Wondering if we have any deer, hog or javelina hunters here who take a 73 in .44 WCF or .38 WCF afield. I'd love to hear about harvests.

Got a "73" Rifle in 32-20 while with me that has shot it's share of porcupines woodchucks and a couple of coyotes

Very nice, Zeph. Perfect caliber for that work. Shooting black powder or smokeless -- or both?

For some reason I have acquired a few 32-20s, my 73 rifle a 92 carbine and a 2nd gen SAA. A 100gr cast bullet and 5744 gets me a low pressure load that I can shoot in all three guns safely.

Near 30 years ago I shot my 2nd and 3rd Alaska caribou with a '73 in .32-20. The next year I used a model 65 and high velocity loads. I had a .348 along if a grizzly showed up but all was calm (my first 'boo was with the '71). I still have a soft spot in my heart for the Winchesters--they balanced well and had lines no other American rifle could approach. Later moose fell to an extra light '86 in .45-70. Then they were sold as I began a love affair with Africa and doubles.
Cal
PS. The '73 was bought new by my great great grandfather and is the only lever gun I kept.

Cal, that is a wonderful recollection. You are blessed with memories of some great experiences.

I hunted deer with my uncles 73 in 44-40 and My granddads 38-40 Win. mod. 92 which I still have and the serial number is 150, At the time we had a ranch in old Mexico across form the Big Bend Nat'l. Park in Texas...

Neither caliber is a very impressive killer, but they do leave decent blood trails as a rule, Factory ammo is sure weak and not much better than a GI ball in a .45 ACP..Back in those days I felt like my 22 L.R. mod 63 auto was as good for deer as the 44 or 38, but I was using factory ammo back then..At any rate you needed to be real close..

However I would bet that with a good handload that kicked the velocity up to somewhere around 1800 to 2000 FPS with the 200 gr. in the 44/40 and the 180 gr. in the 38/40, either would be a decent enough 50 yard deer rifle.

Strange Ray likes the 25-35 for deer but not the 44-40. I shoot some 200 grain XTP's in 44-40 out of my ruger vaquero 4 5/8 barrel that crono at 1003fps. I am positive if I shot them in my Wincherster 92 they would take deer just like a 30-30 or 44 magnum. I would not however, want to shoot these loads in my Uberti 1866.

Buckeye shooter,
My 25-35 shoots a 117 gr, bullet at 2350 FPS,with a handload and 2100 wth factory ammo, that heavy long bullet with its SD always gives pass throughs. and its a deadly at up to 200 yards or so..and instant kills are the norm.

The 200 gr. 44-40 and the 180 gr. 38-40 with factory ammo is about 850 FPS, with handloads probably about 1300 FPS. either of which does not kill as well as a 25-35 Winchester..

With either handloads are factory ammo the 25-35 and the 30-30 are better killers than any pistol cartridge up to and including the 44 magnum..I have no experience with pistol cartridges larger than the 44 mag so can't say. I am not saying that the large pistol cartridges in a pistol or rifle are not good deer killers when properly used at short range, just that the 25-35 you question is a better cartridge than you might think.