The year was 1899. The century was turning, and so was the tide in handgun design. Revolvers still ruled the roost, but inventors on both sides of the Atlantic were racing to perfect a reliable, practical self-loading pistol. It was John Moses Browning who saw the future most clearly.
To understand the .38 ACP, you’ve got to put yourself in the boots of a U.S. cavalryman at the turn of the 20th century. The sidearm of the day? Likely a Colt Army revolver in .38 Long Colt. Trouble was, that round just didn’t get the job done.
In the dust and thunder of America’s post-Civil War expansion westward, one cartridge rose above the rest to carve out a name for itself—not only in leather holsters and cavalry belts, but in the folklore and firearms legacy of a young and unruly nation.
As the 20th century rolled in, the United States military was searching for a pistol cartridge that could deliver reliable stopping power on the battlefield. Enter John Moses Browning.
The .45-70 Government (45-70) cartridge is a piece of American firearms lore, a bridge between the black powder cartridge past and the smokeless powder present.
If you’re considering hunting with a lever-action rifle, the question is, what caliber do you choose? For your consideration, here are my top three choices for lever-action calibers for hunting.