, but not so much into the shoulder.
Off-hand, I don’t find any of those cartridges overly demanding and I personally think a kid could shoot them, especially if you stay 10-15% below max loads. With Trail Boss, you’ll hear it, but won’t feel it.
@Supaduke by the way check out (yes, yes, I know, we don’t like them, but) HRBC - I get my 44 pills from them.
“.45 250gn Round Nose Flat Point Long colt” - about 24c per pill exc. shipping.
158gr pills for 357 (flat nose) are about 15c per pill exc. shipping.
…if that’s a factor. Such hard choices. If I was going to put my wife or kids on the trigger with one of them, assuming they’ve never shot before and moving up from 22LR, I recon 357 is the way to go. Brass is a lot cheaper. If it’s for you (I mean for your wife, but you will buy it), then you know what to do